After working in the light engineering sector for almost 17 years, I knew it was time to step away from the role of a factory foreman and start the journey to being an entrepreneur. Throughout my time as an employee, I worked diligently to build a vast network of business connections with various suppliers, buyers, and clients within the industry. So, I was pretty confident in my ability to succeed as an entrepreneur. While I expected some pushback from my family, I was pleasantly surprised when they wholeheartedly supported my risky decision. My father even provided the initial investments to start my company.
When I opened Bissokorma Engineering Workshop back in 2019, I didn’t expect business to boom at such a rapid pace. My father was ecstatic with the news and let everyone in the hometown know of his son’s brilliant success! The euphoric feeling of seeing a busy factory and working on a seemingly endless stream of customer orders is almost unmatchable to any other joy in the world.
Our happiness was short-lived as the advent of the Covid-19 crisis brought a host of problems across the nation. As the pandemic-induced economic crisis loomed over the industry, countless businesses went down under the onslaught. Since a significant chunk of our orders came from agriculture projects and brickfields, as these sectors suffered, so did our business. During this trying time, my family and friends became my shield and protected my company from caving under financial pressure. All my loved ones pitched in with whatever funds and resources they could to sustain my firm and livelihood. If it weren’t for their help, Bissokorma would indeed have had a short journey in the business world.
As the economy is swiftly recovering, orders are again flowing through my workshop. It’s heartwarming to see old clients and friends dusting themselves off after the fall and restarting their ventures all over again. Seeing their positive attitude and quiet resilience has propelled me to keep working on my dream of making my company the best in the nation. Within the next five years, I plan on improving my Auto rice mill machines to be of export quality while opening several more branches across the country. To the outsiders, it may all seem like a big pipedream. But the pandemic has taught me one thing: we humans can withstand anything and still achieve our goals.
When LightCastle Partners reached out to me with offers for business development and marketing support, I immediately latched on to the opportunity. And I am pleased to say that the experience so far has been delightful. Through their patient mentoring and the B-SkillFUL training programs, I have learned much about operating my business to maximize margins and efficiency. Overall, I am optimistic that this will bring me closer to my objectives for Bissokorma Engineering Workshop.