“The story that serves as proof that EVERYTHING can happen also in Greece!”
“On Friday, December 8, 2023, at the #GRBossible Entrepreneurship Festival held at the ‘Serapheio’ by #Skywalker, Stella Keraboss spoke about the Exciting Story of the Greek car #KERABOSS, the realization of a vision in Greece. It serves as proof that everything can be achieved with Passion, Patience, and Persistence!”
At this year’s GRBossible Entrepreneurship Festival, KERABOSS CARS MANUFACTURING was honored with the ‘Golden Award of Resource Utilization’ for the ‘Manufacturing of the First Greek Certified Passenger Car.’
The story of #KERABOSS is an inspiration and a catalyst for anyone with a vision and a desire to create, as long as they deeply believe in their goal and are passionate for their dreams!
At the Entrepreneurship Festival, internationally known Brand Strategist Peter Economides, often referred to as the ‘Greek Steve Jobs’ by the media in Greece and abroad, was also present. He honored KERABOSS cars and the manufacturers, by making references during his exciting speech on ‘Create the future.’ It is worth noting that Mr. Economides is the creator of the ‘Rebranding Greece’ campaign.
We thank everyone who visited KERABOSS cars during the GRBOSSIBLE Entrepreneurship Festival these two days, honoring us with their enthusiasm and interest.
A video follows with the entire speech by Stella Keraboss, and right below, you can read it in full.
For more news, updates, and information about #KERABOSS cars
- Subscribe to our channel in youtube
- Follow us at:
- Facebook : KERABOSS SUPER K
- Instagram: KERABOSSCARS
- LinkedIn: KERABOSS CARS MANUFACTURING
For more information about the #GRBossible Festival, please visit bossible.gr
The complete speech follows:
Hello, I am Stella Kerabos.
Thank you for being here to listen to our story. It serves as proof that everything can happen also HERE in Greece, as we’ve become accustomed to hearing that nothing happens in Greece.
I tried to organize everything in a specific logical sequence, from the beginning to the end, hoping to present it to you easily, briefly, and comprehensively.
I cαme to the conclusion that this was a mistake because you can’t easily “tame” a torrent and limit it.
So boundless and torrential was the enthusiasm for our vision, for the manufacturing of “KERABOSS.” The first Greek passenger car that received approval from the Greek state, is officially on the road, and is being sold after 15 whole years of titanic struggle, patience, and persistence.
This faith, passion, dedication, and love for our vision, our goal, were also what helped us and continue to help us overcome all the obstacles that came our way. Of course, the admiration of unknown people who randomly saw us on the road, the encouragement, the support of real friends, the selfless help of collaborators, people who believed in us – these are the individuals you’ll encounter on your journey, and they will be part of your significant assets.
Certainly, in the final achievement of the goal, good luck also plays a role, which we make sure to create every day without pause. And at some point, after you have done everything you could think of, the wind will blow, and the fruits you planted will sprout.
This is how we managed to complete and experience the moment of success, of this exciting story and the unique journey that takes place in Greece for the first time.
Before I proceed, for you to grasp the magnitude of our achievement, both in manufacturing and legislation—because this story, the legislation and approval, took 15 years due to Greek bureaucracy, including 8 years for the Ministry of Finance to determine the tax for the Greek car, a tax regulation—let me clarify that when we refer to the first Greek car, we mean a car that is not an assembly of a vehicle using the chassis frame of another car manufacturer or the modification of an existing car, as was done in the past.
“KERABOSS” has its own chassis, its own international manufacturer’s VIN number. The manufacturing plant is KERABOSS CARS MANUFACTURING GREECE, and it represents a new automotive brand, “Beyond the Ordinary.”
All that I’m telling you and what you’ll hear is not meant to disappoint you. On the contrary, it proves that in a country where a creator most frequently hears, “Come on, in Greece, nothing can be done…” you must remember that everything happens or that everything can happen.
We built KERABOSS not to save Greece but to make it proud. And when we say proud, we mean that we also gave an answer to the question from foreigners, “What cars are manufactured in Greece?” And we were embarrassed to answer NONE. When cars have been manufactured worldwide for 150 years, and in Greece, in 2022, we managed to certify, officially circulate, and sell the first Greek car.
This is innovation for Greece.
It is also a ray of light in the faded manufacturing landscape of the country. If you consider that Greece once manufactured everything, except cars, achieving this in 2022 is significant. It is also the beginning of many developments, particularly in the field we operate in.
The German magazine “Stern” honored us with an article that states: “…after a long standstill in the industry, Greece returns to the automotive industry with ‘KERABOSS’…”
Car manufacturing has always been considered a sign of progress for a country.
