If you’ve been living under a giant piece of plastic and don’t know what Up-Fuse is, well, let me change that for you. Up-Fuse is a lifestyle brand and social enterprise that creates bags and accessory products out of upcycled plastic bags, with a main purpose of promoting a sustainable lifestyle while highlighting the originality of each and every person involved in the process. It’s safe to say that Up-Fuse is one of the most successful social startups that Egypt has seen in the last few years, which is why I decided to hunt them down to know more about how they managed to do so.
Up-Fuse’s products at one of their on-ground events — Via Up-Fuse
Yara Yassin, 27, Co-Founder and Design Director of the eco-conscious brand, tipped us with a few tricks on how to be a successful entrepreneur. “Patience is a must. Any entrepreneur has to be open to trial and error, and patience is key to achieving that,” Yassin tells me. Always put in mind that patience simply doesn’t just mean the ability to wait, it’s how we behave while we’re waiting. Success doesn’t happen overnight, it requires continuous planning and resourcefulness. Use your budget efficiently because you — definitely — won’t be able to invest in fancy banners and magazine advertisements. Invest in building direct relationships with your customers. Be there on ground; attend events, bazaars, give workshops. All of these activities will familiarize your customers and other companies in the same field with your brand and help build it, giving you more worth and potential customers.
Yara Yassin, Anna Fuldner, Lama El-Khawanky, Rana Rafie (from left to right) posing for a picture to celebrate Up-Fuse — Via Up-Fuse
“What could make or break a business? The team, unquestionably. Having a passionate team is vital. They are the ones who are going to be with you through all of the ups, downs, bumps and bruises. So, make sure that those who are going to share the journey with you are as ‘all in’ for it as you are.”
Yassin managed to pinpoint how to exactly introduce a new product to the market. “Building your brand is the key. For example, Up-Fuse’s main priority was to produce products that are actually appealing, aesthetically speaking, rather than capitalize solely on the environmental cause behind what we do,” Yassin stresses. “Don’t stop there, always have your customer in mind and make sure you prioritize their needs. We overcame a lot of challenges by directly meeting with Up-Fuse customers during on-ground events, and getting to know more about what they’re looking for through other means such as surveys. This helped us gain their loyalty as a brand that values its customers and takes their opinion into consideration.”
A model displaying one of Up-Fuse’s bags — Via Up-Fuse
Last but not least, uniqueness is fundamental. Your product or service has to offer something that, in some way, has a positive effect on your customer. “Up-Fuse customers have the sense of satisfaction knowing that this product has a great impact on the environment,” Yassin says with a smile on her face.
