Among the enterprises financed by Nurbank are not only established businesses but also numerous startups given a chance to grow by the bank. Newcomers have the hardest time in the market, but with proper risk assessment, careful planning of costs, resources, and investments, competent management ensures success.
One such client is IE "Three Whales" in the city of Semey, which specializes in professional dry cleaning of upholstered furniture and carpets.
The director of IE "Three Whales," Miras Sabekov, talks about how three friends decided to start their own business, who helped them in this endeavor, the difficulties at the beginning, the growth dynamics, and their entrepreneurial experience.
— Miras, how did you come up with the idea to create a company? How is your business developing?
— There are three of us in the business. We are young representatives of SMEs, friends with a lot in common. We studied, worked for private companies, got married, had children. And we began to think about our future, how we see it. We wanted to create something together, work for a common result, gain independence and earn more, invest effort and resources in our own business. We looked for a business idea where we would want to be customers ourselves. One of our friends, having worked in the dry cleaning and cleaning sector for 8 years, proposed the idea of starting this business independently. Now we are engaged in professional washing and dry cleaning of carpets and upholstered furniture—one of the directions in cleaning. As you know, an item taken to dry cleaning lasts longer, as professional cleaning is more gentle and sparing. But most importantly, dry cleaning saves you a lot of time.
We clean furniture with textile upholstery, leather, mattresses, curtains, and home textiles using professional agents. There are orders for cleaning soft toys and strollers. We also perform comprehensive carpet and rug dry cleaning, drying them qualitatively using special equipment in a sealed drying chamber. We eliminate unpleasant odors. We work with B2B and B2C.
Our time in business is both challenging and interesting: we have formed a loyal customer base, and our workload is growing.
Who helped bring the idea to life?
Initially, we found a 208 sq. m complex facility for cleaning services, where a service station used to be. We completely re-equipped it, did a major renovation, installed electricity, communications, sewage, water, etc.
We had money for the renovation, but we needed an investor to purchase equipment.
When we turned to DAMU for consultation, we were offered assistance from partner banks. We chose Nurbank because it is a native Kazakhstani bank, and we had experience working with them. It wasn't easy to get a concessional loan for SMEs, as we were newcomers in this field.
A bank credit specialist, Arailym Zholdina, worked with us—a very professional employee. Her extensive experience working with SMEs is immediately apparent. We analyzed all questions with her and considered all details. Nurbank turned 30 this year, and during this time they have developed their own customer-centric approach. They find convenient and flexible solutions for us, which is, of course, very pleasing.
A month after providing complete information and collateral, which initially posed some challenges, the bank made a positive decision, and we received a loan to purchase equipment. It helped us cope with a work volume that exceeded our expectations. For example, we planned to process 3–4 thousand sq. m of carpets. And after six months, we are already cleaning 7 thousand sq. m monthly.
Additionally, we purchased vehicles for carpet transportation. Recently, we submitted a new loan application to Nurbank to acquire additional equipment. In general, as they say, we are growing. Did you have any doubts before deciding to start your own business?
We had doubts and fears. We were told there would be many competitors who have been successfully operating in the market for a long time. But the invaluable experience in this field of one of the founders—a friend—and our perseverance, family support, and the assistance of Nurbank and the state represented by DAMU played their role in the success of the business. We started with a few craftsmen and a small advertising budget, confidently entering the market and occupying our niche. We are not going to stop here; we have big and far-reaching plans.
— Surely you analyze your competitors? How do you differ from them?
— Of course, we study trends and competitors in our industry. Unfortunately, some competitors use cheap products and do not particularly care about service quality. We use high-quality professional products made in Turkey. We also maintain communication with conscientious companies and share experiences. The services of our company stand out for quality and speed. Our narrow specialization allows us to focus more on our chosen direction without spreading thin, which is one of our advantages.
— What advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?
— I believe there is always something for entrepreneurs to do in Kazakhstan. Of course, no one promises it will be easy. To this day, there are difficulties in our business; there can be no successful business without them. One must be patient, persistent, and work tirelessly because this is your business, and if you don't work, the business will fail. If your business is in the service sector, be ready for constant quality control and daily routine work. A business idea is just an idea. But behind its realization lies a whole iceberg of work. But do not be afraid of difficulties because working for yourself brings the sweetest rewards and satisfaction. For your business, resources and strength will always be found.
— What are your plans?
We plan to scale up in the future, expand the range of services: engage in carpet restoration, car dry cleaning, provide cleaning services to legal and physical entities (office, space, apartment cleaning). We will gradually achieve this. We may expand to other cities in Kazakhstan and even regions of the country.
REFERENCE: Previously, Nurbank's branch in the city of Semey belonged to the East Kazakhstan region. On June 8, 2022, the President's decree established the new Abai region with Semey as its administrative center. The Abai region is actively developing; the region's economy demonstrates positive dynamics in industry, construction, and investments. State and regional programs are being implemented to support entrepreneurs. Most SMEs are engaged in trade, construction, education, agriculture. The SME sector in the food industry, services, and logistics is actively developing. The branch in Semey opened in 2008 and continues to strengthen its presence in the region. To date, the branch successfully operates two banking service centers, one located in the city of Kurchatov. The branch provides the full range of banking services for SMEs and the population. The main funded SME areas by the branch in Semey are services—51%, trade—39%, social services—8%, manufacturing—3%. The branch finances SMEs for the support and expansion of existing businesses, investments, and working capital replenishment, and is an active participant in financing SMEs under the state programs of DAMU with concessional interest rates.
Source: https://semey.city