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Daraz & Femprow Come Together to Increase Contribution of Women Entrepreneurs in Pakistan

by Laiba
written by Laiba

Pakistani women entrepreneurs are left far behind in the digital space. To activate their participation through a strong route, Daraz and Femprow join hands to facilitate the women entrepreneurs to establish their shops on the e-commerce platform.

Thie main aim is to introduce the digital space to them and boost their growth in terms of sales and reach with the help of Daraz and Femprow. This customized training is targeted to help these sellers improve business ethics and the importance of social media.

(Femprow also conducts many other free training sessions for women. Its main objective is to advance women’s professional growth and economic empowerment through entrepreneurship education, support, and capacity building.)

Who is this session best fit for?

The session best suits women-owned businesses from Pakistan that deal with fashion (clothes, footwear, bags, jewelry, other accessories), beauty (local and imported beauty products), lifestyle (kitchen, house, and other products), gifts, printed products, packaged food(with long expiry dates) and children’s products (fashion, educational, toys, stationery, etc.) that wish to establish their shops on Daraz but due to less knowledge regarding technical know-how, weren’t able to do so.

This session was a part of the Femprow-Daraz collaboration for the Daraz Ibdita Program. Suppose women sellers sign up for Daraz through this fantastic collab. In that case, Daraz offers you 0% commission for the first three months, many more value-adds, special shop promotions, and success story coverage.

If you are looking forward to signing up for a shop on Daraz, you will need the following:

1 – CNIC (of the business owner or immediate family in special cases)
2 – Bank Account in the same name as CNIC or Business Name (copy of cheque will be required for verification)
3 – NTN (national tax number or CNIC as taxpayer number). Please note that NTN is a requirement and can be made in 3-5 days maximum.
4 -Inventory in hand for fulfillment. (NO preorders strictly)

While the team has conducted the first session on the 25th of May, they will accommodate another session given the number of people who wish to join the free training session.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comment section below.

For more news and updates, stay tuned to Wow360.

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BusinessEntrepreneurFeaturedFood

5 Women Led Food Business in Karachi That You Must Try

by Laiba
written by Laiba

Pakistan is known for its delicious food. While restaurants, street vendors, famous eateries, and food streets are a go-to, home-based food businesses have acquired their space too. Many of these are run by talented, hard-working women who have mastered the art of cooking and running a smooth business in a place where women and their talents are greatly neglected.

We have compiled a list of five successful food startups founded by women:

1 – Kitchenette by Khans

Kitchenette by Khans is run by 2 sisters from IoBM together. Uswah Khan and Soha Khan kick-started their venture during the lockdown when restaurants survived on take away orders. The duo introduced hot flamin’ Cheeto sliders as their first item that quickly became a crowd favorite.

1) Please tell us a bit about yourselves. What was the biggest motivator for you when you started your business?

Hello, this is Uswah Khan and Soha Khan. We are sisters in relation and have recently started a home-based food business. It’s known as Kitchenette by khan’s, and it comprises fast food and Italian cuisine. Our main prospect, the biggest motivation to start with this business, was to execute our passion in trying out new recipes and the love for cooking. We took a start during the mid of the pandemic, and it’s been 6 months to it now Alhumdulilah. Lockdown definitely boosted our confidence to implement it and to bring something out of it. We both have always been a foodie; hence, we love to eat and cook. After tons of experiments, we created our own recipes and gave a start to our business. It wouldn’t be possible without the love and support of our family members who were always there to help us in every possible way.

2) What are your best selling items?

Our best selling items are HOT FLAMIN’ CHEETOS SLIDERS and HOT FLAMIN’ CHEETOS BURGERS.

3) How much time do you need to spend personally involved in the running of the business?

We have our timings fixed in which the deliveries are made between 3 pm-10 pm while the pickup is available even after that, but the amount of time spent personally depends upon the number of orders per day. We generally have to work for about 5-6 hours per day, but it keeps fluctuating.

4) Top dishes you have on your menu?

• Hot Flamin’ Cheetos Sliders
• Hot Flamin’ Cheetos Burgers
• Cheesy Chicken Lasagne
• Chicken Khao Suey
• Nutella Fudge Brownies

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5) What do you envision about your brand, and where do you see it growing?

Initially, when we started the business, we had mentally prepared ourselves and had no high expectations, but apparently the response we received since day one was astounding! Hence, we aim to never compromise on our quality as well as the quantity of the food. Customer service is one thing that has been our priority since day one, which has got us so many loyal customers today. We have a long way to come ahead and bring out many innovations and strategies to expand our business further.

2- Yummymummyandme

Yummymummyandme is run by a mother-daughter duo, as the name suggests. CityFM89’s Sundus Rasheed randomly asked her mother if she could sell some lunch to Sundus and her co-workers, and this is where it all began.

1) Please tell us a bit about yourselves. What was the biggest motivator for you when you started your business?

Most of my career has been in broadcast media. I’ve been Head of Programming and Business Development at CityFM89 and an RJ. Currently, I am a communications consultant and a teacher/lecturer. We started close to 10 years ago because where I worked in Karachi had no decent lunch delivery options, really. So, I asked my mother if she would sell us some lunch. And here we are. But the motivation to keep going and innovating comes from this desire to create food experiences for people. As a family, we love feeding and entertaining people, and that carried forward into the business. The kind of food we offer is really very different. My mother, who is the force behind YummyMummyAndMe is Iraqi. As a family, we have been exposed to many different food cultures, including Middle Eastern and South-East Asia (I spent 5 years living in Malaysia). So it really comes from wanting to share the food we love with people.

2) What are your best selling items?

Our best selling products range from Chicken Khao Suey, Zaatir Chicken, and our famous Mutton Biryani.

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3) How much time do you need to spend personally involved in the running of the business?

I personally spend close to 3 to 4 hours daily on YummyMummyAndMe on a regular. That’s for meal prep, cooking and marketing. When we have larger orders, the day starts at Fajr and ends when we get feedback from the customer.

4) Top dishes you have on your menu?

I think they are: Nasi Goreng, Zaatir Chicken, Chicken Khao Suey, Prawn Masala, and the Middle Eastern Platter

5) What do you envision about your brand, and where do you see it growing?

I see YummyMummyAndMe extending to a small, cozy, inclusive space that serves comfort food. With free water and dessert for everyone.

3- Eat & Treat

Eat & Treat is run by Humaira Khalique, who is currently working in the Airline Industry. Humaira and her daughter have their hands full in the kitchen. The duo entertains dinner orders only.

1) Please tell us a bit about yourself. What was the biggest motivator for you when you started your business?

I am a professional woman working in the Airline industry. Cooking has been my passion as I am also a food lover myself and my husband & kid’s compliments motivated me to take this passion further, and I started my Facebook page ‘Eat & Treat”.

I believe that when you cook food with love – it becomes far more flavorful & delicious.

Initially, it was just a hobby as I would make new dishes and post pics on my page, but slowly and gradually, it’s become my profession, and I thoroughly enjoy it.

2)  What are your best selling products?

Signature Marble Cake and Dam Ka Qeema

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3) How much time do you need to spend personally involved in the running of the business?

100% …..it’s just me & my daughter. Being a working woman, I try taking orders for the weekend, but I also take dinners.  Lunch orders are not possible due to work.

4) Top 5 dishes you have on your menu?

1. Signature Mutton Karahi
2. Dam Ka Qeema
3. Signature Marble Cake.
4. Seasonal Gajer ka Halwa
5. Channay ki Daal ka Halwa etc. etc.

5) What do you envision about your brand, and where do you see it growing?

Like I said I am cooking because I enjoy it and I’ll take it as it comes.

4 – TheSecondServing

The woman behind The Second Serving is Zohra Taha Zindani, a talented baker, graduate of Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture. Initially, Zohra ran the social media for her business and the kitchen, which meant she put countless hours into work each day. Now, she has hired a social media manager and works in the kitchen for designated hours.

1) Please tell us a bit about yourself. What was the biggest motivator for you when you started your business?

I’m a graduate with a degree in Communication Design from Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture and married.
I used to bake from a very young age and had a very amateur page that I removed a few years ago. However, the passion was very much alive, a year into university, I was studying design, so I thought why not design my own logo and menu and restart my page, so I named my venture “The SecondServing” – which for me defines, that’s one is just not enough, you’ll always come back for a second. University got really hard, and I took a break, graduated, got married. 2 months into my marriage, my husband suggested I did something for Valentine’s Day. And that’s when I started at a full pace.

2) What are your best selling products?

My best selling products are the Lotuslicious cheesecake, Smash the heart bombs, The chocolate smashing spheres, and my custom made buttercream cakes.

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3) How much time do you need to spend personally involved in the running of the business?

I spend a great amount of time running this business. Initial 8 months of restarting I would handle social media and be in the kitchen from 8-5 almost every day, sometimes during heavy days I’d be up at 4 am baking.
However, now I’m in the kitchen from 9-5 and have hired a social media manager to handle my social media

4) Top 5 dishes you have on your menu?

The Lotuslicious cheesecake
Lindt dark chocolate tart
Smashing hearts
Smashing chocolate spheres
Hot chocolate bombs

5) What do you envision about your brand, and where do you see it growing?

I want to grow the brand big, and I have put my heart and soul into this venture, cried on bad days and been really thankful for the good days. I definitely see it growing into an outlet Inshallah shortly with the help of all my client’s support and their love.

5 – Cheesy Affair

Anusha Sachwani is the co-founder of a home-based food startup called Cheesy Affair. The startup began as an experiment during lockdown amid the pandemic. Estimating by the progress, the cousins together decided to run the start-up full-time. You can also place orders with them through Foodpanda.

1) Please tell us a bit about yourself. What was the biggest motivator for you when you started your business?

I’ve always wanted to have my own business since I was young. I guess I wanted to be my own boss and show what I am capable of. Cheesy Affair started as an experiment in July when my cousin and I talked about how tough the current circumstances have become due to the pandemic. And then we just decided out of the blue that there will be no better time than now to start our own business, and here we are

2) What are your best selling products?

Our Mac & Cheese is our top seller, followed by our chicken lasagna and Alfredo Pasta.

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3) How much time do you need to spend personally involved in the running of the business?

A business is like a baby; it needs your undivided attention 100%. As the owner, it is essential to be personally involved in the whole process from marketing to making the menu to dispatching the customer’s order.

4) What do you envision about your brand, and where do you see it growing?

5. We want to take this business a notch further, we want to be an established brand one day, which is well recognized in Karachi. It would be a truly amazing feeling if people knew us as the team behind Cheesy Affair. About 5 years down the line, I would love to love to see at least 2 branches of the brand opened with customers coming in hungry and leaving 101% satisfied.

Home-chefs are not pros like restaurants, but we are hard-working, dedicated people who strive to give our customers the same experience. We want to ask the customers to understand this because every opinion matters to us and every day we are trying to improve, we want your help to do so, so instead of bringing home-chefs down by slamming them, help them by giving them proper feedback and a chance to provide you better service the next time around.

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ecommerce seo
BusinessEntrepreneur

Pakistan Moves Closer to Train One Million Youth with 100+ eCommerce and Digital Skills

by Laiba
written by Laiba

Enabling People to bring at least an additional $1 billion each year into the Pakistani economy through E-Commerce skills by 2025

Pakistan has a large labor force that stands among the top 10 largest labor forces in the world, and it’s growing day by day. Creating adequate employment opportunities for them is a huge challenge. On the other hand, employers frequently keep saying that they are unable to find workers with the appropriate skills necessary for their businesses. This obviously shows that there is a mismatch between the demand and supply of skills.

