Resilient, Patient, Learner and Consistent
Diogo Monteiro is the founder of a French sports brand, STRIKKE, with global offices in Dubai, UAE and Doha, Qatar. With a vision to be available to a large group of customers, he avails these quality sportswear and accessories at affordable prices to various markets across the globe. STRIKKE has its production facilities in the Middle-east, Asia, and parts of Europe. Diogo, a humanitarian by choice, intends to ensure customer satisfaction for people around the world.
His fondness for football led him towards visualizing a business idea that would cater to sports lovers across the world. Diogo travelled to Italy to acquaint himself with the intricacies of the processes involved in producing sporting goods. He came in touch with technical people involved in the business of manufacturing, designing, etc., to take his creation near to perfection. Learning from experts’ techniques, experiences, knowledge, and ideas, Diogo embarked on his entrepreneurial journey. With vision, determination, and knowledge, he propped up the unique brand that he hoped would grow exponentially in the times STRIKKE commenced with the production of Sportswear & football shoes and slowly introduced other sports accessories for other sports like Badminton, Cycling, Triathlon, basketball, rugby, etc.
Diogo always considered his passion as a business idea. He saw great potential in a customized technical sports brand and wanted to serve the teams, clubs, and sports academies that required customized sportswear and accessories. His business suffered initial setbacks owing to the mistakes committed during the development phase. Customers rejected the products citing reasons of quality and dependability. Furthermore, when he started this business in the year 2013, customized sportswear wasn’t so popular among the people in the Middle-east. But these initial setbacks didn’t bother the encouraged Diogo.
He continued to research and explore with the will to correct all that went wrong.
Yet another of his predicaments included prodigal production that was improbable on account of its exorbitant production costs and zero access to large factories. But things rapidly changed for him as the technology involved in the production of customized wear became cheaper, and the demand increased. The most strangling and obfuscating part of his plan was the search for good manufacturers.
Diogo turned the tide in his favor when he realized that no international brand offered customized sportswear and accessories in the middle-eastern region. He went ahead with his plan and relied upon small family businesses for manufacturing services when he failed to partner with big factories. This association spiked Diogo’s dream brand into a leap in terms of product quality. STRIKKE finally got a head start. All it took was an unbeatable spirit.
He always wanted the teams and clubs to wear STRIKKE products. Diogo wanted to find joy in seeing his brand’s name, logo, and numbers on people’s sports uniforms. He always insisted on keeping the products affordable without compromising on the quality.
The passion man’s dream came true when his brand partook in the Artistic Gymnastics World Cup tournaments hosted by Qatar, IAAF Diamond League, also hosted by Qatar, and the National Sports Day Events Etc. STRIKKE was also the kit sponsor of Churchill Brothers Goa at the Indian Football Premier League 2016. Currently, he is eyeing to associate with EXPO 2020 to be held in Dubai and the 2020 FIFA World Cup set to take place in Qatar.
According to Diogo, the ingredient for his success is patience, quality, opportunity, and vision. He quotes, “Growing your business takes time and patience. Developing an international Brand needs a lot of strength and courage” His business that grew in the middle-east now supplies sporting goods to more than fifty countries. Belonging to India, Diogo has considerably contributed to its social upliftment through philanthropic activities. One of his noble deeds includes supporting India’s first agriculture school for girls, named Good Harvest School, UP.
Diogo is someone who believes in giving back to society. Concerted by his altruist nature and will to serve, he founded the STRIKKE Foundation that supports children caught in wars and poverty by providing them with education, and sports & medical facilities. He is also working to back a small refugee school in Iran for the Refugee’s children of Afghanistan. Education for children is a cause to which he extends unconditional support, for it was a commitment he made to himself at the onset of his business.
Diogo Monteiro’s business story is a classic example and a rich lesson for small-scale business owners and corporate trainees. It teaches business values like patience, resilience, the importance of R&D, the need for technical know-how, management, outsourcing, integration, and most importantly, holding on to an idea. The growth of STRIKKE is the result of Diogo’s futuristic vision, planning, problem identification & its quick resolution, customer input processing, and the will to grow and serve. He continues to aid and grow simultaneously. In the future, Diogo aspires to see STRIKKE become a KIT partner of the National Football Team of Qatar at FIFA World Cup, 2022.
