2Mcars - Startup Started in Ukraine Moved to the Georgian Market
As you know, the war in Ukraine has been going on for more than 9 months. The armed conflict, beyond the huge human casualties and infrastructural damage, significantly worsened the business climate in the region, which was reflected in both the disruption of supply chains and the collapse of energy systems. In such conditions, it became almost impossible for startups that started just a few years ago to operate, and the startups themselves had to look for alternative ways to save their team and their business.
Entrepreneur tells about such a startup, 2Mcars, whose founder, Bachi Gordeziani, shares his experience.
2Mcars was founded on the Ukrainian market just two years ago, and the company's goal from the beginning was to make the process of importing cars from the USA as easy as possible for people. With easy communication, transparency, and a customer-oriented approach, the company quickly managed to achieve some success in the Ukrainian market, and the management thought about expanding its activities. However, the war that started at the beginning of this year changed the plans and 2Mcars practically had to fight for survival.
"After the start of the war in Ukraine, we thought for a month about how to continue our activities. You can say that we were a little afraid, since serious changes in the industry, complicated world logistics, the war in Ukraine, and the tense situation in the region represented a significant challenge for business. Despite this, we considered it necessary to act actively, we dared And with the efforts of our excellent team, we also entered the Georgian market", - says Bachi Gordeziani, - "We believed that what we were able to do once, we can do it more successfully. The task was to keep the 2Mcars team and office in Ukraine, which would continue its activities, and at the same time, For the Georgian market, we wanted to add a new, responsible player in this field in our form. In the conditions of great competition, it was not so easy to establish ourselves. We understood this from the beginning, but we had and have the ambition that our team can create a company on the market that will be customer-oriented, and introduce the highest standard of service and transparency. As the founder, I have placed the maximum bet on this company - both financially and reputationally, and I am ready to fight to the end together with my team."
2Mcars had just 2-3 months to open an office in Tbilisi, create a sales team and gain customer trust, however, the company managed the task and managed to sell 100 cars in November.
At the same time, the Ukrainian office of the company has to work without electricity, which is caused by the destruction of the energy infrastructure, although the team still manages to find alternative sources for smooth operation.
As the founder of the company notes, the war has made the field of service extremely difficult both in Ukraine and in the region in general. Ports were overloaded, transportation costs and times increased, and some destinations were completely closed, a clear example of which is the port of Odessa, which has not been operational for several months.
"We had to reorganize to alternative ports and organize ground shipments from Georgia to Ukraine. In general, the last two years have been a very difficult period in our industry, tariffs change daily, and costs and maintaining stability are difficult. However, despite this, I believe that it is important for any entrepreneur not to stop and not be afraid of difficulties. The biggest motivation and also responsibility is when people believe in you, share your ideas, and are ready to fight with you until the end. This is a team and the more like-minded people you have, the closer you are to common goals. So the main investment should be in the team. , because without a team, it is practically impossible to achieve big goals", Bachi Gordeziani notes.
As for the near future plans of the 2Mcars company, by 2023, a sharp increase in the volume of sales is planned - 300-350 cars per month, of which at least 100 cars will be the share of retail customers. Also, the company plans to open offices throughout Georgia (Batumi, Kutaisi, Telavi, Gori) as well as to enter the markets of Armenia and Azerbaijan, and from the operational point of view, improve the software to improve the service.