{"id":6167,"date":"2023-06-17T09:22:00","date_gmt":"2023-06-17T09:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beratung.vamtam.com\/?p=6167"},"modified":"2025-05-19T12:45:35","modified_gmt":"2025-05-19T12:45:35","slug":"modern-management-and-the-new-generation-in-family-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azgroup.al\/en\/modern-management-and-the-new-generation-in-family-business\/","title":{"rendered":"Modern Management and the New Generation in Family Business"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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  • \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDrini Zusi, one of the key leaders of the AZ Group<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Drini Zusi is a prime example of a new generation that has managed to build a strong position within the family business while also bringing a fresh managerial perspective to daily operations. Born and raised in an environment where work and responsibility were integral parts of life, he had the opportunity to contribute from a young age. Although his initial involvement in the family business began out of obligation\u2014driven by his father\u2019s and family\u2019s ambitions to create a large and sustainable economic brand\u2014Drini later found a new opportunity to develop the business further following his studies and professional experience in London.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    What inspired you to join the family business, and how do you feel in this role?<\/strong><\/h5>

    It was my parents\u2019 obligation, hahaha. The truth is, both my brother and I, since we were around 12 or 13, were always told by our father that we would study abroad and then return to work together. That was always his dream\u2014but honestly, not mine. Until 2023, I was convinced, and I told my brother, my parents, and my friends that I would stay in Albania only until 2025 at most, and then I\u2019d return to London. Not because I didn\u2019t want to work with them, but because my personality was more drawn to life in London, and honestly, I felt a kind of disappointment in myself\u2014I felt like I had somewhat lost the authenticity of the person I had become during those five years abroad\u2014due to the need to readapt to life in Albania.<\/p>

    But today, I see things a bit differently, and I think it\u2019s a matter of maturity\u2014both personally and professionally. As 2024 comes to a close, I\u2019ve spent five years as the head of a not-so-small company, and I feel more confident in my decisions, as well as more capable of contributing not only to our business but to society as well. Fortunately, the industries in which our family business operates allow me to do that. So, the inspiration didn\u2019t come at the beginning to join, but it definitely came to stay\u2014especially for one more reason. The positive impact I can have by doing well what our family does is much greater and more measurable than any impact I might create working at a big company or building a small company of my own abroad. Luckily, we Millennials are a generation raised with the spirit of impact, contribution, and social responsibility, so this role genuinely fulfills me.<\/p>

    How do you share responsibility with your family members in managing the business? Is there a specific division of roles you\u2019ve created among yourselves?<\/strong><\/h5>

    Absolutely yes, though maybe not at the corporate level I would ideally like. This is also because the past few years have been extremely dynamic for us\u2014both in terms of new investments and some challenges we\u2019ve faced as a group of primarily exporting companies. As a result, in such situations, it\u2019s sometimes hard to spend energy maintaining structure when you see that even the foundations might be at risk.<\/p>

    The truth is that among my father, my older brother, and me (just the three of us, since our mom has a cemented position as head of finance and we don\u2019t interfere), there\u2019s been a clear hierarchy from the moment I returned, and I think that\u2019s a crucial first step. In a meeting or decision-making situation with senior staff or other company employees, I don\u2019t have the right to overrule my brother\u2019s decision, and neither of us has the right to overrule our father\u2019s. But in family board meetings or even at home when we gather, we definitely discuss and may come to a different decision. For me, it\u2019s always been important that this hierarchy functions, as it\u2019s the only way to ensure that the managerial structure operates as a whole.<\/p>

    As for our roles in the structure: officially, I hold the role of Head of Business Development, my brother is the CEO of two of the businesses, and our father is the Group President. Practically, the departments are divided between the three of us\u2014my brother and I cover all operational departments, while my father handles the strategic ones.<\/p>

    When did you start working in the family business, and what was your first experience like?<\/strong><\/h5>

    I first worked with my brother in the summer of 2010, when I was just 12 years old. At the time, we only had one factory, and during that summer, I did every task and process in the production department. Of course, not full-time. I\u2019d start after 10 a.m. because I\u2019d be sleeping on the office couch until then, hahaha, and I\u2019d finish earlier because my hands or arms would hurt. That\u2019s the first experience I remember\u2014but of course, I also remember earning my first 1,000 ALL. I returned to Tirana and went to Kolonat to treat my friends with the money I had earned.<\/p>

    That was the first summer. After that, every following summer, my brother and I worked at least two full months. This is a big reason why we took on responsibility at a very young age\u2014we know absolutely every process and every corner of our complex. In fact, we even helped build the other three factories, especially my brother.<\/p>

