Wywiad z Dariuszem Miłkiem, Prezesem Zarządu CCC S.A., część I, #6 POZA PARKIETEM

Well, I think we would very much like to be in this group. I think this is the third year in a row that we are the reserve company in first place. I think our capitalization is growing, and the turnover on the stock is also increasing. We'll see what the next allocation on the stock exchange will be. Maybe it will work out. The company is known for good relations...

We certainly want to have good contact with investors, both institutional and individual. We want to show the company; since it became public, we have nothing to hide. We want to show as much as possible and tell about our business. The company's headquarters is very impressive.

It's not about that in this whole, so to say, game. Well, work makes me happy because it constantly drives me, partly success, partly competition. I am built such that from a young age when I practiced sports, I was always in competition, and I think that will remain with me until the end.

No, rather, it was the dream of an athlete. From a young age, I practiced various sports, from around 13 years old, cycling, and it has stayed with me until today. I still ride a bit on a bicycle, though I don't compete in races for the older categories because I don't have time. A few years ago, I tried to start in races and compete. Now it's more recreational, for health and well-being. Sometimes I go with my guys for training, and I feel better.

Appetite grows with eating. Our company is growing, and I would like the team to grow together with the company. We can allocate only part of the money for marketing the cycling group; we cannot go crazy. But I realize that if we enter the cycling elite, like the first 18 in the world—we are currently in the second 18—that's a good position as a leading team in the second league. We are invited to major events like the Giro d'Italia and Tour de Pologne with wildcards. The best teams from the second division are invited, and we have a rich program. With our marketing budget, I think it pays off. We sponsor the national team and had world champion Kwiatkowski in CCC colors. This year, we have nearly 40 medals at European and World Championships across all categories, almost twice as much as ever in Polish cycling history. Everything is developing, and I have talented youth. Building a group with international stars is possible, and our company is international with stores in 15 countries. Having a strong cyclist from each country would be good internal marketing, like Mapei did. But for shoes and fashion, it's different; we are visible through our stores in shopping malls. Marketing translates differently. We don't want to overspend; entering the WorldTour would cost twice as much. As the company grows, we might double the budget, allocating half a percent of revenue. We no longer invest in basketball, only cycling. I hope it pays off from jersey sales and image.

Well, towards the end of my career, in autumn periods with fewer races, I traded a bit. It was 1989 when the wall fell, and everything could be imported or exported. Many went into trading, and I had a talent as an athlete. I traded at international events, which drew me to business. With a special sports passport, I traveled abroad and observed opportunities. I was still an active athlete while trading, but it was for extra money. I traded everything initially: watches, clothes, then shoes, and it stuck. People from that time say I wanted more, while others spent money on consumerism. I was happy with building a trading organization, starting from a field bed to a stall, which freed me from early mornings. That's how business was born in Poland. These experiences help now. Before reaching where we are today, there were many steps: stores, warehouses, and when the crisis hit in the 90s, Russia stopped buying Polish shoes, causing factories to fail. I bought cheap goods from trustees and developed the Yellow Foot network, opening a store daily on a franchise basis. I supplied from failing factories and later bought stock in Italy and Spain. The market was fragmented then. Now, everything is contracted, and we build collections months ahead. Over the years, I remained operationally involved, approving locations and leveraging my experience from building galleries. I started with a gallery in Lubin on the old bazaar, which became a city center and won awards, despite doubts about the town's size. Lubin is wealthy, and the gallery is fully rented with all amenities.