Case on a business venture

8/10/2019 Case on a business venture

1/13


2/13

CASE STUDY ONAN ENTREPRENEUR

AND ENTREPRENEURIAL VENTURE

Submitted to:

Professor Dr. A.K.M. Saiful Majid

Course Instructor: Entrepreneurship

BBA Program

Submitted by:

Jidny Rubaiyat Shoummo

Roll No: ZR-85

Batch: BBA 20th

, Section: B

Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka, Dhaka

October 20, 2014


3/13

October 20, 2014

Dr. A.K.M Saiful Majid

Professor

Institute of Business administration

University of Dhaka

Subject: Submission of Case Study on an Entrepreneur and Entrepreneurial Venture

Sir,

I am pleased to submit to you a comprehensive case study on an entrepreneur and entrepreneurial

venture

in due time. The chosen entrepreneur for the case study is Mr. Wasif Ahmed, the ownerof Super Graphers Visual Arts Studio. I have tried to follow your guidelines and instructions in

every aspect while preparing this case study.

I hope that the case study fulfills your expectations. It was a great honor for me to work under

your supervision.

Sincerely yours,

Jidny Rubaiyat Shoummo

Roll No: ZR-85

Batch: BBA 20th

, Section: B

Institute of Business Administration

University of Dhaka


4/13

ContentsEarly life......................................................................................................................................................... 5

Road to Success............................................................................................................................................. 5

Motivating factors ......................................................................................................................................... 6

Reason behind choosing education sector ................................................................................................... 6

Giving Back to the Society ............................................................................................................................. 7

Bringing a positive change in society ............................................................................................................ 7

Challenges faced during the journey ............................................................................................................ 7

Future plan .................................................................................................................................................... 8

Now ............................................................................................................................................................ 8

Personal profile ........................................................................................................................................... 11


5/13

Creator of bright smiling faces

Since 2005, like the unsung bee, Uniaid Ltd. has been contributing to make university admission

test candidateslife sweeter and better. In the field of admission test preparation coaching,

Uniaid is recognized as the leader. From its coaching center to publishing house, its products

delight the millions of students and have won praises all over the country.

Like the bee, they have not done it alone. They worked together with the communities, public

and private sectors. But the main dreamer and architect of this bee hive is Mr. Zahirul Qayum.

Early life

K. M. Zahirul Quayum, an affiliate of ACCA, has mingled his experience by attaining degrees in

both Business and Development Economics. A graduate from IBA of Dhaka University, he has a

quite handful experience of working with Banking and Telecom Sectors in Bangladesh. He has

expedited his experience as an Internal Auditor in a multinational Telecom company. His job

responsibilities were to report to Board Audit Committee about Enterprise Risk Management

(ERM) and Internal Control to provide thought leadership. Then he pursued his ACCA

qualification from UK where he worked for a London Based Audit Firm named Ahmad & Co.

Back in home, he further explored the discipline of Development Economics by pursuing his

Masters in Development Studies from Dhaka University.

Road to Success

The start up of Zahiruls business venture was through a passionate dream. During his early

student life, he stood first in the admission test of C unit of Dhaka University in 2000-01

sessions. However, finally he got himself admitted in BBA program of IBA in the same session.

This successful achievement led him to engage himself with formal and informal involvement to

train students looking for Dhaka University admission. He felt that there was a gap of qualified

teaching materials together with teachers as he had experienced during his preparation time.

This led him to do something for the upcoming students and he started preparing teaching

materials for the students. He shared his own analysis and techniques in the teaching materials

to equip the students with admission test. Consequently his students successfully overcome the

admission barrier with brilliant result. His students conveyed that innovative way of teaching

made them achieve this successful result. This inspired him to carry on his teaching venture to a

new height every year. Finally after his graduation in 2005, he together with his few friends


6/13

decided to form a formal platform to disseminate the knowledge to upcoming students. This is

how Uniaid, one of the most admired coaching centers of our country, started its journey.

