This week, it’s a little different, no tech insights… But a lot of learning moments – around life, emotions, entrepreneurship and so much more. This time, again, trust us & hang on till the end. It’s worth your time!
We often get enamoured by the strength and courage of the heroes that we see in the films, but only rarely do we acknowledge the superheroes fighting life daily behind the screen. This is the story of one such man…
Ever since he was a child, Alex had been the biggest fan of his father, a famous hairstylist, who dedicated his entire life in building his family business…
That is why saying goodbye to him so early in his life shattered his world leaving him with no money, no education, and no one to guide. He found himself in a situation he had never imagined he would be in, facing a diabolical dilemma pushing him to choose between the two emotions, that could shape his life, that moment onwards “It’s too painful, there’s nothing I can do to make things better” he felt, but
So, whether it meant skipping school lectures for helping his mother at their family salon or working full time on weekends, he did everything he could and everything he had to do to carry forward the legacy of his father…
Starting from zero, Alex opened his saloon at the age of 15 and at a time when he hardly had enough funds to even fulfil the business requirements or pay rent, advertisements were out of the question, so he decided to let his work speak for him.
Customer experience had been his top priority from day one and the approach he had for ensuring a blissful time for the customers was to understand their expectations, respect their time, and deliver the best results each time.
Soon enough he realised that he did not need paid brand ambassadors because his customers did the work for him so much so that some of the most famous movie stars started talking about Alex in their interviews!
No matter what life threw at him he never let go of his passion and 100% commitment. For him being an entrepreneur was not all about earning profits but about showcasing to the world how he perceived life and creating value for both, himself and the people who stood beside him. In fact, we were astounded when we heard that he has 201 families, only to realise later that he not only considers his employees but their families as his own as well. His employees are “His people” and aspires to turn his company into an Employee-Owned Organisation, where every member will have a share. What a novel idea! No wonder his employees have been with him for 25 years! Speaks highly of his leadership and ethics.
Like any of us, his journey too was not hassle-free. Have you ever witnessed the pain of your proudest creation being snatched away from you? At the peak of his career, Alex was compelled to quit the company after an altercation with his partners. He was devastated. But soon, his true worth was realised when the company’s profits started falling sharply and he rose like a phoenix to resurrect the ailing company.
Now, we can boast all about his glamorous creations & spectacular looks but today we will focus not just on how Alex has what it takes to give you your dream makeover but also to build a successful enterprise! So here are the takeaways that we got from his journey –
Your work speaks for you – The ultimate factor that keeps your business going & customers coming back is not just what you do, but how you do it.Believe it to achieve it – When you have a destination in mind, whatever hurdle comes your way cannot stop you from reaching there. Only when you do not have clarity, that’s when you get lost.Customer-centricity is the key – As long as customers are satisfied, no competitor can pose a threat to your business so why not put in extra effort to guarantee them the best to your ability & beyond?Be the flagbearer & let the rest follow the flag – As the leader, your job is to lay down principles, build systems & develop confidence, so that no setbacks can upset the business – and that it can run right with or without you.
Value the Employees – The welfare of employees & personal relationships with them goes a long way in building a solid foundation for your organization.Feedback is not just a formality – Everywhere you go, you are required to fill-in a form asking for your suggestions for a better experience next time but how often do you see a change being undertaken? Don’t just take feedback, implement it.Leaders learn to lead – While some aspects of leadership come naturally, most of them are acquired through hardships, experience, and trial & errorsKnow the reset button – Work! work! work! – Let go of this old school view. Take a step back and enjoy the “Me time” you deserve – Sing, read, meditate or just binge-watch your favourite series.Map out where you need to go to ‘win’ – Setting new goals along the journey is a crucial part of being spontaneous and ever-growing.
Envision Greatness – Don’t limit your power to conceptualize the greater things in life. Just as Musk and Bezos had bigger dreams, you can too. They are humans, just like you, so if they can do it, why can’t anyone else?
This is not the end, but only the beginning because for Alex success has no full stops, it only has ‘;’s that keep him going.
It’s a true story – here he is in case you want to check http://www.alexandersalons1938.com/#Alex.
We were stunned to realize how the most beautiful stories can be hidden behind the most unexpected faces & will soon bring to you another one, because inspiration can come from anywhere.
Until next time…ciao!
Biz Tech Insights Team Manomay
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