• 24/11/2022
  • By wizewebsite
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With a baby in her arms, she saves the Beskydy tradition of woolen blankets<

Sheep breeding has a long tradition in the Beskydy foothills. Almost every second man, including the mayor, in Palkovice is named Bača. The village also has sheep in its coat of arms. Thirty-two-year-old blonde Zuzana Bílková could not come to terms with the fact that something that has always been associated with the municipality should end, so she started her own business. But the road to success was not easy.

In October 2009, I started my first job as an implementer of educational projects in a company in Ostrava. After a few weeks spent in my new job, news reached me about the alleged closure of the wool bedding factory in my native Palkovice. They have always been famous for the production of quilted blankets, for which the main raw material used was sheep's wool purchased from local breeders and farmers. I felt sorry that something with such a strong connection to our region should disappear. They say here that wool belongs to Palkovice like matches to Sušice. And so I started to think about what running such a company would entail.

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And what happened next?The the idea settled in my head and literally kept me awake. Although I had no entrepreneurial ambitions before, the more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. After years spent studying an endless amount of theory at university, it felt absolutely wonderful to be able to realize myself in a workshop where a concrete and useful product is created. A product that also comes from local renewable resources.

"Wool is one of the most wonderful natural materials, it has many beneficial effects on the human organism," says Zuzana Bílková.

Were you not afraid to start something that you had no idea about at the time?Probably so, but in my case it was a spontaneous impulse, a dream that I gradually turned into reality. So if you're looking for some guidance on how a young woman with no experience can start a business out of nowhere, I really don't know. It was a lot of hard work, but also the best career choice of my life.

To whom did you confide your idea then? What was the reaction?At that time I only confided in my closest family. I was surprised that the reactions of my loved ones were positive from the beginning and no one talked me down. This was very important for me as a woman and a future entrepreneur. The support of my family is still key for me today, there is no other way in the village. We all have to help each other.

Zuzana Bílková (32 years old)

So you bought the company. Was it difficult? I met the owner of the workshop and then it was easy. After several meetings, we agreed on the sale of Batex. So I left my first job while I was still on probation and from January 1, 2010 I became a sole trader and entrepreneur with several employees.

Was it really that simple? You had to buy the company. Money was not a problem for you as a recent graduate? The initial costs were not high, the establishment was located in rented premises, the production equipment was more of a historical value, and therefore a high initial capital was not required. The family had to dip into their savings, I also took out a loan. However, the initial investments did not exceed one million crowns.

What was the most difficult for you in the beginning? The beginnings were not easy at all. I was faced with a whole series of completely new situations and problems calling for an immediate solution. I had to get my bearings very quickly in everything related to production and sales, managing people or legislation.

At that time, we were at the height of the economic crisis. Exactly. Our district of Frýdek-Místek, known for its many Slezan textile factories, was hit very hard by the crisis, and the textile industry was one of the most affected sectors. It just came at us from all sides. Input prices soared while margins across the industry went into freefall. Back then, I was always very relieved when, after paying all the invoices, there was something left over for the employees' salaries. I have to admit that I had to dip into my own savings more than once.

With a baby in her arms, she saves the Beskydy wool tradition blanket

The company buys wool from local breeders and farmers.

But, as you can see, you persevered...It was a very difficult period, but today I am glad for it. Learning to run a business during the biggest economic crisis in decades was the harshest school I could have received. Then it was only better. I think that it is important for entrepreneurs to experience poor times as well as rich times, because those who have not experienced the poor times can find the worst of the next crisis. Today, I am building our company in such a way that we can withstand even five poor years in a row. The Beskydy Mountains are a harsh region, and people here have learned to think of worse times.

What was the reaction of the employees when they found out that they would be headed by a female student?Before my arrival, a team of hardworking and reliable people who have a very close relationship with their work worked at Batex. Most of them have been with the company for over twenty years. When they found out that production would not stop, they were glad not to lose their jobs. Of course, then a lot of questions and concerns arose as to how everything will develop further. From my point of view today, I can say that we found our way to each other relatively soon and we have a friendly atmosphere. My employees say that the company has become younger with my arrival.

The pride of the company - a hundred-year-old carding machine - the so-called krampl.

Didn't the environment scare you? I mean the old, almost museum machines?On the contrary, these museum machines are absolutely fascinating to me. It is, on the one hand, a carding machine, the so-called krampl, which makes material for use from tufts of wool. Another unique item is a blanket quilting machine. According to the pattern that is inserted into its lower part, the machine will stitch a preset pattern. If you give these machines proper care, they can continue to serve excellently even after so many years.

The condition of the building in which the machines were located was worse. I thought that the old wheels deserved to be moved to a more respectable place.

