Charuni keeps Avikans afloat

Sanjeevi JAYASURIYA

When one is born to a family that is engaged in business, invariably there is the possibility that you may inherit the business one day. Therefore it is important to horn the skills of overall management and input-output process to become successful. It did not come as a surprise when Charuni Kannangara was given the opportunity to run Avikans (Pvt) Ltd, a longstanding family business upon her return from abroad. She was the natural choice of her family as her two other siblings continue to live in foreign countries. The inborn skills in business management were put in good use and Charuni was able to steer the company to a remarkable level amidst stiff competition from imported products. Her charming character and pleasing qualities have won admiration from loyal customers and she stands tall among the others in this decorative product business.

She was interviewed by Daily News Business.

Here are the excerpts of the interview.

Q: What is the type of your business you are engaged in and how do you set about it?

A: Avikans Pvt Ltd is a company that provides specialized lighting .We accommodate customer requirements by creating custom designs, either traditional or contemporary. We specialize in brass, copper, aluminium and stainless steel products. Avikans was established in 1963 by my grandfather A.V. Kannangara. My father Kirti took over a year later when my grandfather passed away. Together with my mother Christine they ran the business until my husband Nishan and I took over in 2007.It was a natural transition for me since I helped my parents run the company since I was a young teenager.

I remember watching the production cycle go from a sheet of metal to a beautiful lighting design. Now I mostly handle the sales and marketing side and my husband does the production and business development from our factory in Ratmalana.

Q: How do you balance your family life and business?

A. My husband is Nishan Gunawardhana and we have a four-year-old son Ryan Gunawardhana. Balancing family life and work can be really tough as my son requires constant attention. Since we work in the same company, my husband and I get to interact and communicate with each other throughout the day. But we try not to talk about business when we get home. This is our family time.

Q: What were the challenges you faced?

A: There’s a perception that foreign made products are better. But that simply is not the case. We put time and care into each item we produce. We are the proud manufacturers of the Chandelier in the main ballroom of the Mt. Lavinia Hotel, the Taj Hotel lobby Chandeliers and all of Ceylon Continental Hotel lighting. We stand by what we make and if a customer is not satisfied, we will happily fix it. We also re-polish and give our clients a after-sales service. Some loyal clients bring in their old lamps done by Avikans even 15 to 20 years ago for re-polishing! That personalized service is not available with imported items.

We also get to work with some of Sri Lanka’s top architects to provide lighting solutions to hotels, houses and apartments. At times they do not only require light fixtures but also design accessories such as wall decorations and panels.

Sometimes we have to work all seven days of the week. We value customer satisfaction and we will work tirelessly to give the customer what they require.

Q: What are your goals?

A: My husband and I have the same vision for the future.

We want to continue to grow the company and build the brand name.

We want to maintain our spot as one of the best lighting manufacturing company’s on Sri Lankan soil. We may officially expand into other interior design products made from sheet metal in the future.

Q: Was being a woman an advantage to be in business?

A: These days there are many successful, hardworking women in business. When a woman achieves success in business, it’s viewed as she earned it herself and with that comes a gratifying level of respect.

Q: What is your advice to women in business?

A: As women you have to be willing and ready to work harder than a man to maintain a balance between a healthy family life and a business. Don’t give up when things seem to get tough.

It is important to surround yourself with intelligent and talented people. Your role as a leader is to train and inspire them.

Q: What are your achievements in family life and business?

A: I have a very loving husband who I have known since we were both teenagers.

We have a wonderful son who is our world. I am proud to see that Avikans has been a family run company which has grown to what it is today with a loyal staff, some of whom have been with our company for over 25 years.

Q: What is your contribution to society?

A: We employ a wide variety of people regardless of age, sex, education or disabilities. We provide them with training ,giving them skills to further their career and to create products that they can be proud of.

They are the key to the success of our business. We value them immensely and we want to make sure they are taken care of.

Sri Lanka is rapidly developing and with new development and the boom in the construction industry, Sri Lankan made products can be used to show the world that we can produce quality products to be used here and overseas.

Companies like Avikans, with their 100 percent locally made products help promote our status as a self sufficient nation while showcasing the creativity and the craftsmanship of the people involved.