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With global warming it is getting so hot everywhere that we are wondering if there is a way to stay cool at your own place. An easy, convenient and if possible eco-friendly way to cool off your house. There is! Aislatum created a magic paint to isolate surfaces, save the environment and your budget from paying for expensive air-conditioners.
In the startup world there is always trial and error. The founder of Aislatum, Simon Galico, knows that perfectly. Aislatum was the middleweight finalist from the Global final of Get in the Ring. We decided to sit together and talk more about the long way from the Global final up until now and the lessons he had.
REMIND US HOW IT WORKS
Aislatum found a solution to isolate different surfaces, decreasing the temperature inside the space and reducing the electricity bills. The company is trying to combat the excessive use of air-conditioning and to be eco-friendly at the same time.
CHALLENGES
There are always many obstacles for an uprising company – customers, product development everything can cause difficulties along the way! But you live and you learn. Simon had to face challenges in the post application process. After months of installing different ceilings across Mexico he started receiving calls from customers that there were leakages inside of their houses. The reasons for this were different, spreading from bad weather conditions to wrong use of the paint and damaging it. The troubles were not because of the product’s quality but of the misusage of it.
So what he had to do quickly is learn from this mistake and find a way not to lose customers and sustain profit. He returned some of the income he has made to his customers as a compensation for the leakages and swiftly changed his business model.
“That was the right thing to do. But now I have a great product and I have to think of a way not to be liable for every mistake that comes from misusage” Simon adds.
Working with wholesales could be very tricky – you have no time and funds to test if the customers want to buy your product from stores especially if you are a starting company. Now Simon is selling his product directly to his old customers – big retailers with a lot of stores and sq.m. of ceilings for the product to be applied on.
“I believe it can make my business develop more rapidly, I will have less profit but I will grow faster.”
Currently all of his customers are happy and satisfied that they can do the work themselves.
WHAT’S AHEAD?
So what are Simon’s plans for the future? His company has been selected to pass to the next stage application process for Bouygues – a French construction company, looking for innovative solutions for its projects. He is on the way of finding a partner, someone with a good networking and business expertise. And last but not least he has plans of spreading his company worldwide – to countries with a hot climate such as those in Africa and the Arab peninsula. He will create a powder version of his magic paint to make it easier to transport it and everyone can mix it by themselves.
Good luck, Simon and Aislatum!