Zoran Towards The World - Entrepreneurship In Transition
Go Here:
Technologically, it is in all probability the most superior printing facility within the Balkan. It cost virtually $2.5 million. It was constructed in lower than a year. And it is in filth-poor and war-torn Macedonia.
Behind this incredible story of entrepreneurship, uncommon in these nether-areas, stands Zoran Rosomanov. A stereotypical visionary - mane, blazing eyes, imposing physique - this man, in opposition to nightmarish odds undreamt of by his Western counterparts, constructed, single-handedly, a powerful, star-trek like, factory.
Literally single handedly: digging the muddy soil, hoisting bricks onto cranes, driving earth-removal heavy machinery. He begged, cajoled, and persevered. And he made it. His story serves a lesson to all of the forlorn dreamers in the sad international locations of the East.
Thirty-six year old Zoran represents a new breed of “can-do” businessmen in Japanese Europe and the Balkan. His philosophy is the result of first-hand publicity to Western administration methods and ideology. He doesn’t rely on the state to offer for him or for his enterprise. He actively seeks international inputs - in capital, contacts, and know-how. He’s nicely-traveled, polyglot, affluent, a consumerist. He’s enamored with expertise and gadgets.
Still, he likes to consider himself as a creator, or an artist - quite than a money machine. He emphasizes the design-associated parts of his company. He brags of his hobbies: images, inside design, music. His residence and workplace serve to advertise not his wealth - but his aesthetically-knowledgeable talents. He’s neatly dressed and effectively-mannered, indistinguishable from his colleagues within the West. Though he loves Macedonia, his homeland, he is, in essence, a citizen of the world.
Zoran began off as a TV music editor within the Macedonian state-owned channel. The highlight of this transient section in his career was a human rights live performance in Budapest. But he soon discovered his true calling: business. He joined a Belgrade-based musical devices buying and selling agency as a touring salesman. On the age of 21, he was put in control of 185 folks as head of the Sales Department.
However Yugoslavia was disintegrating. Yugoslavs lost their frequent id in a single day and woke up as Macedonians, Croats, Serbs, or Bosnians. Zoran went back to Skopje, the place he opened, together with his savings, a chain of eleven stores of electronic client goods.
But he observed that how you promote is no less than as necessary as what you sell. He found marketing. After a stint of studies in Milan, Italy, he got here back to Macedonia and, in 1992 he established “Divajn”. “I observed that everyone in Italy requested me about Macedonia. They were interested. So, I made a decision to attach people.” The company was the primary to supply a vertical, advertising marketing campaign-orientated service: from poster advertisements to sales pressure, a turnkey solution.
He additionally noticed that, the paperless office notwithstanding, there was an incredible demand for paper products. In a typical move, Zoran purchased an costly laptop and began to design such merchandise for his contacts. “But I seen that, following a first passable order, they circumvented me and went directly to the printer”.
So, he decided to develop into a printer as effectively - by merging with a print shop. He positioned an ad and settled on one of many applicants. They’ve been inseparable ever since. Their joint company, “Bato and Divajn”, owns the new facility and Zoran’s partner supervises the every day work there. “Wealth is in folks - not in money”, says Zoran.
His secretary has been with him for 11 years. Miki, the proficient head of the pre-press division and high quality management, has been working with him for a decade. Zoran values loyalty. He trains his workers personally. Every single one in all his 40 staff (quickly to increase to 55) has gone by a 6-month period of apprenticeship. Then they’re on their own. “I believe in delegating,” says Zoran, “although I by no means lose sight of the details. And I am very demanding”.
When the mixed business expanded, Zoran wanted new machines. He tried to search out investors, each home and international, but failed. So, he approached a good friend of a buddy in Holland. This guy owned an envelope manufacturing unit and was {interested} to sell one of the used machines for a mere four hundred thousand DM (i.e., c. $180,000).
In typical irresistible gall, Zoran offered him $thirteen,000 as an advance payment. “I will pay you the remainder over three years” - he pledged earnestly. “What is your assure?” - requested the shocked seller. “Your belief” - responded Zoran. The shocked Dutchman accepted. Zoran paid him again in two years.
This sample of unmitigated self-confidence, infectious optimism, and non-conformism pervades Zoran’s means of doing business. He received an order for one million labels just by waltzing in and producing samples he scanned off empty beer bottles. He’s now the unique printer for this brewery.