The International Labor Organization (ILO) has shown that skills development can play a major role in the alleviation of poverty when carefully planned and implemented in the context of the available and emerging employment and income-generation opportunities. This multiplies many folds when the skills are acquired in the digital spheres. It not only widens the work opportunities but also opens up avenues for entrepreneurial ventures as well.

Mishal/WEF Partners with Extreme Commerce for the Future of Jobs on E-commerce and Digital Trade Skills

Extreme Commerce, Pakistan’s largest and renowned E-Commerce capacity-building platform has excelled in its mission of making Pakistan a hub of entrepreneurial opportunities. Under the guidance of Sunny Ali, thousands of aspiring individuals from Pakistan have successfully initiated global eCommerce businesses.

Extreme Commerce, Pakistan’s largest e-commerce skill development and entrepreneurial platform have achieved yet another milestone with the expansion of 100+ skills training courses through the ‘Video Boot Camp (VBC)’. The Video Boot Camp includes virtual sessions and videos encompassing around 100 essential e-commerce and digital skills required to excel in the spheres of online businesses.

The Video Boot Camp training program is specifically tailored to facilitate budding entrepreneurs and businessmen and freelancers. According to Ali, “E-commerce has skyrocketed after the pandemic and is estimated to grow to a whopping $4.3 trillion within this year”. He further adds, “There is a huge potential for growth in eCommerce both domestic and international, and that is why we at Extreme Commerce have pledged to enable people to bring at least an additional $1 billion each year into the Pakistani economy through ECommerce skills by 2025”.

The Video Boot Camp includes over 100 plus income-generating E-Commerce skills (income streams) which an entrepreneur needs to skyrocket their businesses. Some skills offered through the VBC include: Selling through Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) model, Virtual Assistant and FBA Freelancing, online store management of international and local E-Commerce marketplaces, bookkeeping account management services, digital and social media marketing, content writing, and graphic designing, 3D designing & modeling, data science and analytics, and more.

This initiative of Extreme Commerce will be immensely fruitful in helping their trainees become leading entrepreneurs of the country. Ali, contented with his vision states, “At Extreme Commerce, we offer a multitude of digital skills that are categorized into 100+ courses/income streams under the umbrella of Video Boot Camp (VBC 2021). These skills are pivotal to reducing unemployment and enhancing the capital of our country”. Sharing his focus and goals, he adds, “Skills that actually help you succeed as an online freelancer and even in the real-life environment plus increase your income thereby, are our prime focus right now”.

Earlier, Extreme Commerce and Mishal Pakistan, the Country Partner Institute of the World Economic Forum had signed a partnership to mainstream e-commerce in Pakistan, this includes capacity building initiatives for the media and industry players, including training, seminars, and workshops. The government of Pakistan has estimated digital skills global industry, often referred to as online outsourcing, is expected to generate gross service revenue between $15 billion and $25 billion in 2021.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comment section below.

For more news and updates, watch this space.

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Nosheen
EntrepreneurFoodLifestyle

Untold Recipes by Nosheen Features Traditional Authentic Pakistani Food Recipes: Interview

by Laiba
written by Laiba

Nosheen Babar has been living overseas in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, a small coastal town along the Gulf Coast Of Mexico, for over 17 years. Always passionate about cooking, she got more involved once the pandemic started. As we all saw, the lockdown resulted in people spending more time at home – some took up cooking as a hobby whilst others experimented with their culinary skills.

When you live overseas, many of us miss our wonderful Pakistani cuisine. As Nosheen tells us

I would have a hard time finding an authentic recipe from Pakistan and often thought of starting a blog.

Women have been performing spectacularly in the startup space, and we are so inspired. Interested to find out more,  we asked Nosheen to share with us her journey towards establishing her own blog called Untold Recipes by Nosheen, where she is a recipe developer, recipe writer, and food photographer. Let’s have a look at what she has to share with us!

1 ) Please tell us a bit about yourself. What was the biggest motivator for you when you started your food blog?

I’ve always enjoyed cooking and trying new recipes, be it for Pakistani food, desserts, or other types of cuisines. I’d often find a recipe I liked but ended up tweaking it to my taste buds, the ingredients, or the technique, hence the self-learned “recipe development” skills.

Often in looking for recipes, I found that the blogging market is saturated with bloggers of Indian origin, but there are much fewer Pakistani bloggers in the business. I would have a hard time finding an authentic recipe from Pakistan and often thought of starting a blog.

I’ve often been asked to share my recipes and, on occasion, have seen interest from people in the community where I live for cooking lessons. When the pandemic started, I was cooking more myself, as was everyone else. I found myself joining online recipe sharing groups and saw a surge in interest for cooking and recipes in general and a good response to what I shared. I had thought of starting a blog in the past as something I wanted to do, and the timing was just right, and here I am.

2) What do you enjoy most about running your company?

I’m doing something I love, which is not something many people can say about their career choice. When you’re genuinely passionate about something, it really doesn’t seem like work.

That being said, I’m learning tons of new skills and finding talents I didn’t know I had. I do all my own photography, research, content writing and develop and manage my own website. It’s a wonderful feeling of accomplishment to start a career at my age, learn all these new skills, and navigate today’s highly technical environment.

It’s also enriching to have people contact you and say they love your recipes and website and share their pictures of what they’ve cooked from the blog. I get to constantly engage with my followers in this manner and love getting to know them.

3) What are your most popular recipes?

