Tell us something personal – how would you describe yourself in one word?
“Free-spirited” (even though it’s technically two words, but that fits in this case). I prefer to approach situations in my own way and tend to think of unconventional methods of doing things, instead of conforming to one particular school of thought.
As a leader, what are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
My greatest strength is my team, as I have been lucky enough to work with people who share my ambitions and desire for high standards of quality and service. Personally however, I believe my patience, and ability to build strong relationships are also strengths that have benefited me greatly. I also refuse to micromanage as I have seen that making people accountable improves their overall performance as well as the company as a whole.
My weaknesses on the other hand would be that I can be very stubborn and often need a lot of convincing before I change my mind. I can also sometimes suffer from a lack of motivation, thankfully though my team are always on hand to change that when needed. My last weakness is that I can be very blunt and direct which isn’t always appreciated by people.
What’s your vision for Epitome?
I would like to continue exploring the many different avenues of business in the industry with Epitome. There is honestly no limit to what can be done in this industry and I want to create as many verticals as possible and establish a strong self-sustaining company that is capable of delivering the highest levels of quality and diversity. Our main goal is growth and we hope to be able to have our presence in many more markets.
What have been the biggest challenges and successes of the past year?
This year has seen us make our first international footprint by opening a branch of our first concept in Saudi Arabia. We are very proud of achieving this since the company is still very young. Additionally, we have launched our FMCGs Distribution division which has been extremely exciting and dynamic, and in a short time we have achieved a respectable market presence with no plans of slowing down anytime soon.
Our challenges in the past year and continuing into this year have to do with adapting to the ever changing market and consumer spending habits and trends. The overall situation of the markets globally has not been the best for business, however we are optimistic and believe the future will be much better for us as a company.
Is there a particular saying or motto that guides you?
“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” – Winston Churchill