YELENA LEE
Founder of Dolce, brand Dolce-Pharm
DOLCEPHARM.KZ
Yelena Lee, the Founder of Dolce company, Dolce-Pharm brand, answers questions of WORLD WOMAN readers. How to become a leader in the pharmaceutical industry and develop an idea of socially responsible entrepreneurship? How to implement and expand the culture of health and ecological innovations in production? How to create a recognizable brand in Kazakhstan and other countries? The entrepreneurial path of the heroine of the magazine issue begins in Almaty.
SUCCESSFUL PERSON FOR ME IS A PERSON WHOSE PRIORITIES ARE INTERESTS OF PEOPLE AND SAVING LIVES
Yelena, please tell us how your Path began? When did you realize that pharmaceuticals is your vocation?
My childhood passed in the city of Frunze. It was a happy childhood surrounded by a loving family. The warmest memories for me are the love and attention of my parents, our family travels. During these trips, I paid attention to life of people. I realized that a life style in the country is closely related to the culture of attitude towards oneself, towards one’s health. Probably, it was during my travels I thought of dealing with medicine. Once I made a decision, I consistently went to my goal. Another happy moment – studying at the Almaty Medical Institute. Everything was new, and most importantly, my horizon has expanded. I began to understand the fundamental difference between “treatment” and “prevention”. Interesting studies, new knowledge and acquaintances, a difficult choice of specialty, and, finally, a diploma from the Almaty State Medical Institute with Major in Pharmacy, qualification as Pharmacist. I immediately decided that working in a pharmacy is not for me. What then? Who will create a “workplace” for me to promote the philosophy of a healthy lifestyle? I should be that person. This is how my entrepreneurial journey began.
Your brand “Dolce” and “Dolce-Pharm” was founded in 1998. How did the idea come about and how it all began?
Look for what people need! At the time my country had only a vague idea about use of disposable medical personal protective equipment to reduce nosocomial infections. It was common to sterilize everything. People who traveled abroad saw a different hospital service. So the idea came up – production of individual medical protective equipment.
It all started with a small start-up capital, a modest office in Almaty and the first production site in the Yntymak village.
That is how we decided WHAT we shall produce and for WHOM. And here comes a new stage of knowledge: what business model to choose, whom and how to hire for production, how to manage business processes? This is exactly what is attractive in entrepreneurship: you never relax for a minute, you are constantly looking for new ideas and technologies, and you implement, implement, implement.
I must say right away that I was immediately lucky with the team. From the very beginning people around me had a personal challenge of disease prevention, introduction of the latest technologies to prevent diseases, creation of an eco-space.
The team learned and gained experience. Every year the range of our products has expanded. At first, our consumers were the most conscious people who took responsibility for their health. Then hospitals, clinics and sanatoriums began to introduce the idea of ecospace.
Each time we improved both our structure and our business processes. We completely modernized production, opened new lines, mastered a wider range of medical products: medical gloves, complex surgical, obstetric and gynecological sets of disposable underwear, as well as protective masks and surgical tools.
Today we supply products under the state program to every polyclinic, hospital, rural outpatient clinic.
THE KAIZEN PHILOSOPHY PRINCIPLES:
• Let go of your traditional thinking.
• Look for solutions and don’t ask why it can’t be done.
• No excuses! Question all the old things.
• Better 50% solution immediately than 100% solution never!
• Fix bugs right away.
• Look for the cheapest solutions!
• Ability to solve problems initially develops from a problem.
• Ask questions many times and find out what is the real cause of a problem.
• Ten people solve a problem better than one specialist.
Today Dolce-Group – high technology production complex with over 8 thousand sq.m. workshops area. Over 250 products supplied to all state enterprises of the Republic and exported to the CIS and Central Asia countries. Staff of over 500 people.
How did you manage to find your “Blue Ocean” and enter the world markets?
For 23 years of work, we have gained recognition in the whole of Kazakhstan. The results and production volumes led to a new stage of development: we have chosen a strategy of expansion through entering new markets. It was a risk. You remember the rapid onset of the pandemic: countries, regions, world. In 2020, we launched a new factory. The Dolce-Pharm products have become in demand in every home.
And we had to solve a serious contradiction: Dolce-Pharm products were vital while borders were closed. We faced an unprecedented crisis: borders of states were closed, restrictions on movement between cities were introduced. The supply and logistics chains were broken.
NEW CHALLENGE
The strategic importance of our products has allowed us to open borders and expand the export of products to markets of Europe and Asia, so that more people will get access to quality products. This is a great merit of the company’s management: all efforts were put on organization of uninterrupted production, search for new solutions of sale and delivery of products. Dolce-Pharm has become an ambassador for a culture of health and personal protection for millions of people around the world.
Today we export products to more than 10 countries, and continue to actively conquer new markets.
