Meet Oscar Gonzalez of Center Link Media
Imagine this: Seven years in business and you reach more than $5.5 million in sales per year. Sound like a dream? That’s the business that Oscar Gonzalez has built with Center Link Media, a thriving company focused on selective sourcing of trend-relevant products, currently housed in a 15,000 square foot warehouse in Florida. Center Link Media is one of MoreCommerce’s top sellers and was a recipient of our inaugural CEROS Award — an honor designed to recognize superior achievement in sales, marketing and shopper experience. So get ready to take some notes — Oscar spent a few minutes with us and shared some pertinent pearls of wisdom.
BUSINESS SNAPSHOT
Owner: Oscar Gonzalez
Location: Coral Springs, FL
Years in business: 7
Years with MoreCommerce: 4
Status: Full-time
Employees: 14
Find them on: OpenSky, Amazon, Wal-Mart, Jet, Groupon, Zulily, eBay, jClub, MobStub, Facebook Marketplace, and Wish.
What’s the story behind your business?
We began seven years ago as a daily deal site. We were only in the local south florida markets and we were out there getting service deals on the site — spas, restaurants, bowling alleys, nail spas, and all other kinds of service-based businesses. We realized that competing with Groupon (and at the time, Living Social) would be tough. We began sourcing products and brokering products to list on Groupon for vendors who had never used the site. After a year or so, we began buying our own goods and we quickly started growing and getting more and more requests for products. Seven years later, we are in a 15,000 square foot facility doing over $5.5 million in sales a year.
What’s your educational and work background?
I graduated high school, was in the Marine Corps and have owned and operated several businesses before this including a mortgage and a real estate company.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about running your business over the years?
Stay focused on the long-term — day to day there will always be challenges to face but keeping your eye on your goals will help you get through those challenges.
How do you decide which products to stock?
By staying on top of up-and-coming trends in the consumer goods market. We attend many trade shows to stay ahead of it all. We also have great relationships with our partner sites and in many cases we are filling sourcing requests of products they see trending.
What tips would you offer to other marketplace sellers looking for your level of success?
Source good quality goods and spend the time to develop your relationships with manufacturers and factories — this will ensure that you deliver a good product to customers and will ensure growth and longevity.
What words of wisdom would you impart to a business like yours, just getting started and joining the MoreCommerce network?
Make sure that you have your QA process in place and your logistics in order before starting on any marketplace or platform.
At MoreCommerce, you’re one of our most reliable shippers during peak sales periods. How do you stay on top of shipping when sales really ramp up?
Coming up to peak season we double our picking and packing staff, as well as set specific schedules for after hours picking and packing. We have people picking and packing from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day so we’re able to stay on time with all orders coming in during those peak days.
Explore more from Center Link Media:
https://www.opensky.com/centerlinkmedia
*This interview has been edited for length and clarity.