As I can see, you have also achieved this, because you are currently moving.Relocating production was one of the first goals I set at the beginning and I am very happy to be able to tick off this point this year . I managed to find suitable premises in Frýdek-Místek, so the tradition can continue. The move is already in full swing. Last week, we managed to transport our biggest jewel - the krampl - without the slightest damage. It was a demanding process, during which it was necessary to carefully disassemble this giant machine into its individual components, and then reassemble it.

Detail of a hundred-year-old carding machine - krample.

Let's go back to the beginning. What all started to change after you joined the company?I tried everything possible to increase the volume of production. I founded an e-shop and introduced new technologies to the company. It may seem incomprehensible to some, but back in 2009, the company only had a landline and one computer without internet. Orders were placed by phone, fax, or even by mail. At that time, I invented new products and focused more on sales, addressing potential buyers and customers.

Where did you mainly get new customers back then?It must have been frequent participation in farmers' markets organized by surrounding towns to support local producers of quality goods. Farmers' markets and various exhibitions where we presented ourselves were the biggest driving force for me in an often difficult time. Here I had the opportunity to personally talk to customers, and the responses to our products that I received from them confirmed that this business was a step in the right direction.

"According to the template that is inserted into its lower part, the machine stitches a preset pattern," explains Bílková.

When did the turn for the better happen? The first turning point came after two years, when I managed to increase the turnover to the extent that I could fulfill my commitment to the employees and extend the working hours of the originally three stitches from the shortened full-time and hire two more part-timers.

What was the company's turnover when you joined the company, and what is it today? The first year after my arrival, the turnover was less than two million crowns. We're growing every year, but it's still in the order of millions. Bedding production is not a big business, but it gives people a living, uses natural raw materials and keeps local tradition. That's important.

What about profit and investment? We are in the black, but we invest most of the operating profit back into the development of the company and new employees. As far as investments are concerned, this year's biggest company project is, as I already said, a new establishment.

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Where do your products go? We mainly focus on households and families who prioritize a healthy lifestyle and are aware of the advantages of natural material such as premium sheep wool. It is a very specific product range and it can be said that today customers are already approaching us themselves - on recommendation or by hearsay. But for the first two years, I did sales personally, I established cooperation with dozens of wholesale customers, from e-shops and small shops to large accommodation facilities.

Why should people buy wool products?Wool is one of the most amazing natural materials, it has many beneficial effects on the human body. It is medicinal, suitable for allergy sufferers and asthmatics, it can balance body temperature, so you don't sweat under woolen blankets in the summer and, on the contrary, it is pleasantly warm in the winter. You can hardly replace these properties with other materials. Unbelievable as it is, most of our sheep breeders find no use for wool. This noble raw material often ends up in landfills.

So-called scoundrels often deal with woolen blankets. They offer them to people very expensively. What do you think?I know about these practices because two peddlers offered my grandmother such a blanket. It is said that they will sell it to her with a big discount "only" for fourteen thousand crowns. Luckily my grandma is not stupid and didn't buy it. For myself, I would like to say that the price of high-quality woolen blankets here is around fifteen hundred crowns.

“,These museum machines are absolutely fascinating to me. It's like a carding machine, a so-called krampl," boasts the owner with Agátka in her arms.

You produce not only from wool, but also from other materials. Which ones are they?As an additional assortment, we also produce pillows from buckwheat husks. For accommodation and nursing facilities that have high requirements for bed hygiene, we produce bedding made of hollow fibers. We purchase materials from proven, mostly local suppliers who are able to guarantee constant quality. Breeders can also bring their own wool to us and pick up finished wool products at a significant discount. This is the production program that I took over from the original owner, and I really like it. We also have a product line of positioning aids that are filled with polystyrene balls, easily adapt to the shape of the human body and thus prevent bedsores.

What are your plans for the future?I wouldn't be me if I didn't have a few ideas running through my head about what else could be tried with wool. I am considering a whole new product line of the highest quality. I would also like to enable guided tours of traditional production at the new facility, which can be interesting for many thanks to our original machines. I can already promise that we will be open for visitors from the second half of this year.

Do you have a small child, how do you cope with motherly duties?Last August, my daughter Agátka was born. I try to solve most of the work from home, I delegate a lot, and when I need to arrange something in the field, I have a great family background, so there is no problem with watching.

However, with the arrival of the baby, I had to stop, think and clarify my priorities. It was necessary to learn to use the time I have for work much more efficiently than before, and also to accept the fact that some development projects will not run as quickly as before.

Have you ever regretted your decision?Building my own company is still a big challenge for me. I have always appreciated the fact that I had this opportunity in my life. Of course, there were situations when I didn't succeed twice, but I believe that every failure pushes a person further. I simply stick to the motto that every mistake pushes me further and I have no time for self-pity.

Maybe it's also because I was born under the sign of Aries and I firmly stand by my ideals. I am truly a fighter by nature. I like to be able to push my limits little by little and do things that many other people would find impossible or desperately demotivating.