From Dorm Room to the World's Largest Shopping Community: Fabian Spielberger's Pepper.com Story

About this episode

From Phone Enthusiast to Shopping Empire

What started as a simple idea in a shared apartment in 2007 has evolved into one of Europe's most successful e-commerce empires. Fabian Spielberger initially launched mydealz just to explain to his friends how he always managed to get the newest and coolest phone. Today, 13 years later, he heads Pepper.com – a global network of deal platforms.

The Early Years: When Google Moves Faster Than Planned

The mydealz story begins with a typical founder problem: Fabian didn't consider his website "presentable" yet when Google started bringing strangers to the site. What initially seemed like a problem turned out to be a stroke of luck – the organic traffic showed the platform's potential early on.

In the first years, Fabian was mostly working alone or with just a handful of employees. The mydealz story is definitely not an overnight success, but rather a prime example of persistence and endurance in entrepreneurship.

The Pepper.com Empire Today

Today, the Pepper.com empire – the holding company under which the individual brands are organized – generates impressive numbers:

• –More than half a billion monthly views
• –25 million unique visitors
• –Global presence with deal platforms worldwide

But mydealz was just the beginning. Fabian is also co-founder of Urlaubspiraten and Shoop, the cashback platform. This diversification demonstrates his ability to recognize and scale successful business models.

Beyond Deal Platforms

The Pepper.com network is no longer limited to the original mydealz idea. With Urlaubspiraten, Fabian conquered the travel sector, while Shoop as a cashback platform opened up another lucrative niche. This strategic expansion shows how a simple idea can evolve into a diversified digital empire.

Lessons Learned: 13 Years of Entrepreneurship

Fabian's journey illustrates important lessons for aspiring founders:

Patience pays off: 13 years from start to today's success – this shows that sustainable growth takes time.

Leverage organic growth: The early Google traffic, though unplanned, was recognized and utilized as an opportunity.

Diversification as strategy: Instead of stopping at mydealz, Fabian strategically expanded his portfolio.

Future Plans and Vision

The Pepper.com story is far from over. With established infrastructure and know-how from over a decade of e-commerce experience, signs point to continued growth. The global expansion of deal platforms and continuous development of existing brands show that Fabian Spielberger still has big plans ahead.

Conclusion: Persistence as Success Factor

Fabian Spielberger's story proves that success in e-commerce rarely comes overnight. Those willing to work consistently on their vision over years can build an empire from a simple idea. From explaining to friends about the latest phone to half a billion monthly views – that's real entrepreneurial spirit in action.