This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-29896410
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| The businesswoman who triumphed over adversity | The businesswoman who triumphed over adversity |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| It was surviving a brush with adversity that allowed Anisa Telwar's business to really grow. | It was surviving a brush with adversity that allowed Anisa Telwar's business to really grow. |
| The owner of a successful US cosmetics company, back in 2002 she was hit by a development which threatened the firm's future - her long-time South Korean manufacturer announced that he was ending their partnership and going out on his own. | The owner of a successful US cosmetics company, back in 2002 she was hit by a development which threatened the firm's future - her long-time South Korean manufacturer announced that he was ending their partnership and going out on his own. |
| Ms Telwar suddenly found that her Atlanta-based business Anisa International - today one of the world's largest designer and manufacturer of make-up brushes - had nowhere to get its products produced. | Ms Telwar suddenly found that her Atlanta-based business Anisa International - today one of the world's largest designer and manufacturer of make-up brushes - had nowhere to get its products produced. |
| Describing the situation as "pretty scary", and faced with the possibility of her business having to shut down, she instead determined to fly to China and secure her own factory. | Describing the situation as "pretty scary", and faced with the possibility of her business having to shut down, she instead determined to fly to China and secure her own factory. |
| The Anisa International plant, based in the city of Tianjin in northern China, now makes more than 25 million make-up brushes per year. | The Anisa International plant, based in the city of Tianjin in northern China, now makes more than 25 million make-up brushes per year. |
| Ms Telwar, 48, looks back on the split with her former South Korean partner as being like the break-up of a marriage - yet one with a happy ending. | |
| "It was a bit like a divorce," she says. "But at the end of the day, it was probably one of the best things that ever happened." | "It was a bit like a divorce," she says. "But at the end of the day, it was probably one of the best things that ever happened." |
| Owning her own factory meant that she took full control of the manufacturing process, allowing her to design new products more freely, she says. | Owning her own factory meant that she took full control of the manufacturing process, allowing her to design new products more freely, she says. |
| And thanks to this newer, wider range of make-up brushes, Anisa International's sales have increased substantially. | And thanks to this newer, wider range of make-up brushes, Anisa International's sales have increased substantially. |
| Today, the company has annual revenues of more than $30m (£18.5m). | Today, the company has annual revenues of more than $30m (£18.5m). |
| It is a "white label business" in that it makes its make-up brushes for other firms, including many of the big names in cosmetics, such as Estee Lauder and Sephora. | It is a "white label business" in that it makes its make-up brushes for other firms, including many of the big names in cosmetics, such as Estee Lauder and Sephora. |
| 'Sweat equity' | 'Sweat equity' |
| Born in New York, but raised in Nashville, Tennessee, Ms Telwar undoubtedly gets some of her business drive from her Russian mother Fatima Telwar, who after a childhood in Turkey emigrated to the US. | Born in New York, but raised in Nashville, Tennessee, Ms Telwar undoubtedly gets some of her business drive from her Russian mother Fatima Telwar, who after a childhood in Turkey emigrated to the US. |
| Fatima Telwar ran her own import and export business, buying general goods in the Middle East, such as rugs, and then selling them in the US. | Fatima Telwar ran her own import and export business, buying general goods in the Middle East, such as rugs, and then selling them in the US. |
| After two years at business school, Anisa Telwar joined her mother's business when she was in her early 20s. | After two years at business school, Anisa Telwar joined her mother's business when she was in her early 20s. |
| The decision to go out on her own came after a meeting with the fateful South Korean manufacturer, and Anisa International was born in 1994. | The decision to go out on her own came after a meeting with the fateful South Korean manufacturer, and Anisa International was born in 1994. |
| While the Korean firm would make the brushes, Ms Telwar would do the distribution, marketing and selling - jobs it was soon apparent that she was rather good at. | While the Korean firm would make the brushes, Ms Telwar would do the distribution, marketing and selling - jobs it was soon apparent that she was rather good at. |
| While she had little capital to put into the business, Ms Telwar instead said she was determined to both work hard and think creativity. | While she had little capital to put into the business, Ms Telwar instead said she was determined to both work hard and think creativity. |
| "I had my sweat equity, and I had some marketing savvy on how to sell these brushes differently," she says. | "I had my sweat equity, and I had some marketing savvy on how to sell these brushes differently," she says. |
| To do the later, Ms Telwar went to visit the big cosmetics firms, and got them to think more about how well a certain brush worked with their product. | To do the later, Ms Telwar went to visit the big cosmetics firms, and got them to think more about how well a certain brush worked with their product. |
| Whereas previously make-up brushes were not given much attention, Ms Telwar got the firms to focus on what softness, texture or size of brush worked best with a particular foundation powder, or eye shadow, or other such cosmetic item. | Whereas previously make-up brushes were not given much attention, Ms Telwar got the firms to focus on what softness, texture or size of brush worked best with a particular foundation powder, or eye shadow, or other such cosmetic item. |
| It soon led to Anisa International picking up orders. | It soon led to Anisa International picking up orders. |
| 'Finding trends' | 'Finding trends' |
| The company now employs more than 500 people, across its manufacturing base in China, its headquarters in Atlanta, and offices in New York and London. | The company now employs more than 500 people, across its manufacturing base in China, its headquarters in Atlanta, and offices in New York and London. |
| Ms Telwar says she remains as passionate as ever about the business. | Ms Telwar says she remains as passionate as ever about the business. |
| "This industry excites me," she says. "When I was younger I really wore a lot of make up, I see how it can enhance, how it can improve, how it makes women feel. | "This industry excites me," she says. "When I was younger I really wore a lot of make up, I see how it can enhance, how it can improve, how it makes women feel. |
| "This is a luxury type item that makes us feel good. I connect to that a lot." | "This is a luxury type item that makes us feel good. I connect to that a lot." |
| As well as her general leadership duties, Ms Telwar keeps a close eye on make-up trends to look for new ideas. | As well as her general leadership duties, Ms Telwar keeps a close eye on make-up trends to look for new ideas. |
| She says she mines magazines and social media sites. | She says she mines magazines and social media sites. |
| "That's my role, I feel, in this organisation," she says. "I am supposed to find the trend." | "That's my role, I feel, in this organisation," she says. "I am supposed to find the trend." |
| Ms Telwar is also happy to speak to experts, such as her 15-year-old niece. | Ms Telwar is also happy to speak to experts, such as her 15-year-old niece. |
| Recent new product developments include nail painting kits. The company also continues to develop new types of manmade fibres for the bristles in its brushes. | Recent new product developments include nail painting kits. The company also continues to develop new types of manmade fibres for the bristles in its brushes. |
| "I love the idea of designing something new that can be dynamic and visually beautiful." says Ms Telwar. | "I love the idea of designing something new that can be dynamic and visually beautiful." says Ms Telwar. |
| As the company prepares to move to a bigger head office across town in Atlanta, she says she continues to ask that all new recruits are creative people. | As the company prepares to move to a bigger head office across town in Atlanta, she says she continues to ask that all new recruits are creative people. |
| "I do look for people who have creativity, no matter what," she says. "Because you can be creative in finance, you can be creative in admin. | "I do look for people who have creativity, no matter what," she says. "Because you can be creative in finance, you can be creative in admin. |
| "I look for people who want to follow our vision in this industry, that want to be part of the team." | "I look for people who want to follow our vision in this industry, that want to be part of the team." |