A young man who studied literature for his parents and computer to satisfy his technology drive is happy that he could set up a venture that feeds him and his team, reports Umar Mukhtar
Tajamul Khan, 24, a resident of Humhama is a technology entrepreneur since 2013. After completing his senior secondary examinations, he wanted to pursue BCA but his parents disagreed. So he joined Amar Singh College to study literature.
His passion for the technology led Khan, while being an AS College student, to join a computer institution at Srinagar that was affiliated with National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology Delhi. While graduating in literature at the college, he completed his O level in computers with grade A.
Graduate with a certified computer degree, Khan was keen to start some technology-based venture. His ideas were rejected by naysers in his friend circle. “For a moment I dropped the idea of starting my own business because my entire circle was risk-averse,” remembers Khan.
In March 2013, despite the warnings, Khan started a Tech-Company CreativWare at Karan Nagar with focus on website and software development and digital marketing. His friends knowing the designing and software development help him to start the venture. “Frankly speaking at that time, I was not having much expectation from the business I set my feet in,” he said. But to his surprise, he found the market very friendly. He began receiving an order a day, especially for website development. He found a good market for such work in the waters of the Dal Lake. Most of the houseboat owners were going digital.
For a year he concentrated on the business, expanded his market and start making a decent earning. “It was going the way, I had dreamed.”
A year later in 2014, Khan started Sahara Media, an advertising agency for print media. The initial response was dissatisfactory. “This idea was challenging. It was not like the earlier one,” Khan said. “At least in earlier one, I had my own expertise on the subject.” Initially, Khan thought this business would not take off but he brought into his skills and passion. They finally paid for him. Almost two years of hard work helped his new venture to actually be counted.
The takeoff was hit by the devastating floods. Everything was grounded including his advertising agency.
Clients denied giving payments as they were not in a position to pay off. Khan kept patience and gave his all efforts to get back on track. “I used to go on foot to my clients, sit with them and get small or some percentage of the payments back,” remembers Khan.
The floods were a one-time barrier to Khan’s business but he was worried about internet outages, almost a daily issue. “It was more frustrating for me than anything else,” he said. But the outages helped him to get better organised. This helped him manage the 2016unrest better.
Despite the success in his business, Khan is not content with this. He wants to explore more. In 2017, he added one more business to his credit. He started an education consultancy ‘Campus Counsellor.’ He deals with admissions and have contacts in Indian college’s universities and also in foreign universities. He recently set a batch of 10 MBBS students to Bangladesh.
Though more driven towards technology, Khan wants to create a niche for the young where they can deliver their potential and skills through a digital platform.
“I never dreamed of retirement. We were created to work, to grow and to build,” he said this mantra gives life to his passion inside. Khan, who drives in an SUV, is happy that the business with a good turnover has finally made him an employer too. Khan has three employees. Most of his business comes from the colleges he manages admissions for and whose advertisements he disseminates.