Being a very new blog, I’m still in the process of collecting data to see which recipes people are most responsive to. Though, I will definitely say that most of my vegetarian recipes have proven to be the most popular so far. I think that’s partly due to globally healthier eating habits and current research pointing towards more vegetables as a part of our diet. Also, most are easier to cook than the meat recipes such as Nihari or Haleem that are up on the blog.

4) How much time do you need to spend personally involved in the running of the business?

At this point, I’m spending close to 6-8 hours a day, almost 7 days a week. I hope to cut back some in the future in a year or two in the future once I establish myself, but as a new business, I feel this is a good start.

5) What was the best advice you received when you decided to start your venture?

I think the best advice came from a fellow food blogger, and she told me to keep doing what I love and not give up even on my toughest days. Food blogs are perhaps the most competitive niche in the blogging world; capturing a market share is a slow process. Perseverance and hard work are needed most, and it’s more of a marathon than a sprint.

6) How has the pandemic affected your business? What changes have you made to adapt?

The pandemic has actually been the key factor in my starting the business, and for what I do, this a perfect time to be in business. Everyone is home more, cooking more, eating out less, and providing people with a steady stream of new recipes is just what they need to take their mind off things.

7) What do you envision about your brand, and where do you see it growing?

For now, I’m focusing on increasing my followers, getting more traffic on my site, and ranking higher in Google searches. I hope to monetize my website by the end of this year and then build from there. To achieve this, for now, I’m focusing mostly on providing excellent content and making my website more user friendly.

Once I’ve achieved all of this, I look forward to adding more videos and my recipes, maybe doing live segments on my social media, and working on my YouTube channel.

Some other goals further along the line would be to offer online cooking classes, publish a cookbook, and perhaps launch my own products.

8) How do you balance your work and personal time or family time?

The work/family balance is tricky at this point as I need to invest a lot of time in a new business. Coupled with the fact that my children have been home more due to the pandemic, it can be tough at times, but my family has been very supportive of my endeavor on the whole, and I’m learning how to find the right balance as I go along.

Dinner time is something we all make sure we’re together for, and on the weekend, I work around our various family and social commitments. I do a lot of my research, writing, and website development tasks at night so that I’m able to manage my household chores and family commitments during the day.

9) What advice would you offer to entrepreneurs who want to enter the industry?

Food blogging, in particular, is a very competitive field, as I’ve mentioned before, so if you want to start your own blog, I would suggest that first of all, you spend some time making sure you have good quality and original content. Figure out your niche and focus on being the best in that area. The best way to do that is to know and understand your competition honestly.

Also, understand that it takes more than just cooking well to be successful. The website you create, how food photography works, managing your social media, and understanding how Google works are just a few of the areas you need to understand before starting your blog.

Establish a budget for yourself and set goals for milestones to achieve to help you stay focused on your real objectives

Nosheen’s delightful recipes will be shared on Wow 360 every week.  Let us know if you have any requests for Nosheen in the comment box below.

Subscribe to Nosheen’s YouTube Channel For Delicious Recipes:

About Nosheen: She graduated from Southeastern University and completed her high school at Karachi Grammar School. She later worked at Bank of America and ANZ Grindlays Bank. She has also served voluntarily for several boards, including Treasurer of an Elementary School Board, Second Vice President of an Elementary School Board, Treasurer of a Middle School Board, and On the board of a Non-Profit (O.S.E.F-Ocean Springs Education Foundation.

For exciting recipes, stay tuned to Wow 360.

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CultureEntrepreneurSuccess Stories

Top 10 World Richest Women Are All Billionaires

by Laiba
written by Laiba

According to howmuch.net, 2,095 individuals have made it to the world’s billionaires list! While there are more men on the list, women have also been seen climbing the list rapidly. On the first spot is Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, owner of L’Oreal with 65.9 billion dollars, on the second spot is Alice Walton with 61 billion dollars who owns 50% shares of Wal-Mart with her brothers, and on the third spot is Mackenzie Bezos with 59.6 dollars with 75% Amazon shares co-owned by the former husband.

We have listed down the top 10 richest billionaire women in the world:

1. Francoise Bettencourt Meyers & Family: $65.9 billion

170929 francoise bettencourt meyers

Francoise is the world’s richest woman from Europe according to data collected in 2020 with 65.9 billion dollars. She is a French billionaire heiress whose family owns the company L’Oréal Paris. She is an author of Bible explanations and works on Jewish-Christian associations.

2. Alice Walton: $61 billion

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Alice is the second richest woman in the world from North America with $61 billion. She owns 50 % of the shares of Wal-Mart with her brothers.

3. Mackenzie Bezos: $59.6 billion

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MacKenzie Bezos, the former wife of the world’s richest man, Jeff Bezos, makes it to the third spot on the list. She co-owned 75% of the Amazon shares with her former husband. After divorce, MacKenzie took her share and entered the list of billionaires.

4. Julia Koch & Family: $55.8 billion

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Julia Koch’s husband was the 7th richest man in the United States. After his death last year, Julia inherited her late husband’s 42% stake in Koch Industries. The annual revenue of Koch Industries is about $110 billion.

5. Jacqueline Mars: $41.3 billion

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Jacqueline Mars is an American heiress and investor. She comes from a family who are founders of the American candy company Mars.

6. Laurene Powell Jobs & Family: $31.6 billion

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Laurene Powell Jobs is the widow and heir of Steve Jobs, co-founder and former CEO of Apple Inc. Other than that, she is a businesswoman, executive, and the founder of Emerson Collective.

7. Yang Huiyan & Family: $27.7 billion

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Yang Huiyan is a Cypriot-Chinese billionaire businesswoman and property developer, the richest woman in Asia. Most of her fortune comes from the majority share of Country Garden Holdings transferred to her by her father, Yang Guoqiang, in 2007.

8. Gina Rinehart: $20.3 billion

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Gina Rinehart is an Australian businesswomen. She is the chairperson of Hancock Prospecting, a privately-owned mineral exploration and extraction company founded by her father, Lang Hancock.

