In a remarkable journey spanning two decades, Tajamul Islam Salroo has emerged as a prominent figure in the realms of entrepreneurship, armed with a master’s degree in business administration and a wealth of experience across diverse industries such as Automotive, Facilitation, and Agro-based Food sectors.
Now, he is set to share his insights and expertise with the world through his book, aimed at guiding aspiring entrepreneurs on their path to success.
Tajamul, who attributes his entrepreneurial spirit to a desire for full self-expression in his endeavours, believes passionately in the philosophy that pursuing one’s passion leads to inevitable success and recognition. Having successfully streamlined his manufacturing business, he delved further into self-discovery, uncovering a latent writing talent that had been nurtured since childhood through contributions to local newspapers.
Expressing his motivations, Tajamul shared, “What inspired me to become an entrepreneur is that being an entrepreneur was a way for me to feel fully self-expressed in what I am doing. I strongly believe that if we do what we love, success and fame take care of itself.” He envisions a future where his writing endeavours, which currently include his second book in progress, will serve as a source of benefit for his local community.
Venturing into Business
Tajamul said that after working for three organisations in a row I thought of setting up my unit and it took me almost a year to decide on which industry to go with. “Finally, the idea of a mechanized bread manufacturing unit Zum Zum Food Products was born after seeing that bread was being imported from other states. It was established in the year 2013, next, we saw the year of floods, then uncertainty followed by the 2019 lockdown and COVID but Alhamdulillah we managed to see ourselves gradually debt-free and prosperous.”
“Starting a new industrial unit is never easy as it often comes with hurdles and setbacks but an entrepreneur must have the capabilities to solve the problems he is faced with. From allotment of industrial land to the financing of the enterprise to starting the unit it has always been a challenge for us Alhamdulillah we have been able to overcome every challenge through the knowledge and skill set that we had gained over some time, being into industry.”
About Book
“In the last few years, I have seen several students from various schools, colleges, and universities visiting the industry to get entrepreneurial know-how but they don’t get the holistic overview of industrial set-up by such short visits. It is in this light that I felt the necessity to write a handbook for our young minds where they can benefit from getting the most requisite knowledge for inspiring entrepreneurial thinking.” “Based on my personal experience, I have tried to make this book short, simple, and to the point so that the youth can get to know the real path towards becoming an entrepreneur. This compact book is different from the books that are available in the markets and libraries, hence, is envisaged to be a beneficial read for students and parents in changing their perspective concerning business and entrepreneurship. I believe that most of the confusion of my readers will be removed after going through this book and the aspiring entrepreneurs will have clarity in their vision and mission. Handbook of Entrepreneurship is aimed at increasing the basic knowledge and skill set of both existing as well as aspiring entrepreneurs. My book is available at www.bfcpublications.com.”
Experience and Learnings
Tajamul said ” I have learned a lot while being in business and will continue to keep learning as we grow (InshaAllah). I have understood that good entrepreneurs are inquisitive and never stop learning. There is no shame in learning, no matter what your age is; in fact, continuous learning is a strong entrepreneurial character. So, we must be down to earth and learn from other people who have more experience in business and life.”
“Financial literacy is a must for the success of any business, and lack of it can be a great obstacle to business growth. Gaining an understanding of Balance Sheets and Profit and Loss Statements facilitates smarter business decisions.”
Business Strategies
He said that every business should be planned well and the right strategies must be in place to take it to the next level. “In our case, we have always tried to find out who we serve and what they need.
We invest our time in building our skills in terms of investing, sales, and marketing. We have been making time-bound goals and keep working towards them. We are focused on retaining existing customers which is really important when you are into a business. Where-ever possible we cut down the costs while taking utmost consideration towards quality. One important thing is that we have been using social media to reach a broader audience. Last but not least we rely less on luck and more on hard work.”
Advice to Young Entrepreneurs
“My advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to equip themselves with abundant knowledge and basic business skills, explore what you are good at, make your plan, and just get started. You will certainly make some mistakes but don’t be afraid to learn from your mistakes. There is nothing bad in going slowly but the main thing is to get going anyhow.”
“I think I have put everything in my book “Handbook of Entrepreneurship” which is indeed an informative read for aspiring entrepreneurs, in particular. I hold a strong conviction that this book has the potential to motivate aspiring individuals to transform their dreams into reality. My book is available in the form of both e-book as well as paperback. It is available on bfcpublications.com and one can buy it also from Amazon, Flipkart, and Google Books.”
Local Context
“We have seen a lot of instability, difficulty in getting our projects financed, and lack of infrastructure in the industrial estates yet we have evolved over the years as a prosperous business. I think our ‘don’t give up’ attitude played an important role in getting us going otherwise there were too difficult situations for us to stand at times. I think when we have dived into something we should not look back but manage our situations utilizing our all capabilities. An entrepreneur has to be very capable of dealing with different situations, I would say.”
Community Involvement
“As an Industrial Expert of the School of Life Sciences, Central University of Kashmir I visit there whenever I am invited for mentorship sessions. Furthermore, we have signed an MOU with IUST Awantipora and thus extend our full support to the university students. Apart from that whoever comes to me for counselling I provide it to him whole-heartedly. I am always ready to help my community and my younger generation in whatever I have expertise in. I am thankful to my God for providing me with the opportunities to help people.”
“Indeed community engagement is a powerful tool for businesses. In a world where customers crave connection and personalized experiences, building a strong community around your brand can be a game changer. Your community can be an invaluable source of feedback, helping you improve and innovate your products and services. A strong community fosters an emotional connection to your brand. So investing in community engagement can propel a business forward and unlock its full potential.”
Future Vision
“The more entrepreneurial success stories from Kashmir the more will people get inspired towards business activities. It is simple.”
Tajamul said that Kashmir possesses a unique blend of opportunities and challenges for entrepreneurs. We are rich in crops but the need is to modernize the production and preservation techniques. We are a prime destination for tourists so we can invest in hospitality and related services. Power and education are the potential sectors of the region where an entrepreneur can contribute to its development.
Coming on to challenges funding from financial institutions, roads, and electricity can hinder business operations if not improved. Most importantly for business culture to grow peace in a region is of prime importance.
Closing Thoughts
See, entrepreneurship is a rewarding career for those who are passionate about bringing their ideas to life despite the uncertainties and risks involved. It provides individuals with a sense of purpose and fulfilment. No doubt it has two faces; success and failure but for the fear of failure we cannot stay away from being entrepreneurs that have a better earning potential than traditional employment. We must realize that government jobs are becoming scarce with each passing year and college and university pass-outs have no other option but to enter into the field of entrepreneurship with a proper mindset.