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Aspire Launchpad
Mongolia
Sinapis Network
July 1, 2024
Business ideas often come from daily life. For Enkhsnaa Jambalsuren (aka Sanaa), inspiration struck while cleaning his son’s baby bottle. Today, Sanaa leads a thriving cleaning products business in Mongolia. Sanaa credits his success to being raised in a business-savvy home, pitching on Mongolia’s Shark Tank, and having a deep-rooted faith in Christ.
As a trainer for Sinapis’ 9-week Aspire Launchpad through Sinapis Network partner Asia Leadership Development Network (ALDN), Sanaa works with idea- and early-stage entrepreneurs to hone their business ideas and integrate their faith. Sanaa’s business acumen and relationship with Christ make him an ideal mentor:
“When you start a business in Mongolia, you become your own electrician, your own plumber, your own delivery driver, your own salesperson, your marketing officer, and you have to shoot your videos and take pictures. I’ve done it all. I’ve spent time in the trenches.”
Sanaa hasn’t always been a Kingdom business entrepreneur. Raised Buddhist, like most Mongolians, his family viewed Christianity with skepticism. But this all changed when his father, a serial entrepreneur, made a business decision that cost them their home, financial security, and reputation. Searching for hope, Sanaa’s father went to church. His wife soon joined him. The couple began praying and reading “this funny little book,” and they miraculously stopped fighting. WIthin a year, the whole family came to Christ and were even able to settle their debts after a few years.
Sanaa married a woman in his church community and started a family. He worked in financial services, and his wife in human resources. But Sanaa always wanted to start a business, and so he began market research:
“I wanted to create a product that everyone in Mongolia would use.”
The food industry was alluring, but the market appeared saturated.
Then, one day, while cleaning his son’s baby bottle, Sanaa found his business idea. “The cleaning product had a strong smell,” he recalls. “I could almost taste the chemicals. I needed to find something that would be healthy and affordable.” This observation catalyzed a year of diligent research and experiments at the kitchen sink – cutting up soaps, mixing dishwashing liquid, and working out different recipes. ‘Plus,’ his new company, dedicated to safe, affordable, and essential cleaning products, was born here, in his home.
The business name ‘Plus’ was a thoughtful choice. A closer look at the company’s logo is a testament to Sanaa’s faith – a cross disguised as a plus sign.
An unexpected mentor in China showed Sanaa the ropes to create high-quality cleaning products, and Sanaa hired two employees and started to make small batches. It flopped. The company lost money but made just enough to buy raw materials and make payroll.
Despite these initial setbacks, Sanaa persisted. A pivotal break happened when Sanaa was invited to pitch on Shark Tank Mongolia, where he was able to secure local investment in Plus. Today, Plus has moved from B2B bulk sales to now supply 500 shops across Mongolia and service another 300 businesses through a reseller. The company employs 15 people, and sales are growing annually between 30% and 40%.
For Sanaa, Kingdom business means creating superior products, building good relationships with customers, and delivering exceptional customer service. Sanaa also prioritizes being a fair and compassionate employer, which has helped Plus maintain a stable core team. The company also employs two bi-vocational pastors, allowing them freedom to balance work and ministry.
It’s not always easy running a business in Mongolia, though. Corruption is common, and many view Christians as an oddity.
“Everyone’s looking at you knowing you’re a Christian. You have to live it out. At first, they look at you like you’re crazy, then they leave you alone, and after a while, they start trusting you. Then maybe you can start building a relationship so that they may find Jesus for themselves.”
