Ministry of Manpower

Higher College of Technology

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS STUDIES

CASE STUDY
ENTREPRENEURSHIP COURSE CODE: BAMG 2111

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NEW CASE STUDIES:
Case 1: SARAH SPORTS AND RECREATION:
In 2003 Sarah established a company providing family focused sports and recreational facilities. It
covers an area of 1700msq and offers a football pitch, two swimming pools, room hire and a kitchen.
The initiative resulted from the combined passions of Sarah and her husband, who supported her from
the beginning. Sarah’s husband was a keen lover of football and she herself was fond of swimming.
Motivated by her education in health management and realizing the absence of any recreation facility
for families in the rural area, Sarah identified an opportunity to generate an additional source of
income.
The venture had two phases of development. The first created a football pitch on land previously
owned by the government. It took six months to develop the pitch as problems, including a lack of
available workers and a delay in the import of grass from China hindered progress. The pitch started
generating income in the form of hourly rental and later local football teams hired the ground on a
monthly basis.
The second phase, funded from profits from the rentals and support from local associations, started a
year later with the construction of two swimming pools. The unavailability of professional pool
construction workers resulted in delays and additional costs. Advertising and promotion, using social
media, especially WhatsApp, the preferred app amongst Omanis, started early before the completion
of the project. Upon completion, there was an unexpected rush of customers from Taqah, Salalah,
Mirbat and other adjoining rural areas of Dhofar region.
Monthly income ranges roughly from R.O.1500 to R.O.2000 and sometimes up to R.O.3,000. New
activities (children’s games and bicycle races) are added to the existing portfolio to provide additional
customer experiences, and during the winter the pools are heated. A large Jacuzzi is being developed
and a planning application for the development of an additional 1000msq of land has been approved.
Sarah offers free services and swimming sessions to disabled children. She promotes women
engagement and empowerment by offering free sessions for girls in cooperation with the General
Directorate of Sports Affairs in Salalah, which advocates health awareness among women. Sarah
encourages young rural women to adopt entrepreneurship, and not to give up in the face of obstacles.
She urges them to read success stories of entrepreneurs who have survived and prospered despite
tough experiences. She believes the government should facilitate loans and financial support through
the Al-Rafd fund for young Omani people so that startup ventures aren’t restricted because of financial
constraints. Sarah believes that a business idea should be unique, innovative and dynamic and should
attract customers because of its exclusivity. Sarah experienced difficulties accessing financial support
and felt her lack of experience disadvantaged her. She mentioned various socio-cultural barriers, such
as a lack of encouragement from family and friends and a gender bias towards her from the
community, but said “Business is not easy and requires patience, boldness & self-confidence and
willpower to overcome hiccups and obstacles during the journey”. (Reference: International Journal
of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, Manuscript ID IJEBR-02-2017-0070.R2)

1. What entrepreneurial characteristics can you identify in Sarah?

2. Comment on Sarah’s intentions towards doing business?
3. Do you think Sarah had all the skills and competencies to become an entrepreneur?
4. What is Sarah’s message to young people of Oman?

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Case Study 2: THE STORY OF AN OMANI SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR:
Being an entrepreneur in a small and young market like Oman is not easy if you don’t go lean. With
only some 3 million citizens as your potential clients, launching a new product without thoroughly
studying the market needs is not a good idea. Omani serial entrepreneur Qais Al-Khonji admits that he
failed at his first startup because he did not research the market’s needs, and did not follow a lean
methodology, which would involve testing and iterating his approach based on market response.

But Al-Khonji has embraced his failure, and moved on to his next projects. “I try and learn even
though this means losing. I consider the benefits to be in learning and failure a step towards success,”
he says. Al-Khonji is not your typical entrepreneur; you wouldn’t necessarily meet him at an
entrepreneurship event, or watch him pitch his startups to investors.

He's started five startups in the past three years, and he's embraced failure with most of them, closing
down four. But business is what he loves, and he's ready to get back up and do it again. “I want to be
my own boss and work at what I love doing,” he confessed. Al-Khonji focuses on the importance of
applying a lean methodology in Oman and reveals some of the challenges entrepreneurs from family
businesses in the Gulf might face.

The son of a well-to-do Omani family that runs real estate business Mohamed and Ahmed Al-
Khonji in the U.K., Dubai and Oman, 32-year-old Al-Khonji worked in banking for many years and
now makes a living by advising four of his family companies. Yet in 2010, he decided to throw
himself into entrepreneurship, starting by launching his first company, Qais United Agency, which
imported and sold Chinese water filtration systems in the Omani market. After 18 months, in mid-
2011, Al-Khonji closed it down because it didn't get the traction he w 2as hoping for.

Then, in early 2012, he launched 4 startups at once, offering services in very different sectors,
including education, health tourism, an electrical freezing technology, and digital meters for water and
electricity. Three of them failed, he says, again because they didn't succeed quickly enough, and he
wasn't motivated to stick it out.

Now, he is focusing on his digital meter company, hoping to build it into a “long term business," he
says. "It will take some time to pick up and make revenue.” He's also working as a reseller for
Thermax, an Indian engineering solutions company in Oman, and is in the process of launching solar
energy products. Shifting from a family business to a completely new entrepreneurial mindset is not
something that happens overnight, but moving towards a lean approach could help him find better
product-market fit. Here are a few lessons to take away from his story:

1. It’s important to focus. Al-Khonji is embracing what could be called the spaghetti approach: throw
several things against the wall and see what sticks. “We want to start a new company every year in
March, as this is when I receive my yearly salary. And we are always in the process of looking for
people with the know how to launch a startup. This is our new philosophy,” he says. He's working
hard to launch viable ideas, and embraces each failure as it comes, but perhaps could use a bit more
focus. Lean approach: Take it one startup at a time.