Last April, as he was visiting one other client - his agency supplies all of the Macedonian blue-chips - he overheard a dialogue about issues with a Slovenian supplier. “If I were to determine my very own manufacturing unit here, will you purchase from me?” - he enquired. They mentioned sure - and so did many others. “It was my market research” - he grins. Why import from Slovenia if there is a qualitative different in one’s yard? Zoran is a good believer in import substitution and buying local. It is not solely patriotic - but it makes financial sense.
He proceeded forthwith to find land. His agency designed the development project. All he lacked was the printing presses. He had lower than $one hundred,000 in cash. He wanted one other $2.4 million. Others would have regarded this deficiency as insurmountable. Not Zoran.
He decided to get the most effective equipment cash may buy - and that meant “Heidelberg”. So, he picked up the phone and called Alexander Hufnagel, Heidelberg’s director of East Europe. When he asked to buy on credit score, they naturally demanded a financial institution guarantee. Zoran prepared a business plan and went to Komercijalna Banka, Macedonia’s second largest retail bank. He requested for $1 million, partly from IFC funds devoted to small and medium enterprises.
Macedonia’s economy has been in dire straits lengthy earlier than its independence in 1992. Practically one third of the workforce are unemployed. The closely-politicized and under-capitalized banking system is largely dysfunctional. Lending to business is nearly at a standstill. Zoran’s was an unprecedented application.
When Zoran dug the primary foundations in an industrial park on the outskirts of Skopje, a civil struggle between Macedonians and Albanians has erupted. Fighter planes and helicopters buzzed above head and police and armed forces streamed to the Aracinovo, a besieged village, not far from the site. There was palpable panic within the air.
Komercijalna Banka asked for a collateral and Zoran provided the brand new equipment. “Title will revert to me solely once I end paying you”, he explained. Unbeknownst to him he has invented leasing. He then rotated and provided Komercijalna’s money to Heidelberg as his equity. After a grueling few days of due diligence, Heidelberg agreed to present him provider’s credit amounting to the rest. They requested to him to ensure the credit score personally. He willingly accepted.
Zoran then proceeded to convince them to establish a upkeep middle, replete with spare parts, in his new factory. “I do not cost them hire” - he discloses impishly - “My machines should work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It’s useful to have a maintenance crew and spare components handy.” The next logical step is to change into their representative in Macedonia. “I am working on it. However I want them to offer me with revolving credit to have the ability to offer financing along with the gear”.
But this monetary wizardry has depleted Zoran’s resources. He resorted to an outdated communist stratagem: the barter (”compensation” in East European argot). He traded print jobs for building materials. It was one of the worst arctic winters in reminiscence with temperatures often dropping to method beneath the freezing point. However building continued, the shivering workers spurred on by Zoran’s private example.
When the equipment lastly arrived, Zoran was introduced with a $450,000 bill - for the newly imposed Value Added Tax. In a fancy financial somersault, Zoran borrowed in opposition to future VAT refunds and overcame this obstacle as well. The NASA-like control panel, the printers, cutters, templates for different cigarette manufacturers - all were finally put in within the half completed structure.
“That is my country” - Zoran toggles an unlit smoke - “It’s beautiful. We just want help. I might by no means have done it with out the assistance extended to me by Heidelberg, Komercijalna, the IFC, my clients. My spouse stood behind me. This network of support is indispensable. There may be no entrepreneurship and initiative without it!”
“Aren’t you afraid to fail?”
“I have no fear. With all our problems - we nonetheless should exist. We should survive. Many say I am crazy - but time will inform who will succeed. You will need to persevere. If the financial institution would have stated no - I would have gone elsewhere. There is all the time a solution. My recommendation: get your suppliers involved. Heidelberg now has a stake and they’ll refer purchasers to me. I said to them: you want me as a consumer? Then give me credit score!”
“Operating in Macedonia just isn’t easy…”
“A rustic ought to be run like a business and politicians should act like CEO’s. Macedonia has the potential to be this area’s Switzerland, though it should concentrate on exploiting its natural endowments: local weather and soil. Agri-business is its future. All we’ve got to do is encourage foreign investments by safeguarding property rights and overhauling the court docket system and legislation enforcement. We now have to be taught from foreign traders and emulate them.”
“However international investors are doubtlessly your competitors…”
He tilts his head again and laughs uproariously:
“The Slovenians tried to arm-twist my shoppers, slander me, and spy on my operations. I can now simply compete with them within the Serb market. My transport prices are much lower. My machinery is so superior that I can work for the strictest multinational anyplace from Switzerland to Turkey. We are getting the ISO high quality certificates shortly. So, they’re scared. What has been my response? I purchased extra land for future expansion…”
Find Out More At:
Post a comment