In the ever-changing landscape of business, family-run enterprises often bridge the gap between tradition and innovation. This article maps a fascinating journey of one of our members, Atlas Consulting, a family business with a 5-decade legacy. Read the interview with Sousana Patsoumi Kalfas, the Chief Business Office, that is behind their latest thriving success. Discover how their story unfolds, transforming a traditional family-run business into a modern company, and how the family’s values and unity translate into meaningful experience for their clients.
Atlas Consulting is a second-generation Tax-Accounting & Consulting Company that has evolved into a dynamic BPO service provider. Today, with a team of over 40 dedicated professionals and an extensive international network, their impact is felt far beyond Greece’s borders. With a rich history spanning over 5 decades, the company has thrived on principles of integrity, reliability, and honesty, while they plan to pass the torch to the third generation as well, ensuring that their legacy continues to shine.
How do you leverage your familial connections to create better experience for your clients?
As a family-run business, we utilize our familial connections to provide personalized and meaningful experiences for our clients, fostering trust, loyalty, and authenticity.
We achieve this through personal connections, sharing family stories, humanizing our brand, emphasizing our commitment to quality, and promptly addressing concerns. Many clients value the stability associated with family-run enterprises, recognizing our qualities as symbols of trustworthiness.
What accomplishments is Atlas Consulting most proud of?
One of the most significant achievements was the seamless transition between the generations when my father stepped down and passed the torch of the leadership and management to me and my husband George. This transition signifies the company’s adaptability and willingness to embrace change while maintaining its core values. Furthermore, the expression of the third generation’s desire to join our company and uphold our legacy in the market. While we do not have formal mentorship programs for generational knowledge transfer yet, we actively involve the next generation in our accounting practice and decision-making, fostering their contribution to our company’s growth and vision.
Over the years, we have been honoured by numerous awards both in national and international competence competitions highlighting the success of transition. Notably, we were recognized as the ‘Consulting Company of the Year’ in the Accounting Awards, earning a total of 25 awards in the past three years.
Furthermore, what we are particularly proud of recently is the certification of our company for our quality management, data protection and anti-bribery policy (ISO 9001, ISO 27001, ISO 37001, and ISO 22301). These certifications reflect our commitment to not only meeting but surpassing industry standards, ensuring our continued growth and success.
How has your family-run business adapted to changes in the market and technological advancements? Can you share an example where the business embraced innovation while still staying true to its roots?
We foster a culture of innovation within our family business and among all our members. We create an environment where both our family members and our personnel feel comfortable suggesting and implementing new ideas. We invest in research and development to stay up to date with technological advancements. We embrace change and are willing to adapt. Our traditional values and culture coexist with our modern mindset and our trait to innovate.
Looking back to the early ’80s, our accounting practice was heavily reliant on manual methods. However, my father was a visionary man who constantly sought ways to streamline our operations through technology. We were the first accounting firm in Thessaloniki to invest in technology, acquiring our first computer—a massive machine with a capacity of only 1 KB. After that, we continued to follow his innovative approach, integrating technology as extensively as possible into our practise.
How have you navigated challenges through tough times while keeping the family bond strong and the business in-tact?
Challenges and lessons learned in a family business journey are significant. Navigating these challenges while keeping the family bond strong and the business intact has been a pivotal part of our story over five decades. In our experience, strategies such as open and honest communication, contingency planning, diversification, adaptability, and a well-structured succession plan have played key roles in our enduring success.
Lessons we have gathered for those entering the world of family business include the importance of maintaining family harmony, staying customer-centric, preserving the company’s unique culture, practicing patience, and remaining open to revising business strategies when needed. These lessons have been vital in guiding our journey and ensuring both family and business thrive.
What are the core values that have been crucial in shaping your company’s identity as a family-run business?
At Atlas Consulting, we attribute much of our success to a foundation of core values that have helped us stand out in a competitive landscape. Integrity is at the heart of everything we do, as we place a premium on ethical standards and honesty, establishing trust among our customers, personnel, and business partners. Our commitment to a long-term perspective, focusing on generational legacy over short-term gains, has been instrumental in shaping our identity.
Moreover, family unity is our cornerstone, fostering strong relationships among family members who work together seamlessly, creating a positive atmosphere both in our family and business.
Additionally, our customer-centric approach, continuous innovation, and adaptability to market changes underline our dedication to meeting and exceeding customer needs. We have embraced new technologies and ideas to remain competitive and uphold our commitment to quality by earning ISO certifications. Lastly, our adaptability, resilience, and investment in personnel development contribute to our unique character, ensuring that we balance tradition with the need for progress and growth. We offer opportunities for personal and professional growth and treat our people like extended family.
Atlas Consulting, possessing almost 5 decades of market experience, is a reliable provider of BPO, financial and consulting services for SMEs and individuals doing business in Greece and the region – providing a one-stop-shop for a wide range of services, such as company incorporation, accounting and tax compliance, payroll and HR, international tax planning, business administration services, as well as immigration strategies and expatriate solutions.
Website:Â www.atlasconsulting.gr
