From Zero to 30 Million Users: 4 Lessons from G2A’s Founder
G2A started with a cold email and rejection. Now it serves 30 million users in 180 countries.
It didn’t start with investors or a big launch party.
It started with a cold email.
“Can you be my mentor?”
That question kicked off what would become G2A, one of the world’s largest digital marketplaces.
Founder Bartosz Skwarczek didn’t raise capital. He didn’t launch with press. He just built. Starting from a tiny office in Poland with four employees and no elevator.
Here are four of the biggest lessons from his journey.
1. Rejection Can Be Your Best Pivot
In the beginning, G2A sold digital products directly. Bartosz pitched major game publishers like EA and Activision. Every single one said no.
“I was almost begging. We were the largest seller of World of Warcraft, but they still said no.”
So they pivoted. Instead of relying on partnerships, they created a marketplace where others could sell. That move opened the door to global growth.
Lesson: Rejection isn’t failure. It can be your signal to change direction.
2. Don’t Scale Everything. Scale What Matters
Rather than grow in every direction, G2A focused on six essentials: pricing, product range, security, user experience, support, and payments.
“We said, let’s be best in class in all six. That’s how we scale.”
This focused approach helped G2A stay lean, move fast, and earn long-term trust from customers.
Lesson: Get really good at what matters most. Let everything else follow.
3. Culture Is the Real Competitive Advantage
Bartosz doesn’t credit G2A’s success to himself. He credits the team.
“If any CEO says the company was built because of them, they’re wrong. It’s always a team effort.”
From early hires to global staff, G2A grew because of a shared mission and a culture rooted in ownership and collaboration.
Lesson: A strong team with shared values will outperform any individual genius.
4. Value First. Money Follows
Today, G2A is profitable and expanding across 180 countries. But Bartosz didn’t build it to chase a payout.
“If your target is big money, it’s not the right address. Success is a side effect.”
By solving real problems and serving users well, the company created value that brought revenue naturally.
Lesson: Focus on helping people. Let money be the result, not the goal.
Final Thought
G2A didn’t launch with capital.
It didn’t launch with connections.
But it launched.
And that made all the difference.
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