    After moving abroad for my studies in London, I returned and restarted work in January 2020. But honestly, it didn\u2019t take me long to reestablish my place in the company. Even during my studies, every 2-3 months, I would return and spend 4-5 days working. While in university, I chose every subject\u2014even my thesis\u2014so that it would be as concrete and applicable as possible for when I came back to work. And that\u2019s exactly how it turned out.<\/p>

    How have you developed your practical business experience, and how has that helped shape your management strategies?<\/strong><\/h5>

    By working from a young age, by shadowing my father during his lectures or meetings, and by following his example\u2014those were my first steps. Then, during the five years I was abroad, I was lucky to meet excellent managers from whom I learned a lot. And for the things I learned, when I came back, I essentially had a lab in the company where I could test what resonated with me from others. For the first three years, I did every job. I wasn\u2019t Drini\u2014the owner\u2019s son<\/em> or Drini\u2014the manager<\/em>. I was Drini, the person trying to understand every process to improve it\u2014and improve the employee experience in those processes too.<\/p>

    I\u2019ve also been fortunate that, during these five years, our group has created four new companies and expanded beyond Albania. These developments are the kind of experiences that help you grow faster and help clarify what kind of manager you want to be and the strategies you\u2019ll follow. For a very simple reason\u2014you see what works and what doesn\u2019t. They\u2019re also great for testing different business theories. I often regret not reading more, but every year I try to finish at least 3\u20134 business books. And there are three books in particular that have helped me a lot, and I\u2019ll always credit them as the ones that helped me gain clarity about what a leader\u2019s role is, how to manage operations in a large company, and how to build company strategy.<\/p>

    What are some challenges you\u2019ve faced during your adaptation period in this role, and how have you overcome them?<\/strong><\/h5>

    So many that I\u2019ve lost count. Every week brings a new challenge\u2014again, I think this is due to the fast-paced development we\u2019ve experienced. But perhaps the biggest challenge was accepting that I needed to compromise with myself and accept the reality that building the team and management level I\u2019d be satisfied with would take time. I couldn\u2019t do it in just one or two years. The truth is that even after five years, I\u2019m still not at the level I want. But a turning point came when someone told me a quote: \u201cDon\u2019t let perfection get in the way of progress.\u201d<\/em><\/p>

    I\u2019m a perfectionist by nature, but I\u2019ve realized that perfection is unattainable\u2014because the moment you think you\u2019re close, the finish line moves again. At first, this used to upset me, but now I find it intriguing and motivating. And my biggest challenges are often the ones I create for myself\u2014to keep reaching closer to that level I\u2019ve always dreamed of.<\/p>

    What are your short-term and long-term goals for the business? How do you plan to achieve them?<\/strong><\/h5>

    My most important short-term goal is again related to the managerial structure: creating a structure that is self-sustainable. My goal has always been to build a system that functions like a well-designed machine, where everyone knows their role and doesn\u2019t require constant intervention from me, my brother, or, ultimately, my father. I am the biggest enemy of micromanagement and the strongest supporter of autonomy and employee freedom in decision-making. Only this way can you get the best out of everyone. All three of us firmly believe that our task is not to be the smartest people in the room, but to create the opportunity to gather the smartest people and work together on creating new products and development models.<\/p>

    The sooner I achieve this objective, the sooner I can realize my long-term goals, which for now are two: expansion into all WB6 (Western Balkans 6) countries and expansion into the pharmaceutical sector. I proudly say that at AZ Group we have created, for the first time in Albania (just like all our previous businesses), an industry that produces raw materials for the pharmaceutical industry. The plan, as we\u2019ve done with other businesses, is to move further up the value chain.<\/p>

    But none of these objectives are easily achieved, and the common thread among them is filling key roles in the team and continuously training them. This is exactly what I spend the most time on during the day, and for the first time in five years, I am very satisfied with the team we\u2019ve built.<\/p>

    How do you manage the balance between your personal life and business commitments? Do you have a specific strategy that helps maintain this balance?<\/strong><\/h5>

    I know readers might not want to hear what I\u2019m about to say, but I don\u2019t have a 100% effective scheme for this or any secret trick to achieve it. The truth is, I don\u2019t manage it as well as I should, and like most people, I still haven\u2019t found that ideal balance. This is mostly in terms of physical aspects\u2014finding time for sports, the gym, or just staying active. As for personal life\u2014social outings or attending festivals\u2014I\u2019ve managed to find a good balance.<\/p>