How it all began:
In the automotive industry, my husband, Pavlos Kerabos, has been involved for 48 years and happens to have the largest portfolio of car manufacturing, designs, modifications, and developments in Greece. I have been benefiting from his 48-year journey in terms of knowledge, experience, and anything else I can leverage from him.
Sixteen years ago, together with Pavlos, we visited a friend of his in the automotive industry for a casual morning greeting as we passed by his business. During the conversation about automotive manufacturing issues, he said to Pavlos, “I was thinking that it’s not possible for you, who has created so many trends, made so many builts, and various other things, not to be currently involved in building a car.” Pavlos responded angrily and strictly, as if the other person had said something offensive, “Don’t talk to me about manufacturing, please don’t say anything about manufacturing again…” Our friend, surprised, stopped the conversation, and shortly after, we left. As soon as we got into the car and turned from our friend’s street, Pavlos said to me in a completely normal tone, “Stella… we will manufacture a car, and I have already thought about it!”
It was something completely normal, natural and simple. At least for him.
So, we thought that we should not build a car just to add it to the others, nor a car that could be produced by a mass production factory and be compared to mass-produced cars.
Certainly not to build a car that would look like it came out of a universal factory, and you could only understand its brand if you saw its logo or the letters usually written on the back.
It had to be completely unique, to stand out among 1000 cars, to have its own space. In other words, “Beyond the ordinary.” And that’s exactly what happened.
This is how our journey began—with madness, so much madness, impatience, happiness, endless energy, and the hours of the day always feeling too few. We worked 24 hours, even when we were sleeping, waking up suddenly with a thought of improvement, evolution, or finding a solution to a problem that had arisen.
We utilized all our collaborators and everyone Pavlos had from the past, transmitting to them as much of our freshness, passion, and enthusiasm as possible. Even now, as I speak to you, I have exactly the same feelings, and the flame of that first day.
Throughout our journey, there were not only difficult people—I say it with kindness—but also the good ones, that we call them our good angels. Among them, there are archangels too. One of them, who lived everything from the beginning and, of course, all our anxieties, and still stands beside us today, doubling our efforts in everything, brought us a significant gift among all the important things that his friendship offers us—the book “Good Luck” by Alex Rovira & Fernando Trias de Bes, two marketing professionals who collaborated through their company with top organizations such as Credit Suisse, Pepsi Co, Mercedes Benz, Microsoft, Nestle, Paramount, Universal, and others.
It is the story of trying to do what you dream of, finding every way, doing everything without trying to find all the excuses not to do it. It is the story of how you create your own good luck, and when you have done everything, then the time will come when the wind will blow, and the lucky clover will sprout, and your work will be rewarded.
When we completed our first prototype “KERABOSS,” I still remember our happiness when we turned on the ignition of the car and drove it forward. The whole world was ours; all our efforts were rewarded without a trace of fatigue. Only a thirst for what comes next…
We did everything, managing to build the prototype cars.
To understand what it means to manufacture a fully functional prototype like “KERABOSS” means, and not just a model for photographic or exhibition purposes, typically made from industrial clay, and especially from mass-production automobile industries that have all the tools needed and the specialized stuff, the following are needed:
- Prototype design
- Mold
- Its own frame-Chassis
- Mechanical parts
- Electronic components
- Interior components
- Full functionality and completion of a test drive of at least 30,000 km
- Legislative approval for circulation
For a sense of estimation of the costs involved, I present you an article that outlines how much it can cost to create a prototype, just for the model.
These cost estimates are related to the United States, a country with automobile industries, technology, and materials. The article highlights that this cost can easily exceed $300,000, that refers to the salaries of designers only.
To build a fully functional prototype automobile, it must go through the above stages. And yes, this costs too much that cannot be calculated for an exact order of magnitude.
In our case, these costs hold even greater value as we did it ourselves, with our limited financial capabilities, with our collaborators, with our personal effort and work, in Greece that had nothing of what we needed, at least in abundance and convenience.
We began manufacturing the second, more advanced prototype…
And the time arrived for the next, possibly greater and tougher stage, as it turned out. The ministries, the legislative regulation, how to obtain registration numbers, meaning we could sell the cars and not just use them for personal enjoyment and play.
And now the “party” begins:
When we visited the first relevant ministry, full of joy and pride, with a photo of the car and the car itself parked at the yard, the following conversation took place:
“- You’ve built a very nice car, distinctive, unique, and rugged.”
“- We want to register it. What needs to be done?”
“- Oooh! In Greece, it’s not allowed, it can’t be done!!!!!! There is no legislation.”
We got unbelievably SHOCKED.
“- What do you mean? What does it mean it can’t be done in Greece? What should we do to make it happen?”
To receive the answer:
“- Well, submit an application…”
We looked into each other’s eyes and left with great disappointment.
