{"id":15695,"date":"2026-02-25T20:32:07","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T20:32:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/?p=15695"},"modified":"2026-03-30T20:47:59","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T20:47:59","slug":"hayalleri-yasamak-icin-hicbir-zaman-gec-degil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/en\/hayalleri-yasamak-icin-hicbir-zaman-gec-degil\/","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s Never Too Late to Live Your Dreams"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201cErc\u00fcment Vitrinel, who began his career as a submarine petty officer but found his true calling in the stationery industry, has always pursued his dreams. By blending his professional life with his social life, Vitrinel has continued on his path, and in retirement, he has begun to live out the hobbies and dreams he had nurtured over the years. In our brief conversation, Vitrinel shared the dreams he has realized, and his most important advice is that everyone should definitely take up a hobby. Vitrinel, who noted that his own hobby has been painting since childhood, spoke enthusiastically about both his painting work and his projects in other art forms.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Could you tell us a little about yourself, Mr. Erc\u00fcment? Could you tell us about your journey in the stationery industry?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

I am a former submarine petty officer. During my ten-year military career, which I served with pride, I worked as a Radio and Cryptography Specialist on various submarines. After completing my mandatory service, I resigned and left the military. I know the military well and am highly skilled at operating submarines, but I had no experience in civilian life. In 1977, when I saw Adel Kalemcilik\u2019s \u201csales representative wanted\u201d ad in the newspaper, I applied and was hired on the spot during my first interview. At the time, Adel Kalemcilik\u2019s sales office was located on B\u00fcy\u00fck Postahane Street in Sirkeci. I started as the sales manager for Karak\u00f6y and Ca\u011falo\u011flu. Later, Tahtakale was added to my responsibilities. All the stationery wholesalers were in that area\u2026 Back then, we were the only ones; there was no import business. So to speak, we didn\u2019t let anyone push us around! I consider Adel Kalemcilik to be my first school in this industry. In the early 1980s, we left as a team and moved to Meteksan. It was here that I was introduced to stationery products made from paper. Back then, these items were produced in small workshops and stalls, far from any standards of quality. It wouldn\u2019t be an exaggeration to say Meteksan revolutionized this category. We entered the market with notebooks, notepads, and sketchbooks that met global standards of quality, and they were in high demand. I really loved this line of products. I educated myself in every aspect\u2014from design to production to sales\u2014and I believe that\u2019s why I made a name for myself in the industry. During this period, the owner of \u0130pek Invitations had established a large printing press at the Merter Lumber Market. Although they were a leading brand in invitations, a printing press of this scale\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Do you have any memories related to stationery that you just can\u2019t seem to forget\u2014memories that bring a smile to your face? Would you like to share them with us?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The offer I received\u2026 \u201cHere\u2019s the paper warehouse, here\u2019s the factory. You\u2019re the sole decision-maker. Produce whatever you want, sell it however you like!\u201d Within a few years, I managed to establish the \u201c\u0130pek\u201d brand\u2014known primarily for its invitations\u2014as the sole and leading player in its field. Combining my artistic talent with my market experience, I produced and sold colorful packaging papers, various notebooks, pads, folders, cardstock, sketch pads, and more. I was the first person in Turkey to create packaging paper and a product catalog (not to brag). Shortly thereafter, I was appointed as general manager of the company, which had 300 employees. I served successfully for many years. Later, due to changes in the company\u2019s circumstances, I was forced to leave. In the same year, I continued my professional career as general manager at Levent Ofset, which operated under the \u201cLeColor\u201d brand in the industry. In 1999, I received an offer from Umur Matbaac\u0131l\u0131k\u2014a company already established in the market with brands like Uhu and Stabilo\u2014to join them as they were expanding into paper packaging products in addition to their existing product line. The offer was very appealing to me. The company\u2019s strong financial resources and the opportunity to build a new brand from scratch were exactly the kind of project I was looking for\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I left Levent Ofset and joined Umur. I continued my work by setting up the paper and stationery department.
