Greece is Always on Sir Stelios' Radar
Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the Cypriot-Greek business magnate, continues to invest in Greece with new ventures under the "easyGroup" umbrella. He recently celebrated 30 years of entrepreneurial activity with a video showcasing his history and launching a new Greek brand: www.easyCasa.gr, an online homewares platform co-founded with young entrepreneur Yiannis Hoholis.
Strengthening the Greek Ecosystem
New companies and brands in leisure boats, cinema, home equipment, and other sectors have bolstered the Greek ecosystem Sir Stelios built over three decades. He actively supports young entrepreneurs while expanding the international reach of the "easy" family. Active brands in Greece include easyCinema.gr, easyFerry.com, easyBoat.com, easyHemp.gr, easyTravel.tech, easyStudies.io, and more.
A more recent addition to the "team" is the creation of easyCasa.gr.
easyCasa.gr: Home Solutions Under One Roof
The latest addition is easyCasa.gr, an e-shop offering comprehensive home decorating and functionality solutions through diverse products and innovative services, from furniture covers and linens to baby items, decorative pieces, carpets, curtains, and seasonal items.
Building on Existing Foundations
"The site launched in January, marking the start of our new venture," Yiannis Hoholis tells New Money. "easyCasa.gr has around 40,000 home equipment codes. With our years of experience, it has a strong head start."
While it's too early to draw definitive conclusions, encouraging initial feedback reflects the advantages of established expertise and the "easyGroup" brand. Drawing more concrete conclusions requires time, Hoholis acknowledges.
A Collaboration Born from Awards
easyCasa.gr stems from Sir Stelios' collaboration with Hoholis' e-shop, Aithrio.com, after Hoholis won 3rd place in the 2023 Stelios Haji-Ioannou Youth Entrepreneurship Awards, receiving €20,000. In his second award acceptance speech (his first in 2019), Hoholis expressed gratitude to Sir Stelios, the foundation's partners, and his own collaborators, stating, "Businesses that excel are those that never stop trying and offering. Today, I believe our efforts are being rewarded."
More Than Just Households
Hoholis' family's legacy in-home equipment adds another layer of assurance. "We've been in the home goods and white goods market since my grandfather and father, since 1960," he explains, adding that he's been involved in e-commerce since 2015 and later launched Aithrio.com, which has reached €1.8 million in turnover.
Growing easyCasa: Plans and Strategies
So, what are the plans for easyCasa? How will Hoholis develop the business in 2024 and beyond?
He responds, "easyCasa started with linens and furniture covers. To achieve growth, we aim to enter other home goods categories, such as small furniture, decorations, and larger kitchen organization items."
Another interesting development is the focus on households, professionals, or businesses, capitalizing on Greece's tourism boom. "easyCasa also offers professional equipment, like hotel items: clothing, sheets, towels, floor mats, and everything else a hotel needs."
Collaborations and Services
easyCasa partners with major white goods brands like Nef Nef and Guy Laroche and offers service-oriented solutions. For example, given the importance of furniture cover sales, they assist customers by proposing solutions based on individual needs. Consumers send photos of their sofa dimensions and receive proposals tailored to their space.
Greece and Beyond
"Initially, we deliver to customers in Greece and Cyprus," clarifies Hoholis. "While there hasn't been an official Cypriot launch like in Greece, we ship to both countries." He doesn't rule out future expansion beyond these borders: "There's no international presence yet, but it's an idea for the future. Let's see how the project performs in Greece, how the world perceives this collaboration, and then take it from there."
The Deal with Sir Stelios
Hoholis briefly describes how the collaboration with the "easy" family came about: "We met Sir Stelios after our first award win in 2019. After the pandemic, we reconnected during my participation in his 2023 awards. We talked about this idea and what we could do together. He asked how we could collaborate, and I presented this proposal for a quality, affordable home goods website. Sir Stelios had the brand name, suggested easyCasa, and that's how we started."
Michalis Kosmetatos is a columnist for New Money.
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