A secure corporate job, a comfortable cabin, a six-figure monthly salary, and exceptional perks and incentives – perhaps, that’s something almost every youngster dreams of these days. However, some people are different! They aspire to become owners. It doesn’t matter to them whether they draw a six-figure monthly income or whether they have a cabin. They think of the bigger picture, and what matters to them is working on their own terms and the difference they want to make in the lives of people around them.
Khan Rayees belongs to the latter category! He is young, ambitious, and a visionary hard worker who works with a purpose. Let us run through the story of this 27-year-old, enthusiastic entrepreneur from the valley of Kashmir.
Who is Khan Rayees?
A resident of Kupwara, Khan, a passionate and energetic entrepreneur, hails from hotel management and tourism background. Before venturing as an entrepreneur, he worked with IL&FS as a hospitality and tourism trainer. With such a good corporate job in hand, perhaps, someone else would have become complacent and never thought of quitting. But Rayees never wanted to remain an employee. He always wanted to be on the other side of the table and make a difference! And that drove him to quit the corporate job in 2019 and become an entrepreneur.
Khan’s Popularity and Business
Apart from the inherent urge to become an entrepreneur, another significant facet of Khan’s personality is his social media following. The young man from Kashmir has around 10,000 followers on social media and is branded as the ‘Selfie King’ in Kupwara. His social media expertise and a substantial number of followers enable him to broaden his business’s outreach and grow his business across the Kupwara region.
Now, you may be wondering what Khan Rayees does. Khan is a food lover and loves being among people and interacting with them. His flair for food and people encouraged him to start Northern Café, a modern restaurant that offers a range of cuisine, an excellent ambiance, a fresh atmosphere, and courteous staff. Today, in about two and half years of its inception, Northern Café has become a bustling place for food lovers across the region.
Near Closures!
Northern Café has encountered and overcome several challenges ever since its inception. The restaurant has suffered a couple of massive blows and has been on the verge of closure twice. The pandemic-driven lockdown during the mid-last year also resulted in substantial losses to the restaurant. It was only two months since the restaurant was incepted when the first lockdown was announced.
However, these challenges did not deter Khan’s endeavors from growing. Instead, they strengthened his determination. He kept coming up with innovative ideas to operate the restaurant and caring for his employees. During the lockdown, when the world had come to a standstill, and many companies laid people off, Khan looked after his staff, 50% of which were non-Kashmiris. He paid them salaries from his savings and did not let them leave Kashmir.
Young Rayees – The Inspiration for the Youth!
Despite these roadblocks, Khan has cut his way through and sustained as a restaurateur and entrepreneur in Kashmir. He isn’t just another restaurateur but a socially responsible individual. Early last year, when he started the restaurant, he also began a library, where people could share old and new books and read them free of cost.
Of course, all these factors, the determination to succeed, and the urge to care for and help people make Khan an entrepreneur with a difference. But he isn’t an entrepreneur with a thought process restricted to himself. He is a benevolent individual who helps and supports people during tough times. Together, these aspects of his personality and his success make him an inspiration.
Khan’s entrepreneurial spirit has inspired many to think about and take up entrepreneurship. We hope we see many such entrepreneurs from various business domains emerge and make Kashmir look even more prominent on the global entrepreneurial map in the future.
