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Most everyone is familiar with the phrase, “He pulled himself up by his bootstraps.” Well, Kamlesh Choksey, a native of India who relocated to the U.S.A. in 1980, has a slightly different spin to that adage: he pulled himself up with his genuine leather handbag straps!
Kamlesh certainly epitomizes the American Dream. The path of his career success wasn’t always a straight one, but Kamlesh believes each experience in his life contributed to the perfect moment in 1992 when he decided he no longer wanted to work for anyone else. At the time, Kamlesh was working as a computer scientist in the Capital Hill area of Washington, D.C.
“I always wanted to do something of my own. Build my own empire,” explains Kamlesh. “I didn’t like the idea of having to report to anyone.” So when some friends in the leather industry who were importing natural cowhide bags from Bogota, Columbia, introduced him to their quality products, Kamlesh recognized the opportunity before him.
“I bought some samples and decided to sell the products at a trade show,” recalls Kamlesh. “I had one strong show in Chicago when someone introduced me to the Helen Brett Enterprises Gift & Jewelry Show in New Orleans.” The record sales that Kamlesh experienced at the New Orleans show changed his life and led to his creation of The Choksey Group. He attributes his initial - and continued - success to a superior leather product, great trade show traffic and a strong sense of salesmanship.
After earning a Bachelor of Electronics from the Institute of Technology in Bombay, India, Kamlesh came to the United States in 1980 and received a Masters Degree in Computer Science from the Michigan Technological University. While working his way towards a master’s degree, Kamlesh took a position selling educational books door-to-door for The Southwestern Company in Nashville, Tennessee.
“My sales technique gave me an edge. When you sell something door-to-door you learn a lot about dealing with people – and with their dogs!” laughs Kamlesh good-naturedly. His technique clearly worked because he received Southwestern’s Best Salesman of the Year award.
“Names are like magic,” confides Kamlesh. “I discovered the importance of learning a persons name and using it throughout the conversation. It establishes trust.”
Trust and confidence are very important to Kamlesh. “My favorite part of the business is working with the customer. Nothing is more important than getting to know them personally. Once you establish a long-term relationship, they keep coming back to you.”
His experience in Washington allowed Kamlesh to rub shoulders with many different senators and legislators. He brought these contacts with him to The Choksey Group and sales boomed. “My genuine leather briefcases are very popular on the Hill,” explains Kamlesh. A lot of people in the Washington, D.C. area use his duffle bag as a “weekend” bag because it’s the perfect size to carry onto a plane.
The Choksey Group continues to participate in all the Helen Brett Shows in New Orleans, and their inventory has since expanded to include 150 different products, including seasonal handbags in about 200 different colors. Kamlesh explains that his leather products are superior in many ways: they’re produced from grain-fed cattle; the coffee, tan and black hides age very gracefully; and these colors don’t run or bleed. “They get richer and richer with time. The process continues for 12 to 15 years,” he said.
Kamlesh visits his production facility in Bogota, Columbia, four or five times a year and dedicates some of his time designing new product lines. “Functionality is very important in my line of business,” says Kamlesh. “My products are designed for daily use and that’s a key component to our manufacturing.”
Kamlesh doesn’t just design product lines for individual use, but for corporations as well. His executive customers use the bags as gifts for clients, and for incentive awards and sales promotions, as well as using them for holiday gifts for employees. His trade show business has expanded into worldwide markets. He recently attended a show in Germany and in early April traveled to Shanghai, China, to sell his product line.
While his business continues to grow, Kamlesh never forgets the challenges he personally encountered while achieving the American Dream. “I strongly believe that the most important thing anyone can do after attaining any type of success is to give something back to society,” he emphasizes.
For his part, Kamlesh has made donations for many years to the Mahudi Jain Trust in India, who provides medical and school supplies to villages in India. The tragic loss of his cousin to leukemia inspired him to donate product and money to support the fight against diabetes, cancer and leukemia.
“I think everyone should understand how important it is to give back to society,” explains Kamlesh. “It’s been working for me. Every single day is a battle. But the tougher the battle, the better human being you become.”
Kamlesh, who currently lives with his family in Woodbridge, Virginia, is still open to new opportunities.
“I’m at a stage where everything is possible,” beams Kamlesh. “I enjoy knocking on new doors. You never know what’s going to be behind them!”
For more information call:
The Choksey Group
4432 Tuscany Court
Woodbridge, VA 22192
PH: 540.729.5757
Email: kchoksey11@aol.com
New Orleans - Booths 168-169
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