At the age of 24-25, how many of us think of entrepreneurship? Perhaps, only a handful may say yes. And the number of people who dare to step out of their comfort zone at this age is even smaller. But then, we have exceptions. And, one such exception is Imran Sheikh. With only 27 years of total life experience in his kitty, Imran is among those very few people who dared to leave a comfortable job and become an entrepreneur. Here’s a bit more about Imran’s entrepreneurial story.
About Imran Sheikh
Imran hails from the Gamroo village in the Bandipora district of J&K. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Hotel Management and Post Graduate in Tourism and Travel Management. Imran derived entrepreneurial inspiration from his employer, the owner of the largest cold stores in Kashmir. Initially, Imran intended to step into the restaurant business. However, he later abandoned the plan as he thought running a restaurant in uncertain situations may not prove profitable.
Once, when Imran was searching for business ideas, he came across a video on Facebook. It belonged to Zeeshan Danish, an MBA from South Kashmir, who entered the dairy farming business. The video spoke about Zeeshan’s entrepreneurial accomplishments. It drove Imran toward dairy farming, and that laid the foundation of a thriving dairy farming business.
Imran’s Entrepreneurial Journey
Of course, as many with entrepreneurial ambitions may encounter, Imran’s idea too was met with resistance. The family did not appreciate Imran’s decision to leave his current job and become an entrepreneur. Their conventional thought process of making a living through a job with a steady income disallowed them to accept Imran’s courageous decision.
However, Imran was determined to do what he had thought of. Accordingly, he researched for seven months while meeting dairy farmers across various parts of Kashmir. He took their feedback and was pretty content over his decision to step into the dairy farming business. In 2018, Imran spoke to his parents once again and somehow convinced them partially. The construction of the dairy farm began after that.
Construction of the farm was a daunting task in itself. Imran had to consult several experts, and the construction process took around a year to complete. Eventually, in 2019, the project took off. Initially, Imran had only two cows. But today, he has ten cows and around a dozen calves. His unit produces around 150 liters of milk every day. Imran employs the Automated Milking System to save time, energy, and increase production.
Imran – The Employment Generator
As an entrepreneur, Imran isn’t just doing well for himself but has generated employment for a few people across the valley. At his level, he is making a positive difference in society and creating an example for youngsters throughout J&K. People like him inspire people who dream of entrepreneurship but have confined themselves to the comfort zone that provides them a monthly salary and a steady source of income. Undoubtedly, he exemplifies the levels of courage that enable people to leave their comfortable jobs and opt for something bigger, entrepreneurship!