9. Susanne Klatten: $20.2 billion

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Susanne Klatten is the richest woman in Germany.  Most of her fortune comes from Atlanta as she inherited her father’s 50.1% stake.

10. Zhong Huijuan: $20.1 billion

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Sun Piaoyang is a Chinese pharmaceutical executive and billionaire, the chairman of Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comment section below.

For more exciting and inspirational stories, stay tuned!

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Shiza Shahid
EntrepreneurTrailblazer

Pakistani Entrepreneur, Shiza Shahid Makes it to Inc. Female Founders 100 Lists

by Laiba
written by Laiba

Pakistani entrepreneur, Shiza Shahid is featured on Female Founders 100 list for her cookware business called Our Place.  Initially, Shahid co-founded ‘The Malala Fund” and then became the CEO of the non-profit organization that promoted education for girls.

Earlier, she has worked as an analyst in Dubai for McKinsey & Company’s Office and also co-founded NOW Ventures – focuses on funding startups. Her newest venture, Our Place, is the first profit-making organization for Shahid but she has been doing a phenomenal job at it.

Shahid shared the news of her being featured on the Female Founders 100 list through her Instagram captioned: Grateful to be in good company 🙏🏼 @incmagazine 📸: @choutoo

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Shiza Shahid (@shiza)

Our Place

Our Place is a cookware business based in Los Angeles that designs cookware and produces products sustainably. In 2020, it generated $20 million while being handled by 12 people in total. Considering the business took off back in September 2019, the profits look great.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Our Place (@ourplace)

OurPlace has more than 181,000 Instagram followers who are increasing by the minute.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Our Place (@ourplace)

OurPlace has become one of the highest-grossing businesses in the United States. 

Recently, the sales have increased up to 50 per cent despite the pandemic.

The pandemic has urged people to enjoy cooking again. In fact, some might comment that it is the only therapeutic activity during the lockdown.

Shiza’s Notable Achievements

Shahid, during her teenage, worked as a volunteer. It was her who organized a summer camp for Malala Yousafzai and her classmates before she was shot. After completing her Bachelors of Arts, Shahid went on to co-found and later head the Malala fund, a non-profit organization. She is also well-recognised as the coach of Nobel Peace Prize winner, Malala Yousafzai.

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In 2013, Shahid was featured in Time‘s “30 Under 30” list of world change-makers.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Shiza Shahid (@shiza)

In 2014, she was listed in Forbes‘s “30 Under 30” list of global social entrepreneurs.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Shiza Shahid (@shiza)

At the age of 18, Shiza was offered a scholarship which assisted her to study Bachelors of Arts at Stanford University.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comment section below.

For more inspirational stories, stay tuned to Wow 360.

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GEW
BusinessEntrepreneur

Global Entrepreneurship Week 2020: What’s in for the Pakistani Women Entrepreneurs?

by Laiba
written by Laiba

Global Entrepreneurship Week is full of exciting events, activities, and competitions that are put together to inspire entrepreneurs in at least 180 countries every November (16th – 22nd) to explore their potential. The platform also allows the participants to network within their ecosystem and collaborate with other like-minded, passionate entrepreneurs.

What is the Global Entrepreneurship Network?

What does the Symbol of Global Entrepreneurship Network Represent? 

The circular band represents information, people, places, cultures, and the intersection of ideas. Other than that, it symbolizes global outreach while also highlighting variety, a sense of diversity, and optimism. The network considers it as a navigator that guides and directs the ambitious.

What’s in for Pakistani Women Entrepreneurs this time around? 

The U.S. Embassy in Pakistan is hosting a virtual event during the Global Entrepreneurship Week for Women Entrepreneurs on November 20th.  During the event, WEConnect International will be launching its Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) Certification in Pakistan. The event will also highlight growth-oriented women-owned businesses and leaders in the business community.

Women’s Business Enterprise Certification by WEConnect International

Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) Certification will be available to women-owned businesses in Pakistan. These businesses, however, must be enthusiastic about scaling and expanding in global supply chains. Vital Voices Glocal Partnership has powered the launch of the certificate in Pakistan.

What does the Certificate offer to Women-Owned Businesses? 

Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) Certification will only be provided to businesses controlled, managed, and 51% owned by one or more women to extend formal approval. The certification holds a great deal of importance as more than 100 member buyers recognize it.

Additionally, the businesses with the certification will grow their companies as 500 fortune organizations have committed to the network to only source products and services from women-owned businesses internationally.

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), connecting 8 percent of majority-owned businesses by women to supply chains will result in women’s jobs that can fill the gender gap in terms of economic involvement. This will then increase the national GDP by 30% in total.

Webinar by The World Bank Group 

Other than that, a webinar is all set to take place on the 17th of November that will be hosted by The World Bank Group’s Corporate Procurement to teach women how business can be conducted in South Asia and what efforts have the Women’s Business Enterprise (WBG) is leading to introduce supply chain to women-owned businesses.

Coffee table sessions are also expected to take place during the week, like in previous years. Have something to add? Let us know in the comment section below.

For more news and updates, stay tuned to Wow 360.

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EntrepreneurFeaturedSuccess StoriesTrailblazer

Fiza Farhan: Creating Impact Through Social Entrepreneurship & Women Empowerment

by Laiba
written by Laiba

Fiza Farhan is a global strategic development advisor, based in Lahore. She co-founded and leads the Buksh Foundation which focuses on social growth. Fiza’s work at Buksh Foundation is her most outstanding work in Pakistan up to date.

Educational Background

A graduate from the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) and Warwick Business School, UK, Fiza Farhan’s endeavours for the underprivileged have been acknowledged worldwide. 

