Aabid Hamid
Srinagar, Jul 2: The two youngsters from Nowgam area of Srinagar, who have spent years together since childhood, have embarked on a journey that not only realized their dreams but also provided opportunities for many other people to earn their bread and butter.
Amir Bin Bashir and Usman Gani Khan, friends since their early school days, have successfully established a business venture that is not only thriving but also creating job opportunities for dozens in Kashmir.
The duo started a clothing store in April 2022 from a single store following which the hardwork and dedication paid off as they opened up seven more stores in just the second year.
“Later, we came up with a parallel garment retail chain by the name of ONYX and currently we own six stores and two franchises,” the duo said.
“We have achieved remarkable success in a very short span of time and for that we must thank our customers and well wishers. In the year 2023, we started a consultancy namely “Stag Consultancy” where we have been provided taxation, legal and accounting services, they added.
They changed their franchise name to “Stag” for greater representation of Kashmiri culture as Stag being the state animal of Kashmir.
Their franchise Stag stands as one of the leading clothing sellers of Kashmir. The franchise has earned a reputation for providing affordable and customised clothes.
As their ventures received popularity very rapidly, both Amir and Usman saw this an opportunity not just for personal success but also for contributing to the local economy and the duo has generated an income of Rs 8.40 crore during the last two years.
Their journey began with a shared vision and determination to make a difference in their community. Despite facing numerous challenges, the duo persevered, leveraging their complementary skills and unwavering support for each other.
The duo claimed that they are currently employing more than 20 people and this year they are going to start a restaurant chain to create more employment opportunities.
Recognizing the potential to uplift others, they made a conscious decision to expand their workforce, providing employment opportunities to dozens of local youth to empower individuals and families with sustainable livelihoods.
They said that they faced many challenges during the initial stage and were doing only Business-to-business (B2B) but now we are doing business-to-consumer (B2C).
