Today we’d like to introduce you to Len Williams.
Len, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was a senior at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene and had run out of meals on my meal plan for the week. Then I got one of those extremely spammy “Free Internet Workshop” emails that included a “free” meal. I was literally broke and hungry so I naively signed up. While eating the stale ham sandwich and chips, I learned about the basic components of selling online which include: a website, shopping cart, SSL Certificate, and Merchant Account to accept credit cards. Very surprisingly, there was no hard sales pitch at the end. Instead, I was invited to a full day workshop in Fort Worth where they would pay me $75.00 for attending. I ended up attending and staying at my parents’ house in Burleson so I could pocket the $75 bucks (and skip the hotel bill that it was intended for). At the workshop, they delved further into the nuances of e-commerce, such as drop shipping, and how to get your website on the first page of Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc.… and the importance of establishing a “niche” online. I.E. you’re not going to start the next Amazon, but you might be able to sell a niche product better than them.
In searching for my own niche, I tried to think of any expertise or specializations that I or my family might have, and then it came to me… my “family business”, if we had one, was church. My dad, Terry Williams, was the long-time pastor of Boulevard Baptist Church in Burleson. To say that he was extremely passionate and firm about the use of the King James Version Bible and no others would be the understatement of the century. In an almost providential way, I started remembering this story about him wanting to buy a Baby New Testament for an upcoming baby dedication service. He went to the LifeWay and Family Christian Stores in both Fort Worth and Arlington, and the only Baby New Testaments they had in stock were NIV (New International Version). Those poor sales clerks didn’t know who they were dealing with, and dad would not budge of course… that’s when I wrote down “King James Version Bibles” as a possible niche. When the conference ended, I ate their free lasagna, said no to their $2,000 sales pitch, then used their $75.00 to start “The KJV Store”.
Has it been a smooth road?
Starting a business from scratch at 22 years old with no experience, no computer, and less than $200 to your name is like enrolling in the MBA Program at the University of Hard Knocks. Every single “knock”, whether needless or needful, becomes infinitely more valuable to the true entrepreneur than formal education or books ever could. Such has been my experience these past 13 years.
Whoever coined the phrase “make money while you sleep” in-reference to owning an e-commerce business must have been dreaming. My brother Jeff, who was very supportive and instrumental in encouraging me to start my business, loves to tease me about that to this day. Yes, people shop online 24 hours a day including when you are sleeping, but you don’t make any money until the dozens of orders, customer service emails, and phone calls are taken care of when you wake up each day.
As I mentioned, I had virtually no money when I got started and I didn’t even own my own computer. I used the three-way rotation of my roommate Josh’s computer, HSU Computer Labs, and my mom’s computer to flesh out the initial website design. I borrowed an html book from professor Coleman Patterson even though I wasn’t enrolled in his e-commerce class. To save money, I slept on my parent’s couch that summer, working 80-100 hour weeks and building the business up by its bootstraps. I finally bought my first computer that summer with profits from the business. I went back to HSU for my final semester where I answered calls on my cell phone between class and football practice. Looking back at those days, I’m not sure how I or the business survived. I’ve parted ways with more than one website developer, merchant account provider, hosting company, staff member, and distributor and been the victim of several costly instances of fraud early on. Thankfully, all of those “knocks” led me to the excellent team and systems I have in place today, as well as the run of growth and blessings I’ve enjoyed. Success and profit from The KJV Store has also made it possible to foray into real-estate investing, where I’ve amassed a $1 Million dollar real-estate portfolio as well.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with The KJV Store – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
The KJV Store.com is the premier online source for King James Version Bibles, Books, Church Supplies, Gifts, and conservative Christian products and offers the most comprehensive selection of KJV bibles and products in the world.
We are known as “The #1 Source for King James Version Bibles” and “The #1 Source for all things KJV”, meaning not only KJV Bibles, but also Sunday School Curriculum, Vacation Bible School Curriculum, Home School Curriculum, Hymnals, Tracts, and even Greeting Cards, with the specialization and specification that every single item we sell, if it quotes Scripture or any bible verse at all, it will be from the King James Version Bible. KJV Store shoppers will never have the experience that my dad did with the Baby New Testaments. They know that, “If it doesn’t say King James Version, they didn’t buy it here.” That’s what our customers want and is what truly sets us apart from any other Christian book or bible store in the world. It probably doesn’t hurt that the King James Version Bible is the most widely circulated book in the history of the English language with an estimated 1 Billion+ copies in print either.
The KJV Store is also known for many premium leather and exclusive KJV Bibles that you cannot find on Amazon or CBD or in any physical store or chain, some of which we have published ourselves including our KJV Classic Wide Margin Study Bible (With C.I. Scofield Notes) – Lambskin Edition:
http://www.thekjvstore.com/kjv-classic-wide-margin-study-bible-with-c-i-scofield-notes-lambskin-edition.html
Finally, we are a very small and personable company. The KJV Store only has 3 total employees (backed by our network of the best publishers and distributors in the business) which means we get to know our customers and our products very well. We offer a level of service that larger companies simply can’t match and as evidenced by our 96% Positive Rating on Google Customer Reviews. Our product knowledge of King James Version Bibles is further unparalleled by way of our in-depth You-Tube video reviews of some of the most complicated KJV Study Bibles on the market: https://www.youtube.com/thekjvstore
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
“Persistence is the one thing that all success stories have in common.” That’s my paraphrase of Vince Lombardi and Thomas Edison. Overcoming obstacles and challenges in any venture is all about persistence. There is no magic formula, no road map, and no playbook for success. Keep in mind that all of the blogs and books and seminars in the world about “how to start a business” or “how to make millions” only want to make money off you. Get off your butt, work your butt off, eat a stale ham sandwich or some ramen, then work your butt off some more. Maybe in 10 years you’ll have the privilege of working your butt off and then eating steak.
“Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune.” – Jim Rohn. I have never really enjoyed reading, but when I got interested in e-commerce and had my once in a lifetime idea, I magically gobbled up the driest, most boring 600-page html programming book in only a few days. My formal education in the form of a Social Work degree would have made me a modest but noble living. Thankfully, in the spring of 2004 during my Social Work internship, I asked myself “is this what you really want to do for the rest of your life?”, emphatically answered “No”, and found e-commerce only a few weeks later. I shifted focus from my formal education to my self-education, my life was changed forever, and my self-education continues every single day. My personal barometer for entrepreneurial success in the University of Hard Knocks is that 5 years earns you a bachelor’s degree, while 10 years is an MBA. I hope to earn my PhD at the 20-year mark and beyond.
“Some people dream of worthy accomplishments while others stay awake and do them.” – Fortune Cookie “Make money while you sleep”? I don’t think so. Wake up and get to work. If you want to start a business, start a business. If you want to flip a house, flip a house. If you want to write a book, write a book. Don’t become a victim of paralysis by analysis. The most important habit of highly successful people is Action.
Pricing:
- KJV Classic Wide Margin Study Bible (With C.I. Scofield Notes) – Lambskin Edition – $109.00
- KJV Family Bible – Deluxe Edition – $45.00
- 1611 King James Bible – Deluxe Facsimile 400th Anniversary Edition – $349.00
- KJV Allan Brevier Clarendon Wide Margin Reference Edition – Black Goatskin – $187.50
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thekjvstore.com
- Phone: 1-800-310-0327 or 817-551-1500
- Email: info@thekjvstore.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheKJVstore
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/thekjvstore
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/thekjvstore
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