 

She evolved her professional journey in 2016 to broaden her horizon. She now works on national and international platforms in sectors that align with her expertise, which impacts multiple sustainable development goals as an independent adviser /consultant. 

As a global strategic development advisor, Fiza is advising United Nations Development Programme UNDP, a global development network, towards the revamping of SDG’s in the World Bank & Private Sector as a Country Gender Specialist.

She is also actively advising the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) as a Senior Gender and Women Specialist. 

In 2016, Fiza was featured in Forbes Asia List of 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneurs.

In 2015, Fiza was featured in the US Magazine Forbes 30 Under 30 List of Social Entrepreneurs. 

She also marked another benchmark by being appointed by the World Energy Council to become a Future Energy Leader (2nd in Pakistan). While she has achieved many accolades throughout her professional career, she has actively taken steps to empower women in Pakistan. She was advising the Government of Punjab, as Chairperson to Chief Minister Punjab’s Task Force on Women Empowerment. 

She continues to portray Pakistan on multiple worldwide forums, including the UN Foundation, ADB Energy for ALL, and the Clinton Global Initiative. Other than that, Fiza represents Pakistan on the United Nations Secretary General’s first-ever High-Level Panel at Women Economic Empowerment.

Since 2009, Buksh Foundation, a microfinance institution co-founded and led by Fiza, has successfully brought solar-powered lights to Pakistan’s underprivileged and rural areas. A total of 6750 households were lightened up in these areas because of the efforts made by Fiza.

Fiza plans to expand her professional career further while collaborating with private and public sectors to continue her passion. Have something to add? Let us know in the comment section below. 

For more inspiring stories, stay tuned in! 

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5 Successful Food Start-ups by Female Entrepreneurs in Pakistan

by Hareem Zafar
written by Hareem Zafar

Women have been performing spectacularly in the startup space and we are so inspired. This space is not merely a boy’s arena anymore as it has been conquered by beautiful, talented forces of women who are ready to unleash their talent onto the world and leave a mark.

It isn’t just about cooking in the house kitchen, it is about transitioning that rare talent into a successful business! While the Pakistani society still feeds on gender stereotypes and inequalities, women in the entrepreneurial space find it hard to ward off everyday challenges that are thrown at them, just because they aren’t men. Be it any kind of start-up, the struggle to battle stereotypes is real because not many can achieve what these women have.

Luckily, these women have made it to where they are today because of undying support from families and their unparalleled talent.

Here we have  compiled a list of five successful food start-ups founded by super talented female entrepreneurs who are responsible for bringing a shift in the online food industry and paving ways for the rest to follow. 

1. Coco Loco- Founded by Hira Ansari

A professional baker, residing in Karachi, Pakistan, Hira Ansari kickstarted CocoLoco six months back, knowing little about the journey and where it would take her.

A talented baker and a sweet soul, Hira charms her customers with her impeccable baking skills,  (trust me, her brownies and cookies are chocolate covered chunks from heaven) and excellent customer service- someone who goes out of her way to please a customer.

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You loved our cookies and went crazy over the brownies. Imagine a box full of all that and much more :O⁣ ⁣ This Eid Ul Adha, we have poured all the chocolate goodness in one box for you, we call it ⁣ ⁣ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐓 𝐁𝐎𝐗⁣ ⁣ It contains: ⁣ – 2 Oreo Brownies⁣ – 2 Nutella Brownies⁣ – 6 Chocolate Chunk Cookies⁣ – 1 large Hershey's Cookies⁣ – 1 Salted Caramel Brownie trifle⁣ ⁣ Customize your order with a personalized note of your choice⁣ ⁣ Order for yourselves or gift this it to your loved ones and make their Eid chocolicious! ⁣ ⁣ Taking orders now. Dm or WhatsApp (+92 343 1220796) to place orders⁣ ⁣ Available for pickup and delivery⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #Eid #eidmubarak ##eiddesserts #food #foodporn #foodphotography #foodstagram #foodie #cocoloco #foodiesofinstagram #foodblog #foodphotography #swot #foodblogfeed #huffposttaste #foodgasm #foodography #karachi #pakistan #dawndotcom #creativefood #vscofood #hautecuisines #foodphotographypk #vscopk #food52 #foodforthought #foodpornshare #imbibegram #foodieofpakistan⁣

A post shared by Hira Ansari (@cocoloco_ha) on

 

Here is what sweetheart baker Hira has to say about her business, while talking exclusively to WOW 360, Hira poured her heart out, revealing how passionate she is about her baking; this is not just about business for her, it’s A LOT more.

I’m Hira Ansari and CocoLoco is my baby. It all began from helping my mom in the kitchen while stirring a cake batter to adorn a cake all myself. I practiced baking cakes, cookies, and food for my family and friends, and their appreciation fueled my interest in art.

My family’s support was the most crucial element in me being where I am today. I joined several cooking classes and experimented at home, where my dad and mom were the headmaster chef. Upon their direction and constant appreciation, I stand here.

Visiting bakeries always used to fancy me where I wrap myself in the aroma with piped out sparkly shiny eyes hoping that one day I’ll have something like this of my own.

Completing my BBA degree and pursuing teaching as my career, I decided to let this passion fade away with time. I was scared to start it; thousand of questions arose in my mind every day, and on top was, ‘what if I fail?’ This thought haunted me for ages, and one day I had to put my foot down ( thanks or no thanks to corona that I got an ample amount of time). Luckily I was surrounded by people who have always been a source of motivation and inspiration. I still remember my first order, how my entire family and fiancé (consider him family) were all covered in exuberant energy.

The first and the only rule of my business is to treat customers like family and put in the best possible ingredients (and lots of love) to whatever I bake. The kitchen has always been a learning ground for me. I learned how to be responsible and disciplined, but the most important lesson was how just a small box of sweet could put a beautiful smile on someone’s face.