Motivating factors

While studying in IBA, Zahirul had a course with Mr. K. M. Saiful Majid, one of the evergreen

faculties of IBA. Mr. Saiful Majid inspired him through his innovative teaching techniques.

Zahirul still believes that Saiful Majid gave him the inspiration that young people like him can

start business ventures without having substantial amount of capital. That belief worked like a

magic in his life. After forming the venture uniaid and a successful beginning, he pursued his

carrier in a multinational telecom company. Being an IBA graduate, he had a peer pressure

from family to start a career in some good corporate house and so did he. However, he was

also looking after uniaid after his office hours and in holidays. He had taken this rigorous task

with great effort and care. Meanwhile he flew to UK to pursue his education in Accounting

(ACCA). However, he passed his holidays in Bangladesh so that he could lead uniaid. Finally he

felt that he should carry on the venture with his direct involvement to groom the upcoming

students more passionately. He found his venture as a social initiative to uplift students to

pursue a better future through quality education of University. This feeling of serving the

society had motivated him to endeavor this journey. The bright smiling faces of successful

students give me the passion to carry on the venture.

Reason behind choosing education sector

Education enlightens future said Mr. Zahirul who secured 3rd Position in combined merit list

of Commerce Group in HSC from Chittagong Board, 1st Position in C unit admission test of

Dhaka University in 2000-01. He believes that quality education can lift a person to a new

height and an educated person can lift his society or country. So creating an avenue for

students to pursue quality higher education can be a way out to this idea. He also thinks that

this venture is not only a mere educational initiative but also a social initiative which may

create a positive change. Through uniaid he can cater students from every sector of

Bangladesh irrespective of their social and economic background.


7/13

Giving Back to the Society

Being emerged from grassroots, Zahirul Qayum also feels for the society. He is committed for

the advancement of the society. Zahirul says uniaid is not only a mere educational initiative

but also a social initiative. Its contribution can be evaluated through the following story

A student named Sumon came to Mymensing city with a dream of higher education in HSC

level. His economic condition was too broken to carry on his educational expenditure. So he

managed to work in a pharmacy where he stayed at night as he does not have financial

capacity. Finally Sumon passed HSC with a good result and again he found him in a turmoil

thinking of what to do next. uniaid came to know about Sumon through his college teachers

and it gave him full free scholarship to pursue admission coaching. Finally this student gotadmission in Dhaka University having a place in merit list. Now he is a proud part of Business

Faculty of Dhaka University with a bigger dream.

Zahirul is planning to extend Uniaids CSR activity to reach the students who areeconomically

deprived. He wants to make sure that these deprived students get a fair chance to achieve their

dream of higher education.

Bringing a positive change in society

Mr. Zahirul and his venture Uniaid is constantly trying to bring a positive change in peoples

lives. He says In our earlier age we used to hear that renowned and established personalities

of Bangladesh were coming out through all over Bangladesh irrespective of rural or urban areas

with different socio-economic background. But in recent days the scenario changed and now

urban people are more advanced in higher education compare to rural people. Here uniaid

brings the positive change-through its network of branches. We are catering most of the part of

Bangladesh to assist students to get admission in Public Universities of Bangladesh. This is how

we are minimizing the gap between urban and rural students and trying to create a platform.

Challenges faced during the journey

The entrepreneurial journey of Mr. Zahirul was not an easy one. He faced a lot of impediments

from his family and friends. Being an IBA graduate, he faced enormous peer pressure from

family to start a career in some good corporate house. In a third world country like Bangladesh,


8/13

finding a job is easier than starting a new venture. Especially the accompanying psychic,

financial, and social risks that an entrepreneur assumes are enormous. Social and family

pressure to pursue a career in corporate sector was huge for Zahirul. But his determination to

become an entrepreneur has never been washed-out by it. While he started his venture, there

were established players in this sector. He was threatened several times to leave this sector byhis rivals. But this made him even more determined to pursue his dream.

