History

Background History

The Wicked Interview – exclusive to TW UK.

An exclusive interview with Mr Wicked himself talking about the history of TW UK.

J: Thank you for joining us, first question has to be – When did you first discover Electronic Cigarettes?

TW: It must have been back in 2007-2008. I was running my eBay business; – pillbox38 – where I was selling memory cards but there were too many problems with them, bad batches that basically didn’t work. I was looking around on Ali Baba for alternatives and found e-cigs.

J: What made you buy them? They were unknown at the time.

TW: I was intrigued and I like the idea. I had never seen them before; I smoked, so thought I give them a go.

J: You were at University at the time?

TW: No, just finished, studied Homeopathic medicine, got a 2:1, BSc Hons.

J: Interesting subject to study, not exactly mainstream.

TW:  No, neither am I.

J: What happened next?

TW:  They sold like hot cakes, so I invested all I had, rent money, the lot. I worked damned hard and kept an eye out for anything e-smoking related. I grew the business by re-investing all the profit, never borrowed a penny, never have.

J: Tell me about your alter-ego.

TW: Jason? Nice bloke, clever too.

J: Your first company was The Electronic Cigarette Company?

TW: My first company was pillbox38, The Electronic Cigarette Company grew from Pillbox38, and so did Totally Wicked UK. Totally Wicked is mainly an e-liquid site that happens to sell e-cigs. The Electronic Cigarette Company is an e-cig site that happens to sell e-liquid. I own them all.

J: Why the focus on e-liquid? Why not just e-cigs?

TW: There’s more room for creativity, and individuality; create your own flavours with our DIY Flavourless or buy ready mixed – Minty Choc Chip anyone??

Plus at the time I saw there was a place for it, no one else was doing it, so I was one of the first on the market.

J: What gave you the idea for the smoking devil?

TW: Because I am a handsome Devil. Next?

J: What makes Totally Wicked so popular?

TW: because we tap into something – something that people respond to – a chance to express themselves, not something smokers can really do nowadays. We have a great community where people share their passion with us. We don’t condemn people for smoking, we applaud their individuality. We also have damn good products and customer service.

J: You have a few ranges, the red label and Decadent Vapour, DV is UK made?

TW: Yes, we have the original range, top quality e-liquid from China, took a bit of finding that, can’t remember how many manufacturers we went through, but t was double figures.  We are the best and that means sourcing the best .I found Decadent Vapours in Wales. Excellent products.

J: You have had a few ‘run inn’s’ with officials, most recently the FDA?

TW: Most people are afraid of ‘men in grey suits’ – but they are the same as you and me, just men and woman doing a job. Here in the UK they raised a few valid points, but we went one step further, we ended up showing them what needed doing. I like that. In the USA we are working with the FDA. They had impounded a shipment, but they have released it. The men in suits are baffled by e-cigs because they don’t fit in a neat, already made category.

J: There was a bit of controversy about the fluid strengths, the nicotine levels; 54mg seems high.

TW: Yes, when they first came out there were plenty of ‘oohs’ and ‘aahhs’ from worriers, but once people understand how the mixing works, the dilutions needed, they do this wonderful thing called ‘taking responsibility’. Our products are packaged to the highest safety standards, correct warnings and labels. It’s all about personal freedom. People can now smoke e-liquid to a strength that suits them – and it isn’t always high.

J: You now operate in the USA as well?

TW: Yes, we have TW USA that grew from TW UK.

J: Why America?

TW: Why such a stupid question?

J: What are you plans for the future? Where is Totally Wicked going?

Mr W: As ever we are improving and expanding. We have grown too big for our existing premises, so are moving to much larger ones here in Blackburn. We are expanding the retail side; we already have a very successful shop here on site, and are opening up a vaping lounge and shop in Chester. Our aim is to open 6 retail outlets in the UK by the close of 2011. Plus we have our wholesale website opening up very soon – end of May 2011.

Alongside all of this, we are expanding into Europe and Scandinavia with Totally Wicked websites now up and running in Norway, Spain and Germany. As they say: “No rest for the Wicked!”