Over the years, Kenya has proven to be a country thriving with economic success. Numerous Kenyan companies started from the ground up have achieved massive success in the East African economy and even Africa as a whole. One such company is the Bidco Africa Ltd. Bidco is East Africa\u2019s leading manufacturer of Fast Moving Consumer Goods. Started in 1985 and it has continuously grown over the years to be the home of some of East Africa\u2019s most loved brands across the edible oils and fats, hygiene and personal care, and most recently food and beverage brands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bidco Africa has won over 30 awards and recognitions in the last thirty-two years and is an acknowledged leader in the East African Manufacturing sector. Bidco was the first company to establish a fully operational refinery in East Africa. It was established in 1970 as a garment manufacturer in Nyeri, Kenya. In 1985, the former chairman, Mr Bhimji Depar Shah and his two sons Vimal Shah and Tarun Shah saw a growing need in the African market for soap products. They relocated to Nairobi, and set up a soap manufacturing plant. Bidco only produced three soap products; Kuku, Sabasaba and White Star. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In\n1991, Bidco set up a state of the art refinery in Thika. The growth and\nexpansion continued by Bidco acquiring various brands from other companies such\nas Elianto from Unga Group in 1994 and Kimbo and Cowboy from Unilever in 2002.\nAfter a rocky start, overcoming challenges with distribution and marketing,\nBidco managed to break into the market and became the success they are today. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In\n2013, Bidco reported an annual turnover of more that USD 500 million. In the\nsame year, Vimal Shah was ranked as the richest man in East Africa by Forbes\nwith a net worth of USD 1.6 billion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s\nhow you can achieve your own success:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bidco\nwas started by a family and believes that all employees and partners are a part\nof that family; the Bidco Family. They believe in Africa, which can be seen in\ntheir commitment to using local raw materials and making quality products that\nare affordable to all, regardless of their income. The company truly believes\nin their products, ensuring their quality and safety. They also work towards\npromoting a sustainable business practice with the elimination of waste, recycling\nand use of renewable energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In\naddition to this, Vimal Shah truly believes in being motivated by the desire to\ngrow and improve the communities around him. He speaks against using money as a\nkey motivator in his business and believes in empowering those around him to\nsucceed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMoney motivates you for\na certain time, but when your basic needs are met it doesn\u2019t motivate you\nanymore. My biggest inspiration today is to arouse the leader inside every\nother human being. I want them to know that they too can achieve their dreams.\nI was born here. I went to school here. Even for university I did not go to\nHarvard, I studied here. You too can do it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n -Vimal\nShah<\/p>\n\n\n\n If\nyou\u2019re looking to start a business venture, ensure that your business is in\nalignment with your personal goals, and vision. Let it be reflected in the way\nyou interact with both your customers and employees. Of course when starting a\nbusiness one of the main goals is to turn a profit and earn decent money\nhowever, this shouldn\u2019t be your only motivator. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Bidco\u2019s\nbrands are designed to enhance the quality of daily life. Their purpose is to\npromote a Happy Healthy Living through spreading the goodness of mother-nature\nin all homes. The message is communicated via extensive advertising & media\ncampaigns including strategically located billboards, promotions and special\nevents. In addition to mainstream media and advertising, Bidco believes in\nbeing a Socially Responsible Corporation. This is the goal that informs the\ncompany\u2019s focus on aiming at sustainability. This has been done through social\ninvestments in education, engagement with farmers and activities aimed at\nenvironmental conservation as well. The\ncompany also works on a system aimed at producing zero waste. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Market\nyour business. Let people know what you\u2019re working on. Use the resources\navailable to you such as social media, newspaper ads and if you can buy some\nairtime on local T.V and radio stations to promote your business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When\ntrying to build your business, you may come across sceptics and naysayers.\nAlways have your goals in mind and focus on the big picture. \u201cIf you come with\nsomething new today they will give you 100 reasons why it won\u2019t grow. That is\nwhy your own conviction is so important. Look at the best case scenario and the\nworst case scenario. Be persistent, never give up,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Work\nwith what you have and make the most out of your situation. Starting small\nallows you to learn the basics and teaches you how to manage your resources.\nYou will also be able to lay down a strong foundation for when your business\ntakes off and begins to grow. Starting small is necessary to build the required\ncharacter traits to handle growth and success. There is truly no such thing as\nan overnight success. Most times, when we see someone take off and achieve\nmassive success, it is because they have spent years behind the scenes refining\ntheir craft and building their business i.e. putting in their 10,000 hours.\nShah\u2019s advice is \u201cstart small, aim big and keep at it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hire people that have the Same visions and goals as you in order to ensure that your company thrives. Hiring the right employees for your business is important no matter what kind of work you\u2019re doing. Having quality employees will help your company run and grow. Vimal says; \u201cThe best thing about competency is that you can build it by employing people who have the skills to deliver what you need. And the concept of outsourcing manpower has made it easier to acquire competency in business.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\nPROMOTION AND MARKETING<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
PERSISITENCE <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
START SMALL<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
HIRE A COMPETENT TEAM<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n