Future plan

My new plan is to cover more geographical space throughout Bangladesh physically or

virtually. We want to reach more students through physical branches in different places says

Mr. Zahirul. Moreover, he wants to cater more students through virtual classrooms using their

advanced information technology. He also wants to expand Uniaids CSRactivities by providing

full free scholarship to students together with financial bursaries.

K. M. Zahirul Quayum, an affiliate of ACCA, an IBAites, and an entrepreneur believes that his

success was the direct result of believingin himself. He says if you want to be an

entrepreneur, first of all you need to believe in yourself. You must believe that you can do it.

He believes in the famous saying "Obstacles are things a person sees when he takes his eyes off

his goal". Obstacles will always be there but you need to have the courage to overcome that

adds Zahirul. He quotes Harvey Firestone, the great industrialist who said,

"Capital isn't so important in business. Experience isn't so important. You can get both of those

things. What is important is ideas. If you have ideas, you have the main asset you need, and

there isn't any limit to what you can do with your business and your life. They are any man's

greatest asset- ideas."

Now

As Zahirul believes in innovation and creativity, he is currently working on to strengthen the

service of Uniaid through more qualitative changes. He is working relentlessly to fulfill his

dream; a dream to ensure high quality learning opportunity for every student from all over

Bangladesh. He strongly believes that by creating an equal opportunity for everyone, he can

emancipate deprived section of the society from the shackle of poverty.


9/13


10/13

Appendix:

Caption: K. M. Zahirul Quayum

Caption: K. M. Zahirul Quayum in a ceremony organized by Uniaid


11/13

Questionnaire for entrepreneur

Personal profile

Name: K. M. Zahirul Quayum

Name of the venture: uniaid

Sister concern(s):

Uniaid Educare and Publications

Personal Brief:

K. M. Zahirul QUAYUM, an affiliate of ACCA, has mingled his experience by attaining degrees in both

Business and Development Economics. A graduate from IBA of Dhaka University, he has a quite handful

experience of working with Banking and Telecom Sectors in Bangladesh. He has expedited his

experience as an Internal Auditor in a multinational Telecom company. His job responsibilities were to

report to Board Audit Committee about Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) and Internal Control to

provide thought leadership. Then he pursued his ACCA qualification from UK where he worked for a

London Based Audit Firm named Ahmad & Co. Back in home, he further explored the discipline of

Development Economics by pursuing his Masters in Development Studies from Dhaka University.

Through his venture named "uniaid" he is catering students to get them equipped for getting admission

in Public Universities in Bangladesh. The bright smiling faces of his successful students give him the

passion to carry on the venture.

1.

How was your early life? ( important events from your university life/hostel life)

Having completed my HSC, I got myself admitted in IBA, Dhaka University. During my student life I used

to earn my living expenses through different part time jobs and teaching. I was a resident student of IBA

Hostel, Green Road where I met many IBAites who helped me out to shape my student life.

2.

How did you start your first business venture?

The start up of my business venture was through a passionate dream. During my early student life, I

stood first in the admission test of C unit of Dhaka University in 2000-01 sessions. However, finally I got

myself admitted in BBA program of IBA in the same session. This successful achievement led me to

engage myself with formal and informal involvement to train students looking for Dhaka University

admission. I felt that there was a gap of qualified teaching materials together with teachers as I had

experienced during my preparation time. This led me to do something for the upcoming students and I

started preparing teaching materials for the students. I shared my own analysis and techniques in the

teaching materials to equip the students with admission test. Consequently my students successfully


12/13

overcome the admission barrier with brilliant result. My students conveyed that innovative way of

teaching made them achieve this successful result. This inspired me to carry on my teaching venture to a

new height every year. Finally after my graduation in 2005, I together with my few friends decided to

form a formal platform to disseminate the knowledge to upcoming students.

3.

