5 minute read

TURGAY YUKSEL

Christopher Parkes and Turgay Yuksel

THE AWARD-WINNING ENTREPRENEUR IS ALL ABOUT MAKING A DIFFERENCE

IF THERE WAS EVER A TIME TO HIGHLIGHT TURGAY YUKSEL, DURING THE TIME OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IS IT. WHEN TURGAY AND HIS BUSINESS PARTNER, CHRISTOPHER PARKES, LAUNCHED THE POWERHOUSE IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, ALLPRO HOSPITALITY STAFFING IN 2019, THEY COULDN’T HAVE FORESEEN HAND SANITIZER WOULD SOON BECOME THE MOST SOUGHT-AFTER PRODUCT IN THE WORLD.

kINTERVIEW WRITTEN AND CONDUCTED BY WILLIAM JACKSON, ABA, B.ACY., MBA AND FOUNDER,

CHIEF BUSINESS OFFICER, AND PUBLISHER OF INFLUENTIAL MAGAZINE, SPANISH INFLUENTIAL, AND TEEN INFLUENTIAL

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF ALLPURE.

Ever quick to adjust to shifts in client needs, the savvy business partners launched ALLPURE brand to provide hand sanitizer and hand wipe collections.

Personally, I travel everywhere with the ALLPURE pre-moistened towelettes, and I always have one in my Coach Messenger Bag, car, and the inside pocket of my blazer. They’re PERFECT when washing my hands with soap and water is not always an option.

The individually wrapped antiseptic hand wipes are small enough to fit in my pocket to take it anywhere I go. Most important to me, they keep germs away and provide a luxury soft texture durable enough for my hands but gentle for my face.

I was honored to sit down with Turgay, at Starbuck’s in

Domain Northside in Austin, Texas, to learn how he, his family, and businesses are doing as the world navigates recent challenges. I’ve always been enamored by Turgay’s professionalism, business acumen, and kindness and he may have one of the most intriguing business adjustment stories during this challenging time.

William Jackson: Turgay, what made you decide to create a hand sanitizer collection? Turgay: When the pandemic happened, we knew it was going to be a while before hospitality businesses got back to normal. We noticed there was a need for a better sanitizer. We were already working with a manufacturer who provided hotel amenities and cosmetics in Turkey. While everybody was trying to make sanitizer, we already had a great formula that existed long before the pandemic and we wanted to provide this amazing product to others.

William: Tell me more about your background in the hospitality industry. Turgay: I’ve worked and managed luxury hotel food and beverage operations for over 25 years. In 2016, I started a hospitality staffing business but realized it would be impossible to continue without support. We teamed with my amazing business partner, Chris Parkes, and ALLPRO Hospitality Group was born.

William: How were the names ALLPRO and ALLPURE created? Turgay: ALLPRO is a sports term in the National Football League to designate the best players of each position during a given season. Our goal has always been to find the best professionals in the industry and create the best team.

When we were thinking about our beauty products, we wanted that name to be similar to the amazing brand we already created with ALLPRO. Having ALL natural, PURE products made it easy for us to came up with the name ALLPURE.

William: Why did you believe there was room in the industry for another brand of hand sanitizer? Turgay: Actually, there wasn’t room for another sticky, nasty, and smelly sanitizer in the industry. We knew our formula, scent, and ingredients would set us apart. We created a brand that’ll be here for a long time and has a potential to become one of the best brands in the United States.

William: What makes ALLPURE different? Turgay: Our ingredients and next level formula make ALLPURE different. Unlike many sanitizers, our brand

was created by cosmetic and beauty professionals. Our alcohol is organic and non-GMO, derived from cane sugar rather than corn, and is extracted with minimal environmental impact. No harsh chemicals or toxins. 100% vegan and cruelty free.

William: How was the formula for the ALLPURE Hand Sanitizer and Hand Wipe Collection developed? Turgay: ALLPURE hand sanitizer formula was created by cosmetic and beauty professionals and was sold in Europe for many years. We wanted to rebrand the amazing formula and offer it in the Unites States market. When we were in talks with big stores, Walmart requested an antiseptic hand wipe that had the same great formula and the best smell. We created the biggest individually wrapped antiseptic hand wipe that has the same original ALLPURE hand sanitizer formula.

William: Are ALLPURE products sold in stores as well as online? Turgay Yuksel

Turgay: We’re available currently on www.allpurebrand. com, Amazon, and several distributors. We’re still in talks with big retailers like Walmart and Target.

William: What’s been the most challenging part of expanding into this segment of business? Turgay: Honestly, having three amazing business partners who’ve the knowledge and experience made everything easy and seamless. Already, we’ve three warehouses that are strategically located to distribute our products faster anywhere in the United States.

William: Are there additional products you’ll be launching? Turgay: We’ve worked with the same manufacturer for years with respect to offering a suite of beauty products like shampoo, hand soap, and body lotion to United States market.

William: How has the pandemic changed your businesses? Turgay: It completely changed everything. It’ll take years for hospitality businesses to recover from the pandemic.

William: Do you believe the hand sanitizer market will remain strong once people get accustomed to using it on a regular basis? Turgay: Absolutely. It’s interesting how sanitizer became part of the daily life and culture in many other countries in other forms. I believe a quality sanitizer will be part of daily life in the United States and we’re here to provide that.

William: What is your sage advice for other local companies? Turgay: Always be open to change. Small businesses were already threatened by big tech companies in the recent years, but the pandemic showed how you can’t have a traditional operation without being prepared to be adaptable. With that said, we’d like to announce we’ve developed our own staffing app and will be launching our own Uber-like app for our staffing business to continue to operate and stay in business for many years to come. l

This article is from: