Page 143 - KZN Top Business LEADERS-eBook

VIROSHA PILLAY

irosha Pillay, the managing director of groundwork for the skills she would later bring to can change the entire outcome of a conversation,”
Avvo Labels, purpose is deeply rooted Avvo Labels. she notes.
in ensuring that the business maintains
V its legacy while evolving and growing COMPREHENSIVE INVOLVEMENT PEOPLE-CENTRIC
to meet the challenges of the modern market. As the managing director of Avvo Labels, Virosha’s Navigating her place within a male-dominated
“Avvo is a family-owned business that has stood role is as varied as it is demanding. “I find myself industry was one of Virosha’s greatest challenges.
the test of time,” she notes. Established in 1985, not always at my desk, which I prefer,” she shares. “Avvo Labels was successful before I took on this
the company has grown under the stewardship She is involved in every facet of the operation, role, and I had to prove that I wasn’t just the boss’s
of her parents, and now, with her at the helm, from managing production to overseeing delivery daughter,” she explains. “People wondered if I was
it continues to flourish. Virosha has brought a timelines. “I’m very hands-on. I ensure that just going to come in and ‘boss’ everyone around,”
unique combination of corporate experience and operations run smoothly, do a bit of marketing, a bit she admits candidly.
a personal touch to her role. “I am proud to have of finance – my fingers are literally everywhere,” she
stepped out into the world at a young age. The explains. However, through perseverance and showing her
wealth of experience and knowledge it afforded dedication, Virosha earned the respect of her team.
me was incredible,” she reflects. This comprehensive involvement stems from her Her approach to leadership is people-centric. “We
passion for the business and her desire to see it have a diverse team, and it’s important to encompass
Virosha’s journey began in the heart of her family’s thrive. “Being so hands-on allows me to see where everyone’s ideas and feelings,” she explains.
business. “I grew up in my dad’s factory,” she recalls. we can be more efficient, more innovative,” she adds. Empathy plays a crucial role in her management
Her childhood was steeped in the lessons learned by style. “Sometimes, in business, it’s easy to forget
observing her parents navigate the business world. Her primary focus is on maintaining Avvo’s high that people are what make the business run,” she
“They taught me resilience and the importance of standards and service delivery, which have been adds. Regular meetings, open communication, and
hard work,” Virosha says. the foundation of its success in the FMCG sector. recognition are key to her strategy. “No one should
“My purpose currently is to ensure that Avvo Labels feel like they’re just clocking in and out. What we do
Her education followed a path that kept her close isn’t stagnant. I’m always looking for opportunities
to home, first attending school in Clairwood, then to grow, to innovate, and to make the company here has an impact beyond these walls.”
moving on to high school in Chatsworth. The more sustainable,” she shares. This drive has seen Virosha’s inspiration comes from her parents, the
foundation of her academic journey culminated the introduction of a digital press and machinery founders of Avvo Labels. “I’ve watched them grow
at the University of Durban-Westville, where she aimed at reducing the company’s carbon footprint. this company from nothing,” she says. Despite not
earned a BSc degree majoring in biochemistry and “We’re now part of a proactive movement towards having formal business training, her father made
microbiology. This background may seem a world sustainability, and that’s where I see us making a significant financial and strategic decisions that
apart from the world of printing and manufacturing, real difference.” have positioned Avvo as a leader in its field. “He
but it equipped her with analytical skills that would didn’t complete his schooling career, but his instinct
prove invaluable. Reflecting on her early career, Virosha recalls the for business is unmatched,” Virosha adds with
competitive nature of her first sales job. “Winning admiration.
Her first job as a chemical analyst, was a role she Rep of the Year was a standout moment for me,” she
found to be an eye-opener. “I thought it was going says, her eyes lighting up with pride. “It reiterated to Virosha’s vision for KwaZulu-Natal is one of growth
to be amazing until I actually got into the grind of me that if you put your mind to something, you can and opportunity. “This is my home, and it’s where
it,” she admits. The work itself was interesting, but achieve anything.” my heart is,” she shares. She believes that there is
the silence of the laboratory felt stifling to her. It untapped potential within the region. “There’s so
was then that she realised she needed a career that Virosha credits one piece of advice for shaping much we can explore, and I plan to do exactly that,”
offered more interaction and dynamism. her approach to challenges: “Be careful how you she states confidently.
respond to a challenge – think before you speak
This revelation led her to a position as a sales or write, because words are something you cannot For Virosha, the pursuit of excellence is a continuous
representative for a multinational pharmaceutical take back. When I was younger, I would react quickly, journey. “We want to progress, but we should
company. “It was exciting, fast-paced, and I sometimes too impulsively. Now, I take a moment never let go of perfection,” she says. “It’s about
was surrounded by a cohort of young, driven to consider my response,” she shares. The result? working hard, working smart, and making sure
graduates,” she remembers. This corporate role was Better communication and a more collaborative that whatever you’re doing is as close to perfect as
a perfect fit for her outgoing nature and laid the atmosphere. “It’s amazing how the right response possible,” she concludes.

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