From doctor to restaurateur

With the world becoming more connected and technology making it easier than ever to start a business, the possibilities for entrepreneurial-minded people are endless. That being said, the fundamentals of succeeding in anything, especially in business stay the same. That is to have a business plan, capital, team, and a network of advisors and constant iteration to improve, and undoubtedly, dedication.

That's where the journey of Dr Bushra Haque Sarah comes in. She is a shining example of how someone can have a rewarding yet demanding profession and have an unrelated venture and excel in both of them. With her passion for cooking and determination to build her food ventures, she is now successfully running two food businesses, The Munch Station and Khao San, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Dr Bushra started her entrepreneurial journey with a small food takeaway brand. She showed a strong work ethic, and a willingness to take calculated risks that led her to develop relevant skills such as financial management, communication, and leadership that can help entrepreneurs navigate the challenges of starting and running a business. Her story is a testament to the fact that people are not one-dimensional and can have multiple skills and interests.

Perfecting the product/service at first: After completing her medical degree from Ad-din Women's Medical College and Hospital, Bushra Haque Sarah worked as a medical officer at a skin care clinic. She went on to pursue a postgraduate dermatology programme at Sohrawardy Medical College and Hospital while on maternity leave. However, she didn't let her initial career path define her as she planned and researched to start a food venture in Dhaka.

A glimpse of Khao San

In March 2019, Dr Bushra ventured into entrepreneurship and started her first business, The Munch Station, with just 200 square feet of space, six customer seats, and three staff members. With the positive feedback and a growing customer base, they expanded to larger premises and eventually grew to three outlets. According to her, it's important to start small because entrepreneurs need to perfect the product first which might take time and several iterations before expanding.

Responding to market demand: Identifying gaps is indispensable to a successful business. Bushra and her co-founders identified a business case for authentic Thai cuisine, which led them to start their second venture, Khao San, a semi-fine dining restaurant serving authentic Thai cuisine. Their success can be attributed to their ability to identify and respond to market demand.

Bushra developed the menu for Khao San by spending days experimenting with recipes until she was satisfied with the flavour profiles. She wanted to use authentic Thai ingredients, but they were only available at certain times and in certain shops, which made it a challenging task. Yet, she didn't cut corners and persisted to train her chefs on how to use the ingredients and Thai cooking style.

Supportive surroundings: According to Bushra, "Three things are necessary when starting a business: Finance, the will to continuously improve, and a supportive family." Her husband has been her biggest support system and has helped her achieve her dream of opening multiple restaurants. Managing her daily schedule is not easy, and she often finds herself juggling motherhood, household chores, studies, and restaurant management. However, her dedication and hard work have paid off, and her restaurants have received positive feedback from customers.

She shared, "Khao San is a semi-fine dining restaurant serving authentic Thai dishes that directly transport you to the street food of Khao San Road in Bangkok." They have incorporated classic Thai designs in the restaurant that give customers the same bustling, friendly, and lively ambiance that they will get in Thailand, she informed.

Bushra shared that entrepreneurship is tough, it is much better to have driven co-founders that can look into various aspects of a business. She said, "My husband, Syed Sameem Shahriyar, is involved in day-to-day business. He graduated from IBA, Dhaka University alongside our other two co-founders, Taposh Ghosh and Mustafid Raiyan Khan. The other two are in charge of brand promotion and marketing."

Creating unique product offerings: Within a very short time, certain dishes from Khao San have already received a lot of popularity among the Dhanmondi crowd due to their uniqueness. For instance, one item would be Khao Suey, a popular north thai Noodle Dish with a red coconut paste curry with the option of chicken or beef. Another one is Som Tam which is a classic Thai papaya salad with a sweet, spicy tangy dressing with a hint of peanut. From the appetisers, people have been loving the morning glory with larbgai dip. Bushra shared, "Another special item would be our coconut ice cream on sticky rice." Desserts have never been her strongest suit but nailing this dish made her very proud.

Always learning and doing things from scratch: Building a successful restaurant is a challenging task. For Bushra, it took four years to build her second venture, Khao San. The experience she gained from her first restaurant, The Munch Station, taught her many valuable lessons. But that doesn't mean new problems don't arise.

She shared, "As with any new restaurant, there were bound to be problems during the actual operations and they aren't different. In fact, on the very first day, our two kitchen staff couldn't operate the electrical burner and griller, which led to the burning of electrical cables in the restaurant. The consequences were severe, as burning electrical cables disrupted the entire restaurant's operations. Half the day was spent fixing the issue, causing delays and frustration for both the staff and customers."

However, Bushra knew that the key to success was learning from each problem and using feedback to improve. Problems were seen as a learning opportunity to better understand how to run a commercial kitchen and serve her customers.

Opening a restaurant or cafe is no easy feat, especially in a city like Dhaka, where competition is fierce and customers have high expectations. She explained, "The success of a restaurant depends on food quality, customer service, and ambiance. Maintaining these standards is crucial, as any compromise can lead to dissatisfaction among customers and eventually the downfall of the business. Proper marketing, especially through honest reviews by food bloggers, is also essential in today's era where social media plays a vital role in promoting businesses."

Dr Bushra Haque Sarah's inspiring journey illustrates that with hard work, determination, and a supportive family, one can overcome obstacles and achieve their dreams. Her story serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration for all aspiring entrepreneurs looking to make a mark in their passion-related fields.

The writer is a final year student of Bachelor of Pharmacy at Independent University, Bangladesh. rounak.marium@gmail.com