Founded by Ms. Aiylchieva Aiman in 2003, Arrows LTD, a furniture manufacturing company, faced a series of challenges as any start-up company would. As a response, Ms. Aiman attended training sessions on "How to Open a Business" and "How to Get Credit", offered by the Congress of Women of the Kyrgyz Republic. These courses enabled the company to acquire a huge amount of useful information in marketing and financing and helped to get the company on its feet. Today, Arrow LTD employs 42 people and its business amounts to USD 1 million per annum. Ms. Aiman is very proud of her company's success!

This interview was carried out with Ms. Aiman in May 2009.

Is this your first company and what pushed you to do this?
Yes, Arrows LTD is my first company. My main motivation for it was simply the deficit of furniture at the moment. I remember after the collapse of the USSR, shelves of the stores were empty and even when I needed a chair it was difficult for me to find one. Also, I have a keen interest in creating a comfortable atmosphere everywhere and a huge desire to make something useful for society.

How was your business financed and how much time was needed for your company to prosper?We had to start from almost nothing. Imagine, I had only two bags of sugar which I exchanged for my first furniture producing machine during the post-Soviet time. We acquired materials which were used for making our first table and sofa. For the received profit we bought materials for the next two tables and sofas, and this kind of process lasted for ten years. The credit margins appeared only later!

Could you please tell us more about your production? What differentiates your products from the competitors?
Our furniture is well-known for its quality and design. Our main goal is not only to sell our commodities, but also help our customers to make the correct choice. In other words, offer a quality product, which will bring them pleasure. Currently, our company cooperates with a number of foreign countries, such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Italy. We buy materials from these countries, and assemble the furniture materials here in Kyrgyzstan by adding something unique, fashionable and new. Our products are competitive on foreign markets and we have a high demand for them. We also produce furniture in various price ranges. 

How do you measure the success of your company?
I have been engaged in furniture manufacturing for more than 17 years. The success and luck of my business came when I first started to love my job, when I realized that it is the business of my whole life and I will continue to do it. I am very proud of my staff - some of them have been with me from the very beginning. Now I realize that our first success was achieved due to efforts of each worker, as all of us are interested in prospering.

How many of them you have and how do you plan to increase their number?
Our customers are from different occupations, who like to create comfortable conditions for themselves and their relatives. These are people who are concerned with the image and prestige of their companies, and want to support their staff by providing comfortable conditions. To increase the number of customers, we simply have to produce modern, quality furniture. We can do it by using modern technologies. At this moment we have invested our money in machineries bought from Turkey, China, and Germany. 

What was the biggest difficulty in developing this business in your country and how did you overcome it?
I, personally as a business woman was doubtful whether I could overcome troubles, such as combining my private life with business. Could I be a happy wife and mother? Would the practical knowledge that I have be enough to start up the business? I had to trust in myself and I did it! Also, entrepreneurs face numerous troubles in entering foreign markets, and therefore are interested in developing economic cooperation between the countries and are in need of governmental support.

Which skills have you acquired during the Business Incubator courses? What obtained knowledge would you like to share with your business partners?
These courses taught me how to obtain credit from banks, and gave me some knowledge of marketing and management principles. It introduced me to economic theories. We are still attending all training and consultations that the Business Incubator offers. I recommend to my co-workers to visit specific courses in order to be more educated in the sphere of a free market economy. If we face any problems we immediately ask for help from qualified consultants in Congress of Women of Kyrgyz Republic.

Thanks to the Business Incubator, we now have trade partners in 12 cities of Kazakhstan, such as Almaty, Shymkent, and Aktau. It helps us to distribute our commodities to foreign markets. During the Business Incubator courses I realized that everything is changed by time. The most important factor is to develop side by side with the worldwide progress. It is vitally important to be in the process of learning something new, have a high level of self-discipline, a great desire to succeed, an ability to view oneself critically, and the ability to make the right decisions.

Is there any special skill you wanted to have at the beginning of your work, but unfortunately did not have at the moment of starting your business?
If there would have been some knowledge of marketing, management, and free-market economics available, than it would be easier for us to achieve great success.

Did you notice any negative consequences of Global Economic Crisis on your business?
Sure, the demand for our products has decreased, but it creates additional stimulus for us to invent something new, and try to find a solution to get out of this situation. It has two dimensions: first is the fear of collapse, and second it makes people stronger in the race for success. It also makes people more dynamic and driven for better results. We are able to deal with it.

What is your personal secret of success?
My childhood has taught me to be brave, if you want to be happy in this life. In my early childhood at an orphanage I learned how to communicate with people and how to behave in public. My dreams of having a happy family and an enjoyable job always followed me and therefore I succeeded. I am constantly thinking about creating better conditions for my workers. For instance, my plans are to use the remaining 1,500 cubic meters [out of 4,500 cubic meters total] of land for building special services for our staff, such as cafes, where they could eat meals, have shower rooms, etc. Currently, there are 42 people employed in my company. Each one of my workers is valuable to me!