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2. Market research is critical. In the five startups that he already launched, Al-Khonji choose the sector
according to his own skills (business) and his partner’s skills (education). He'll be the first to admit
that he didn't study the market needs to determine if someone would actually use the products he is
importing. Lean approach: Look at market needs. An exciting idea is not enough if the market isn't
hungry for it.

3. Know your customer. During his work on Qais United Agency, Al-Khonji admitted that he
imported products that ended up not surviving in the market. Because the Omani market is very
small, and monopolized by strong international brands, his Chinese products didn’t have a chance,
he says, and it was difficult to convince consumers to buy them. At the time, he didn't realize how
important the quality of the product was. Perhaps in Oman, a services company is a lower hanging
fruit, he decided. Lean approach: Test the customer's appetite for your product or service before
launching.

4. Know what you love. There's always a balance between launching something that the market needs,
and something that you want to build; if you're too in love with your own idea, you might not listen
enough to the market. However, it's also important to have a passion for what you're building.
While chatting with Qais, I noticed that he is not building any of the startups out of passion. He's
passionate about business, but not any of his specific initiatives. It's great that he's creating job
opportunities in Oman and contributing to the economy, but as an entrepreneur he might not be able
to stick to an idea unless he can put his heart into it. Lean approach: Find your passion.

Al-Khonji is, at his core, an aspiring lean entrepreneur; he advises other entrepreneurs to have
patience, focus and have the courage to lose. “Try more than once before you give up, and be very
focused on your work," he says. "I like to try and learn even though this means losing, the benefit is
in learning and failure is a step towards success.”
By making the leap into entrepreneurship from a family business, and by not being phased by
failure, Al-Khonji could be an example for others to follow who work in family businesses; he
might be able to lead a generation into a new mindset in Oman.
Source: Maya Rahal,(2013):http://www.wamda.com/2013/08/four-lessons-failure-omaniserial
entrepreneur

Q1. What are the reasons of Qais Al-Khonji business failure initially?
Q2. Explain in your words what you understood by spaghetti approach?
Q3. Why do you think it is important to do a market research before one starts up with a
venture?
Q4. What approach Qais adopted to become successful entrepreneur? List out the points
featured in such approach?
Q5. What lessons did Qais learned from his failure?

CASE STUDY 3 - GENDER AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

One of the greatest myths concerning entrepreneurship is that it is a male-only profession. As Table
below shows, nothing could be farther from the truth. According to GEM studies, an estimated 200

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million women are starting or running new businesses in 83 economies, and an additional 128 million
are running established businesses.
Most countries studied have a similar proportion of men to women early stage entrepreneurs, with the
percentage of women in Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Peru, and Indonesia being equal to
or exceeding their male counterparts. This shows that these countries are providing support for
women-owned ventures.
Male and Female Early-Stage Entrepreneurial Activity by Geographic Regions, 2017
REGION FEMALE TEA MALE TEA RATE RATIO
RATE FEMALE/MAL
E
Middle East 7.3 14 0.52
Africa 20.9 24.8 0.84
Asia & Oceania 8.8 12.7 0.81
Latin American & 17.5 21.6 0.81
Caribbean
Europe 6.1 10.9 0.56
North America 11.9 17.5 0.68
Credit: Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2017 MENA Report p.32, Table 3.2. Downloaded from
http://www.gemconsortium.org/report/

Why do women want to become entrepreneurs?

For the same reasons as men: to support themselves and their families; to attain the fulfillment of
having started something on their own and to satisfy their desire for financial independence. Just like
their male counterparts, women not only create jobs for themselves and others, but also work toward
growing their businesses, and constantly innovating new products and services.
However, in certain countries, there are some differences in what drives women to be entrepreneurs.
For example, women in less developed countries with higher rates of unemployment, poverty, and lack
of choice in work are more likely to be driven by necessity, whereas women in more developed
countries tend be more motivated by opportunity and innovation.
(Source: Entrepreneurship: the practice and mindset / Heidi M. Neck, Christopher P. Neck, Emma L.
Murray. Sage publication: ISBN 978-1-4833-8352-1)

The role of women entrepreneurs has been growing and progressing throughout the world. To create a
balance between work and home is not easy, especially in the Arab world, and particularly Oman
where the socio-cultural expectations are highly challenging. For women, raising a family in itself is
not an easy task and beyond it successfully running a business adds additional responsibility. Women
demand social, institutional and family support to succeed in their efforts. To ensure the success of
women in their ventures, there is a clear need for supportive policies, education and training
opportunities, understanding from the community, establishment of a communication system, and
work-related assistance.

Women constitute 33 per cent of the Omani population (World Population Review 2016), and
women’s participation in higher education in Oman is around 58 per cent (Times of Oman, 2016). The
number of Omani women working in ministerial and government offices, boards and specialized
centres in the public sector (health, community, social, etc.) grew at a rate of 133 per cent, while the

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number of women Omani workers in the private sector increased by 163%. The women labour force
participation rate was 29.3% (2014) while the unemployment rate of the women was 14.3% in 2015
(Oman Statistical Snapshot, 2016). There is a huge potential in the field of women entrepreneurship.
Common obstacles or problems faced by women entrepreneurs:
 Availability of financial resources
 Availability of time (family issues)
 Lack of information about the sector
 Acquiring credibility & trust from others
 Acquiring self-confidence to bear the risk of starting the business
 Acquiring approval/support of the family members

1. State the overview of women entrepreneurs in the MENA region?

2. Highlight the main reasons as to why women would like to become entrepreneurs?
3. Discuss briefly any 2 common obstacles faced by women entrepreneurs?
4. How would growth of women entrepreneurs help Oman economy?

