Often, the most difficult part of any entrepreneurial journey is finding a niche to slot into, and differentiating yourself from the market place. In the case of Raheel Muhammad, founder of HM Holdings and its consulting arm, HM Consulting, she saw the opportunity to use her many years’ of experience in franchise management and designing operations manuals in order to help SMEs to thrive.
LoA spoke to Raheel Muhammad about her decision to become an entrepreneur and what it feels like, taking control of her destiny.
What does your company do?
At HM Consulting, I provide a range of specialist services to SMEs including: Aligning operational process to business goals and targets; Operational needs analysis; Implementing operational changes; Design and development of operational manuals and business documents; Maintaining current manuals.
"Business, after all is said and done, is about staying in business."
What inspired you to start your company?
I looked back on my 15+ years in franchise management and 6+ years in designing and implementing ops manuals, and realized that I can add value to businesses. This is done by providing these niche services and sharing all my positive and negative business experiences. All my services are value-adding to businesses that trade in goods or services.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
My service is backed by the phrase: "Business, after all is said and done, is about staying in business'. The services provided by my company are designed to ensure client business sustainability and prosperity by maximizing revenues and team development and minimizing expenses, risk and shrinkage through well designed operations manuals.
Tell us a little about your team
I work alone currently but have a network of other service providers that add value to my service offering.
"Once I had my first client, it gave me the massive courage boost to go and get my second. And that is the nature of any entrepreneur: chasing and acquiring the next one..."
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And, do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
After many years of being employed, I finally left work mid 2014 with many doubts, apprehension, plenty of fear and a smidgen of courage. I have managed to find clients and pay bills since then, so I am loving my entrepreneurial journey. Once I had my first client, it gave me the massive courage boost to go and get my second. And that is the nature of any entrepreneur: chasing and acquiring the next one...
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
I hope to continuously grow my client base and thereby add value to emerging and growing businesses. By doing this, I can then employ people and make a difference to others.
#EntrepreneurAdvice: "Plan, Ask for Advice and Assistance, and Execute!"
- Raheel Muhammad, founder of HM Holdings @poppyshm
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
I like not having an employer. The feeling of small successes that become big ones are amazing. Most rewarding, is the satisfaction of a client.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
Plan, Ask for Advice and Assistance, and Execute!
Contact or follow HM Holdings
TWITTER | EMAIL hmholdingsrsa@gmail.com
Why LoA loves it….
At LoA, we love the the fact that women entrepreneurs who have a passion for what they do, find the courage to go out and start their businesses, fulfilling their dreams and ambitions in the process. Raheel Muhammad is one such entrepreneur, who believed that the way to add real value to people’s businesses was to go out and start her own, providing the kind of specialist expertise that helps other companies to become more efficient. --- Melanie Hawken, founder and editor-in-chief of Lionesses of Africa