These deep and wise words by Honore de Balzac became a guiding principle for our hero in his professional and everyday life. Yevgeniy Kim is a successful businessman and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of REDYL LLC. The field of business he works in is wholesale and retail trade of children’s clothing and footwear in Kazakhstan, as well as trading on Amazon in the USA.
Yevgeniy was born into a family of musicians, but he didn’t follow in his parents’ footsteps. He started doing sports at the age of 6 – first taekwondo, where he became a black belt holder, and later – wrestling, judo, tai chi (one of the styles of wushu) and nunchaku, different types of yoga, and running. Despite his obvious sporting talents and achievements, he was also curious, sociable, and read a lot, especially about business. In his senior years of high school, he worked part-time and saved money to open his own business. While studying management in tourism at Turan University in Almaty, Yevgeniy dreamed of developing the tourism industry in Kazakhstan. However, the profit that the children’s clothing store, opened in 2005 in his hometown of Kaskelen, began to bring in, changed the plans and goals of the young man.
As Confucius said, “Opening a shop is easy, but keeping it open is an art.” Understanding this, Yevgeniy actively engaged in the process, began to try different business strategies, found his first partners in China, and opened a small wholesale store in Almaty. In order to better study the Chinese market, he went to study in Beijing in 2009. Constant work on the quality of suppliers, the search for the best brands and factories, the establishment of fast logistics and customs clearance yielded results. The small warehouse of 30 sq. m. grew to huge proportions with an area of 800 sq. m., where a team of 10 people constantly works. Today, the company cooperates with over 1,000 regular clients from Kazakhstan, the CIS countries and Central Asia, and has achieved a turnover of $2.0 million per year.
In 2012, the businessman simultaneously launched a chain of retail stores. Thanks to the right approach to the process of staff development, team building, motivation system development, management accounting and control, as well as a strong team, the annual turnover of the stores increased every year.
The path to success was not easy. There were always problems: suppliers would let him down, defective goods would arrive, or shipments would be delayed at the border. Economic problems in the country also had an impact. But the biggest setback came when a fire broke out in one of his retail stores, resulting in losses of over $200,000. It was then that Yevgeniy’s Kim ability to take a hit, honed through years of sports training, proved invaluable.
The decision to move to the United States in 2020 was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, as the young man had always dreamed of building a business in the world’s leading economy. After studying the market, considering and evaluating various business directions, his choice fell on the Amazon marketplace. In the first year of operation, the trading turnover amounted to $1.5 million.
Everything that Yevgeniy Kim has achieved in his life is owed to his persistence, perseverance, and constant self-improvement. Therefore, he can serve as an example to follow for those who have just embarked on the path of entrepreneurship. His constant desire to win, the absence of the word “impossible” in his vocabulary, and the determination of his goals are the starting point for his business success.
Yevgeniy confidently moves forward, boldly making plans for the future. Currently, he is preparing to launch his children’s clothing line in Kazakhstan. In the US, the businessman plans to develop and scale his Amazon business, hire a team, and launch his brand on the platform.
The young man cannot imagine his life without sports, which instilled in him endurance, willpower, character, and self-discipline. Living in the US, Yevgeniy not only confirmed his black belt in taekwondo but also began to engage in a new form of martial arts, Krav Maga, where he has already reached a coaching level. He has long realized that if he wants, he can achieve any goal. At the same time, it is important for him to be honest, decent, responsible, and efficient, both in business and in family relationships, which he considers the most important priority in life.
