Episode #7

Polish brand and a family succession

Interview with: dr Irena Eris
Co-Founder at Dr Irena Eris S.A.

There was a moment in Dr. Irena Eris’s life when she and her husband wondered whether they should go on a family vacation for the winter break?

At that time, the company had introduced its first cream to the market, and sales were still low. Debts to family and friends were piling up. Common sense told them to let it go. They went, however, because “if we don’t go now, there will never be a moment when everything will be buttoned up, something will always be more important.”

And that’s how they tried to live. Not giving up pleasures and building memories not only related to work. Mrs. Irena still doesn’t have a mobile phone. At the end of our conversation, she handed me a yellow piece of paper with her phone number, asking with a smile to notify Mr. Włodek – the driver – that he could come pick her up.

You will listen to the story of the Eris family (or rather the Orfinger family) with bated breath, because it is a success story of an ordinary family that took risks, used their skills and built a business empire step by step.

dr Irena Eris
A family foundation is a creation that solves many issues. Every creator would like the company to last, because it is in good shape, it is developing. He would like this life achievement to be continued. But someone has to run this company. And on the other hand, every parent would also like their children to be happy, and children do not always want to run a company. We asked our two sons what they wanted to do, do they want to get into business? One son said yes and became the president, and the other said he did not want to get involved. But the fact that we established a family foundation, and this has been possible for a year, solved many issues, guaranteed the durability of the company, and on the other hand, released the children from any possible obligation to run the company. Their children, in turn, can take over the baton in the future, but they do not have to - they become shareholders. However, even if it does not go on in the family, the company continues to develop.
dr Irena Eris says, Co-Founder at Dr Irena Eris S.A.
In the TOP LEADERS CLUB podcast with Dr. Irena Eris we also talk about:
  • the difficult beginnings of creating a business during communism,
  • the necessary balance in a family business and taking care of well-being,
  • family succession and family foundations,
  • building a business based on passion and commitment.