CASE STUDY 4: FEASIBILITY STUDY

Amal’s passion was candy sweets. She wanted to make and sell her own candy sweets, but her family told her
to choose something more stable. She took an office job, but her position was downsized. She considered her
love of candy sweets, and a little research showed that there was a market for her interests. There was one
problem; however, she never made candy sweets outside of her home and was not sure how to sell it in mass.
Her family told her that she lacked the necessary skills to create her own business, and she found another office
job.
1. What is necessary to determine feasibility? Select your answer and explain why?

a) Market
b) Market and customers
c) Customers
d) Business plan

2. What is NOT a question that would determine feasibility? Select your answer and explain why?

a) Is there a market for your product?

b) What is the outlook for the market?
c) Do you like what you do?
d) How would you operate?

3. What must be discovered before choosing a business? Select your answer and explain why?

a) Interests
b) Expectations
c) Marketing
d) Staffing

4. Personal interests should _______ feasible business ideas. Choose the correct word and validate the
statement?
a) Be separate from
b) Include
c) Avoid
d) Overlap with

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5. What is something that you gain from observation, encounters, and actions? Select your answer and explain
why?

a) Experience
b) Interest
c) Expertise
d) Competition

6. What is a good source of experience? Select your options and explain why?

a) Interest
b) Education
c) Work
d) None of the above

7. Education and training create ________. Choose the correct word and validate your statement?

a) Feasibility
b) Expertise
c) Interest
d) Experience

8. What should you do if you lack expertise? Select your option and explain why?

a) Choose another idea

b) Do not become an entrepreneur
c) Work harder
d) Learn the skill

9. Why did Amal choose not to become an entrepreneur? Select your option and explain why?

a) Interest
b) Family
c) Not feasible
d) None

10. What did Amal discover after losing her job? Select your option and explain why?

a) There was a market for her product

b) There was not a market for her product
c) She did not have the passion any longer
d) She had the necessary skills

CASE STUDY 5: FEASIBILITY STUDY v/s BUSINESS PLAN

The purpose of a feasibility study is to determine if a business opportunity is possible, practical, and
viable. It is a preliminary study undertaken before the real work on the business idea is started to find
out the chances of success with business. It serves as a valuable tool for developing a winning business
plan.

When faced with a business opportunity, many optimistic persons tend to focus on its positive aspects.
A feasibility study enables them to take a realistic look at both the positive and negative aspects of the
opportunity.

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Determining at an early state that an idea would not work saves time, money and heartache.

A feasibility study helps to make the Go / No go decision with the business idea. Once you have
definitely decided to go ahead with the business idea, it’s a point no return and there is usually no
turning back.

A feasibility study is not a business plan. The separate roles of the feasibility study and the business
plan are frequently misunderstood. The feasibility study provides an investigating function. It
addresses the question of “Is this a viable business venture?” The business plan provides a planning
function. The business plan outlines the actions needed to take the proposal from “idea” to “reality.” A
business plan is prepared only after the business venture has been deemed to be feasible.

If a proposed business venture is considered to be feasible, a business plan is usually constructed next
that provides a “roadmap” of how the business will be created and developed. The business plan
provides the “blueprint” for project implementation. If the venture is deemed not to be feasible, efforts
may be made to correct its deficiencies, other alternatives may be explored, or the idea is dropped.

1. What is a feasibility study?

2. How feasibility study different to a business plan?
3. State the importance of feasibility over a business plan?

CASE STUDY 6: International case studies: TRISTAN WALKER

TRISTAN WALKER is the founder of Walker & Company, which makes health and beauty products
for people of color, and Code 2040, which fosters and supports minority engineering and tech talent. A
former executive from Twitter and Foursquare, Walker pitched multiple ambitious, high-tech ideas to
the venture capitalists at Andreessen Horowitz before discovering a relatively low-tech business that
was in front of him all along: the Bevel line of shaving products.

On asked about the best advice he ever received he mentioned: Actor and producer Tyler Perry said he
realized his potential as an entrepreneur after he figured out that the trials you go through and the
blessings you receive in life are the exact same things. The trials you go through are blessings in
disguise. It has given me a lot of peace.

About his opinions on difficult lessons he learnt on job he said: The importance of authenticity. After
leaving Foursquare, I spent seven months as an entrepreneur-in-residence at Andreessen Horowitz. I
wasted a lot of time in the beginning. I tried to think of the most ambitious thing I could do and
pitched them on building a bank, tackling diabetes, even disrupting freight and trucking. Ben Horowitz
was honest with me and told me I wasn’t the best person in the world to solve those problems. In
retrospect, I was trying to make other people happy versus pursuing things where I was an expert. I
thought about doing hair products for women of color and talked myself out of it because I worried
what people would think of me. Throughout my life I heard a lot of yeses, from getting accepted to
boarding school to interning on Wall Street, then going to Stanford and working at Twitter and
Foursquare. All of a sudden I was hearing, “No. This isn’t a good idea.”

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To build a great business he believes that, You need to pursue the idea for which you are the best
person in the world to solve that problem. It can be freeing. Even though other people may not see it
and may tell you that you are wrong, if you are connected to that thing and know you are right, you
can succeed. If you are doing something different, someone else with that same idea but with more
authenticity will crush you. Jonathan Ive from Apple said in an interview that customers can discern
care for a product and they can also discern carelessness. When you are authentic, you care more and
that comes through in the product and the brand in such a compelling way that customers will believe
it.

