Hard work, commitment ingredients of Niluka’s success

Sanjeevi JAYASURIYA

The private sector offers many opportunities to climb the ladder. These opportunities could also provide an opening for self development through one’s own initiative.

This is what exactly Niluka Weligamage of Dazzle did. She unleashed her potential in creativity and management capabilities to venture into a viable project which has vast untapped potential. Her customized corporate gift items for multinational companies have set the trend for corporate world to indulge in variety of exclusive imported products. She has also embarked on meeting retail customer requirements with the opening of Dazzle store in Colombo 5 recently.

The store offers an attractive product range to suit any occasion and could be considered as a one stop gift shop for high end clientele. She is ambitious to achieve success in her selected venture and moving towards this goal at a steady pace.

She was interviewed by Daily News Business.   Excerpts of the interview.

Q. How do you describe your line of business?

A. Dazzel was started to cater to corporate clients’ need for gifts. The Dazzl (Pvt) Ltd was established in 2006 in Kalubowila. It has now transformed into a company from sole proprietorship involving my husband. We have a number of multinational companies as our clients and with the opening of the Dazzle in Colombo 5 we are also in to retail marketing. The customers could make the purchases instantly as it gives flexibility to select from an entire range of products. This has given us the opportunity to cater to a wider segment of clients and occasions including for mass market, events and promotions. We import gift items mainly from China. We discuss with our corporate clients of their requirements and always strive to go beyond their expectations. The Dazzle store will change our market concept and we expect it to add to the bottom line in a big way.

Q. How do you manage time to handle your personal life?

A. My husband Prashantha Mahadevan worked for Dialog Axiata and now plays a prominent role in the business. We have a daughter Senuthi Viyanga and time management is not easy. With the support of my husband and my parents we ensure that a balance in business and family life is achieved. I have a good work out to release stress and operating from home has made things flow smoothly. However, with the opening of the store I need to adjust to a new time schedule prioritizing my work.

Q. What motivated you to venture in to business?

A. I was working in the private sector for over a decade of time. After marriage I gave up the job and needed to do something of my own. As I identified the market for corporate gifts I embarked on this project where it is proved to be a success at present.

I also wanted to prove myself and considered engaging in a business is the way forward.

Q. What are your goals?

A. My goal would be to be a pioneer in the sector of exclusive corporate gifts and be innovative in products offered. I believe in giving value for money for my clients.

Q. How do you face the challenges of competition?

A. Competition is not a threat, but as a challenge. It is important to know what you are doing and do it properly rather than unnecessarily worrying about the competition. For this capacity assessment is necessary. If you could give out the best in you then the competition is irrelevant.

Q. What example do you provide others?

A. Hard work and commitment to the task. These are the ingredients of successful.

Q. What is your specialty?

A. Our corporate gift items are unique and we make it a point to offer wider selection for the customers. We understand the customer’s requirements and work accordingly.

We never hesitate to accommodate changes and do not compromise on quality.

Q. What are your achievements in business?

A. Working with multinational companies have given us a broader outlook. These customers are giants in the corporate world and the exposure is valuable. However, we have focused on business development among many things which is yet to achieve.

Q. What is your message to society?

A. To quote from the Dalai Lama. 'The law of action and reaction is not exclusively for physics. It is also of human relations. If I act with goodness, I will receive goodness. If I act with evil, I will get evil. What our grand parents told us is pure truth. You will always have what you desire for others. Being happy is not a matter of destiny.

It is a matter of options. Take care of your thoughts because they become words. Take care of your words because they will become action. Take care of your actions because they will become habits. Take care of your habits because they will form your character. Take care of your character because it will form your destiny and your destiny will be your life and there is no religion higher than the truth.

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