Business In Lahore

Buying Property Investors Advice
#41

Akhtar - Thanks for the input. One cannot just make money on idea, we have to have the business plan in reference to $$ budget available.

I work for a company who has the biggest offshore center. There was time, off shoring was good because of the cheap resources and still is, but thanks to our neighbor country, they have done ruined the quality of resources & services they have provided over time to clients here. Companies are hesitant when we talk about offshore and will do only business if they have strong presence in USA and take complete responsibility of delivery. I am currently preparing response to RFP (which amount in millions) today for a client, guess what they have explicitly highlighted that they do not want an offshore resources for consulting & development services.

Getting and maintaining client trust, one has to has a engagement unit here. Some of the Pakistani firms like System unlimited and few others have, but they have foot print for last 40 years in IT & have money to invest on both sides of the picture. I have been also into IT sales, so trust me, in the budget i have, it is not possible to have any footprint in usa.

In my case, we are talking to 3-4 crores only. I am not completely denying your opinion, but IT consulting services is not sustainable in this budget and plan.

Now question is so what we can do from Pak, without any foot print abroad. Some of the things i thought of is mobile apps development and sell it as free or paid apps for different needs or web design, medical billing, tax filling, data entry etc. This is the category most of the firm (which you are referring as "thousands of software houses") might be doing and i can safely consider it saturated.

I strongly believe on innovation rather than follow what others are doing, I believe next trend is cloud application product and sell it as product. This is something i can work on perhaps on the side business to get started with, but not something i can rely as on main business as chances of success is not much.

Bottom line is that my friend, only saying that idea is to open the software house is not enough any more. You have to be very specific that what exactly you will sell or develop in software house for example, IT consulting, managed services, application development, etc. Etc. And even within that you have to find the niche market.

#42

@Akhter - I apologize i almost missed your below comment.

"try to check zameen , rozee , pakwheels revenue :)

this is very good idea and i have been thinking along those lines as i have mentioned in one of my earlier posts as well. Zameen, rozee, pakwheels they all are full filling some needs of the end user.

I certainly would like to know if you have any idea where we can provide free service or something of value to end users through net like the sites you have mentioned? and something similar would definitely be in my budget :)

#43

Arif Bro,

Just went through the complete thread and it's really very informative.

I'm a professional engineer and have experience of freelance web development as well. Just recently setup a software house in Islamabad. It's just a start up with high ambitions.

My brother is my partner, who's doing his M.Sc in system engineering. He's really good at generating ideas and providing the business feasibility etc.

Anyways, for IT side, if you're looking for a conventional model like you described above, it really requires dedicated marketing strategy. My experience with online ads and small ad in Jang/News has turned out to be a complete failure.

So your approach of developing a distinct product is right (and that's something I'm working on as well...)

If you can develop a good android/iOS app,then after a threshold of downloads, you get $$ for each download.

Would be good if you can PM me your skype address, so we can discuss some prospects.

#44

I have a very solid idea , its just because i am working specifically in this domain from past 4 years.

but still it required some refinement.

feel free to reach me @ 0333 - 6327463

to be very frankly i don't know it will be valuable for you or not , but surely for my self, as you can refine it ( i am assuming this after reading your comprehensive reply )

#45

M.B - I am glad you found this post helpful, as it says it is beneficial for all.

I know exposure is important, without proper marketing strategy it is like "winking at girl in the dark room" :) Only you know that you are winking, target never receive the message.

Now world is getting more specialized, you leave the marketing job to marketing people and focus at what you do best.

Akhter \ M.B. -

You can ping me at Muhammad.Arif@outlook.com, we can take it from there :)

#46

Dear Mr. Arif

I am an overseas pakistani and I am myself involved in the dairy farm business (but not in Lahore). Alhamdulillah it is going very well. It is a very lucrative business if you get it right.

Some issues you will face include:

  • Establishing supply line

  • Trusted workers

There is a milk shortage in Pakistan so establishing supply chain should not be so difficult and you can get workers like I did from your own village and they usually do a good job

#47

Seems from the thread, few businesses are feasible in Pakistan.

Banquet Hall is good but not in lahore. Solar Energy Solutions. School is a great project. If one studies it's feasibility, astronomical profits after 5 years of tough time in school.

Trading in niche products for upper class is highly profitable. Anything having style and to be able to boast of brand is good profitable business. We all want to show-off and anyone cashing it this particular pshyche of our countrymen will get success.

It's not easy to establish business based on a Halal income in Pakistan.

Vaisay, all businesses aside, property is better business of all.

#48

Ali Ahmed - Dairy Farm is one of my interest and i have been trying to research on it but was never been able to get the right numbers.

-If there is a shortage, establishing supply shouldn't be a problem. I have heard companies come and take milk right from your establishment, is that correct or you have to deliver?

