Fulfillment Business

13 Tips For Starting A Successful Fulfillment Business (2024)

Pat Walls

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Updated: January 19th, 2023

Want to start your own fulfillment business? Here are some tips you should know:

Learn more about starting a fulfillment business:

Where to start?

-> Fulfillment business plan
-> How to finance a fulfillment business?
-> How much does it cost to start a fulfillment business?
-> Pros and cons of a fulfillment business

Need inspiration?

-> Other fulfillment business success stories
-> Marketing ideas for a fulfillment business
-> Fulfillment business slogans
-> Fulfillment business names

Other resources

-> Profitability of a fulfillment business

We've interviewed thousands of successful founders at Starter Story and asked what advice they would give to entrepreneurs who are just getting started.

Here's the best advice we discovered for starting a fulfillment business:

#1: Jan Bednar, founder of ShipMonk:

We chatted with with Jan, founder of ShipMonk ($25M/month). In our interview, Jan says:

Making mistakes is normal and not inherently bad — every misstep is a step in the right direction if you’re able to learn from it.

Read the full interview ➜

#2: Nick Malinowski, founder of OTW Shipping:

We chatted with with Nick, founder of OTW Shipping ($400K/month). In our interview, Nick says:

Profitability is huge. I would rather stay at our current size and remain profitable than expand to six warehouses, create more work for ourselves, if that meant killing most of our margin.

Read the full interview ➜

#3: Michael Manzione, founder of Rakuten Super Logistics:

We chatted with with Michael, founder of Rakuten Super Logistics ($/month). In our interview, Michael says:

Taking pride in every job you do and turning obstacles into opportunities have really shaped my career and the person I am today.

Read the full interview ➜

#4: Philip Karageorgis, founder of Honest FulPhilment:

We chatted with with Philip, founder of Honest FulPhilment ($2M/month). In our interview, Philip says:

Networking is key, no matter how hard you have to work, go to summits, meetups, and promotions in your niche. Opportunities will present themselves without a doubt. The more you go, the harder you work, the luckier you become.

Additionally:

I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but the biggest lesson and takeaway from launching is to just do it! So much is learned on the job, but if you never start in the first place you won’t learn anything.

Read the full interview ➜

#5: Jan Bednar, founder of ShipMonk:

We chatted with with Jan, founder of ShipMonk ($25M/month). In our interview, Jan says:

Think of a problem you care about and find a solution that works.

Additionally:

Getting caught up in the whirlwind of a startup can seem unavoidable, but having confidence in myself and in others, as well as embracing the speed bumps along the way has guided me forward. I work hard at what I can control, and I accept what I can’t.

Further:

Over the past few years, I’ve seen entrepreneurs making the same mistake: overestimating their earnings and underestimating their efforts. If you’re just starting out, it’s expected to have limited resources.

Read the full interview ➜

#6: Philip Karageorgis, founder of Honest FulPhilment:

We chatted with with Philip, founder of Honest FulPhilment ($2M/month). In our interview, Philip says:

Shit happens and there’s nothing you can do about it!

Additionally:

You need to first and foremost understand every cog in the business. Do not outsource anything until you fully understand what’s involved with the operation at every level.

Further:

Specialize in that to offer expert advice and be an authority. You do not need to offer a multitude of services to stand out or be in demand. Do one thing, and do it right.

Read the full interview ➜

#7: Nick Malinowski, founder of OTW Shipping:

We chatted with with Nick, founder of OTW Shipping ($400K/month). In our interview, Nick says:

Please keep your day job as long as possible. That extra cash will go a long way towards your comfort when you do go full-time on your business.

Additionally:

I’ve seen people cling on to side hustles for too long that otherwise weren’t successful. Sometimes things don’t work. I’ve failed at numerous ventures before having success with OTW Shipping.