Kayhan Hellriegel is a native of Iran who immigrated to United States after earning a BS degree in Business. Later she moved to Chicago and worked for a transportation logistics company. Kayhan was promoted through several positions with her last position being Senior Regional Manager. On July 1, 1982, she launched Kayhan International to supply office furnishings and related services to the business community.
Kayhan International has received numerous awards and recognitions:
WBDC Entrepeneur of the year, September 2008
Inc. 500 - 5000 fastest growing companies,
2007
UIC Entrepreneur of the Year, Induction into
the Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame, 2007
Economic Club of Chicago member in 2007;
Crain’s Chicago Business Largest
Women-Owned firms ranked 28th , 2006
Motorola Bravo Award, 2006
Motorola Distinguished Challenger Malcolm
Baldrige National Quality Award,1990; Haworth’s
President’s Circle Award 1998-2003 and 2005-2006.
Kayhan International, Limited is a Certified,
Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE). National Certification is through Chicago’s WBDC and
its affiliation with the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council
(WBENC). Kayhan International is also certified by the City of Chicago as a Woman-owned Business Enterprise.
The Chicago certification is through the City of
Chicago.
Kayhan International was ISO 9001 Certified in 1995. ISO 9000 is a series of five international standards published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Geneva, Switzerland.
When you first started your business did you feel passion for your work?
I worked for a transportation company and I really didn’t have a passion
about it. I knew I was capable and I was positive working my
way up from billing clerk to top salesperson within the company.
I was in line for the position of vice president and the president of the company was less than supportive with my application for the opening. "He sent a letter saying that the company would hire a woman vice president over his dead body."
I was not deterred by his declaration, but rather used it as incentive to become an entrepreneur. "I knew the only way to be successful was to work for myself," she explains. I took a job at a furniture company for a few months before taking a year off to do market research. "I knew I had the skills and knowledge to start my own company," she said. "So I put together my business plan."
My plan was a bit unorthodox--I hired people who were just beginning their careers and had never worked in the furniture industry before. "I wanted fresh blood, so that I could train them myself.
Kayhan Hellriegel has developed a team of
dedicated professionals. The senior management team has an average tenure
of more than 17 years. ‘I attribute this loyalty to
the strong bonds I form with everyone who works for Kayhan International,
Limited. My people know how to build and maintain strong relationships." I
believe in flexibility in the workplace so that employees never have to choose
between work and family.
When you first started were you able to
visualize your final outcome?
Yes, I took some time to do market research and put my business plan
together. I knew at that we lived in a global economy. My
background gave me a unique capability to do work internationally. Kayhan
International, Limited became the first furniture dealership to do business in Dubai and Abu
Dhabi, which are now the fastest growing countries in
the world!
What were you top three obstacles or
challenges?
#1 The challenge of being a woman-owned business competing in a male dominated
industry. There were not a lot of ‘women’ entrepreneurs at the
time. I knew that I could pursue my passion and overcome this obstacle and
build a very successful business.
#2 The second obstacle was to save money with my husband and not borrow from any financial institution. The concern was whether we had the financial strength to work with just our own money.
#3 The third obstacle was the political and
economic climate of the 80’s and whether it would interfere with the
operation of my business. Jimmy Carter was president when I started
my company and interest rates were 22%! I learned quickly not to pay attention
to those factors.
How did you deal with doubt, fear, and self
recrimination?
I never doubted my abilities. Because if you worry too much and allow
yourself to have fears, you become negative and you cannot perform
properly. You must always have a positive attitude about everything-no
matter what.
Did you feel that the traditional male
dominated workplace affected you at all? If so, what did you do about
it?
I have learned that the best ways to deal with a male dominated workplace is to
be a strong person, hard working woman, and to build business relationships. I
believe men will respect you if you carry yourself with confidence and you
demonstrate that you are knowledgeable about your own business.
Did you have mentors?
One of my mentors was my ex-boss who recommended me for the VP position in the
transportation company. He was my mentor, my family, the second father who
believed in me always and taught me certain things. My best mentor, however, is
my husband. He believes in me and supported my every effort when I started my
own business.
Do you feel you were
traditional in terms of your steps to your Optimal Level?
One of the most important things I did when I put my business plan together was
to include hiring educated women. I planned to find women who were not
only good at their job, but they had to be positive and be all-around qualified
as a whole person. Being good at just their work was not enough. After I
hired them, I mentored them. They had to be sincere and they had to
demonstrate that they were willing to do whatever it would take to do the
job.
I also had a policy – I interview
everybody, personally. Interestingly, I can always tell who has that
extra something that sets them apart from the others. My daughter is a
labor attorney and I know there are certain questions you cannot directly ask a
potential employee. I don’t ask them about what they did at
their last job. I talk to them and ask them to tell me their stories -
never direct questions. I ask them to tell me about themselves and their
families.
As you look back, what is the one thing you
wish you knew when you started?
Any regrets? I don’t regret
anything in life. I believe that life is a learning tool. Mistakes only make
you a better entrepreneur. One of the lessons I learned was when I first
started the company. I spent a lot of time on one big account and I
didn’t diversify as much as I should have in the market. 75% of our total
business came from this one big account and when the economy went down, that
affected us pretty heavily. It was a tough lesson but I turned the
company around to do much better.
Do you believe luck had something to do with
your rise to where you are now?
No – because I had to work hard and have a positive attitude. My
husband worked for a different company for seven years because we needed the
paycheck. For the first three years we made very little money and
everything we made went back into the business. For twenty years, my husband
and I entertained clients, every day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We
knew we had to take care of our clients, reach out and do whatever it took to
get to know them. All of my clients had my cell and home phone numbers so
that they could get in touch with me whenever they needed.
Do you feel you paid a price to be as
successful as you are now?
I have never felt that I paid a price to be successful. My husband and I are
fortunate enough to work together and we feel grateful that we were able to
give our daughter a college education. Today, my daughter has her own
successful law practice.
What is the best piece of advice you have for
other women on their way to their Optimal Level?
My advice to women on their way to their Optimal Level would be to be positive
and don’t let anything get in the way of your dream. I knew I had
to exceed my own expectations. It is much harder to work for yourself
than for somebody else. As a business owner, you are responsible not only
for yourself, but for other people. I have learned to be strong for myself and
also for the people who work for me. So, I believe in being strong, positive
and having a strong work ethic.
Do you have any other tips for career or
business women?
Don’t be afraid! Many women achieve their career goals and perform as well
as men or even better. Have a positive work ethic and be healthy in life.
What do you think is the biggest mistake
career/business women make?
The biggest mistake is giving up your career before you have the opportunity to
learn from the challenges. There will always be obstacles in life. I have known
many people who have given up too easily… before their success. I believe
that you have to persevere to achieve your goals. I have learned from my
biggest mistakes in life. Challenges make me work harder! Never give up.