On asking about one thing that enabled him to be a successful entrepreneur he said: I would not say I
have been successful yet. We still have a lot of work to do. My brother taught me early on that you
don’t get what you don’t ask for. I always go the extra step. If someone else asks once, I will ask six
times until I get the thing I want. That has led to more opportunities as well as more innovation. One
example is our logo. We have printed the Bevel logo on our razor heads. It’s a curved metal piece
inserted into another metal plate. When we were first designing it, manufacturers told me it was
impossible. I flew to China to meet with our manufacturing team, and we sat together in a room for 24
hours until we came up with the most compelling compromise. It was just a matter of asking, “Why
not?” enough times.

On coming up with best ideas he mentioned: I come up with a lot of ideas and 99% are crap. When I
hire, I find people who are so good at what they do that they filter my ideas down to the good ones.
Together we can get to a place that is reasonable and realistic but also pushes boundaries of innovation
to not be safe.

He believes is greatest achievement to be not forgetting who I am and where I came from. Some
people let success get to their heads. I have tried to stay true to the values and principles that are
important to me: my faith, family, and work. Anything outside of that is a distraction that prevents me
from doing what I want.

1. What is the best advice Tristan ever received?

2. What advice Tristan wants to give to other entrepreneurs?
3. How Tristan comes up with best ideas?
4. What is Tristan’s greatest achievement?
5. What was that one thing that enabled him to be a successful entrepreneur?

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Old case studies:

CHAPTER 1:

CASE STUDY 1.1 –MANIS‘S CAFÉ - YOUNG OMANI ENTREPRENEUR CLIMBS UP SUCCESS LADDER

People say that coffee is always a good idea. Maisa Al Adawi, a

young Omani entrepreneur proved three years ago while having
coffee with her friends that coffee can also bring good ideas
after which she decided to set up Mani’s Café.
“We opened Mani’s Cafe and Catering by Mani’s in response to
a gap for a healthy gourmet dining experience in the market,”
said Al Adawi.
Following the opening of the second outlet in Sohar, Al Adawi announced the launch of a third branch
in Al Mouj Muscat, which has started operational in February 2016. After taking a shot at scaling
young ventures, the team of three said that food industry in Oman is ever-changing and being an
entrepreneur means they are constantly evolving and setting trends in the kitchens and beyond.

Steady growth

“We’ve built the company from scratch and have grown steadily since,” she said, adding that “Mani’s”
is also the nickname of her sister Manahil.
“Our goal was to create a place where one can savour life’s small moments,” Al Adawi added.

The mother of three pointed out that starting a business from scratch has given her the freedom to be
creative and the opportunity to learn quickly and react to customer’s needs.

The entrepreneur said Mani’s Cafe is live and active on all social media platforms and has a website to
promote and market the café’s menu and catering services.

“Travelling the world and following what we’ve dubbed as ‘the new food movement’ inspires us to be
innovative and to offer new foods and preparation methods at our cafes and catering service,” Al
Adawi stated.

Asked about how networking helped her step up her game, Al Adawi said networking has helped her
foster relationships with new clients and maintain relationships with the existing ones in a personal
way.
“Through networking, we have had many referrals for our catering service and word about our and
cafe has spread organically,” she said, adding that meeting and interacting with clients, suppliers,
friends and bankers face to face, had helped the brand retain a personal human identity. Al Adawi will
join hundreds of high-level business leaders at a B2B (business-to-business) networking event.
Billed as the most influential business networking event in Oman, B2B was held on February 9, 2016,
with this year’s special theme entitled, “Leadership.”
Sourse by By Hassan Shaban Al Lawati [email protected]

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Questions for discussion:

1. What is the motivational factor behind the creativity of Maisa Al Adawi?

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2. What are the key benefits of networking in the success of her business?

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3. Do you think Maisa Al Adawi is successful in her business? If yes, explain.

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CASE STUDY 1.2 – DESIGNER WORKS HIS WAY INTO IMAGINATION OF OMAN YOUTH

