Enterprise: Romanian String Section

One man's mission to bring affordable, high-quality violins to the world

Vasile Gliga is lost in concentration as he examines a beautifully made copy of a 1715 Stradivarius. Then his cell phone rings, spoiling the moment. That's the problem with running a business. Gliga has little time for what he loves best: the centuries-old craft of violin making. His 10-year-old violin-making company, known simply as the Gliga Group, is one of Romania's most successful family-owned concerns, employing some 1,200 people. "I started with two people making two violins a year. Now I have 500 making 3,000 a month," he says. "I didn't expect it would grow to this." It is a success...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!