Sparks Electrical News May 2020

CONTRACTORS’ CORNER

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PERSONALITY OF THE MONTH – ASHVEER LALLA Proof that age is nothing but a number

Sparks: If you could ‘do it all again’, would you change anything? If so, what would that be? AL: I do not have any regrets whatsoever and I am thankful for all the learnings I have gained along this journey. I know and understand that I had to endure both good and tough times because both teach you lessons, not only in business but in life as well.

• R2.2 Million, Botswana Projects – Empire, working through a local agent, partnered with the Botswana government to supply on numerous projects. • R1.7 Million, Mozambique Projects – Em- pire, working through a local agent, part- nered with the Mozambique government to supply on numerous projects. As for my greatest accomplishment thus far… not many would know this, but between 2019 and 2020, Empire has contributed and made a differ- ence to the lives of 1201 beautiful souls with finan- cial support, food donations and assistance with daily necessities. This has been made possible by our loyal customer base. With their support they have given Empire the opportunity and platform to give back to the less fortunate community of South Africa. For me this is what being in business is all about, and I will continue to strive to create a better future for my team and the country alike, the only way we know how with hope in our eyes and passion in our hearts. If you want to get in- volved or view our charity work please visit our website.

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Ashveer Lalla,

Sparks: Have you won any awards? AL: It is difficult to choose, but my most cherished award thus far is the 2019 Young Black Entrepreneur of the Year from the Global Employers Organisa- tion South Africa (GEOSA). Sparks: Who has been your inspiration or have you had a mentor who has influenced your career? AL: I have met many inspirational people in my life and I have learnt from them as they too have learned fromme. My inspiration, however, does not come from just one individual in particular, it comes from the faces I see every day when I look at my wife, my family and the Empire team; they are the reason I wake up every morning and strive as hard as I can to meet personal and business goals. Sparks: What is one of the biggest challenges facing the industry? AL: The COVID-19 virus has negatively impacted our industry, our econ- omy and the world at this point in time. Many businesses are probably feeling that the destruction that comes with this virus is irrecoverable, but what I encourage others in the industry to do is to shift focus from what we cannot do in this tough time, to what we can do in order to make a strong recovery. Sparks: What do you enjoy most about your job? AL: I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to be in a leadership role. In this role I strive to teach, mentor and grow individuals of all ages and assist them to reach their full potential. Therefore, for me it is extremely rewarding to watch the seeds of knowl- edge and expertise from the Empire management team being implanted to employees who then, with guidance, support and nurturing, grow from strength to strength and blossom into strong and knowledgeable forces within the electrical industry. Sparks: How do you motivate your staff? AL: At Empire we are all about motivation; we know that one of our big- gest assets in the company is our employees, and in order to have them perform optimally, they must be motivated and ‘amped’ daily – excuse the pun. An example of few of the initiatives that we have at Empire are: • A weekly team-building with motivational exercises developed by our HR team at EAM Holdings. • A dedicated wall in our boardroom for the team to write their own motivational sayings. One of my favourite sayings I have seen thus far from one of our team members is “Loyalty to Empire means more than money”. • On the first day of every month we give each one of our salesmen a blank company cheque, and at the end of the month each salesperson gets to write out their earned commission value and bank the cheque. Doing it this way reiterates the statement that many use: “A salesper- son writes his/her own pay cheque”.

A shveer Lalla, Managing Director of Empire Electrical Wholesalers & Cable Distributors, is one of the most driven individuals Sparks Electrical News has come across over the years. His passion for the industry, his staff and his company is clearly evident, so much so in fact that his company’s logo is tattooed on his forearm. Yet it is his desire to build up those around him – evidenced by Empire’s work in the local community – which also sets him apart, all at the tender age of just 32. Sparks: Where were you educated? AL: I was educated at a private school in the south of Johannesburg where I matriculated with a merit exemption a year earlier than my fel- low classmates. I then obtained my Marketing Management degree and completed two business management courses through Unisa. I have also recently applied to study my MBA in 2021. Sparks: When and where did you start your career? AL: I always say that working in the electrical industry is in my blood. From the young age of 14, I worked on weekends and school holidays in the stores as a puller, for pocket money. I then officially started my work- ing career at the age of 17, after matriculating, at an electrical wholesaler, Voltsing Electrical. Sparks: What are the greatest changes you have seen over the years? AL: The electrical wholesale game has changed significantly over the years. Ten years ago it was a very standard approach within the industry where most would stick to the norm, rather than push the boundaries. With the new generation coming on board, there have been innovative ways of thinking and new approaches to market that have been intro- duced. A perfect example of this is at Empire: we offer in-house finance for up to R250 000 over a 72-month payback period. We introduced this because we understand that in these tough economic times it is very difficult for an average homeowner or contractor to expend large sums of cash for projects or home renovations. This innovative funding solution offers our clients the opportunity to keep a positive cash flow with flexible payment terms. Sparks: What major projects have you worked on and what is your greatest accomplishment? AL: Empire has been successfully involved in supplying all electrical and lighting products from foundation to finish for several major projects within South Africa and neighbouring countries, some of these projects include: • R8.5 Million, Eskom – overhead line project in Eastern Cape. • R3.2 Million, ABSA bank – seven new and three renovations in the fol- lowing provinces, Johannesburg, Kwazulu-Natal, Cape Town and George. • R2.5 Million, Standard Bank – four new banks and two renovations within Johannesburg and Pretoria.

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

MAY 2020