Kevin Kistan | Kistan Office Solutions

Kevin Kistan | Kistan Office Solutions

Programme sponsor: Voith

“We’ve gone through a transformation”

Kistan Office Solutions is a full-service commercial furniture supplier. “We have a product division that offers all types of office furniture. We also have a service division that assists companies in moving offices. It’s a complete solution for our clients,” explains owner, Kevin Kistan.

The company was started by Kevin’s father in 2000. Sadly, in 2014, his father passed away, leaving the business to Kevin and his mother. “We had to start from scratch because we had to figure everything out for ourselves. It was a complete learning experience for us both,” he says. Bringing in clients, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, was tough.  

In 2018, Kevin was selected for a Voith-sponsored business-development programme powered by Raizcorp. “Being on the programme helped me identify what my purpose is in the business world, what I want my contribution to society to look like,” he says. During his personal guiding (mentoring) sessions, Kevin felt like every thought he’d ever had was being challenged. “It was tough but it definitely elevated me to a point where I feel I can compete with the bigger players in the industry without being intimidated. It opened my mind and increased my confidence,” he says.  The beginning of the programme saw Kevin focusing on implementing processes. By the end of it, Kevin had hired a full-time salesperson and a marketing team. He’s even managed to bag a couple of international clients in Australia and Canada. “We’ve really gone through a transformation,” he adds.

Kevin’s advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is, “Don’t let anyone talk you out of your dream. Your dream is where you find your purpose.” To his sponsor, he has nothing but gratitude. “Thank you very much for the opportunity. It has really opened up our eyes and I’d hate to think about where we would be if this hadn’t happened for us. You’ve really helped us take our business to the next level.”