Women's auto body shop - Sustainable Development Goals in Belarus

Women’s auto body shop

12 April 2024

Sustainable Development Goals

Short description

The initiative of former nurse Lyubov Kovalchuk from Khoiniki shows how you can achieve success in a field that is not typical for women. The main goal is to create and develop a business that provides tire fitting services for heavy equipment. International organizations, national and local authorities, the entrepreneur’s family and friends, and a network of contacts within the industry play a key role in supporting and developing the initiative.

REGION OF IMPLEMENTATION

Khoiniki, Khoiniki district, Gomel region

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TOPICS

Economic development and growth
Technology and Innovation
Social development

CONTENTS OF THE ACTIVITY

Lyubov Kovalchuk Tire Service offers a comprehensive range of services for heavy equipment, reducing the need for long trips, downtime, operating costs and the risk of injury for truck, agricultural, trailer and forestry equipment owners. In addition, the auto body shop has additional amenities such as a car wash, a coffee machine for drivers and a small garden for customers to relax. This makes the service offer not only profitable in terms of specialized services, but also a comfortable place for drivers waiting for work to be completed.

KEY STEPS OF IMPLEMENTATION:

Unique offer. Lyubov Kovalchuk’s transition to managing a tire service was stimulated by the closure of the infectious diseases department where she worked. This forced her to look for new opportunities outside of medicine. Having realized the lack of high-quality tire fitting services for heavy equipment in her region, Lyubov was able to offer a unique range of services that were not previously available to local residents. This innovation quickly brought the service the trust and loyalty of customers.
Development of a business plan and search for sources of financing. Participation in the competition of local initiatives allowed us to receive the necessary information and financial support for the development of a business idea.
Purchasing equipment and preparing the area. The arrangement of part of the territory for the needs of a tire service, the purchase of special equipment, including a balancing machine, an industrial piston compressor, and a hydraulic rolling jack, made it possible to create a full-fledged tire service.
Advertising and marketing, constant development and expansion. The use of bright signage, the introduction of additional services, and the building of trusting relationships with clients made it possible to form a client market.

In the process of launching and growing her business, Lyubov Kovalchuk faced serious challenges, including overcoming gender stereotypes in a predominantly male industry where her abilities were questioned. In addition, additional challenges were added by the need to quickly acquire new knowledge and skills in the field of finance and office work. These challenges required from Lyubov not only professional growth, but also personal determination and perseverance to successfully run a business. Important support in the development of the business was provided by my husband, Vadim, an experienced participant in the automotive business, who provided the necessary knowledge and resources for starting and developing a tire service.

RESULTS AND IMPACT OF THE INITIATIVE

Filling a market gap in the provision of heavy equipment tire service has significantly improved its availability to the local agricultural and transport sectors. The service has become popular with local farmers and truck drivers. Local organizations and individuals from neighboring areas began asking for help.

Information sources: