“You know, I’ve always wanted to sell gola ganda in my housing society,” I said to my sister-in-law, all at once overcome by entrepreneurial epiphanies. “But honestly, I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”
“Have you checked out Eaglelyst on Instagram?” questioned my sister-in-law as a response. Judging by the vacant stare on my face, she continued, “He’s this guy on Instagram who started selling fries. He basically explains what it’s like to start a small business.” Intrigued, I pulled up “street food enthusiast” and “entrepreneur in the making” Arbaz Abbasi’s Instagram account. What I saw drew me in and kept me hooked for a plethora of exciting reasons.
1. The mission
With Rs 50,000 as an investment, Arbaz embarked on the journey of setting up his french fries business. The first video on the Instagram page documents his hunt for a location with sizable footfall, and it’s intriguing to see what goes into making or breaking the decision behind the setup for one’s business. After a bit of a struggle, when he does lock in the location, he then walks us through the process of purchasing, preparing, and maintaining his stall, gathering supplies, and kickstarting day one of the operation.
From day one to day nineteen (thus far), Arbaz has kept his audience abreast with regard to pertinent updates. His daily sales are made available to his viewers, allowing a fascinating insight into the world of small, food-related operations and their financial potential. For Arbaz to document his journey, inclusive of pitfalls, learnings, and warnings is not only educationally beneficial – it’s also incredibly inspirational and admirable.
2. The storytelling
The videos almost have a rhythm to them once you get into observing Arbaz’s routine in a couple of seconds. You fall in sync with his day-to-day and begin to pick up on changes or diversions, thereby understanding what can go wrong or may need fixing once something disrupts the general flow of things.
The videos are shot in a straightforward manner and are exceedingly insightful. One cannot help but find oneself invested in the growth of Arbaz’s business, wondering whether or not the food influencer will profit from his ambitious experiment. As the days go by, it is quite remarkable to think about how Arbaz has his audience hypnotised, waiting with bated breath for the final answer – a true stroke of strategic genius.
3. The growth
Watching Arbaz go from a handful of customers on day one to hoards of people in just over a week is a euphoric experience. It’s almost like being a part of his stall in real-time, getting daily updates and being privy to the cash flow.
Moreover, there’s content on his Instagram page dedicated to his spiking number of fans. At 163,000 followers during the time of this being penned, within a span of 19 days, Arbaz hasn’t just opened a portal into Business 101 – he’s also broadened the horizon for positive content creation.
4. The advice
While it is obvious that Arbaz holds certain cards close to his chest, creating a sense of suspense for his viewers, he does not shy away from being honest when necessary. For example, as his followers increase, so do his sales. However, he is extremely mindful of letting his audience know that daily sales cannot mistakenly be construed as profit.
Furthermore, when there is a dip in his sales, he is not afraid to be candid about the same. In fact, should such a day transpire, he encourages young business owners to combat frustration at this stage and keep moving forward. He then practices what he preaches, rarely letting hindrances slow him down.
5. The journey
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