Startup Guide Issue 16 | Page 26

T y pi c a l t o a n e nt r e pr e ne ur ’ s j our ne y , t he i ni t i a l da y s f or Ana s ’ s v e nt ur e ‘ The F a r ms ’ we r e c ha l l e ng i ng . Whi l e t he f a mi l y wa s v e r y s uppor t i v e , hi s pe e r s a nd f r i e nds woul d of t e n t a unt hi m f or t r a ns i t i oni ng f r om a n ‘ e duc a t e d j ob’ t o be c omi ng a f a r me r . Ana s s ha r e d hi s v i e ws   “ We , a s a na t i on a r e f ol l owe r s a nd not i ni t i a t or s . Our pe opl e ha t e t a k i ng r i s k s a nd e v e n di s c our a g e t hos e who t r y a n unc on v e nt i ona l pa t h. ”   Howe v e r , Ana s ’ v i s i on wa s c r y s t a l c l e a r i n hi s mi nd, a nd no e xt e r na l opi ni on c oul d t a k e hi m of f hi s t r a c k . Ana s s t a r t e d of f wi t h a r a ng e of Ma ng oe s , howe v e r , t he bus i ne s s i n t he f i r s t y e a r wa s not t oo e nc our a g i ng . Ana s c ons t a nt l y t r i e d t o i mpr ov e hi s ope r a t i ons a nd pl a y s ma r t l y . Hi s pe r s i s t e nc e pa i d of f a s t he s a l e s of The F a r ms mul t i pl i e d b y ov e r 11 f ol ds i n i t s s e c ond y e a r . The F a r ms   a l s o r e g i s t e r e d i t s e l f i n t he Uni t e d S t a t e s of Ame r i c a , a nd t he g oa l wa s t o s t a r t e xpor t i ng t he s e pr oduc t s f r om Pa k i s t a n t o t he r e s t of t he wor l d.   “ The i ni t i a l t wo y e a r s we r e e xt r e me l y c ha l l e ng i ng be c a us e t he bus i ne s s ne e de d t o be s t a r t e d f r om s c r a t c h i n a n unf a mi l i a r ma r k e t of US A. ”   Ana s r e c a l l e d.   The F a r ms ha d t o t a c k l e mul t i pl e c ha l l e ng e s r e l a t e d t o t he c us t oms of t he 2 c ount r i e s , a nd t he i r pol i c i e s . F i na l l y , t he v i s i on be c a me a r e a l i t y i n t he mi ddl e of DI CE F e l l ows hi p Pr og r a m, whe n Ana s s t a r t e d e xpor t s t o t he U. S . Cur r e nt l y , The F a r ms ha s a s i g ni f i c a nt n umbe r of s t or e s a c r os s t he S t a t e s a nd pl a ns t o c ol l a bor a t e wi t h mul t i pl e c ha i ns t o f ur t he r e xpa nd bus i ne s s . S oon a f t e r ‘ The F a r ms ’ g ot g oi ng , Ana s t ook i t upon hi ms e l f t o r e v i s i t t he c ha l l e ng e s t ha t he c a me a c r os s a s a s ma l l hol de r f a r me r , a nd c r e a t e s ol ut i ons f or t he f a r me r s wi t h l i mi t e d a wa r e ne s s . Ana s c r e a t e d a s i mpl e - t o- us e a pp c a l l e d ‘ P e e pu’   t ha t e s s e nt i a l l y c onne c t s t he f a r me r di r e c t l y t o t he e nd c ons ume r . The bi g g e s t c ha l l e ng e f or t he s e f a r me r s i s t he pos t - ha r v e s t f ood wa s t a g e . As muc h a s 40% of t he f ood i s wa s t e d i n t hi s f or m, whi c h a c c ount s f or a mone t a r y l os s of a bout 134 Bi l l i on Pa k i s t a ni Rupe e s a y e a r . P e e pu he l ps r e duc e t hi s wa s t a g e , a nd a l s o pr ot e c t s t he f a r me r f r om be i ng e xpl oi t e d b y t he buy e r s who f or c e t he f a r me r s t o s e l l t he i r pr oduc t s a t a s i g ni f i c a nt l y l owe r pr i c e c ompa r e d t o t he r a t e a t whi c h t he e nd- c ons ume r pur c ha s e s . Ana s ’ s v i s i on i s t o por t r a y a be t t e r i ma g e of Pa k i s t a n a c r os s t he g l obe t hr oug h t he hi g h- e nd pr oduc t s of   The F a r ms a nd t o e mpowe r t he l oc a l f a r me r s t hr oug h t he ‘ P e e pu’ a pp .