What factor(s) motivated you to be an entrepreneur ( such as your family members, friends,icons, or you became entrepreneur by accident)

After forming the venture uniaid and a successful beginning, I pursued my carrier in a multinational

telecom company. You may ask WHY? Being an IBA graduate, I had a peer pressure from family to start

a career in some good corporate house and so did I. However, I was also looking after uniaidafter my

office hours and in holidays. I had taken this rigorous task with great effort and care. Meanwhile I flew

to UK to pursue my education in Accounting (ACCA). However, I passed my holidays in Bangladesh so

that I could lead uniaid. Finally I feltthat I should carry on the venture with my direct involvement to

groom the upcoming students more passionately. I found my venture as a social initiative to uplift

students to pursue a better future through quality education of University. This feeling of serving the

society had motivated me to endeavor this journey.

4.

Why did you choose education sector?

Why Education? Though a BIG question but a small answer- education enlightens future. I do believe

that quality education can lift a person to a new height and an educated person can lift his society or

country. So creating an avenue for students to pursue quality higher education can be a way out to this

idea. I also think that this venture is not only a mere educational initiative but also a social initiative

which may create a positive change. Through uniaid we can cater students from every sector of

Bangladesh irrespective of their social and economic background.

5. How would you evaluate the contribution of your venture in our education sector?

uniaid is not not only a mere educational initiative but also a social initiative. Our contribution can be

evaluated through following stories.

a)

A student named Sumon came to Mymensing city with a dream of higher education in HSC

level. His economic condition was too broken to carry on his educational expenditure. So he

managed to work in a pharmacy where he stayed at night as he does not have financial

capacity. Finally Sumon passed HSC with a good result and again he found him in a turmoil

thinking of what to do next. uniaid came to know about Sumon through his college

teachers and we gave him full free scholarship to pursue admission coaching. Finally this

student got admission in Dhaka University having a place in merit list. Now he is a proud

part of Business Faculty of Dhaka University with a bigger dream.

b)

In our earlier age we used to hear that renowned and established personalities of

Bangladesh were coming out through all over Bangladesh irrespective of rural or urban

areas with different socio-economic background. But in recent days the scenario changed


13/13

and now urban people are more advanced in higher education compare to rural people.

Here uniaid brings the positive change-through our network of branches we are catering

most of the part of Bangladesh to assist students to get admission in Public Universities of

Bangladesh. This is how we are minimizing the gap between urban and rural students and

trying to create a platform.

6.

What is/are the main reason(s) behind your success? ( road to success)

Self-confidence and dream to do something.

7.

Your educational and business achievements

My educational achievements includes 3rd

Position in combined merit list of Commerce Group in HSC

from Chittagong Board, 1st

Position in C unit admission test of Dhaka University in 2000-01, Dutch Bangla

Bank Scholarship in undergraduate level, Best Performer for Highest marks Certificate in ACCA, Standard

Chartered Bank Scholarship in Masters level.

8.

Have you diversified your business? Why or why not

My main focus is in Education sector. Education is the basic needs so my focus is to strengthen the

service through more qualitative change. Thus I found it too early to diversify.

9.

What were the major impediments that you faced in this journey?

Social and family pressure to pursue a career in corporate sector.

10.

What is your future plan? (Extending business, entering new market, starting new business,CSR activities etc.)

My new plan is to cover more geographical space throughout Bangladesh physically or virtually. We

want to reach more students through physical branches in different places. Moreover, we want to cater

more students through virtual classrooms using our advanced information technology. Our CSR activities

include providing full free scholarship to students together with financial bursaries.

11.Any valuable information that may help me to write a case on you and your business venture.

My venture is not a typical business or service venture rather its a social initiative to cater students to

pursue higher education to shape up a brighter future. The bright smiling faces of successful studentsgive me the passion to carry on the venture. Mostly students with economically deprived condition are

getting fare opportunities to achieve their dream of higher education.

Documents

Case on a business venture