But, because the goal always remains the same, only the path to it can change,
We analyzed legislations that would be suitable and might already exist in other European countries. Thus, the correspondence with the Ministries began, and the titanic struggle with bureaucracy started. Every new day was a hopeful day, bringing or expecting something new. When something positive happened, we felt like the world was ours. One step closer to the final goal. And so, 15 years passed.
Governments changed, reshufflings happened, the case goes back and forth for new signatures, and just when you are ready to drink water at the source after an endless journey in the desert, something happens, and they spill the water. The case goes back for a new signature, a new minister, a new employee, a new director, and so on. As a result, after 8 years, we find ourselves “stuck” in the next ministry of finance, trying, pleading, and begging for tax regulation.
Until this moment comes when all the good angels coordinate, and luck, circumstances, and the wind finally blows to help completing the legislation. After a battle with the “Lernaean Hydra,” where cutting off one head led to ten more growing, on 31/12/2021, our legislation came out of the Ministry of Finance, and in the summer of 2022, our first cars “KERABOSS” were registered and sold.
We managed to be rewarded on this journey to Ithaca, overcoming the financial crisis in Greece, the coronavirus, missing endless opportunities for development and endless opportunities off sales, and who knows what other opportunities, but always, always having the absolute certainty that we would succeed.
On June 22, 2022, the Ministry of Transport honored us with an official presentation at the ministry itself, attended by Deputy Minister Mr. Michalis Papadopoulos and the Regional Governor of Attica, Mr. Georgios Patoulis.
It was the day of vindication for all our efforts, a historic day for us and for Greece. Over 1000 articles were written, both domestically and internationally. Some of which you can see on keraboss.com.
We attracted an interested crowd from Greece and all parts of the world. Greeks and foreigners who love our country approached us, asking about the car and how they can buy one. Some were interested because it’s Greek, others because they want to have it here for their holidays, others to collaborate, and many more, each for their own reasons. Companies from abroad and of the automotive industry approached us with interest in what we do and for potential collaborations.
This also showed us its EXPORT potential and dynamics.
Of course, the first sales we made were confirmation of the successful completion of the first journey and the beginning of the next one that has already started.
Through this experience, we clearly discovered our limits and where we can reach, and I can say that there are no limits.
We found out who our true friends are, met new people, and witnessed what selfless admiration and assistance mean. We experienced these qualities from both old and new colleagues who generously offered their expertise, machinery, personal work, and invaluable experience. For all of them, we are grateful and continue to enjoy their collaboration, having managed to establish our small production line.
Before rushing to say, “But everything is so ideal and beautiful,” I would respond that yes, there are beautiful and sometimes ideal moments, unbelievable ones even! Of course, envious people filled with jealousy were not absent, and they never are. Their only desire is always to drag down others who create, to their zero level and nonexistence. They wish that you never succeed, but we always took care and continue, to turn a disadvantage into an advantage, never referring to anything that is not “constructive”, such as negativity. We are optimistic by nature.
And now that the first major journey has essentially come to an end, given that we manufactured the car, obtained approval, and sold the first cars, we are embarking on a second major journey. This involves scaling up production and sales, as well as finding suitable financial resources for what we want to achieve.
Certainly, there is no financial support and guidance from the state, which is currently nonexistent for us. We addressed this matter with the relevant government officials, namely the Ministry of Development and the Prime Minister (it goes without saying that we have all the supporting evidence for what we are saying), and we received… indifference.
Among other things, the Greek car “KERABOSS” constitutes a Dynamic tourist product, providing tourists who honor our country with Exciting and 100% Greek holidays. Creating beautiful and unique memories with its distinctive appearance, “KERABOSS” cars are something they don’t have in their own countries, in the routine of their daily lives.
This is the ultimate tool for 100% Greek holidays, with tourists exclaiming, “Greek holidays, 100% Greek Car, Greek island,” and this is one of its great advantages.
This year, in its debut season, “KERABOSS” made a successful debut on the island of Kos. It justified those who, with their entrepreneurial foresight, added it to their fleet, demonstrating its value and proving their choice with exceptional performance. It turned out to be the most profitable vehicle in their fleet, with record rental days and rates.
THIS IS IT… It unequivocally proved that it is a product of also professional great value.
The unique appearance of “KERABOSS,” combined with the limited number of cars produced, will always make it special and uncommon, classifying it in the special and timeless category of Limited Edition vehicles.
A car that will remain relevant for the next 100 years because it has timeless style. And that style is always in our dreams.
This is a part of our story, and this is “KERABOSS.”
Beyond the ordinary… Just as simple as that!
KERABOSS
CARS MANUFACTURING
Βριλησσού 19, Τ.Κ 11476, Αθήνα, Τ: 210 6420962