15 Minutes with the Boss Ruslan Kogan says he’s made many mistakes. But this one stands out
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Mar 16, 2026 Ruslan Kogan, founder and CEO of Kogan.com, built a consumer-electronics e-commerce group from private-label roots. He talks about his morning fitness rituals, a culture of continuous improvement, decision-making under uncertainty, the COVID inventory crisis that nearly sank the business, and the company’s fast-fail, iterate approach to leadership and promotion.
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Constantly Question How You Operate
- There is always a better way and every process should be questioned from first principles.
- Kogan writes this value on the office wall and expects any team member to challenge 'that's how we've always done it' to force innovation.
First Business Was Selling Found Golf Balls
- As a nine-year-old Ruslan collected stray golf balls, cleaned them, packed them in egg cartons, and resold them to golfers for 50 cents each.
- He used the earnings to buy treats at the local milk bar.
If You’re Unsure Just Do It
- Do stop overthinking and act on opportunities instead of dithering; indecision kills progress.
- Ruslan tells entrepreneurs and career decisions: if you're still pondering, move on or 'just do it.'