On this week’s edition of The Founder, we feature Heshan de Silva, Executive Director, Alliance Agencies Ltd. Alliance Agencies is a family-owned and operated company which was founded over sixty years ago. Since joining the company about three years ago he has helped grow the company into different areas of business, including their most recent venture, Alliance Autocare Pvt. Ltd. Prior to joining the company he was in the United States for about ten years. During this time he earned his Bachelor’s Degree at Assumption University and worked for the technology company, Virtusa.
In your own words, what is Alliance Autocare (PVT) LTD?
Alliance Autocare (PVT) LTD is passion for perfection of your vehicles. We help keep your cars looking like the day they came off the production line with our two premium brands of car care products, Autoglym and Menzerna. We also offer full service detailing using our top tier products and excellence in service. Our office and detailing center are located in Rosmead Place, Colombo 07. Autoglym is a British manufacturer of premium car care products and carries the Royal Warrants. This means that Autoglym is the sole supplier of detailing products to all official vehicles of the Queen of England and the Royal Family. Currently, we are launching one of Autoglym’s signature products called Carbon Shield. Carbon Shield is a first of its kind in Sri Lanka and offers a unique protective coating to a cars exterior and interior. This protects against everyday harsh elements, or accidentally spills, and lasts up to four years. Menzerna is our other brand and has a range of superior polishing products manufactured in Germany. Not limited to only cars, we also have a Menzerna range which is specifically designed for use on boats and jet skis, and another range uniquely made for polishing jewelry, wood, and stainless steel.
When did you discover your passion for your business?
From a very young age I have been passionate about cars and always had an appreciation for taking care of them. I can remember my first car, a green Toyota Hilux. Even though it wasn’t anything fancy, I took great pride in keeping it clean, polishing it, and making it the best it was going to be. Fast forward many years and that same passion has become a reality with Alliance Autocare. Our goal is to help everyone feel proud of their vehicles with the best quality products so they can do it themselves, or with a detailing service done by our team of experts.
What was the journey like, from the start to building the business up to where it is right now?
We started Alliance Autocare less than six months ago, so we are still in the buildup stages. We have been on target for hitting our milestone markers for success and are continuing to work hard every day. It took a lot of dedication and late nights to get this point, but the journey has been really positive so far. The biggest factor for our success has been forming a really great team of employees who are dedicated to the company’s mission and goals.
Being an entrepreneur, what was it like facing the global pandemic? How did it affect the business?
Entrepreneurs all around the world have faced some really difficult times because of the pandemic. The lack of raw materials, significant rise in freight costs, increased lead-times, difficulty in finding vessel space, and in Sri Lanka, we are faced with import challenges due to a lack of foreign currency reserves. On their own each of these difficulties require some unique planning and resources to overcome, but when facing them all together you really need to turn into a creative problem solver in order to remain successful. Alliance Autocare opened during the pandemic so we were aware of the major challenges we would be facing and understood there would likely be some new curveballs thrown in. Our mindset from the start has always been we need to react and adapt quickly to the current economic environment and in doing so we have been successful.
What has been the most frustrating thing about being a start up?
One of the frustrating parts about starting a new business is navigating the rules and regulations governing some industries in Sri Lanka. These regulations can be complicated depending on your industry and it can take some time to get approvals. I’ve found that the best way to handle these types of regulations is by being extremely thorough in the applications and taking the time to make sure you are providing all the necessary information. It can feel frustrating and time consuming, but if you do it right the first time you will be better off in the long run.
Explain a few marketing strategies you have implemented, and what makes them successful?
Word-of-mouth has been one of our strongest marketing tools for getting Alliance Autocare out there. People tend to be more receptive to trying a new product or company if they have heard a positive recommendation from a known person, whether it be from family, friends, colleagues or even from trusted online Social Media personalities. Having good quality brands and services like we do makes it easy to have good word of mouth. We also promote Alliance Autocare through social media channels such as Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok.
We have found the Colombo market is very receptive to Instagram promotions and the target audience on Facebook has been adjusted to fit the demographics for this platform as well. Overall, we feel that a combination of social media traffic through organic and paid campaigns, combined with positive word of mouth, has been a strong combination for success.
What motivates you to wake up in the morning and do what you do on daily basis?
It’s very simple for me; I love what I do. Every day I am excited to wake up and continue to grow my business. It really is a passion for me and I feel fortunate to be able to work with my family, and my wife, Stephanie, as well. Together, we make a great team and push each other to continue to be better, both personally and professionally.
What separates Alliance Autocare from its competitors?
Alliance Autocare differentiates itself from competitors by offering a premium product paired with excellence in customer service. We pride ourselves in our industry knowledge and want you to feel confident in our team’s product suggestions and ability to take care of your care inside and out. Let’s face it, cars in Sri Lanka are expensive! At Alliance Autocare we know this and want to provide the best possible service and products to keep your cars looking like new. Our passion for excellence in customer service means that we are there for you every step of the way to get your car in top shape. We encourage customers to visit our showroom and show us their cars so we can understand what they are trying to achieve. From this we can suggest what products would work best and even give product demonstrations for how to get the best results. We want everyone in Sri Lanka, from classic car enthusiasts to everyday drivers, to have the confidence that Alliance Autocare is the best place to care for your car.
What is your definition of the word “success”?
Success is when you are living each day to the fullest and are surrounding yourself with people and adventures that you love. I feel successful everyday knowing that I am doing a job which I am passionate about and love.
Why did you decide to enter this industry?
We decided to enter the Autocare market for two reasons , first is it is something I am passionate about, and second, we saw a gap in the market for high quality products matched with exceptional customer experience. We are passionate about the products and know they are the best on the market for keeping your vehicles looking their best. We are looking to expand in this industry and have exciting plans for growth in 2022!
Was your family supportive of your new venture?
My family has always been supportive of my desire to expand the family business into new industries. I feel very fortunate to have the business support and knowledge from my father who is currently the Managing Director of Alliance Agencies. He has taught me a lot about business and has been instrumental in supporting us starting Alliance Autocare. It is so important to have a strong support system when starting a new business. It can be challenging mentally to take on so much at once, so having a strong network that expands past business support is really important to being successful. Having someone who believes in you and your dreams is key to moving forward on the tough days. Personally, my wife Stephanie has always been my biggest supporter and helps keep me pushing forward to ensure the end goal is achievable.
What is the end goal?
The end goal with Alliance Autocare is to create the most customer centric car care company in Sri Lanka. To create a brand that is synonymous with the best products, service and experience for your car. We are on the path to achieve this and I look forward to sharing with everyone the new and exciting products and services we are launching in 2022!
What advice would you give other start-ups?
The best advice I can give to startups is to learn as much as you can about your industry, your products, your competitors, and then when you think you know everything, realize there is always something new to learn and keep learning! Knowledge is success and the more knowledge you have the better you will be. I believe this to be true in life as well, always ask questions, always be curious, and always strive to learn new things about the world and those around you.
