Retail trade in photographic goods and photographic services

Natalia Alexandrovna Chuklai, a certified economist, lives and works in Tomsk. She went into business in 2002 when her first retail outlet trading in photographic goods was opened. In 2005, there were already five outlets, four of them selling photo goods and taking photo printing orders and one outlet equipped with a mini-photolaboratory servicing all five outlets.

The business was so successful that she did not hesitate a moment when in 2005 an opportunity presented itself to buy a similar business from another entrepreneur (10 Fuji-Express outlets). To realize this project, she needed additional resources, so she applied for a small loan to Sibacadembank, an RSBF partner bank. The larger portion of the acquisition was financed with the proceeds of the loan and the remaining part - with her own resources.

Following acquisition, the share of Ms. Chuklai’s photo-printing business in Tomsk increased up to 30%.  The reason for that was that Fuji-Express photo laboratories installed at all outlets considerably reduced the time of processing client orders, which became the main competitive advantage of the business.

In 2006, Ms. Chuklai took out a second loan under the RSBF Programme via Sibacadembank that was used to buy additional photo equipment and supplies, thus, enabling her to further expand the spectrum of services offered. Photo salons were opened at most Fuji-Express outlets and, as compared with other photo services providers in Tomsk, Ms. Chuklai offered the widest spectrum of services.

Thus, the RSBF loans helped a micro business grow into a large chain of outlets operating under a common brand.  This also enabled the entrepreneur to launch large-scale promotion and advertising campaigns to generate demand for their services. All existing outlets have been screened for a proper location, and today all of them occupy the best locations for this type of business, ensuring a constant inflow of clients.

As the business was growing, new jobs were created.  Today the firm employs 48 people, while at the start there were only 10.

The entrepreneur’s future plans include continuing expansion of the chain of outlets for photographic printing services and photo services, adding a new service to each outlet “Photo on documents”, and gradual upgrading of equipment to meet the structural changes in the demand (acquisition of digital processing machines, which would enable them to print digital photos).