Today we’d like to introduce you to Edward Lichstein.
Edward, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I am an automotive aficionado and have been since I was born. In college I became the president of the Entrepreneurship club but realized my school was barely active in the program. I was selling books, cars etc for others as a hobby and decided that I would try my hand at selling car parts. This was before the word, Social was even discussed as car lovers would discuss parts on forums and buy from vendors on those forums. The business began by electing a one of those suppliers and focusing on customer service and knowledge to sell parts. Still part of our credo today.
As time went on, the fascination of process flows, marketing began to take over as employees were added to our company (first company: THMotorsports). With the hunger to expand beyond its niche, I found a business partner through an interesting story in California to build Autoplicity. We were driven on bringing enterprise IT knowledge and procurement and process background to build the largest Auto Store online – which we did. During that time, I helped late co-found an email marketing software called Rejoiner and have been in multiple smaller ventures learning about all types of industries.
Has it been a smooth road?
Largest obstacles over time:
-marketing costs skyrocketing overnight specifically via google
-Staffing, Building awareness & trust, 2 day shipping requirement
We’d love to hear more about your business.
THMotorsports has been a house hold brand for the import automotive community now for nearly 15 years. We still believe that parts need to come with knowledge and now lighting fast delivery. The focus of the company has not changed from day one.
Autoplicity as aforementioned is the largest auto store online by sku count. We have more available under one roof than anyone else. We have been called “The Amazon of Autoparts”. Not a bad name to have these days.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Chicago is very much a “get things done” city as it has been noted in multiple entrepreneur magazines etc. We focus on smaller businesses that are sustainable. I love that, but it’s far away from being a “dream big city” like SF or now SD. The downside to SF or SD is that its success rate is small and everyone is a dreamer and no longer actually willing to put in the work.
More investors need to be in Chicago and that’s tough as money is leaving this city at an unprecedented rate YoY. People don’t want to live here and are moving to California mostly. Taxes are going up because of this.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1528 W Adams St
4A - Website: autoplicity.com
- Phone: 8002991028
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/autoplicity
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