LOOK WHERE OTHERS DO NOT, WALK WHERE OTHERS DO NOT “When you start your business, for the first year you might not make money. For the second year you might not make money. But if you see the potential in the industry, and you trust what you’re selling, you have to have patience and not give up.” This quote is from Seymour Musayev, the 33-year-old founder and CEO of , a trend-setting vendor in the field of motorized, retractable pergolas and awnings. These words capture his strategy for catapulting his company to incredible heights, on many different levels. It is quite clear that Musayev’s perseverance played a significant role in growing Pergoroof. However, identifying a market gap that his company could fill was another major factor in developing a successful business. Pergoroof The potential in the industry came from careful analysis of gaps in the markets. As he mentioned, “I did a lot of research to find out what my competitor’s didn’t offer, that I could.” Using his own experiences and ingenuity, Musayev was able to capitalize on a product that most Americans didn’t realize was an option but proved to be a great deal of value. Finding a previously neglected niche did have major obstacles to overcome, typically in the form of skepticism and lack of support from traditional business resources. Succeeding in the face of this opposition is where Musayev’s patience and determination shined through and enabled him to keep striving towards his goal of making Pergoroof the number one company in its industry. GREATER REWARDS CARRY GREATER RISKS First, Musayev searched for a problem with no solution. Having worked in many different industries, such as electronic wholesale and retail, he had a breadth of marketing knowledge to exploit. Having started his first business at 22 years old, he understood the different demands of running a company. Living in other parts of the world gave him exposure to products and ideas that had yet to gain attention and demand in various markets around the globe. With the combination of maintaining an open mind and intelligent analysis, Musayev was able to identify that motorized pergolas and awnings were products he could bring to America. The inspiration came from Europe, where this concept had just gotten established roughly a decade before he made his move to bring this style of shelter to the United States, back in 2016. Even though he saw the incredible potential of growing this new market, its novelty materialized in confusion and apprehension with banks, outside investors, partners, and even mentors. This made it impossible to get loans or investments, forcing Musayev to grow and operate with just the cash flow generated from sales. In the beginning, he had to personally shoulder a $140,000 debt to use as capital in the startup, since he could not find anyone willing to offer to fund an experimental idea. Potential customers had never seen anything similar to what was being offered, which made earning sales a significant challenge. At first, Musayev was working by himself, out of a small office, going door to door to educate clients and make sales. There were no examples or references he could use to entice people to make a purchase. Dealers were also hesitant to take a risk on these new products, without a long track record of profitability and movement. This in turn forced Musayev and his team to commit to selling in the DTC space, drawing energy away from development and manufacturing. One of his long-term goals is to work with dealers, allowing them to handle customer interaction. This would give him the power to focus solely on the product. Any one of these issues could cripple a promising company before it has a chance to prove itself. IT’S DARKEST BEFORE THE DAWN Lucky for Pergoroof, Musayev took his advice of not giving up, trusting his processes, and remaining patient as the business proved itself. He tackled each of these issues head-on and found solutions that he and his team could execute. Over six short years, he transformed his business from a $140,000 liability mentioned before, into a thriving business with over $10,000,000 in sales to date. He grew his team from one man, into a talented and dedicated group of architects, engineers, installers, and other specialists. He was able to establish a manufacturing facility in Santa Clara, California. This gave him a crucial foundation in the United States and circumvented the long shipping times from the original factory in Turkey. He procured four showrooms in different states, providing a fantastic vehicle for educating new customers and illustrating the high quality of the products offered. His strategy includes constructing additional showrooms in cities across the country, as well as back in Europe, further expanding his reach to a largely untapped customer base. His team is developing a new asset portal, which will enable dealers to order and stock their products, providing the means to transition away from DTC. With the dealers handling the sales and marketing, Musayev and his team can dedicate their full attention to their pergolas and awnings, further impressing a nation of clients who are chiefly unaware of the utility and enjoyment these provide to both residential and commercial applications. TAKE THE PATH LESS TRAVELED “People aren’t buying a product, they are buying a solution.” said Musayev, this mindset is a perfect fit for someone who actively sought a need that consumers had, without realizing they were missing something that he could provide. Taking advantage of an untouched market with a concept that had yet to be proven, Musayev was provided with an opportunity to thrive. However, the untested and unproven nature of this new frontier made it hostile to outside investment and support, as most banks and lenders require strong evidence for a return on their investment. By focusing on the business aspects within his control, such as his team, technology, and infrastructure, he formed his foundation for growth. Musayev’s original approach to a consumer gap, his faith in his company, and his resilience against the difficulties of pioneering into that new market space have made Pergoroof an excellent showcase for concept development, problem-solving, and raw determination. Without any one of these elements, Musayev’s formula for success would not have been able to achieve the impressive status it has.

This story contains new, firsthand information uncovered by the writer.

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