Tapping India’s business possibilities

Transcript

TAPPING INDIA’S BUSINESS POSSIBILITIES
Shareef Muhammed, chairman and managing director of Cubes International Group, believes that India offers unlimited possibilities for business

Back in 2011, Shareef Muhammed used to take a part of his earning every month from his salary and invest it into a business that he had started. He continued this for almost two years. People found it ridiculous yet Shareef held on to his nerves. Today, af- ter 8 years, Shareef is the chairman and managing director of Cubes International Group, whose one vertical itself transacts business worth many millions.
At the age of six, he lost his father. It was his mother who dutifully raised him. The strength displayed by his mother in raising him gave Shareef a steely grit in life. Today, he sits at his plush office located on the first floor of Kerala State Industrial. Enterprises Limited at Eloor, overseeing and managing the affairs of Cubes International logistics company along with its five sister-concerns.
Before turning into the world of Business, Shareef was an employee in a construction company in Qatar. The construction company where he was employed, wanted manpower for their airport completion project. Shareef took upon himself and provided 10 labourers for the job.
“I had started my first business, while I was still working. Initially, it was a big struggle. I barely managed through it,” begins Shareef.

He used to earn money through his job and use the same as capital for the new business that he undertook. He struggled till 2013 in balancing both his business and job, yet he held his nerve. In 2013, he moved into a vehicle leasing company. The company was involved in providing commercial vehicles for construction purposes, Shareef found an opportunity here. As the company needed drivers, he successfully managed to provide three hundred drivers for the project.
“My effort began to reap fruits here. The Turkey-based company, which was involved in the project eventually invited us to be a sub-contractor. In time we could supply 1300 drivers for the entire company,” remembers. Shareef.

With efficient processes in place, Shareef decided to start his company branch in Kerala.The team started the groundwork for it from 2017 June. The market study and feasibility study was completed and Cubes International Logistics company began its operations in 2018,

When asked about his experience of starting his business in India, he says, “Doing business in Qatar is a piece of cake. But the middle east business opportunity or the scope of the GCC countries are limited whereas India provides unlimited scope for business. Eyeing the opportunity that India provided, Shafeer was steadfast in his vision. In just a year’s time, he opened 5 more companies.

BUSINESS VERTICALS
Today Cubes international is into. contracting and building constructions. logistics and transportation, trading. cleaning and maintenance services, warehouse management, civil and MEP engineering services and consulting and management services.

In less than 3 months, Cubes International group construction wing, with its head office in Ernakulam has signed 21 projects in Kerala. The construction company focus is into building premium resorts, hotels and apartments.
“The construction company is based on a concept-design-build format that integrates architecture design as well as construction,” says Shareef.
His other venture Cubevo is involved. in trading of coconut, coir and allied coco products. “South India is known as the coconut triangle. Access to raw materials, proximity to seaports give us the advantage of trading coconut-based raw materials across the globe,” points Shareef

The team has put in place a stringent process that helps them procure only the finest grade of raw materials. The raw materials are then processed using hi-tech machinery and packed according to the needs of the customer.

Shareef is soon setting up his trading office as well as the logistics office in the UAE. “As we have been in the business- for long, we have also received orders to deliver fruits and vegetables to the Middle East.”

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
Shareef credits the success of his ventures to his team. For him, his team is the mover and shaker of his venture. His methodology to trust in his team gives him a possibility to ideate and venture into new sectors of business. His work is such that once the process set up in a company ushers in profits, he instantly moves on in setting up the next vertical in business,

“Manoj heads the marketing section. I trust him to do his job fully. Tito handles the finances and Sreejesh is the general manager. They have set up core processes in place which makes the business transactions easy. Once I see that it’s automated, I move on to the upscaling the business. “he says.

Shareef doesn’t allow the daily strains. of finance or business pressure affect him. “I am my mother’s child. From childhood, I have seen her paddling the rough sea. I have seen her take
on challenges with ease. She has rubbed in those qualities to me,” shares Shareef with his childlike smile. He also ensures that the team also imbibes these qualities.
Shareef believes taking risk is an essential part of the business. “Without taking risks, there is hardly any scope for progress. The risks that I took years ago, today feels like fun. Risks taken in the past feels like an adventure ride today,” he quotes.

Not one of Shareef company owes any loan or carry debt on its shoulder, Shareef says that had he taken a loan from a bank, he could have escalated his business at a faster pace. Till today, the company has no debts, “That was a risk I was unwilling to take,” he says and opines that he may do so in the future.

FUTURE
We are eyeing to enter the FMCG market in a big way. The products are getting in line. The construction vertical is focusing on securing high-value government projects. With offices opening in the Middle East, Shareef hopes to jump into new sectors in the market.

CUBES INTERNATIONAL
DEVELOPERS

EARLY CONTRACTOR
INVOLVEMENT
Over the past five years, CUBES has positioned itself at the leading edge of project delivery, meeting the ever advancing challenges and opportunities presented by complex project briefs, compressed time frames, increased sustainability targets, and rapidly evolving technology.

DESIGN & CONSTRUCT
The Design and Construct delivery method is becoming increasingly popular across CUBES client base. CUBES has developed specialist in residential and commercial Design and Construct teams to ensure we can deliver value-add- ed solutions, particularly through the design phase. of each project.

MANAGING
CONTRACT FOR SERVICE
CUBES has extensive experience in managing contractor roles. This delivery method is suited to projects which are subject to a fast track delivery or where the design is undefined or rapidly changing.

CUBES INTERNATIONAL
LOGISTICS
A premium solution provider of cargo forwarding and logistics solution in India and the Middle East. The company offers:
1. Ocean Freight import and export
2. Air Freight
3. Land transportation

COMPANIES
Cubes International Developers
Cubes International Logistics
Cubes International Facility Managament
Cubes International Management Services
Cubes trading and Contracting
Cubevo International Trading