‘Top entrepreneurs share success with employees’

LAHORE: Experts say that only those entrepreneurs reach the top that produce and market products and services which promote ‘wellbeing’ and ‘being well’; which means you also have to share the value of your success with employees, customers, and the environment.
They said every entrepreneur launches a company with a dream. However, there are few that are able to fulfil their dreams. Very few companies in Pakistan have fanatical customers that promote their product and services with passion and take them to infinite growth. The experts cited the example of a bakery launch in Lahore 15 years ago that has gone beyond bakery to dairy, beverages, jams and marmalade. It is now challenging multinational beverage companies in both central and South Punjab. They said the business model of this company has been a subject of research in two top universities of Pakistan.
“Successful top companies are led by entrepreneurs that not only have high dreams but courage to take steps to realize those dreams,” said Almas Hyder, the senior vice president Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).
He said when one enters a business, one does not necessarily have answers to the hurdles that businessmen face. But those that move ahead are the courageous ones, not afraid to disturb the status quo. They take risks and carefully study a given situation, preparing to remove all hurdles in achieving their goal. This is the reason that successful enterprises grow much above the industry growth rate.
Hyder said wealth creation and high profitability are not the only motivation for highly successful entrepreneurs. “They are committed to provide benefits to all the stakeholders they come across in their business,” he said, adding wellbeing of their consumers, employees and suppliers is also close to their heart.
Marketing executive Yousuf Ahmad said that in all flourishing companies, the customer is considered the boss, who is very near to you and commands obedience and respect. He said whenever an employee ignores the boss, his job is in danger; similarly when consumer is not satisfied your company is in danger.
Ahmad said an effective entrepreneur has to ensure comfortable cash flow in his company to sustain healthy growth and good profits. To achieve this end, those that reach the top ensure wealth creation for their sales consultants, make corporate-social-responsibility investments, and provide benefits to the supplier community.
He said globally all the top enterprises comply with all environment protection laws, use refillable packaging and use recycled materials extensively where quality is not compromised.
The modern concept of engaging your consumers as sales consultants is gaining ground.
When improvements are made on their suggestions, they stay engaged and become extremely effective representatives of the company.
Market analyst Benish Toor said entrepreneurs reach the top only through the introduction of brands that command respect and creditability among the consumers. The business mission of these companies is fully aligned with their social purpose. Such companies remain focussed on the outcomes of their investments in health, education, and nutrition, she said.
“The CEOs of these companies are personally involved in all aspects of business and social works and ensure that the investment in each segment is enough to make a difference,” she said, adding there should be a correlation between the future world and alignment of the lives of employees, and the communities in which the firm operates.
Toor said as the company succeeds; the motto should not be to get a share of the product from the market but to get a dominant share. To achieve this, targeted customer should be richly described.
She said improvement should remain an ongoing process to incorporate the unmet needs of the consumers.