Case Study

ALTAF AHMAD KHAN: TURNING PASSION INTO

ENTERPRENEURSHIP
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Since I was ten years old, I want to do my own business in the field of
books/Stationary market. Its my passion. I feel I was born with it. My family wants
to be an engineer, but I hate academics, even I was a dull Student
-Altaf Ahmad Khan
Altaf Ahmad Khan is a 35 year old entrepreneur who runs a Books shop under the
name of JUMBO BOOKS Since 1998. In his parents, relatives, or close friends
there is no one entrepreneurial. His father wants to start an entrepreneur Activity
but could not do so just because of the lack of resources. He saw his father as a
role model. He learnt from his role model as how to take risks and how to work
your way up. He always wanted to do something of his own, that would just be
according to his rules and expectations. So it all started with his wish.
Its all started by his unique idea that may or may not click. His plan is to focus on
selling goods that is not yet focused by anyone else in the main market of
Defence Housing Authority and has a lot of potential once introduced where
customers can find all the solutions, convenience on their door Step.
It was all self-financed. As he said, he was always wanted to do something that
would be according to his rules and expectations. So partners mean problems in
decisions. And this is also the lesson of his life.
Firstly he starts a small business in the food industries a small shop of fruit chart
and Dahi bhalla in Gulshan Ravi, Lahore. Initially his business grow quickly but
after some time shops profits goes down and then goes into losses he could not
understand why this happened with him, he was so worried about his business
and the economic condition of his home goes down which come towards in a
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Case Study
better form due to his business and that tension become the cause of his illness.
At that time his elder brother start sitting on his shop to help him out. When his
brother sitting on his shop to help him, his brother identifies that his business
partner was the main cause of his business loses. His business partner cheating
him and took all profits and just show him the loses of the business. Than the
brother of Altaf Ahmad advice to finish that business and start a new one than he
close that setup and his elder brother arrange investments for him give him loan
to start a business in the form of a book shop with the name of JUMBO BOOKS.
Currently running his business of stationary, reading books, novels, gift items etc.
He deals with his staff and customers very gently. He is a caring person and
because of his this ability he runs a very huge profit earning business. He is not
educated person but he knows how to talk with people of different nature. He is
paying rent of Rs.50,000 of his shop monthly. His daily expense of shop is
estimated to about Rs.6000 and average utility bills of Rs.20,000. He is paying
salaries to his staff of total Rs.2,00,000 with bonuses on special occasions. His
monthly average turnover is nearly Rs.13,00,000. He started in 1998 and reached
his breakeven point in duration of 6 months and give whole amount back to his
elder which was taken in the form of loan. He always keeps his monthly targets
and tries to achieve them and change them monthly. He has a very small family
with very simple living style therefore his expenses are very less. Know a days he
invested his profits in making property in Lahore and nearby areas. He also
invested his money in construction business with his Brother-in-law and making so
much progress day by day.
Besides all of the above good business reputation he is facing some difficulties in
his business like he is running his business on a shop which is on rent and the
owner of the shop is insisting him to free his shop. He is looking for a new shop or
showroom for his business. Another big issue that is faced by him is of entering
new publishers in the market. Many publishers publish their own books without
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any copy right and sell them on above than normal prices. But he finds the
solution of this problem by making his own publishing house in coming days.
He aims in future of spending his business icon. He wants to establish new way of
stationary business with making some innovations. He will open his business
branches in different towns in city of Lahore. He wants to open his own publishing
house with the copy rights of all international as well as national books. He said
few things about his life he learned from both of his success and failure is never
give up, Commitment, Change, and Consistency. He also said; everything BIG
starts small.

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