Jawwad Farid and risky business in the IT sector
Whenever we dicuss the IT sector in Pakistan, the conversation is usually about what we lack and not what we have. Then we compare it to India with all its government subsidies, state of the art infrastructure and lament all the catching up we have to do. While there is nothing wrong with making that comparison because competition is healthy, we need to realize that Pakistanis have been blazing trails in the IT industry for some years. Even with all the hurdles we have in our way, the sector has been providing niche services and is often unnoticed. There is ...
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Pane and Amore: Sweet, savoury treats
Named after an Italian term that means ‘bread with love’, Pane and Amore is a fairly new café located in Shahbaz Commercial, DHA Karachi. When I visited this Italian cum Turkish styled cafe, I could smell the aroma of freshly baked products as soon as I stepped inside. The café is small, the ambiance artistic, and the food includes many snacks from sweet to savoury; cupcakes that make your mouth water, brownies, Italian sandwiches, and gourmet burgers along with a wide range of Arabic starters are some items on the menu. The menu is updated regularly. The sandwiches are made with fresh, crunchy bread, ...
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Money 101: Getting down to business
If I was to do a spot poll and ask a hundred odd people whether they wanted to work for themselves or someone else, 95 per cent would choose being their own boss over job security and the luxury of forgetting about work when the clock strikes 6pm. But for every person who dreams of owning a quaint bookshop, a café by the sea or any other small scale business there are 10 others who will never get around to starting it up. Small businesses are the backbone of any economic system, often owned and managed by families, they continue ...
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Lessons from a soap box factory
Here in Pakistan, there is a famous fable about a soap factory. Several stores in a wealthy country complained that they had ordered soap but had only received empty boxes. Recognising that they had a problem in their factory, the management thought long and hard to find a solution. In the end, the company purchased a machine worth a million dollars, and hired an employee to observe the boxing process. Problem solved. Soon after, a Pakistani company ran into the same issue. The management thought long and hard to find a solution. In the end, the company purchased a big fan and placed it ...
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Pakistan needs to take entrepreneurs seriously
Our governing mentality has mostly been about ‘providing’ jobs and not ‘creating’ them. There is a very big difference between the two approaches that also reflect different governing philosophies. When you hear stories about inefficiency and corruption in government run institutions (like the Pakistan Railways), it is due to the first approach. Governments find it expedient to hand out jobs to people to improve employment figures even when state owned companies do not need any more people. Jobs are also given to party workers to find a way to keep them satisfied. Alas, our political culture is as such! This ...
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When opportunity doesn’t knock…
There’s a “legend” of a podiatrist, who being the first to specialise in his town had to face a hard time surviving with near-to-no earnings. Realising little scope, he decided to build one. At nights, he painted rocks to make them appear like footballs. In the mornings, people mistook them for footballs, kicked them and hurt their feet. Moral of the story: When an opportunity doesn’t knock, create one. Though meant to be a comic tale, one can relate to this concept: making others’ lives miserable to accomplish your goals. It’s a time of economic instability and such desperate measures ...
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Why we need special economic zones
Pakistan is a country of unlimited human potential, especially with regard to talent that can be utilized to create a culture of dynamic entrepreneurship. Once the majority of your population is below 25 years in age you cannot depend upon a number of big companies working in the country to produce employment of a desired level for the qualified and skilled youth. It is all about how well the planners in the government provide solutions to the youth to become their own employers and in turn employ others. Let me give an example of a UAE based company, RSI Concepts. The company is ...
Read Full PostExcuses or entrepreneurship?
The weather was nice in Islamabad. Clouds surrounded the Margalla Hills, while discussions went on about the economy, the deplorable business outlook and politics. I was listening to these people speak about Pakistan’s worst business environment. They were saying that it is difficult doing business in Pakistan. Some of them were even planning to shift their businesses overseas. I called them to stop. They were stunned. I remained quite for a minute and then posed a question. Can we ask Student Biryani and Dilpasand Sweets to close their businesses and shift to any other country in the world? They did not ...
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