Business as Mission Case Study :: Exterior Housing Products
Sector: Manufacturing of exterior household product.Market: 100% export, all to parent company in US who does distribution to regional retail stores Structure: Wholly foreign-owned for-profit manufacturing enterprise, providing manufacturing for previously existing US company. Sister company registered in more business-friendly location helps with administrative work. CEO and most decision-making still done in US home office.
Champion: Expat who majored in political science during college where he also studied the country’s language for 2 years with the intention of going there to teach and other heart reasons. He worked primarily as an English teacher for 8 years previous to starting company after a connection with like-minded American company with desire to begin operations in country. With no previous business experience, he in cooperation with a businessman from his home country, started the business in spring 2006.
Business formation: Like-minded owner who start company has been running several companies and had been interested in having operations in country. Due to increased opportunities for community involvement and legitimacy, current GM decided to quit English-teaching job to begin operations outside US. With the help of experienced entrepreneurs doing an on-the-ground survey, they realized the GM’s location was in a place that specializes in a craft that would compliment their operations very well. The last two years have had this one expat as GM and between 4 and 20 employees, depending upon production line being in use or not.
Vision: A sister company established in more business friendly location desires to start like-minded companies with vision of being a positive influence in their communities. This company specifically is interested in sharing their beliefs with anyone with whom they engage.
Story: During a visit to the US, after working in the company as a teacher, a like-minded businessman encouraged him to think about opening a business. A family friend, and GM of several successful companies, approached him with the idea of expanding his operations overseas. 2 years ago the equipment was shipped overseas and business operations commenced.
Lessons learned:
- Make sure you get what you’re getting before accepting a large order of faulty products.
- The amount of time and effort put into the product preparation and logistics of setting up a business.
- Hiring like-minded employees for key positions of plant manager, administrative assistant, etc. This helps greatly in continuing on the vision as well as understanding local language and culture.
- Establish values of honesty, fairness, and quality from the founding of the company. But be ready for mistakes to happen, confront them and move on.
- Identify your company as Christian from the start. There’s no need to broadcast it, but don’t hide it either.
Results:
- Facilitates a core of like-minded employees to have a venue to meet for fellowship
- Seeing one employee come to faith and many other opportunities to share the truth with employees/clients/government officials
- Ability to make 150 units per day at full capacity
Observations:
- Good working relationship with parent company in the US
- Difficulty of finding others to pass the baton to in order to keep this business running! There are others in this community who are also champions for getting the Message to the people, but thus far none who are interested in taking over the business!
Labels: A Twenty Something's Business as Mission Journey, Case Studies, Internships, Recruitment and Job Opportunities
