Today we’d like to introduce you to Cedric Washington.
Cedric, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Starting a business has been a lifelong dream of mine. Coming from a small town, I knew that I have always wanted to do two things: own several businesses and be a college professor. I grew up in Hayneville, AL, a place that is extremely rich in Black History but also poverty-stricken. Being the product of a mother who struggled with drug addiction and a father who was a convicted felon, I was always motivated to be nothing like them. Consequently, I matured quickly while being raised by my grandmother and have always had a business mindset. I took business-related courses in high school and went on the go to college, where I received a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Alabama State University. I worked two jobs throughout college and I soaked up as much knowledge as I could in process. Knowing that if I could help other businesses be successful, I could do the same thing for myself. I launched Crazy Cases in September of 2019 after two years of development and invested more than $7,000 of my own hard-earned cash. The idea started as a simple desire to sell cell phones to people who did not have insurance but changed into a desire to fulfill a need and promote the idea of cell phone device protection instead. Protection and style, of course.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting a business has not been a smooth road. Having a background in business coupled with lots of experience in tough, fast-paced industries and working in various capacities made it a lot easier to go through the entrepreneurial process. So, I was able to take a lot of real-life experiences into the process with me. For example, doing the monthly supply order in a previous office job helped me understand how to order and manage supplies for my own office—just as doing inventory as a manager in the fast-food industry taught me how to do inventory for my own company.
The hardest part aside from what I like to call “doing the work” would be the financing. Starting a business without investors or a bank loan was a challenge. I knew that I did not want to share a portion of my company profits, limit my freedom of control, or be subjected to a loan repayment plan. I made extreme sacrifices like giving up Netflix, Apple Music, and even sneakers in order to keep funneling hundreds of dollars towards my business at a time. I must admit that there were a lot of small things that I did not consider when it was just an idea, like how much inventory, all of the creative components like logo specifications, web design, etc. I ultimately designed my own website after difficulty with web designers. But it all comes with the process.
Please tell us about your business.
Crazy Cases is an online cell phone accessory boutique that currently carries cases for the Apple iPhone. Our growing inventory includes various style cases that provide both style and protection for your device, including marble, quicksand, silicon, bumpers, hybrid, and wallets. Cellphones experience typical wear and tear from daily usage, exposure to different conditions, and the occasional drop onto hard surfaces. Cell phone cases provide your device with protection from potential damages or total loss, saving tons of money on repairs or replacement. Cell Phone cases also provide a sense of style, personality, and increased functionality.
Our commitment as a company is to provide stylish, high-quality, affordable solutions to cell phone protection and style coupled with convenient shopping methods, fast order shipment, and awesome customer service. Our Shop By Phone option allows customers to shop easily on our website.
Our commitments as a business strengthen our relationship with our customers and make us different from our competitors. The customers love the idea of finding a case they love at a really good price and receiving it extremely fast. Our primary specialty would be the customer service experience. That includes limiting questions and continuing to provide more to our customers.
I am most proud of our ability to continue to stand on our commitments to our customers as the business grows. As sales grow and inventory grows, we plan to continue to process and ship orders in a timely manner.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite childhood memory was competing in competitions during the summer. Being able to travel to different college campuses and compete against people in public speaking competitions was so fun to me. I think I mostly enjoyed it because it was different from what everyone else was doing. I was a member of the 4-H Club, and they always made sure our summers were filled with things to do. It ultimately developed me professionally as well as allowed me to travel and have fun. One year, they took us to Canada. It was my first time going out of the country.
Pricing:
- Cases and accessories are reasonably priced from $7.99 to $34.99. Customers who join our mailing list or follow us on social media have access to exclusive discounts and promo codes almost on a daily basis.
Contact Info:
- Website: mycrazycases.com
- Email: mycrazycases@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/mycrazycases
- Facebook: facebook.com/mycrazycasesllc
- Twitter: twitter.com/mycrazycases
Image Credit:
Justin Patton
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