Ahmed Al Balushi’s eyes shine as he speaks about his not-so-old

fashion start-up called ‘Kash5aful’.
Although he ventured into the T-shirt designing only two years ago,
fashion is something which this 21-year-old has always been associated
with.
Growing up in Abu Dhabi gave him many opportunities to witness
fashion events, both on TV and sometimes live. Ahmed loved watching
fashion shows and being part of elegant ceremonies where people dressed in flashy outfits. Besides, he
also learnt to pick his own clothes from an early age.
Despite his deep love for fashion, Ahmed’s passion was never actually visible to people until one day
he decided to design T-shirts for himself.
“I was very fond of dressing up and so thought why not try designing T-shirts for myself. I did that
and wore the designs to my college one day, where a lot of students complimented me. After that, I
started taking pre-orders from friends and family who wanted me to design T-shirts for them, and I
started this business with only OMR10 in my pocket.” This was a turning point in Ahmed’s life and he
decided to never look back.
On his 19th birthday, he decided to start his own T-shirt line, and turned this wish into reality with
hard work and determination. Ahmed started ‘Kash5aful’ (which means ‘fabulous’ in Arabic) soon
after.
Unique designs
His unique designs with Arabic phrases and patterns quickly caught the imagination of young Omani
girls and boys, and Ahmed was able to put up his first fashion show at the Caledonian College of
Engineering (CCE), where he is currently pursuing a Bachelors degree in Civil Engineering.
Not just in Oman, Ahmed’s designs have spread far and wide to most of the Arab countries and to
Europe. Ahmed has a strong vision of hitting the global market and plans to do so soon.
“I am in collaboration with a Swiss entrepreneur called Helen, who chose my T-shirts to be displayed
at her boutique in Switzerland. It is a matter of honor for me because Helen likes displaying designs
from different parts of the world at her boutique and it’s the first time ever that she chose someone
from the GCC.”
An important milestone in Ahmed’s life was organizing his second fashion show at the Shangri-La’s
Barr al Jissah resort and spa on March 31 this year.
“Money doesn’t really count for me; it is the happiness when I see someone wearing my designs at an
important event that really makes me feel that I am on the pathway to success.”
At the moment he is focusing on making his fashion show a success. Ahmed is also designing
accessories apart from T-shirts. “I am designing more clothes now -- capes, cardigans, hats, scarves --
and plan to open my own store after I graduate from college.”
Ahmed’s biggest dream is to see his designs being worn at the red carpet at the Grammy’s or the
Oscars.
“I have big dreams and I like to feel that I am on my way to pursue them. A lot of people tell me that I
am very successful but I like to think that I am on my way to the success that I have always wanted;
not yet, but close.”

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Questions for Discussion:

a. What is the turning point in the life of Ahmed to start his business?
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b. Identify the creativities in the design of Ahmed.

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c. What is the Vision of Ahmed being an entrepreneur?

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CASE STUDY1.3 –AN INNOVATIVE BUSINESS IDEA – STORY FROM OMANI
YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR

Khalid Al Suwaid is a 22 years old Omani entrepreneur, who has earned his Bachelor of International
Business from the Queensland University of Technology.
His business project, "Love at First Bite" is Oman’s first themed Lounge. It
provides an exciting dining experience that brings together three different
themed settings: a Sicilian walkway with street lights and a wishing fountain,
a brightly coloured 1001 Arabian night’s tale dining area and a French palace
lounge and bedroom. The lounge is located in Shatti Al Qurum.

With an increasing number of guests dining out in Muscat, Love at First Bite is not simply an addition
to the market, but a vibrant, fresh and modern perspective on the hospitality industry in Oman. From
the original and freshly inspired décor to the out-spoken staff also known as ‘Guest Specialists,’ Love
at First Bite strives to differentiate itself with an innovative menu featuring fusion dishes and an
exceptional ambience to compliment the overall dining experience.
Khalid started with 7 employees and has added 5 new employees to the team within 6 months from the
inauguration of the lounge. Based on demand, the lounge is now open for lunch as well as dinner.
website:www.bitelounge.com

Questions:

1. Identify the innovative idea of Khalid business?

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2. How their business idea is a need of Oman? Justify your answer.

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CASE STUDY 2.1 – SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS SAY THERE’S NO LOOKING BACK NOW

A boost from the government is helping the culture of

entrepreneurship in Oman grow. Youngsters who have decided to
make it on their own are seeing their ideas translating into profits.
They now say there is no looking back.
One such success story is of Kareem Rashid al Hudaisi, a graduate
from the Higher College of Technology. Hudaisi holds a degree in
information systems, but he knew his true calling was food. A month
ago, Hudaisi launched his traditional Omani halwa brand, Kareem
Sweets, and now supplies to a four star hotel.
Hudaisi said, “I graduated with an information systems degree, but I enjoy cooking. I thought Omani
halwa had to be branded to give it an identity for those visiting the country.”
Some 15 years ago, Hudaisi helped his brother sell halwa, an experience that has come in handy. He
worked for two years after graduation to shore up money for his sweets venture.
“In the meantime, I did some research and found out that there was no halwa brand that had been
heard of.”
Hudaisi is currently working to take his business online through which he plans to bag orders from
abroad, and is also experimenting with the different varieties ¨C chocolate, crackers etc - he can offer
to clients.
“More than money, you need passion to see things fall into place. I am happy with the start ¨C I did
my research, came up with the theme, brand name, logo. There have been no procedural issues yet; the
government has been very supportive,” Husaidi said.

Read more: http://www.muscatdaily.com/Archive/Oman/Successful-entrepreneurs-say-there-s-no-

looking-back-now-3fmp/(language)/eng-GB#ixzz4Bjr0zUoT

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Question for discussion:

1. What is the role of research in starting the business?

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2. What is the key factor of Kareem’s’ success?

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CASE STUDY 2.2- STUDENTS ENTREPRENEURS IN OMAN

Don’t call them Students they are entrepreneur.

Sama Al Subhi and Heba Al Harthy are typical college students but they are among a growing number
of young women who are juggling academic excellence with the management of their newly
established businesses.

The two have been friends for four years studying

together and doing their undergraduate degree in
Airport Management. But that is not the only
commonality they share. Sama and Heba have
established a fashion design business just three
months ago with the support of their families. With
little funds of their own, the two women have turned
one of the rooms in Heba's house in Al Hail into an
office and a workshop.

"We had this idea for quite a long time. Women's fashion is in demand in Oman. Many women want
to look good when they wear clothes and most of them will not want to repeat the same clothes in
weddings or other events. We thought of testing the market three months ago and we have been quite
successful so far," 23-year old Sama told Thursday magazine.

They have already sold a number of clothes in that short span of time but the biggest challenge they
face is not to market their product but to find time with the pressing demands of their academic work.

