Although a common concept in movies and books, real rags-to-riches stories are rare in this world because only a few who dared to move out of their comfort zones have managed to live such stories. The journey of Alexander Thoss from a college dropout with no career plans to the owner of a successful company worth millions is truly inspiring. The founder and CEO of luxury home décor company Home Deluxe, Thoss is a role model for those who wish to pursue their goals in the business world without having a college or university degree.
Thoss was pursuing a degree in business administration in Osnabrück when his life took a completely different turn. When his wife became pregnant, Thoss decided to quit his studies and start earning a living for his family. Without a degree, he knew he would qualify for a well-paying job, so Thoss did one thing he was brilliant at: playing poker.
He learned to play poker just by watching videos. To put his newly developed skills to use, he started playing poker online and began making good money. As he went on honing his skills, Thoss started attending international events and had the opportunity to play with soccer player Neymar at the same table.
In his early 20s, Thoss already made six figures from poker, but his parents were not happy to call that a career. They wanted him to be a good role model to his young daughter. Thoss wanted the same but had no blueprint for a career and no idea how to start. During this time, Thoss and his family were invited to an uncle’s birthday party where his uncle flaunted his new steam shower whirlpool that was worth a fortune. Such wellness equipment immediately grabbed the attention of Thoss’ father, who had been frugal all his life. Seeing his father ready to shell out a fortune just for luxury gave Thoss the idea to turn luxury home décor into a business venture.
Within a few days, Thoss and one of his friends ordered 40 showers from different manufacturers in Asia. They moved into his parent’s garage with a table and the products, converting it into a fully functional shop. Their first order failed to lead to a profit, but Thoss persisted. They found the second order difficult to sell, so they put the products on a reselling e-commerce auction site. Within a short period, Thoss and his partner managed to sell all of them at twice the price they quoted. This was just the beginning of his successful journey to entrepreneurship with his brand, Home Deluxe.
Initially, Home Deluxe was selling only luxury bathroom furnishings with a major focus on online sales. The range of products later expanded to home décor as well as garden and interior products. The company also earned the cooperation of larger brands.
Thoss has had a series of accomplishments with his business, but he has no plans to stop. He is looking forward to scaling up Home Deluxe to a billion-dollar company with 30 more stores all over Germany in the coming years.
The news and editorial staffs of the Chicago Tribune had no role in this post’s preparation.