Her passion for her work speaks volumes, and we know she’ll make it big one day!

2. Burmese Bowls & PJ’s Jars- Co-Founded by Javeria Nakhuda & Rahma Nizami

These two super-talented IBA graduates decided to put their exceptional cooking skills to use and start their own hustle that soon turned into a very successful online business. Taking on the world, one delicious Khowswey bowl at a time, these young ladies are a source of inspiration for so many talented women out there.

Javeria Nakhuda, co-founder of Burmese Bowls & PJ Jars

Burmese Bowls

While talking exclusively to WOW 360, co-founder Javeria had some amazing things to share about her journey with us!

I, from a very young age, was appreciated of my cooking skills and people have enjoyed the food I served them. So when CokeFest 2.0 was happening in 2019, I decided to have a stall of Burmese Khowsweys under the name of Burmese Bowls. It was very well received. We also participated in KarachiEat 2020, with our famous KhowSaMosa Shot, which became very popular. We also cater to orders on a weekly basis.

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#Repost @girlgottaeat_ with @make_repost ・・・ Karachi Eat – Day 1 💃🏼 . a quick summary of everything i tried today! ✌🏻 – Singaporean Rice by @saniyaskitchen. Before you judge me, let me explain. No other stall was open by even 4:30 so this ended up being our first pick. 🙈 Not bad though, but nothing extraordinary either. We just opted for it because i have already tried the khousuey numerous times. – Khao-samosa Shots by @burmesebowlskhi – Okay this was interesting and definitely qualifies as ‘festival food’. It was bite sized and promised a burst of flavour in a “shot”. The samosa itself was very tangy and spicy and when gulped with the coconut curry sauce, i think it was a good appetiser. A shot was Rs 70. – Haryali Prawns by @portsidefood. My friends said these were grilled to perfection but wished they could have added more sauce. A serving was Rs 350. – Chili Cheese Dogs and Shackster by @thecheesyboyspk turned out to be my favourite find from Day 1. The buns were so soft, the sauce-meat ratio perfect. Recommended. – Sour Cream and Onion Patties from @hobnob.official. The taste is garlic-y and if you always get the Sour Cream & Onion flavour in chips then you will enjoy this for sure. Rs 120. – Glazed Donuts from @odonutpk. I actually tried two flavours: Glazed and Nutella but thought the glazed ones were so much more fluffier and fresh. – Alpha Nuggets with Poutine from @thenuggettown. This is also one of the busier stalls at KhiEat. Definitely a combination I enjoyed. You can also get their nuggets with mac n cheese just be prepared to wait a bit. – Dirty Korean from @drty.dogs was a great try too. 🌭One can never have too many hot dog options but I like how people are thinking about using better ingredients than what is commercially available at the moment, esp with bread and sausages. – Buttermilk Bao Bun from @pantrykhi. Pantry actually has a very interesting menu. I tried their Buttermilk Bao Bun, Grilled Cheese and Lamb Pockets. If you are a meat lover then opt for the Lamb Pockets first. . Sidenote: Going to a festival can be stressful and windy af so go with friends and layers. 🤷🏻‍♀️

A post shared by Burmese Bowls (@burmesebowlskhi) on

We have seen during the years that traditional recipes were becoming unpopular and decided to introduce Achaars and Chutneys, under the name of PJ’s Jars, with our grand mother’s recipes. We are trying to stay true to the methods of making these relishes. We are stocked at some of the finest supermarkets in Karachi; Springs, Ebco, Tee Em, Neco’s, Evergreen, Milestones and Fresh Basket.

PJ’s Jars

Homemade relishes at your doorstep!

Our fan favourite are Kashmiri Laal Mirch and Lehsan Chutney, And Gajar Achaar. We aim to make Chutneys and Achaars gourmet, and have introduced Eid Packs, Father’s Day/Mother Day Packs, to make chutneys and achaars cool again. We have done a couple of Collaborations in the past, and have luckily collaborated with amazing women entrepreneurs such as Varah of Firefly and Sabeen of Olive19.

3. Oven Fusion- Founded by Bismah Amin

Over fusion started with a menu offering a range of 6 brownies, they are now offering a range of 10 brownies, a variety of cookies and customised cakes.

It was in 2016 when I started my bachelors at IBA and got ever so busy with the university life. Baking has always been my passion, trying new recipes and taking it for my friends to try out was a routine. On a lucky day, my mom suggested the idea to have an online platform to sell these baked items. I was thrilled by the idea, however it seemed impossible considering the amount of time and effort it needed.

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Eid giveaways orders 💕

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Exactly 1 year later, my mom took up the challenge and dedicated herself to run a small home based bakery through online platforms. It has been nearly 3 years to this amazing journey. The stage where we are now is solely because of my mom’s resilience and strength throughout.

I took charge of the social media platforms, while she manages all operations from baking, deliveries to new product developments. There have been hundreds of challenges that we never saw coming our way, but it only helped us grow better.

4.  The Single Plate- Founded by Amna Junaid

A marketeer by profession and a baker by passion, Amna Junaid took the leap of faith and started her own small business after a lot of backing and convincing from friends and family.  If you’re looking to satisfy your lotus cake cravings, The Single Plate, is your go-to place!

Here is what Amna had to say about her business and how she started:

My motivation has been my love and passion for food. Moreover, few of my really close friend have been my biggest support and motivation behind starting my food blog and then eventually taking orders. Food industry is probably that most booming industry and honestly people won’t stop eating.. lol. I am a big foodie myself & i love to try new things..probably the biggest reason i got into this. Currently i only have lotus cheesecake on my menu but we are adding a couple of new things really soon!

5. Yum by Amna- Founded by Amna Tauqeer

Run by a super talented baker named Amna Tauqeer, Yum by Amna started out as an online business that grew into her opening three bakeries,  the third one in Karachi.