"We are still students and we have classes to attend, assignments to write, presentations and sit for our
examinations. It is not easy to divide ourselves into two separate lives and ambitions. We have to
achieve good grades but at the same we don't want to abandon our new business since we already see a
good potential ahead of us," Heba, who is in the same age as her business partner, explained.

They also know that being proactive and go for opportunities are key to their business success.

"We have to start here because our fellow students we have around us are not only our present
customers but future clients as well. They will have more money when they go to work but the most
important thing we have already established a business relationship with them and they will always
come back to us for their fashion needs," Sama explained.

Earlier this month, state-run Al Raffd Fund has announced a soft loan of RO1,000 for higher education
students for their business start-ups. Al Raffd Fund also has loan schemes starting from RO10,000 to
RO100,000 available to all Omani citizens from the age of 18 to 55. Some banks also encourage
young people to start SME projects with easy financing credit to help them realize their
entrepreneurship dreams.

But for Sama and Heba, bank financing would come later and perhaps they may never need to go into
that route. They rely on a pool of resources around them such as advices from teachers, parents and
training they acquired from local-based designers. But above all, the two women have a lot of

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determination to succeed and they are under no illusion that the path towards business independence
will be smooth sailing.

"It is not going to be easy to establish ourselves in this very competitive trade. We still need to
graduate so we can go to work. The money we get will finance our business. We are good in dividing
ourselves into two tasks. Our plan is to work for five years and then devote 100 per cent to our
business and we are not planning to fail in our ambitions to become our own bosses," Heba said.

Both women admit that launching a business from college or university campuses is never an easy task
but with better coordination and all-round support it can be achieved.

"If we did not start here I don't think we would have done anything about it after we start work," Sama
explained, "here we have the drive and energy and it will be easy to continue after graduation."

1. What are the motivating factors to be a student entrepreneur?

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2. What are the resources they have preferred for their business?

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CASE STUDY 2.3. DAR AL HERFYA – EFFECTIVE CONTRIBITUIN TO OMAN ECONOMY

The Chief Executive Officer of Dar Al Herfya (World of Handicrafts)

spends her days contacting potential clients and setting up meetings in
which she explains the salient features of the hand-made products she sells
and their role in sustaining the rural economy in Oman. In between, she
finds time to stay in touch with the skilled artisans who are working on
various products in different parts of the country to ensure they meet the
highest standards of quality.
Her hectic schedule has not diminished her enthusiasm a bit.
“This has been my routine for the last three years. You have to work hard if
you have a mission,” says Zuwaina of her pet project. In
2012, Zuwaina relinquished her top corporate job, and all the perks that went with it, to launch her
own company with the goal of promoting traditional Omani handicraft.
“I worked with Omran as director of branding, and Omantel as senior manager of branding and
communication. During my stints, I observed that corporate gifts never reflected Oman’s cultural
identity. It prompted me to do an independent market research to learn about the alternatives available.
It culminated in the launch of Dar Al Herfya,” she says.
The initial years were quite difficult. She travelled extensively to meet artisans from different parts of
the country, sitting with them and explaining the ways in which they could improve the quality of their
products to increase their commercial appeal. She also urged corporate houses in Oman to source gifts
from the artisans within the country instead of depending on foreign goods.
“I worked hard to establish contact with artisans from different regions and they co-operated with me
wholeheartedly. I conducted quality improvement workshops and discussed various ways to add value
to the products,” says Zuwaina.
“I knew from the beginning that supporting the traditional craftsmen is a way to strengthen the
country’s economy, besides protecting our rich heritage. So I requested corporate houses to believe in
our work and my efforts paid dividends as we received a good response from them. We also received
appreciation from people from all walks of life,” she says.
For the first year and a half, Zuwaina conceptualized ideas and put them into practice from home.
Then, after gaining a firm footing in the market, she opened Dar Al Herfya’s first outlet in Madinat
Sultan Qaboos in March 2014. The store, designed by Mohammed Al Malwi, soon became the talk of
the town and gave her company its identity.
“I received a lot of appreciation for the outlet. People loved its exteriors as well as interiors. It
showcased clay-ware, frankincense, miniature ships, and traditional clothes, apart from leather
products, Alghadev palm products, Omani Khanjars and silver ornaments,” she says.
In the less than three years since its inception, Dar Al Herfya has already succeeded in marketing
Omani handicrafts as valuable commodities. And by ensuring jobs for the artisans, Dar Al Herfya
provides financial security to more than 500 families across the Sultanate and aims to cover close to
1,200 families by the end of 2016.

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“We have supported 305 families in 2013. The number increased considerably in 2014 and we hope to
achieve our target in 2016,” she adds.
A major chunk of the artisans are women from villages who work on products during the day.

“It is nice to watch those experienced women weave palm fronds, mould potteries, process animal
skin, and weave textiles. Most of them gather in the Majlis during the day and they work like a family.
I also encourage young girls who have just finished school to engage themselves in the work. Now, I
am happy to see that they are competing with the elders,” she says.The artisans begin the work on
products after Zuwaiana provides them details on the design and dimension. “Sometimes, I accept the
ideas of the artisans as they have been doing this for a long time,” says Zuwaina.
Of all the beautifully crafted products on display at Zuwaina’s Madinat Sultan Qaboos outlet,
Alghadev palm products are her favourite. The baskets and bowls made out of Alghadev palms and
camel skin are much sought after gift items these days.
“Women from Al Wusta and Dhofar governorates have a rare skill to manufacture these products.
They put palm fronds in camel milk for 10 days before weaving the baskets. These women are experts
in processing camel skin too, which is sewn into the final product. It can be used as a decorative item.
The Alila Hotel in Jabal Akhdar has decorated its walls, rooms and corridors with more than 400
pieces,” explains Zuwaina.

