Success stories | Page 2

From a small café to a chain of restaurants: how Rizvan transformed his business with the help of EU4Business

Azerbaijan

27/11/2017

“When they left the business to me, I don’t think my parents ever imagined that their little café would ever change. [...] however, they planted the seed of entrepreneurship in me. And some good common sense to find the right (financial) partner,” says Rizvan Garayev, who transformed the café he in herited in Baku into a chain of bakeries and restaurants, with the help of Access Bank, the...

An eye for a deal and a helping hand from EU4Business

Azerbaijan

22/11/2017

“It’s one thing to see a market for something and quite another to figure out how you are going to satisfy it. And still another to make the whole thing happen. Once you’ve got the first two taken care of, leave it to Access Bank to find a solution," says Serxan Dadasov Serdar, whose retail clothing business benefitted from support made available under the European Fund for South East Europe (...

Azerbaijani economy becoming more diverse through support for SMEs

Azerbaijan

11/09/2017

Ibrahim Alisoy stood at a crossroads in the fortunes of his outdoor furniture firm. There was plenty of interest from abroad for his small company’s innovative products, but he wasn’t sure how to ramp up production efficiently to begin exporting to customers thousands of miles away. So, in February this year, the co-founder and general manager of IDEA LLC in Azerbaijan turned to the Advice for...

EU4Business helps woman-led Azerbaijan company expand customer base by 25%

Azerbaijan

18/08/2017

With funding from the European Union under the EU4Business Initiative, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) helped a woman-led accessory and home-care products company in Azerbaijan introduce an effective recruitment and sales system. The EBRD helped ESSE LLC, a woman-managed company distributing a wide range of women accessories and home-care products, to introduce an...

EU4Business helps Azerbaijan poultry business expand market share

Azerbaijan

09/08/2017

With funding from the European Union under the EU4Business Initiative, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) helped an Azerbaijan-based poultry company get financing to expand operations. The EBRD helped Nabran-Qusculuq LLC, a poultry breeding company in Azerbaijan to develop a qualified business plan and to receive financing from the EBRD partner bank. Within a year of...

East Invest 2 making trails into the rural- and eco-tourism sector in Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan

17/07/2017

Rural tourism entrepreneurs in Azerbaijan’s Northwest are reaping the rewards of cooperation with Italy’s experienced tourism sector. The EU initiative, Ruralis Tornare , roughly translated as ‘returning to rural’, recognises the potential for growth in rural- and eco-tourism in Azerbaijan. Effective digital marketing, competitive prices, local products and tailored services such as fishing,...

Azerbaijani copper manufacturer successfully in line with International Financial Reporting Standards

Azerbaijan

23/06/2017

BMI LLC , a copper manufacturer in Azerbaijan, has successfully adapted its financial statements to comply with international standards, all thanks to funding from the European Union (EU) under the EU4Business Initiative, combined with support from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). BMI LLC has been operating in Azerbaijan since 2005 and specialises in the production of...

Turkan Panahova, a successful 22 year old hairdresser, attends to one of her many clients.

Improving women’s presence in business – one cut at a time

Azerbaijan

14/10/2016

Thanks to an EU-funded course on financial management, hairdresser Turkan Panahova is now the proud owner of her own successful beauty salon. Turkan Panahova, a young hairdresser in Azerbaijan, was struggling to make her business work. Although business was good, she had trouble finding the best way to manage her money and grow the business. Thanks to a two-day EU-funded financial training course...

Improving Azerbaijan’s IT technologies for more efficient performance

Azerbaijan

14/10/2016

When a local bookstore’s growth was outpacing its inventory capacity, its owner turned to the IT experts at the Small Business Support team (SBS) for help. In 2001, with just an initial investment of USD 600, Ms Kocharli set up a book store. With this money, she bought books from Russia and Ukraine and sold them in Azerbaijan. At first this was done via direct orders, but soon business was...