-for workers, you have to develop right control & monitoring in Desi or modernized way, whatever works :) and since labor is cheap, few extra hands can also be hired.

Ali, I have been really interested in learning more about dairy farm in more depth, would you be able to share your experience and investment, ROI, etc. If yes, Can i email you to get more details?

BR Malik - Thank you for your input.

Why Banquet Hall is not good idea in Lahore? can you please more detail?

I thought of solar energy solution, but what differentiation would you keep? any electrical mechanic would be doing it just like they simply fix bulbs.

You mean buying selling property or construction business?

#49

Sure Mr. Arif, please give me your email and I will pass it on to my brother in law who will give you a lot of details

Do remember that there is many risks also as with many investments:

Such as cow/buffalo dying etc

#50

Also where are you currently based brother?

#51

Ali - I am from USA. Well every business has a risk. My email address is Muhammad.Arif@outlook.com

#52

You should get an email soon with some details sir

#53

Ali Ahmed

Can you also advice me as I am also on the same boat.

e-mail: everzeeshi@hotmail.com

Regards,

Zeeshan

#54

Ali - Thank You very much, i did received an email and in very detail and very helpful. I am leaving tomorrow, but I will send the follow up questions after weekend INSHALLAH. And we take it from there :)

Though i wanted to ask, which country you are based currently?

Thanks again!

#55

I am also looking for some good business startup with handsome amount. Have gone through a lot of ideas but each and every business seems to be difficult and involves risk to some extent. I am researching on importing cars from japan, till now it seems to be profitable. A minimum of 5 percent profit per car is expected that too if you are wholeselling. If you come towards retail it can be around 10 percent. The main reason I am inclined towards it is it involves little to no risk (car is your property) and moreover you can wind it up in a matter of no time whenever you wish to. What I am now looking into is how should I market my product in a different way and how to establish a network because for such a business brand presence, visual merchandising and customers services ( where Pakistanis mostly lack) matters alot. If a person invests around 20 million pkr he should most probably earn around a million per month. I am going to visit japan in this regard after eid IA to get a proper insight of this business will be sharing my experience. Looking forward to your valuable input. Cheers!

Email: talha_arshad9@hotmail.com

#56

A million income on 20 million what a start , Brother Talha if i know the trick to that formula ,i will feel ,as if riding on the most beautiful horses on earth ,but how could that happen?

#57

20 million of present stock to be fair. I mean if you can churn out 50k per car it sums upto a million if I am right? Rest of the amount goes into importing cars, documentation and custom clearance. Please do keep factors like good network and marketing strategy in mind. That is what if have seen so far like 50k per car isnt a big deal and as I have mentioned I am looking into it these are projections extracted from market.

#58

Car business depends a lot on Govt policies and taxes. Second factor is dollar price.

Its not lesd risky business. A scratch even can decrease price of car. But experienced persons can counter it.

But again, this business depends a lot on Govt.

Luxury cars is also good business. Mercedes has good market if one has good upper class social circle.

#59

@Muhammad Arif, I am or was also an IT professional but now left everything due to some medical problems.

IT businessmen see things differently and manage businesses differently. I don't think most of the discussed options would be helpful for you. Somehow, many IT professionals feel attraction towards desi businesses. But in my view they cannot do it. Every profession people develop a personality which they cannot change after spending 10-15 years in a profession. After all, they have learnt every thing from that experience. It becomes part of the personality.

Same is with IT professionals.

It's a long discussion. Can't be summed up in forum. But frankly, you are working on wrong lines.

The biggest problem is Halal income. Engine of profit in most of the businesses is not halal. I am not labeling everyone to be earning haram. But new entrants has problems.

My advice would be, you should have an innovative idea for a startup. The idea should be so strong that it can beat the haram factors of profit of our society. For me, three factors are important for business in current environment. Innovative Idea, heavy investment and extreme hard work.

If you can have all these factors, you will be success. But you should have at least two of these factors. Extreme hard work can offset heavy investment. But for an IT related personality, idea should be innovative.

If you do not get great idea, buy and sell plots as investor. Buying good possession plots on your own name and selling them at appropriate time and price would be good. Above all, it would be Halaal income.

But explaining each and every point in detail requires a lot of time. It's a discussion. Don't ever forget, engine of profit in most businesses is not halal. Do guzara on rental income but never jump in a business where there is an iota of doubtful income. I am sure you will do the same. I am just reminding. Every business model is a failure if it cannot generate pure halal profit.

#60

@B.R Malik,

Thumbs up :-)

First thing one should focus on is Halal income. I've myself gone through many legitimate ideas, but usually the first hurdle comes from hungary corrupt govt. Institutions, where Bribe (Rishwat) is a must for startup.

If you don't want to offer bribes, then you drop a large number of ideas in your list...!!!

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