At Dar Al Herfya, one can find products ranging from OMR6 to OMR600.

“Handmade products cost a lot. I do not bargain with the artisans as I value their efforts,” she says,
adding, “Apart from corporate entities, we also market our products among tourists and residents, and
aim to make Omani handicrafts popular all over the world.”

KNOW DAR AL HERFYA

Dar Al Herfya or World of Handicrafts is a specialized investment company focusing on the

development, production, marketing and promotion of Omani handicrafts that will be sold in the local
and international markets. These include pottery, frankincense, miniature ships, traditional clothes, and
pure leather products, in addition to Alghadev Palm products, Omani Khanjars and silver ornaments.

The company works directly with the artisans to ensure that the products are consistent with
international standards and meet the demand of clients. Aiming to be a global platform to showcase
Omani products around the world, the company protects Oman’s heritage and supports national
economy.

Dar Al Herfya caters to the needs of businesses and individuals who seek unique Omani gifts. The
company works directly with Omani craftsmen in a bid to ensure high quality goods and preserve
Oman’s deep rooted heritage. Most of the items are produced and designed by young, talented
Omanis. All the designs are derived from deep-rooted Omani culture and heritage.

Source: Timesofoman.com

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Questions:

1. What are the factors that lead Zuwaina to leave her top corporate job and become an
entrepreneur?
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2. What are the challenges she faced initially?
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3. How Zuwaina’s business help in strengthen the Oman’s Economy.
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CASE STUDY 2.4- CAKE GALLERY -THE SUCCESS STORY OF AN OMANI WOMAN ENTREPRENEUR .

Muscat: From a single outlet with a five-member team back in

2010 to six outlets and a team of 50 members today, Cake Gallery
has achieved a significant status among various segments of the
Omani society throughout the years. Etab Al Zadjali, is a co-
founder of Cake Gallery.

Driven by her passion in business, Etab is a sweets-lover and ha s

translated her interest into her fruitful business. Like any business,
she said, Cake Gallery has experienced ups and downs before
reaching its current popular status.

"Significant efforts were undertaken till this project was able to see success. When I first started
business, my aspiration was to contribute with a precious project for Oman," Etab said, adding: "Cake
Gallery's success is certainly attributed to the dedication and commitment of its team. Besides,
competitors are always there, yet I always hunt for distinction in what I do through what I offer to the
customers to make them happily satisfied."

When asked on her role models in life, Etab said, "First comes my father who strongly believes in the
talents and capabilities of Omani women. The support he provided since the first start of my project
was overwhelming.

"He was always there, and he still gets updated on the performance of my projects. Besides, the
support that comes from my husband is noteworthy.

"He has always shown a great support since he has a great background on the market and has been in
the industry for a long time. I must also mention the management support I got from Al Balushi
Investment LLC, which was also vital for my business."

Etab also had a passion of contributing with a project for the children; therefore she initiated a shop for
birthday preparations as well as a hall for birthday parties. In addition, she opened a ladies salon.
Malak Al Shaibani, director general of NBC, emphasized that women represent the second half of the
society and they are able to make a difference in the society.

"Najihat programme, which is being organized with the support of the National Bank of Oman, comes
to show support and empower the women entrepreneurs in the community," she said. On her part,
Asila Al Obaidani, relationship manager at National Bank of Oman, said: "Since the National Bank of
Oman pays a great attention to the SMEs in Oman, we are privileged to be supporting NBC's Najihat
initiative," Asila commented.

NBO offers Tijarati Banking, which is the banking partner of choice for SMEs across the Sultanate. In
addition to an extensive country-wide branch network, including Tijarati and Sadara Centres and cash

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deposit machines, NBO also provides SMEs with a best-in-class corporate banking portal to conduct
business transactions from the comfort of their office.

The SMEs can take advantage of the services of dedicated Tijarati Banking Relationship Managers
who hand hold the SMEs through their banking requirements.

Supported by the National Bank of Oman, Najihat programme consists of four sessions every three
months where ladies meet in a location of a business lady (owner) who shall share her fruitful
experience in the business arena and how she started her venture.

The series of Najihat sessions aspires at utilizing the skills and knowledge of Omani women and
highlighting inspiring stories of successful women leaders in the business field, as well as encouraging
other talented entrepreneurs to start their own ventures.

Source: Times of Oman

Questions:

1. What are the key factors for the success of Etab Al Zadjal?

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2. How does Najihat programme contributing to the Women Entrepreneurs in Oman?

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3. Do you think that NBO is providing support services for Entrepreneurship activities in Oman?
If so, write them.

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CHAPTER 3:

CASE STUDY 3.1- FROM IDEA TO BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY ENTREPRENEUR TO MARKET

MINIATURES OF COUNTRY’S ARCHITECTURAL LANDMARKS

A gap in the Omani souvenirs market has given

entrepreneur Ahmad Amur al Sawaei an opportune idea - to
make miniatures of the sultanate’s architectural landmarks.
He first experienced what was missing in 2007.

That time he hadn't visited cities such as London and Paris,

but the miniatures brought back by his relatives taught him
that these knick knacks could act as ambassadors for destinations.

“During my first year of university, I participated in a social investment initiative aimed at

encouraging the development of SMEs in Oman and I won a prize for best idea, which was
encouraging. I later honed my business plan at an 'entrepreneur campus', and my idea began to take
shape.”

