Born to be an entrepreneur

Children cherish the dream of becoming doctors, engineers, police officers or pilots, but Bavisen was different. He wanted to become an entrepreneur. He fulfilled this ambition by setting up his own business. 25-year old Bavisen Beemadoo is one the youngest persons you can find in the automobile sector. He deals in used cars and spare parts. In 2015, he was awarded an entrepreneurship award at the Charles Telfair Institute following the completion of his degree. “It has been an immense happiness to receive the award. There were so many projects but mine got selected for its creativity and quality. Since childhood, I always wanted to do something on my own. I did not want to work for someone else. Being the youngest child, I received endless support from my parents and two brothers,” he shares. Bavisen was very business oriented even when he was in primary school. He started his entrepreneurial journey. “I first started by selling pens to my friends at school. I used to buy pens in a shop and resell them. I had the skills to convince my schoolmates to buy. I did not care much whether I was making a profit or a loss. Gradually, when my pens were being sold out, I started to sell pencils, too. With time, I also developed my bargaining skills. I negotiated with those having better pens or accessories and we would use the barter system. From there, I started to see things differently,” he avers. During college holidays, in order to avoid being bored, he bought a used car. He refurbished it (repaired, adding fresh paint) and sold it. “I was passionate about working with cars. People really appreciated my work. I did the same on several occasions. It was just the beginning of my journey,” he says.

[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"19395","attributes":{"class":"media-image wp-image-33379 alignleft","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","width":"339","height":"452","alt":"Bavisen Beemadoo"}}]]The business

The young businessman carried on with this passion. “In 2012, I decided to turn my passion into my profession. I could not think of something more promising than opening DBB motors at Riviere du Rempart. I started the business when I was still at university. For the first year, business was slow. I had to strike the right balance between studies and business. At that time, my father was helping me a lot.” Once his studies were over, he started to dedicate more time to his business. After working hard for six months, he started seeing the end of the tunnel and business started taking off. Bavisen started to provide a full-fledged service ranging from sale of used cars to after-sales services. “We are living in very busy world where time is limited and people are taken up with their daily routine. So, I try my best to facilitate the lives of my clients,” he says. His business has allowed him to travel to Japan for car auction sales. “It is one of the most enriching experiences I had. Just imagine people sleeping at the entrance of the auction hall waiting for the doors to open.”

Challenges

Being a young businessman, Bavisen has faced various challenges. “Being new in this industry is not easy to build a client portfolio as well as gain people’s confidence. It took me time to build my network and compete with experienced people. But I had the willpower and conviction to succeed. At no point did I doubt my abilities. I just pushed my limits.” Another obstacle that Bavisen overcame was entering the corporate market. “I never wanted to focus solely on serving individual clients. I wanted to deal with corporates. So gaining their trust and dealing with them has been demanding. Once I established an element of trust, the ball got rolling.”

Social work and social life

Bavisen has a tight schedule. Every day, he spends around two to three hours commuting but he tries to have a life. “Planning is very important for success. On Fridays, I try to complete all work by 5 pm and after that, I relax. I dedicate this time to my family. I do work week-ends though, but still, I plan it carefully.” The young man practices badminton and tennis. “Doing some kind of sport is very important to keep the mind relaxed. On Tuesday and Thursday, I play badminton. On Wednesday, it is tennis.” Bavisen is also involved in social work. He is a member of the Leo Club of Port-Louis. “I joined Leo Club after they helped me for a cornea graft. I feel it’s my duty to help them in various projects, like helping children with hearing problems.”

What next?

Bavisen’s dream does not stop here. “I really want to develop my business further. More is yet to come. What I will be doing will create more jobs,” he discloses. He encourages young people to take the lead in developing their own businesses. “Do not allow people to discouraged you. Make your way,” he says.

Tips

Bavisen has the following tips for people going to buy a used car in a showroom: Ask for an auction sheet, certificate of inspection Cross-check with MRA and Minister of Trade for assurance Always buy a car above Grade 4

Quick Bio

Favourite colour: blue and yellow Favourite car brand: Lexus Something you cannot resist: Briani Something you hate: Hypocrites Bavisen in one word: Easy going