We recently interviewed Khalid Jamal Al-Fulaij, CEO and Founder Of Solarity UTD. His company provides sustainable solutions for all kinds of institutions and organizations, whether commercial, residential, or military. Solarity UTD brings the best solution to the market through their energy-efficient and eco-friendly products. Learn more about him and his journey through this interview below.
Start Of This Journey
We were interested to learn about the advent of his journey that led him to his current position. So we asked, “Which career path led you to where you are today?”
He replied, “Since its inception in 2011, Solarity was the initial entrepreneurial path to be taken. Before its establishment, I was a student at university and managed the family business in real estate and stock market investments.”
Inspiration Behind Building This Company
Every business gets its idea to develop after experiencing an inspiration for the same. We asked, “What inspired you to develop the idea for your company?”
Khalid Jamal shared, “During a search for agricultural property in St. Albans, in gloomy English weather, I came across a solar lighting manufacturer with an operating solar floodlight at its office entrance. I had only experienced solar energy in a small phone charger before camping. The solar manufacturer managed to get an order on that day, and Solarity was formed after that.”
Priorities Of The Company
As a business owner, having priorities is a common and essential aspect. We asked, “How have your priorities in terms of business evolved since you first started?”
He shared, “Awareness and knowledge in alternative energies back in Kuwait at that time were near non-existent; therefore, we aimed to flood information and plan for the future. We began in a retail showroom manner, yet immediately the need for technical support came to our attention. Step by step, we as a company and the market sector grew exponentially in the past decade.”
He added, “Solarity today has designed, installed, commissioned, and maintained solar systems for all governmental, private, agricultural, and industrial entities in Kuwait with accomplished engineering teams available to cater to all renewable and electrical energy requirements. The priorities now are growth in all divisions in retail, project management, and our training centre across borders.”
Challenges and Keys To Overcome
Companies face challenges in the face of their operation. Besides that, what points they follow to overcome the same matters most. We asked, “What are the most challenging situations your company overcomes?”
He shared, “Solarity overcame several difficult challenges in its first 10 years of operation. Establishing an engineering division experienced in solar energy was challenging due to the need for more renewable energy education in the GCC region and many of the MENA region countries in the past. Today this challenge has been resolved as most universities have begun implementing bachelor studies in renewable energies. Covid was another challenge Solarity passed and grew further after its sudden threat.”
“What’s the critical strength to overcome it?”
He shared, “The strength to remain, grow, and Research beyond is the core of the mission behind Solarity. Its line of work is not only beneficial to the environment, but it is also now more economically viable than utilizing fossil fuel energies in most if not all circumstances.
The team’s belief in our work being for the greater good is our crucial strength; motivation to provide a better environment and solving energy needs together.”
Unique Features Of The Company
As a business in this competitive market, having unique features is the best option. We asked, “What makes your company stand out from all the other businesses in your industry?”
Khalid Jamal shared, “Solarity’s distinction is set across various areas. We are the only company in Kuwait that operates in EPC, retail, training, and maintenance in terms of operations. At Solarity, we pride ourselves in sustaining our continuous social responsibility activities in Kuwait and abroad. Brand recognition at Solarity is derived from our customer’s satisfaction as the company’s reputation is our main concern.”
KPIs For Measuring Success
We were intrigued to learn about the different KPIs Khaled’s business uses. So we asked, “What KPIs do you use to measure your business success?”
He shared, “Engineering, procurement, and construction is Solarity’s main stream of revenue, and the essential KPIs used to ensure sound execution are Project cost, Project schedule, and Project portfolio. Whilst in terms of the company as a whole, the essential KPI used is ROI.”
Current Services
“Tell us something about your services. What are you working on now?”
Khalid Jamal shared, “One of our latest services is providing instalment payments to our clients. This incentive program allows the client to hedge the upfront costs of installing solar systems for more lenient years. The thriving program has opened the door for more consumers.”
Building Bond With Employees
To achieve the mark and prove tough competition for others in the market, businesses need to focus on building a strong bond with their employees. We asked, “How do you build trust with your employees and boost productivity without causing burnout?”
He replied, “At Solarity, a second home feeling surrounds the company partly due to its ownership and upper management still being intact since inception, but the main reason is the team’s determination, and it is pivotal in exceeding expectations. The outcome is a trust-based environment.”
Adapting To Fresh Technologies
Adding new technologies is of utmost importance for boosting the success of any business. We asked, “How do you stay on top of new technologies and trends in your industry?”
He shared, “Research and development are integral to Solarity’s future as the renewable energy sector remains young relatively amongst most sectors. Its technology still evolves rapidly. This task is part of each Solarity team member’s responsibility and electrifies once innovations are researched and tested.”
Advice To Beginner Entrepreneurs
Fresh entrepreneurs will find it encouraging to listen to advice from successful business owners. So we asked, “What advice would you give starting entrepreneurs?”
He shared, “The most appropriate advice for starting entrepreneurs is to go ahead and begin, start slow and smart; if it is the first venture and gradually it will happen.”
Connect with Khalid Jamal Al-Fulaij on LinkedIn.
Visit Solarity UTD on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit http://www.solaritykw.com/.