From beautifully customised cakes and desserts to decor and giveaways, YUM specialises in birthdays, baby showers, bridal shower and graduation parties’ dessert spreads and customised cakes.

Read more:

10 Best Places to Buy Cakes in Karachi for Every Occasion!

We wish these fantastic women all the best for their businesses and hope they inspire and encourage more females to step up and venture into businesses of their own. Sky’s the limit!

Stay tuned for more interesting articles and updates.

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BusinessEntrepreneurStartupsTechnology

10 Simple Ways To Create A Famous Youtube Channel

by Anum Zafar
written by Anum Zafar

Creating a channel for your business or for yourself is a great tool for marketing while keeping in mind that YouTube has a billion distinctive viewers every month.  Nevertheless, if you haven’t increased your followers in a while or have an engaging audience. You should think of coming up with strategies to seek your audience’s attention by making your content like-able.

Here are 10 easy tactics to come up with a unique Youtube channel.

First and foremost, to come up with your Youtube channel you need to create your Youtube account first. Once you’re done, you’d have to set up your channel.  Click on your avatar in the upper right corner of the screen after logging into Youtube. Then you’re supposed to click the drop down menu and select settings.

1. Come Up With A Theme For Your Brand

Online Brown Fashionable Girl Photo Youtube Channel Art Template Youtube Channel Art Template | Fotor Design Maker

While deciding a theme for your channel, you should make sure your videos associate with it.  The content and the theme, both the things should complement each other equally. Due to the wide influx of videos uploaded on Youtube everyday, your videos should stand out and be unique from the rest. Brainstorm and search for some different videos with new and improvised motion and shooting techniques rather than the mainstream content people are tired of seeing on Youtube. Not only the theme, but your channel’s name and logo should also be chosen according to the content you’d put up for your viewers.

2.  Share Professional Knowledge Regarding Your Field

How to create a personal YouTube channel or Brand Account - Business Insider

It’s not necessary to just stick to making videos of doing home chores or shooting vlogs while hanging out with your friends. Utilize your platform by sharing the knowledge you have regarding your profession with your viewers. For instance, if you’re a professional makeup artist, you can share all the tips and tricks from the scratch, guide your audience about the products worth purchasing and which ones aren’t. You can even host a question and answer session in which you can answer all the queries your subscribers have in mind. Make sure to keep it engaging and interesting by using examples with which they can relate in their daily life.

3.  Visual Interaction With Your Audience

Online counselling — Relationship Matters

Nothing is better than visually representing your views to your audience. Reviews turn out much better when they are done in video format rather an a text. It is easier for the audience to comprehend and understand information when it is visually represented. When you share your thoughts with your viewers in a video format, they tend to develop more interest in you. Youtube is a great platform for sharing your reviews regarding movies, food, products and a lot more.

4. Use Tags Relating To Your Videos

YouTube Hashtags: How to Use Them to Get More Views (2020)

Make sure that they are relevant to your video and do not just use popular tags such as famous celebrity’s names who are trending all over YouTube. If your video is about making cookies from scratch, put the tag first followed by the rest. For example, “How to make cookies from scratch” should be the tag which is prioritized “Making cookies from scratch,” “Sweet tooth,” “Dessert,” “Cookies,” and other related tags should follow. Tags let your videos be categorized and appear on YouTube searches easily.

5. Come Up With Live Performances

Mystery man's perfect acoustic guitar solo of Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" gets 6M views

The first thing that might’ve popped in your head would be “So cliche, everyone’s doing that.” But Youtube  grabs attention of the content that keeps their viewers engaged. You can record or remake covers of your favorite songs in your own special way and share it with your subscribers.

6. Videos Should Neither Be Too Short Nor Too Long

One-on-One Online Counseling - BetterHelp | Groupon

A 10 second video can not teach your subscribers how to do makeup for their high school prom night neither a 30 minutes video just to explain something very basic. Many people on Youtube have less views on their content since they make really long videos and it gets boring. So always try to keep your content precise, to the point yet interactive and entertaining.

7. Add Other Social Links In Your Website 

13 Best Ways To Promote Your Youtube Channel in Urdu/Hindi Tutorial - YouTube

If you already have a social media account with a wide number of followers, you can promote your Youtube channel on those social sites and get your loyal followers to subscribe to your Youtube channel. It’s always best to promote your channel or any other business through other social accounts.

 8. Shoot Quality Videos

Ring Light 26Cm with Tripod Stand - Cameras & Accessories - 1016368567

Coming up with quality content isn’t a piece of cake, it’s a tough task. The videos you come up with for your viewers should be creative and interactive, if the camera or production quality is low, nobody would continue watching it after a few seconds so make sure to invest in a good camera, a tripod stand and a ring light. Use Photoshop or any other video editors recommended by some of the top Youtubers.

9. Complete Your Information In ‘Description’

YouTube Premium 3-Month Free Trial - The Money Ninja

This is where you can freely state anything about the video so do not forget to complete the information on the description box. It will make viewers know more about the video before playing your video. When you give complete information is doesn’t only lets viewers know that you are serious about what you are doing but also looks pretty professional.

10.  Keep Your Channel Active & Informative

IFPA YouTube series to support people who need abortion care during… - SpunOut.ie - Ireland's Youth Information Website

Share the latest updates and knowledge incorporating the niche of your channel. Keep posting your views about what’s right and wrong. Sometimes, a heart to heart conversation with your viewers is the best way to gain their attention. This way you can get to know the people who follow you genuinely and the reason behind it, also you can figure out where you lack, so you can work on that. You can ask your viewers the kind of content they like seeing and you can create new content of their liking.

Did you guys find this article helpful? Let us know in the comments below.

Stay tuned for more informative articles and updates!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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