We also participated in international trade shows to promote the Umur brand and expand our exports. For 10 years, we worked in the submarine industry, which involves life-threatening risks
It was a challenging task, and after 30 years of working in the stationery industry, I decided it was time to retire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You worked in the stationery industry for many years, and we know that friendships and relationships in this long-established sector are very valuable\u2026 What did you feel when you decided to leave the industry? And what were the reasons behind this decision? Could you tell us a bit about it?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Everyone should definitely have hobbies. I have always been interested in art since my childhood. In my youth, I made music as a rock guitarist and performed in concerts. After my professional life, I started working on painting, which had always been my dream and something I truly loved. I participated in many group exhibitions, primarily in Istanbul but also abroad, and as I received appreciation, I became even more motivated to produce more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is my interest in art limited to this? No. I have written two books. One is titled \u201cMy Submarine Days,\u201d in which I share my memories from the Cyprus Peace Operation. The other consists of memoirs about my experiences in the United States, where I was stationed in the 1970s.\n\nIs that all? Of course not. I also acted in important films within the cinema industry. My first film was \u201cGeriye Kalan,\u201d which received an award at the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival. Another film I appeared in starred Erdal Be\u015fik\u00e7io\u011flu (known for Behzat \u00c7.) in the lead role.\n\nIs that all? Certainly not. I was also a guest on the TV program \u201cHayat Deyince\u201d hosted by Sunay Ak\u0131n on 360 TV. After appearing on the big screen, I also found my place on television.\n\nFor many people living in Istanbul, the dream of settling in a small Aegean town remains just that\u2014a dream. But as someone who makes bold decisions, I turned that dream into reality. I identified three locations: Urla, Fo\u00e7a, and Ayval\u0131k. I visited and researched them, and ultimately chose Fo\u00e7a.\n\nI always say: \u201cIf Fo\u00e7a were located somewhere in Europe instead of Turkey, it would be a globally recognized and admired destination.\u201d Within a few months, I got everything in order and moved to Fo\u00e7a. It is a quiet, peaceful fishing town where life flows slowly. There is no traffic, no parking problems\u2026 and it is full of cats, dogs, and even wild boars roaming around\u2014something that is completely normal there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What are you doing now? What are your plans in the near future or going forward?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Fo\u00e7a is an ideal place for painting. I participated in various art groups and took part in their activities. Those who know Fo\u00e7a are familiar with a place called Be\u015f Kap\u0131lar, a historic fortress. During the summer months, I joined exhibitions held there with several artists. I met art lovers on lively, colorful evenings and made sales. As my paintings were appreciated and purchased, I became even more motivated and accelerated my work.\n\nOver time, I developed my own style. I created vibrant and colorful paintings that reflect my perspective on life. When I stand in front of a blank canvas and start painting, I forget everything\u2014politics, the economy, even the pandemic\u2026 all of it. I consider myself lucky to have such a hobby and talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During a trip to Ayval\u0131k, I realized that it is truly a hub for art\u2014full of painting studios, exhibition opportunities, and artists. I thought to myself that if I wanted to take my art to a more professional level, this was the place I needed to be. So, once again, I made a radical decision and moved to Ayval\u0131k last year. I continue my work here.\n\nAlthough I haven\u2019t been able to fully implement my plans due to the COVID-19 outbreak, I remain hopeful for the coming years. Art enthusiasts who are curious about my work can follow me on Instagram at @ercusanat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What would you like to say to those who continue their professional careers in the stationery industry?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Finally, if I return to the industry, I can say that I truly love stationery products. When a person genuinely enjoys the products they sell or produce, success comes naturally. I wish all my colleagues great success.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“\u0130\u015f hayat\u0131na denizalt\u0131 astsubay\u0131 olarak ba\u015flayan, ancak yetene\u011fini k\u0131rtasiye sekt\u00f6r\u00fcnde ortaya \u00e7\u0131karan Erc\u00fcment Vitrinel, daima hayallerinin pe\u015finden gitmi\u015f. Profesyonel hayat\u0131n\u0131 sosyal hayat\u0131 ile besleyerek yoluna devam eden Vitrinel, tohumlar\u0131n\u0131 ekti\u011fi hobilerini ve hayallerini emeklilik hayat\u0131nda ya\u015famaya ba\u015flam\u0131\u015f. K\u0131sa sohbetimizde, ger\u00e7ekle\u015ftirdi\u011fi hayallerini aktaran Vitrinel\u2019in en \u00f6nemli tavsiyesi; herkesin mutlaka hobi edinmesi. Kendi hobisinin \u00e7ocuklu\u011fundan bu yana…<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15696,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"video","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[63],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15695","post","type-post","status-publish","format-video","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dergiden-haberler","post_format-video"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15695","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15695"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15695\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16343,"href":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15695\/revisions\/16343"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15696"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15695"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15695"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15695"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}