Entrepreneurs of Pakistan
Nowadays, I see young kids being expert users of computer but when I was 13 I was reluctant to use a computer because I had a fear of breaking it. But gradually I too give in to the temptation of this cool tech and started exploring the different dimensions it offered. I encountered many bugs in the operating system and fixing such problems was what motivated me to join an Engineering College to learn more about computers and software. During the third semester, I attended a seminar where the speaker talked on information security.
“Living in Wazirabad for 20 years was an experience in itself. The sight of the factories, the craftsmen working day and night and the sound of steel always intrigued me. When I returned to my hometown after completing my computer engineering, what was just a fascination to me in my childhood years became my passion. I started researching and was amazed to find out that the knives, daggers and body armors used in Hollywood movies were made in Wazirabad. The deeper I researched, the more it caught my interest.
“Living in Wazirabad for 20 years was an experience in itself. The sight of the factories, the craftsmen working day and night and the sound of steel always intrigued me. When I returned to my hometown after completing my computer engineering, what was just a fascination to me in my childhood years became my passion. I started researching and was amazed to find out that the knives, daggers and body armors used in Hollywood movies were made in Wazirabad. The deeper I researched, the more it caught my interest.
I am an only child, born into a typical middle-class family of Karachi. Despite all the negativity that, unfortunately, exists in our society, I was raised in a loving and supportive environment, molding me into the strong woman I am today.
I hold a BS degree in Economics and Finance from the Institute of Business Management. It was my father who taught me to be independent at an early age by confiding in me to represent my country at a delegation in South Africa.
Like every other student I was keen to work for a renowned organization after completing my Master’s degree in Mass Communication from Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore. I joined Pakistan Fashion Design Council (PFDC) as Designer’s Relation Manager and after three years I was Consultant for PFDC. During my time in PFDC I focused on building my network in the media industry. One major learning that I had from my time working there was feedback about PR agencies.
“With the right intentions, a supporting partner and a unique idea, anything is possible. All you need after this is some hard work and lots of motivation. We had the ingredients so we went ahead with creating a perfect recipe ‘The Rack Couture’, a plus size fashion clothing brand in Pakistan for the first time.
“Food is in my genes! I studied hospitality in Switzerland, worked in restaurants and hotels there as well as in Amsterdam and South Africa. I had a plan to move to Chicago but before that, I came to Pakistan to spend some time with my mother. It was during that time that I noticed a gap in the food service market. It was then the idea of Xander’s came into being.
Initially, my mother was the key driving force for me. She is a veteran in food business running ‘Café Flo’ for almost two decades now. She has supported me every step of the way.
We live in an age of distractions. Having many ideas is incredible but to be successful one has to focus. I go by the words of Peter Thiel – take your project from 0-1.
AimFit was established in 2015 and offer affordable fitness classes to all demographics including men, women and kids. We introduced programs like DanceFit (a desi twist on Zumba) and HIIT.
People know me mainly because of Sweet Tooth, which was nurtured and raised using unconventional ways of marketing. That and my business ethos always made it stand out. One such example is that transgenders and disabled people have the opportunity to work with us.
I believe that every place is an art piece in itself and my dream is to own places that money can’t buy. So challenging myself by opening branches in some of the most remote places of Pakistan such as Hunza and Mushkpuri was experiential for me.
"If a product is launched at the right time, place and purpose, the chances of failure are slim. However, in my case, I wasn’t sure how the public of Quetta would respond to the idea of Road Stoves. I decided to play the odds anyway and started small with only three items: corns, hot coffee and French fries served with a variety of sauces. Today, we are the pioneer of curly fries and the 21-inch pizza in Quetta. Within the span of 5 years, we also managed to expand nationally and are now operating in 10 branches throughout the country.