For years, carpets and rugs have been one of the most important parts of home decor, enhancing the warmth and exquisiteness of a room or space. Hand woven and delivered by skilled artisans using high-quality materials with extensive attention to detailed intricate designs, these carpets ensure both durability and longevity and are considered prized possessions for generations. While the advancement of technology has enabled factory-made carpets to be mass-produced and swiftly delivered within far less time, people across the globe still value the hand-crafted ones, due to their uniqueness, artistic craftsmanship, and durability. The global hand-made carpet market is estimated to reach $90.05 Billion by 2028 at a CAGR of 4.31 percent.
Started in 1980 by Abdul Manan Qassimy, Qassimy Brothers Carpet Company (QBCC) is a Kabul-based leading manufacturer and distributor of a wide range of exquisite and high-quality handmade rugs, carpets, and Kilim used for both residential and commercial purposes. Currently led by Hussain Ali Qassimy and Diljam Manan Qassimy, the second generation in the family, the firm has been experiencing tremendous growth over the last decade with distribution channels in Germany, Italy, Austria, China, Belgium, and Australia.
A Passion for Defined Space Outlook
When he was a kid, Hussain Ali used to accompany his father to his office and learn the nitty-gritty details of the business from him. After completing his schooling, he finally joined the firm as a full-time employee. Hussain Ali did his Diploma in Business Administration while working at the firm at the same time. “The whole process of simultaneously doing my Diploma at Kardan University, Kabul, and working at the firm was a wonderful experience as it was similar to learning the theories and then having some practical work experience”, adds Hussain Ali Qassimy, Managing Director & CEO.
While carpet manufacturers across the globe have started shifting gradually towards machine-made carpets as they consume less time and can be mass produced, Hussain Ali seems unperturbed by this global trend. “While carpet weaving can be a tough profession, it ensures utmost quality and durability. Currently, very few countries, such as India, Nepal, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan, are in the handmade carpet manufacturing practice. Countries, over the years, are moving towards machine-made carpets due to various challenges. However, looking at the global demand for handmade carpets, which is even more than the overall global supply, I think we are in a good place”, Hussain Ali explains.
Mitigating the Challenges Together
The firm faced one of the biggest challenges during the pandemic in 2019 due to the closure of markets across the globe. A majority of QBCC’s client base is from the US and Europe-based countries, which were majorly affected by the pandemic. Hussain Ali held various meetings with their customers in the US and Europe to discuss the situation and that’s when he decided to take the sales online. As showrooms across those countries were mostly closed due to the pandemic-related restrictions, Hussain Ali took it upon himself to deliver high-quality pictures and videos of the deliverables in Afghanistan before sending them to customers for uploading online.
Striving for big pictures & aspiration over simple objectives is my approach to leading a successful business
The over all strategy worked big time and the business experienced a major boost, even more than the prepandemic days. As a family-owned business, Hussain Ali’s brothers are also working in various leadership positions at QBCC and possess extensive industry experience. Together as a team, they make various business decisions, face the challenges, and resolve them.
Inspiring Leadership Approach
As a leader, Hussain Ali believes in constantly inspiring his team to perform better while sharing his vision for the organization. He believes in creating a healthy work environment, setting clear goals, and having communication with the team to help them improve their performance. Apart from that, he also ensures to provide positive feedback and rewards on successful task completion to the team. ”A good leader must act rapidly based on the situation. Your vision must be concise, inspiring, realistic, and give purpose to your business. Striving for big pictures and aspiration over simple objectives is my approach to leading a successful business”, Hussain Ali signs off.
Hussain Ali Qassimy, Managing Director & CEO
An accomplished leader with more than 26 years of extensive experience in the handmade carpet manufacturing sector, Hussain Ali Qassimy started his career by accompanying his father in managing the functionalities of their Kabul-based leading hand woven carpet manufacturing firm, Qassimy Brothers Carpet Company. Today, as the Managing Director & CEO of QBCC, he has helped the firm experience tremendous growth in the last decade with distribution channels across the globe.
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