Anyware founder to focus on Mwave

Double-digit growth for online retailer Mwave was one reason that led its founder Victor Lee (pictured) to sell out of his distribution business, Anyware, which he also founded, Lee has told CRN.

Lee sold his share of the distributor to long time partner Garrison Huang, owner of the Melbourne arm of Anyware last week.

Mwave, CRN Fast50 2009's 16th fastest growing reseller, grew by 58.8 percent in the financial year 2008 to 2009, its second year of operation. That, along with a long term business strategy for both partners, led to Huang's acquisition of Anyware's Sydney and Brisbane operations.

Huang, who owns and operates Australian PC Accessories, trading as Anyware in Melbourne, acquired the business from ELSA Australia, which operated Anyware in Sydney and Brisbane.

Anyware was now wholly owned by Huang's Australian PC Accessories company.

"After 12 years of being partners, obviously we all have got our own businesses in mind, and the fast growth of Mwave certainly puts Mwave in a very good position in the marketplace," Lee told CRN.

Lee said consumer spending habits have moved online and Mwave is in a good position with the "correct concept and strong back-end". "In three years of trading, we've had a record, and we've created a big wave in the market in terms of traffic rank, it's quite high."

Although Mwave is a reseller business it carries a wholesale style with a retail orientated frontage, said Lee. "The operation itself is like a wholesale operation style with a warehouse and dispatch system.

"It's our own components, it's our front page design, our own backend, server and daily dispatch all in one."

Lee will be joined at Mwave with several key ex-Anyware staff, including general manager, Patrick Managreve, former sales manager, Kaine Dennehy and Anyware marketing manager, Steve Grant. 

Huang said the number of staff moving a cross is at a minimum and will not impact Anyware's business at all.

"As a matter of fact, it is better for the future of Anyware since we can improve our efficiency with less overhead. Our core business and people have been retained," Huang told CRN.

Lee put to bed any rumours about a feud between the former partners, telling CRN that "at a personal level, we're still friends but in business we have split".

Lee said that Huang was aware of Lee's interest in Mwave for a long time and said  the acquisition was more around business strategy for Anyware.

Huang agreed and said, the pair have maintained a "very successful partnership over the years". Lee "has developed new business interest and has chosen to try something else. I wish him all the best in his new business," said Huang.

Going forward, Huang said he was "extremely confident" in Anyware's future. He said he would work with reseller partners to bring niche products with competitive margins to partners.

"We will soon launch a new price structure in order to improve reseller margins. We will also bring in a new Swedish brand called Factual Design into Australia market later this month. There will be more exciting news from the new Anyware", said Huang.

Anyware has offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide and Auckland.

 History

Lee and Huang met 12 years ago through a mutual friend. Lee, who first started the Anyware distribution business in Sydney, said Huang was "quite interested" after he briefed him on his business model and the pair got together very quickly.

Huang started his operation in Melbourne under the Australian PC Accessories while Lee ran his business in Sydney and Brisbane under ELSA Australia.

In 2000, the pair started discussions about the collaboration of the trading name Anyware and in 2001 both businesses operated under Anyware.