I would like to acknowledge the contribution of our team. During the pandemic, thanks to the well-coordinated work of our managers and production workers, we were able to establish an uninterrupted supply of the healthcare sector and the population with disposable protective masks, gloves and clothing. Team work played an important role in decision making. We managed to apply the Japanese principle of lean manufacturing “Kaizen”. It is a customer-focused continuous improvement strategy for business processes.
According to the 2020 poll in Dolce-Pharm is associated with:
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- Disposable medical items
- Standard quality
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Another important event took place August 2021 in our company. The first franchise agreement was signed for the Dolce-Pharm distribution center in the Kyzylorda, Zhambyl, Turkestan Oblasts as well as in the Shymkent city. Meaning, our company managed to reach a new level – creation of a global production network. We consider this a breakthrough.
RECOGNITION OF ACHIEVEMENTS OF DOLCE AND DOLCE-PHARM COMPANIES
The merits of the Dolce-Group team have been recognized many times with awards and honorary titles. And in the year when the Republic of Kazakhstan celebrated its 30 years of Independence our company received the honorary title from the National Business Rating “Industry Leader-2021”. This award confirms recognition of the company’s merits in our country.
One of the important achievements is introduction of a culture of using disposable medical devices. Also within the framework of prevention of nosocomial infections.
No country in the world can boast such a high percentage of use of masks with a carbon filter. Our team is very proud of this.
We also hold charity events for medical institutions, for people in need, single mothers and children.
There are still many tasks ahead. We are ready to cooperate with up-and-coming entrepreneurs. Our team is ready to share experience, provide support in opening new production facilities in Kazakhstan and beyond.
I believe that the role of pharmacists has always been important in the healthcare system, but it was during the COVID-19 pandemic that specialists from all over the world proved their indispensability and a high degree of responsibility for human health. They not only provided people with medicines and means of protection, but also informed them about the risk and preventive measures.
The COVID-19 pandemic crisis contributed to adoption of new strategies for development of the company. We created a franchise package and built a new factory.
In addition, we set up the production of innovative surgical kits, launched an enterprise for production of syringes.
To what extent your lifestyle, the values of your company correspond to environmental principles?
In my opinion, it is very important to adhere to environmental principles for the safety of the world around us. It is also a significant contribution to the future of our children and grandchildren. We are surrounded by a lot of harmful things that negatively affect the quality of our life. But there is no a single solution to this problem. These can be interconnected micro-solutions that are supported and implemented by the government, business, and the people themselves.
As for a socially oriented enterprise – we value ecological orientation in production. Therefore, we propose to produce auto-disable syringe and packages. Now we are also developing a project for disposal of medical waste.
I believe that every manufacturer should think about cleanliness and order on the Earth. Any case should contain answers to the questions: is it harmful to our Planet? What kind of world will we see tomorrow if we stop looking for answers to these questions?
Today, more than ever, the issue of health prevention is relevant. How to maintain a vital balance of forces? Do you have “Sources of Power”? Who can inspire you to new achievements today?
I am a happy wife and mother of two children. After a routine work, I lose myself in my beloved children, I am always interested in their joys and problems. I like to spend time at home, in a cozy atmosphere, with a cup of tea… Family is a powerful support and strength!
A strong team is also the source of my strength. Today we implement the most ambitious projects as a team of professionals who share the values of the Company. We encourage development of employees. Many have experience in creating new projects.
Changing fields of activity also helps me maintain “life balance”. It can be reading lectures on management, relaxing at sea, paragliding.
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR GOOD DEEDS FOR THE ENTIRE EARTH POPULATION
A scenery change inspires for new ideas.
If your mission could be summed up in one sentence, what would it sound like?
The Company’s mission: to protect the health of people, prolonging their life, making it happier.
Goal: creation of an international healthcare company with a unique business model and a professional team of like-minded people.
How has the definition of the word “success” changed in the modern world? How can you explain the concept of a successful woman?
Every success has its own story and its price. For me, “successful” is a person who prioritizes such values as interests of people and saving lives.
Yelena, women from different countries – members of the International Club of Successful Women WORLD WOMAN read about you. In what areas would you be interested in cooperating with them? What projects are you ready to support and initiate your own?
I support projects that increase work places for women. Our company is implementing a gender policy: 80% of the team are women. We also take part in projects related to support and development of women entrepreneurs.
We are ready to cooperate with active people who want to introduce our production franchise, develop the industry according to recognized standards by creating conditions for independence and security for their country at the same level as we did during the pandemic. In addition, we are actively promoting the distribution franchise aimed at instilling a culture of using disposable products in all medical institutions to prevent diseases and especially dangerous viruses.
Take responsibility for good deeds for the entire population of the Earth.
Yelena, thank you for the interview. Your experience is valuable to our readers.
