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Its business history begins with the ongoing changes in Georgia. Gaining independence in 1992 completely changed the vectors of the Georgian economy and business.
The concept of business was a bit confusing and alien to Soviet citizens as there was no private property at that time and they were fighting for everything. Some have been able to make changes and move to a new level of life. Irma Daushvili was among them. Today she owns the company DIO. Moreover, Irma Daushvili is the first woman in Georgia to receive the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award last year.
- What preceded starting a business?
- At that time I was working in the calculation center of the Ministry of Health. Then there was the savings bank, which changed its face and it was difficult to establish or withdraw oneself. Therefore, many of us started thinking about starting a private business. Several directions did not work for the initial stage. The one of my friends family went to live abroad. They brought samples of blinds and asked me to sell them in Georgia. I didn’t think much of it either, because then nothing else seemed to be around me. I remember most of my friends being skeptical of this venture and thinking that in 1994-95 no one needed blinds.
- What were your first steps in business during such a difficult period?
- I started thinking about how or where I could sell the blinds. I realized that I had to visit the city and learn where the repair work was going. Construction or repairs were scarce, but periodically shops or banks appeared offering blinds. First, the order was given to us by a travel company. Then came the idea to work with embassies. Gradually we started looking for foreign companies. Then came the Red Cross and USAID. Our thinking paid off. We sent the measures to Poland and Germany, after which the order arrived. So, blinds and interest in him gradually appeared in Georgia. - When was your company given the look of a company? - In 1995, our activities were active. Therefore, in 1996 we decided to start a company. The first person who believed that everything would work out was my brother, Tamaz Daushvili. He also got involved in business and with him in 1996 I founded the company DIO. Very soon our older sister, Tamuna, joined us. This is how Daushvili Irma's organization was created - the idea that birthed the company DIO.
- What was the biggest difficulty in the initial stage of the business?
- Transportation at the initial stage, Communicating and bringing products was very difficult. As a result of such objections, the importation of the material was discontinued. So I thought about producing what people were looking at with irony. Fortuna smiled at me this time as well - a letter came to the German embassy where we had placed our order stating that the blinds company wanted to find a partner in Georgia. I was given a letter, which I thought about a lot, because I had no experience of communicating with foreign partners. Nevertheless, I decided to take advantage of the offer and in 1997 I went to a blinds exhibition in Frankfurt. There I got to know the business even better and saw the production as well. The production of vertical blinds did not turn out to be difficult at first, the technical side and enterprise development of which my brother took on. We were able to have a more active partnership with a Polish company because the language barrier was less clear. Prices were also more acceptable compared to the Germans. So we are still cooperating with a Polish company. We also have partners in Italy, France and other countries.
- What did DIO finally look like?
- We have gone through stages of search, development and growth. We started with zero people with zero capital and have achieved quite a bit of success in a few years. From the rented area, we moved to our own enterprise in 2006. We also have branches in Batumi and Kutaisi, which we opened in 1997. In 1998 we already had a representative office in Telavi. We were also able to add products slowly. If from the beginning we make only the vertical, this is followed by the production of horizontal and protective blinds, doors and windows.
- At what stage is the activity of DIO today?
- DIO produces about 60 products today and we are planning to expand. We also want to develop in the direction of alumni. Our company will present many interesting products on the Georgian market.
- Last year, DIO received many awards. What can you tell us about that? - 2017 was very important for DIO. In April, we were awarded the first prize for gender equality. At the end of the year we participated in two competitions. This is one of the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Awards, which was held for the first time in Georgia this year, and I am the first woman from our country to receive this award, which is an appreciation of my 25 years of work, an incentive and the belief that I have a lot to do. We won the Business of the Year nomination jointly with TBC Bank and Geocell. "Share the success of others" - we participated in the competition of this name precisely because we want to share with others how companies succeed.
- In addition to the above stages, what else contributes to the success of DIO?
- It is our constant care to produce quality products. In 2004 we also earned an international quality certificate. DIO has been holding the quality mark with dignity for 13 years. We have also received the Georgian quality mark, which means that we provide the population with the highest quality product. Sometimes we try to exceed their expectations. In addition to all this, we have built a strong team of employees since its inception, which has played a big role in our success. Each of them works with the same enthusiasm, motivation and energy as in the first days. We have employees who have been by our side since the day the company was founded and we will be together for 20 years. Every added person brings us new strength and energy. DIO award belongs to all of us! - What are your plans for the future? - Expansion of the enterprise, we plan to add new products. We want to improve the quality that we have brought so far. Our goal is for DIO to be a train of high quality and culture in Georgia.
Interviewer: Sophio Bochoridze, journalist.