    For years, I\u2019ve worked an average of 13\u201314 hours a day, six days a week. Sunday is my recharge day, where I clean my room, organize books, pursue passions, listen to records on my record player, or cook\u2014I have a routine that helps feed my soul and feel grateful for what I have. Every two months, I take a 2\u20133 day trip somewhere in Europe, to relax and escape the daily grind. While in Tirana, I rarely go out\u2014more during summer\u2014and mostly for client dinners, so I can combine both personal and professional time.<\/p>

    And the truth is, apart from the lack of physical activity, I\u2019m very happy with this routine and wouldn\u2019t want to have less work or more time to go out. There comes a moment when business feels like a big “flow state,” and when you\u2019re in that state, nothing is more enjoyable.<\/p>

    What are some activities or hobbies that help you relax and stay fresh for business challenges?<\/strong><\/h5>

    This is my favorite question, and thank you for asking it. Not because I love talking about my hobbies or passions, but because I believe this is one of the areas where many businesspeople in Albania fall short\u2014failing to develop personal passions. I see it as a shortcoming with many implications. As you rightly mentioned, practicing passions helps you forget challenges and stay fresh for what lies ahead. If stress isn\u2019t released in this way, if the mind and body don\u2019t relax, it reflects in the wrong places\u2014on family, staff, clients, or suppliers.<\/p>

    I\u2019ve had the fortune to live in both the United States and London. In both places, one of the things that impressed me the most was how professionals have at least two passions they actively pursue. I remember in 2018, a Lebanese friend told me something that stuck with me: \u201cIn life, a person should have three passions: one that keeps you physically fit, one that develops your creativity, and one that creates a passive income stream.\u201d<\/em><\/p>

    I liked that so much that I\u2019ve tried to implement it ever since. Practically, I play either tennis or football\u2014sports are a passion of mine. My second passion is art, in many forms and disciplines, but especially contemporary art. I explore art by visiting modern art exhibitions around the world, buying artworks (those I can afford, of course), or painting. Last year, I started taking lessons in abstract painting, which I enjoy a lot\u2014I\u2019ve even created a small studio at home.<\/p>

    The third passion\u2014the one that, according to the \u201crule,\u201d should generate passive income\u2014is writing. Since I was a child, I\u2019ve had a love for writing, but I haven\u2019t fully developed it yet.<\/p>

    Still, besides passions, what helps keep me grounded is meditation and spirituality. I\u2019ve been meditating for almost 10 years\u2014not daily, but now and then. I\u2019ve also participated in several retreats. I spent a week in a Buddhist temple in China and, more recently, joined a three-day silent retreat. These activities help me connect more with my subconscious and, consequently, be more at peace with myself.<\/p>

    Who are some of the business heroes or role models that have inspired you, and how have they influenced your career?<\/strong><\/h5>

    Initially, it was my father. I believe for every boy, at some point in life, his father is his idol. And he still is, in many ways\u2014especially for the principles and stoicism he demonstrated and tried to pass on to us. But, as often said, you shouldn\u2019t get too close to your idols\u2014because the more you know them, the more flaws you find. My father is absolutely still my idol for what he\u2019s achieved from nothing, but truthfully, my business philosophy differs from his in some aspects. That\u2019s why I also have three other role models who inspire me, and I try to model my leadership style based on their teachings.<\/p>

    The first is Ray Dalio<\/strong>, founder of Bridgewater Associates, the world\u2019s largest hedge fund. His book Principles<\/em> is one of the most influential books I\u2019ve read. The systems he built to manage his company and team are models I\u2019ve tried to implement in our company. But it\u2019s not just that\u2014his life story, how he hit rock bottom several times and rose again, is undeniably inspiring.<\/p>

    The second is Andrew Grove<\/strong>, the most famous CEO of Intel Corporation. Even now, despite my official title being Head of Business Development\u2014since I also cover that department\u2014I spend a good part of the day essentially acting as an Operations Manager. And the person I\u2019ve learned the most from about designing company processes and measuring employee productivity is Grove. He\u2019s the person who gave today\u2019s successful CEOs the blueprint for company management and goal-setting, also inspiring the book Measure What Matters<\/em>, which revolutionized management with the OKR (Objectives & Key Results) concept. As someone passionate about management and efficiency, Grove\u2019s books and videos have greatly shaped my thinking.<\/p>

    The third is actually a fictional character. Still, in terms of leadership style, she resonates the most with my personality: Jessica Pearson<\/strong>, CEO of Pearson Hardman from the TV series Suits<\/em>. Suits<\/em> is probably the most famous legal series ever, and I\u2019m sure many readers know this character. What inspired and impressed me about her was the strength she displayed in dealing with situations and her direct, no-compromise attitude. That resonates with me, because my leadership style is also based on two main pillars:<\/p>