Building a Million-Dollar Business from your school bench

Industry

Retail and E-commerce

Background

Starting a business at 17 while still attending school isn't something most would consider. But for Alexander Giersz, it was the beginning of building Calcuso – an e-commerce platform for school and office supplies that would grow into a million-dollar company. His journey goes beyond early success. It’s a story of vision, grit, and a strategic partnership that turned a simple idea into an international e-commerce powerhouse.

Our Services

Product Information Management, Customer Relationship Management, Agile Project Management

www.calcuso.com

Beginnings with a calculator

As a student, Alex often struggled to find the right school supplies. Realizing his classmates faced the same issue, he began selling calculators to friends. Word spread quickly, and he soon expanded his offerings to other schools. While his peers focused on studying and socializing, Alex was laying the groundwork for his own business. At just 17 years old and not yet legally allowed to register a business, he pressed forward.

How did someone so young manage to build and scale an e-commerce platform across Europe? The answer lies in smart decisions, the right technology, and partnering with Gradion (formerly NFQ Asia and NFQ Solutions).

The Challenge

With Calcuso’s fast growth came growing pains. Manual systems couldn’t keep pace with rising demand. Operational issues such as order delays and inventory mishaps began affecting customer satisfaction. Without major changes, Alex knew his business was at risk. To keep growing, Calcuso needed to evolve its tech stack and internal processes.

The Solution

Automating Operations – 90% Less Manual Work
By implementing a custom Product Information Management (PIM) system, we automated 90% of Calcuso’s manual tasks. This freed up valuable time and resources, allowing Alex to focus on scaling the business.

Adopting Agile to Stay Nimble
With Agile project management integrated into the workflow, Calcuso became more responsive to market changes and more efficient as a team.

Driving 120% Growth in Sales
Gradion (formerly NFQ Asia and NFQ Solutions) also introduced a smart CRM system that transformed Calcuso’s customer engagement. With better data and personalized marketing, sales grew by 120%.

Before teaming up with Gradion (formerly NFQ Asia and NFQ Solutions), Calcuso had worked with another vendor, but key problems persisted. Looking for a better path forward, Alex turned to Gradion. What started as a small trial quickly turned into a seamless, long-term partnership.

Rather than acting as just a service provider, Gradion (formerly NFQ Asia and NFQ Solutions) became an extension of Calcuso’s team – aligned with Alex’s vision and committed to helping him grow.

The Impact

With Gradion (formerly NFQ Asia and NFQ Solutions) as a strategic partner, Calcuso didn’t just solve its challenges – it scaled faster and further than ever before. Gradion (formerly NFQ Asia and NFQ Solutions)’s team in Vietnam supported the build-out of Calcuso’s local team, helping them expand operations and increase international reach.

5x Operational Efficiency
Order processing and delivery became five times faster, with automation and streamlined systems boosting overall productivity.

120% Sales Growth
A new customer management approach helped Calcuso both retain loyal customers and attract new ones, leading to a 120% boost in sales.

Expanding Across Europe
Calcuso now serves customers in Austria, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Portugal, and beyond – a far cry from its early days selling calculators in school.

Lessons from Alex’s Journey

From selling calculators in the classroom to building a thriving international business, Alex’s story proves that age is no barrier to big dreams. With the right mindset and the right partner, anything is possible.

Calcuso’s success is just the beginning. Backed by Gradion (formerly NFQ Asia and NFQ Solutions)’s expertise, the company is ready to grow even further and take on new challenges.

For anyone building something from scratch – whether you're 17 or 70 – this story is proof that big things can start small. With vision, determination, and the right support, your idea can go global too.