Back in 2003 Bayarmaa was working at the National knitting factory as a technician. While working at the factory, she constantly received requests from her friends living abroad to send a custom made Mongolian cashmere products. With introductions made from her friends abroad, she started getting requests from small shops in Europe and in Asia and the state company could not meet these specific requests from small shops. This situation gave a thought to Bayarmaa to make the clothes on her own.

In 2004, Bayarmaa used all her savings to purchase the necessary equipment to start her own manufacturing facility and to capitalize her existing relationship with foreign partners. Under Saran Cashmere brand she created very high quality products and she was able to find clients that required goods in small quantities that fit her small capacity.

To support her growing operations she needed working capital but the banks refused to lend to her. “Working with DEM was easy and very smooth. They make credit decisions fast, but they also really put efforts into knowing my business and to building a long-term relationship with us. We now have expanded our relationship from financing my early operations to financing our export business to Inner Mongolia for the ninth year and hopefully for many more years”, Bayarmaa says. Saran Ekh has more than tripled its capacity, expanded product range from cashmere to sheep, yak wool and textile products and currently employs 50 workers. She has received numerous awards including international awards and she remains to be a trusted partner to her international clients.

When we asked Bayarmaa about what has been the key to her successful venture, she answered “Caring for the team. Employees need to grow to become leaders and it has always been my number one priority. My employees are the driving engine of the company and every day, I try to lead by example and do my best to support my team to become better person when they go home every day. And honestly, we don’t really dream about becoming a large corporation.”