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My business history begins with changes in the country. When I graduated from university with a degree in mathematics, I had completely different plans, I wanted to work in science and teach my favorite subject. However, due to the well-known events, the situation in the country was chaotic in the 90s and practically everyone had to fight to save their families. My first job was at the Computing Center of the Ministry of Health - where I held the position of Programmer-Engineer. The first job is always important for everyone - for the first time you are introduced to corporate culture and teamwork. I would like to mention that we had an unusual team. I was amazingly well received and I still use this experience in our company. I try to meet a new colleague kindly, make sure that their first day at work is memorable,
Then I worked in a savings bank, then the bank also had problems and it became impossible for me to work there, and this time, together with friends, we decided to start small business activities. In 1994, one of our friends went abroad to live and from there he offered to sell me blinds. I too knew practically nothing about the existence of blinds, and a friend provided me with very little information. I started thinking about who and how I could supply the blinds and the first idea that came up was to apply to foreign companies. It was at that time that embassies were opening in our country and I thought blinds would be a more familiar product to them and indeed, this idea was justified and our first customers were banks, embassies, and slowly our product gained popularity.
At first, this business idea was met with a lot of nihilism and even humor. At the time, the new civil war was coming to an end, people were starving and the ironic context really lacked the idea that anyone might need blinds. My family members approached this issue differently. The first person to believe in the success of this business was my brother. Tamaz was still a student when he supported me and already in 1996, this product became so popular that we already decided to create the company DIO. Later, my sister Tamar also joined us and thus became the DIO family company.
The company had to introduce and promote new products during a difficult period. There was no electricity, no interest and no other means of communication were introduced in Georgia, there were transportation problems.
It was especially important for me in January 1997 to visit a textile exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany, where I first found myself in the world of big blinds, I met new partners. One of the companies invited me to the enterprise and I got acquainted with the production of curtain-blinds. Returning with this impression, I decided to start producing blinds in Georgia and already in April 1997, DIO started producing vertical blinds. Horizontal blinds, protective blinds will be added later. In 2002, we started the production of German windows with the German company Roplasto, and today we cooperate with many European companies, such as Smfy, Aluplast, Aluprof, Bat, Vertisol, Dickson, Normalu, Mottura, Glatz, Barissol, Coulisse, etc.
As for where the company started with blinds today: today the company owns a new enterprise with an area of about 3,000 square meters, which is equipped with modern technologies and already produces about 60 products for Georgian customers.
I am always interested in introducing, introducing and promoting new products. It is also very important to interact with our customers, gain and maintain their trust.
The company has been on the Georgian market for 21 years and we always try to maintain and improve the quality of both products and services. In this respect, I think our company is really outstanding. Our main resource is a team working together on product development. Up to 150 people are employed. The case, which started with virtually zero capital, today includes four branches across the country, with representatives in almost every region.
Personally, I have been involved in this business for 21 years and I can boldly say that not a single day has been uninteresting for me, both in terms of working with colleagues and clients. In the future, we want to expand the range of products, to be able to produce with more modern equipment and to offer even higher quality services to our customers.
For women who are going to start a business, first of all, I advise them to definitely try and not be afraid, because starting a business is often associated with many difficulties and failures, however you should never get into a favorite job and should always try to turn failure into success. Every difficulty I look back on was a step towards the next success in our business, so we should never be afraid of difficulties, we should do and fight for what we like and think is necessary for society.
Stability is due to the fact that at no stage have we been betrayed for quality, both in the production of the product and in the service, and that is why we have gained great credibility from our customers. We were one of the first companies in Georgia to receive the international certificate ISO 9001: 2008.
We have clients who have been working with us for 20 years and I think that is the most important thing. In addition, it is necessary to have a qualified team that understands success as much as I do - that this is to create the best products. This is very much appreciated by the customers and I think this is the formula of our success.
I hope that the second business will be just as successful, which I have also been leading since 2002. This is the recreation complex "Nunisi" - which is a hotel and spa center in the forest. Where infrastructure works are currently being carried out by the state and hopefully will be completed soon and we will be able to further popularize this work.
I want to actively use the experience I have accumulated over the years to expand my activities in the future.
Irma Daushvili - Founder and General Director of DIO
Source - Amarta Magazine
