“Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.”
-Winston Churchill
A few months ago we published a blog highlighting eight failures in IBEC’s history. Recently, I have been reminded that our audience deserves a complementary piece highlighting some successes, so in the spirit of Churchill who also wrote, “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm”, here are a few examples of some BAM businesses that we thank God for.
Top of the World Coffee is an example of a business committed to the adage attributed to Colin Powell, “there is no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.” The owners have demonstrated all of those, including the wise counsel of IBEC consultant, Ken Leahy. They have a niche market in a key capital city and provide leadership to other businesses in their community.
A rock climbing company in Africa was recently honored with the Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence. The company has changed its affiliation since several IBEC coaches helped get it started and it struggled for some years and seemed to have met its demise. However, one owner continued with the company as it restructured and it is a great example of a company which learned from its mistakes, and has refused to make them fatal. Today there are twelve on the leadership team and it is in a growth mode year after year.
The Discovery Eye Institute in Ethiopia is a for-profit eye clinic serving a region with high incidents of eye disease. Two IBEC consultants helped to set up the business side of this ophthalmology clinic, organized around the Arvind business model developed in India. Three ophthalmologists of this social enterprise provide surgeries for victims of blindness, while integrating faith with their work.
Nusa Dua Boat Works: IBEC helped the owner to buy this company, and the video shows the value of that consulting help. Things were up and running some years into the project, but external threats have resulted in a temporary closure. The business provided jobs for about 25 workers.
Tour Company in India: IBEC consultants spent more than 200 hours helping a couple realize their dream of a company in India, committed to profitability and to the integration of faith and work. After three years, they had conducted several tours, with a price point providing good profit for each one. They were well on the way to success with high profit margins. Keys to their success: they loved the country and its people, spoke the language, worked hard, the couple had complementary business gifts, they were determined to learn and listened to the consultants, and applied all they could; and they had a good understanding of the integration of faith and work. External factors have forced the company to close temporarily, but the business model is sound and the customers are clearly defined.
Naturally to be considered a success, at least at a certain level, some time must have passed. The jury is still out on current projects in Africa, China, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, India, Bangladesh, Guatemala, Philippines, and India, to name a few.
Larry Sharp, Director of Training, IBEC Ventures
larry.sharp@ibecventures.com