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 Three young Lebanese professionals and entrepreneurs…living in Lebanon… working in Lebanon….and crazy about Lebanon met… and decided to create something smart and innovative for Lebanon. The “blb concept” came to life in the incubator of Berytech.
Ghada Moubarak: Could you please explain to us the activity of BLB?
BLB: “BLB concept” is an online retail company that uses the e-commerce concept, specifically "e-tailing" to sell products over the Internet via the World Wide Web service. The company deals with selling high quality branded T-shirts with designs related to Lebanese culture and customs. I can clearly say that the designs are the core of BLB concept. Those designs will all be focusing on Lebanese people, culture, and lifestyles. Designs could be submitted online by designers from all around the world, through a special portal. Designers could partner with “BLB Concept” in case their designs were approved and implemented, where they get commission for each t-shirt sold. Once the transaction is completed online, t-shirts will be shipped to customers’ addresses around the world through a private courier company.
In sum, BLB concept is a merge of various factors combined together to create an entertaining platform for doing business.
GM: What is the origin of your idea?
BLB: The main concept was driven from a non formal brainstorming session between two of the founders of “BLB Concept”.
We decided to create a business built on an entertaining platform, and which matches high-end clothes with creative designs about Lebanon.
GM: What are your targets and which generation are you focusing on?
BLB: Our target is mainly Lebanese People living outside Lebanon and having access to the internet. “BLB Concept” will mainly focus on Lebanese e-shoppers living outside Lebanon. The products will relate to those customers (Lebanese living outside Lebanon) through creating a nostalgic feel of belonging through graphics, wordings, sayings and cultural insights. The provided products will cover this need and elevate the sense of belonging in the customers. Also, a secondary target would be Lebanese people living inside Lebanon. “BLB Concept” will adapt an internal strategy to accommodate local taste.
GM: Who are your competitors?
BLB: We have two main competitors:
1- INLEB operating in Virgin MegaStores, and www.buylebanese.com
2- dot community (.community) operating from ABC Ashrafieh
GM: What is the support that Berytech has offered to you so you can proceed in your project ?
BLB: Berytech’s support was a huge added value for the creation of our business. They supported us through an incubation program where they provided a fully equipped office and meeting rooms, in addition to regular advising sessions to orient us towards the right techniques and business strategies. In additional to that, their moral support and enthusiasm towards our project was very motivating.
GM: Where do you see BLB in five years?
BLB: In five years, hopefully, we can see “BLB Concept” a leading company in the “Lebanese Gift Items” worldwide.
GM: Finally, what advice would you like to give to young people who have an innovative idea but do not dare making it
real?
BLB: Ideas will remain ideas until you take action. An innovative idea is a good start, but it should be developed. You will never know all the answers, but once you believe in your project and work to achieve it, opportunities will open up. Success will not come unless you take some risks, but you need to know which risks to take. In all this, Berytech will definitely help you. |