Miniatures of well-known landmarks are available at all tourist destinations, but this was something
Oman was lacking. “While small tokens such as pens, and refrigerator magnets are widely available,
and handicrafts tend to be on the expensive side, my detailed miniatures give tourists other options.”

While the idea was straightforward, its execution was a challenge. “I searched for materials and
techniques to use. I found designers, sourced materials and evaluated factories. The biggest problem I
faced was finding factories which could undertake such detailed work. The designing stage was very
difficult.”

Sawaei is in the final stage of negotiations with several outlets. “The miniatures should be available at
select shops in the near future,” he said.

Sawaei said that besides tourists, the government and private sector too have shown interest in his
work. Because of his ability to produce exclusive miniatures, companies approach him for making
scale models of their future projects to gift to visiting delegations. The first miniatures which will be
available to the public will be of the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, the Al Alam Palace, and the Riam
Incense Burner.
Read more: http://www.muscatdaily.com/Archive/Oman/Omani-entrepreneur-to-market-miniatures-of-country-s-architectural-
landmarks-4ibx/(language)/eng-GB#ixzz4Bjjf61JC

1. How Ahmed converted his idea in to business Opportunity.

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CHAPTER 4:

CASE STUDY 4.1- MEMORIES- FROM PROFESSIONAL TO ENTREPRENEUR

YASIR AL ABDULLAH Professional photographer, started a

studio in May 2013, in Muscat offers photo shoots, designing
brochures and event management
Yasir al Abdullah, owner of Memories, a studio, is a professional
photographer who has benefited from both the public and the
private sector.

From an amateur, he became a professional photographer with the

help of the Oman photographers' Society Club. In May last year,
he set up a studio that offers photo shoots, designing and event
management. He approached the SEC to learn how to do business
and also for financial aid.

Currently, he earns RO5000-6000 a month and has a long-term

contract with the Ministry of Tourism. His studio, which employs
three women photographers, won a business to shoot weddings at
the five-star wedding hall, Al Noor in MQ.
He said, it is difficult developing businesses, especially in its
initial stages, "When I was looking for support to take the loan they were asking for a guarantee....So I
used my own savings to start this business." Yasir explains that his business would not have been
possible without the support of Zubair SEC, as well as the support of family and friends, and that that
service sector companies such as Zubair SEC and GroFin are essential in providing this support,
"helping the young Omanis to get bigger in the market, and to hire more talented Omanis."

CURRENT STATUS: Recently won contracts from Ministry of Tourism and sports goods maker
Uniboats, earnings around RO5, 000-6,000 a month
Memories Studios in Muscat introducing services on Shooting Weddings for Male & Female,
Graduation Ceremonies, Shooting Models, Artwork Designing, Printing & Drawing on T-Shirts, and
much more.

Memories Studios are launching new & exciting services to include:

Wedding shoots, Private Parties/Functions, Graduation Ceremonies, Advertisement Shooting and

Designing & Printing. It includes a selection of Omani Professional Photographers experienced in all
of the above. It provides services which are targeted to be creative, unique, professional & valid for all
types of clients.

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Questions:

1. What are the difficulties faced by Yasir to start his business?

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3. What is the contribution of Zubair SEC in Yasir’s business?

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4. Is Photography business suitable and profitable in Oman? If your answer is yes, write the reasons.

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~ 26 ~ ©HCT, Muscat Oman. Version III. AY 2018-19

CASE STUDY 4.2- FOUR OMANI ENTREPRENEURS START CARAVAN CAMPING TO LURE
TOURISTS

Four young Omani entrepreneurs have come together with a concept that is
attracting holiday-makers from in and outside the sultanate Team leader,
Al Hassan Mohammad al Zahli said it is the love for nature that inspired
them to begin Caravan Project for Camping. Speaking to Muscat Daily,
Zahli, said, “We wanted to start something that will not just showcase
Oman’s tradition but also help people be in touch with the country’s
natural beauty. We started with just one motorhome. The response was so
good that now we have four motorhomes.”

He said that the project cost over RO100,000, adding that at present they are
focusing only on domestic tourists.

“We offer mobile tourist caravans on rent with or without drivers for trips
across Oman. Though we have been receiving enquiries from international
tourists as well, we are currently focusing more on domestic tourists.

“We want to show both citizens and expatriates how beautiful Oman is. We
organize trips to the Sharqiyah Sands, valleys in Sharqiyah (Ibra, Sur and
Tiwi). We also offer camping at beaches in Azaiba, Al Sawadi, Suwaiq and
Sohar.”

Speaking about the challenges, Zahli said, “We had to face a few difficulties
while we were setting up this venture as the concept is quite new to the
country and there were procedural delays as well.

“Maintaining the vehicles are also difficult in Oman so we have to take them
to the neighboring countries for repairs. But, our patience has paid off.” Zahli
hopes that soon the tourism sector will contribute to the national economy in
a big way and their project will be an example for the country’s youth.

“I hope that soon tourism sector revenues will contribute to over 50 per cent
of the national economy. I request all Omani youth to come forward and work in the tourism sector
and create more job opportunities.”

Profit is not the group’s only aim. “We have also worked with some government and semi-government
agencies in organizing awareness activities as part of our social responsibility initiatives,” Zahli said.

Sourse: http://www.muscatdaily.com/Archive/Oman/Four-Omani-entrepreneurs-start-caravan-camping-to-
lure-tourists-4qgn/(language)/eng-GB#ixzz4Bjfbxnke

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Q1. What are the main challenges Al Hassan and his team faced?

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Q2.How their business can contribute in development of economy ?

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