Female entrepreneur Melis Tasacı is exporting portable ramps for the disabled produced by her company, which she has established in order to be able to stand on her own feet and find solutions to the problems the handicapped face in their daily lives.
Tasacı began to work in the sector of products for the handicapped while she was studying statistics at Hacettepe University. Having found the opportunity to see the problems of the handicapped, Tasacı established her company by selling her car after she graduated from university at the age of 23.
Exporting the handicap ramps to seven countries including France, Israel, Romania, Russia and Georgia, Tasacı is also one of the youngest members of the Women's Entrepreneurs' Association.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Tasacı said that she has been searching for products for the handicapped in the company she worked in when she was a freshman, and she realized the handicapped had difficulties reaching places. She said this is why she focused on portable handicap ramps.
Noting she established her company in 2008, Tasacı stated that she was importing handicap ramps in the early days of her business life. She said they started to produce the ramps after two years of research and development.
"We established a company that produces portable handicap ramps for the first time. We present access for the handicapped with these ramps at banks, hospitals, schools, public institutions and ministries. The easier, the more practical and the cheaper it was, the more access the handicapped would have. Therefore, we produced it in Turkey," she said.
"The demand is over expectations. Our biggest breakthrough was the exportation. After providing a certain quality, we attended fairs as the first company to represent Turkey abroad in this field. We are still the only one. We are exporting to seven countries nowadays. The biggest demand is from France and Romania. Europe is one step ahead in this field. We export 85 percent of our production. We also want to create demand in Turkey in local production," she explained.Implying entrepreneurship is hard, Tasacı said, "In order to take the first step you need to have courage or limitless financial resources. I had no big source but I had a Volkswagen beetle. I sold it for TL 3,500 ($1,000), and we established our first company. Proceeding step by step, we expanded the company."
A family like a factory
Noting her biggest help was her family, Tasacı said they were like a factory standing behind her. She said her brother has graduated with a degree in mining engineering at the Middle East Technical University while her father graduated in electronic engineering at Hacettepe University, and they work together at her company at the İvedik Organized Industrial Site.
She finished her speech saying, "Everything is under our control in production. People who want to do something will hear words like 'no need.' If they believe, they shouldn't give up. You need to risk a period for testing. Especially women should work. Women can do. I chose aluminum ramps for the handicapped. I have the required information about it. We can all manage it if we have information and experience."