Shafi Pharmacy
Bold decisions make leaders stronger. Khalid Shafi Khalid Al Habsi, who is a certified degree holder in pharmacy from Oman Medical College took the plunge to set up his own Pharmacy in 2016. Khalid has now firmly set his sights on expanding into other parts of Oman with his own brands.
“I am delighted to receive the support of Zubair SEC, which is empowering entrepreneurs and their small businesses by providing consultancy and a stimulating environment for business growth.”, says Khalid Al Habsi.
Healing touch
Khalid Shafi Khalid Al Habsi is driven by a passion and commitment to ensure good health of the community as he intends to provide high-level of care, attention and services through his pharmacy.
Utilising his experience of working as a Pharmacist with Khoula Hospital for eight years, Khalid ventured to set up a small pharmacy on his own called Shafi Pharmacy in South Mawaleh in 2016.
Initially, Shafi Pharmacy was locatedin a very nondescript area in South Mawaleh, where it was hardly noticed, which impacted his business. One of the primary tasks undertaken after he was selected for the Direct Support Programme of Zubair SEC was a comprehensive strategic and marketing review including complete logo design and branding. The advice was to shift the pharmacy to a better location in South Mawaleh itself.
Once the new location was identified closer to a fuel station, Zubair SEC team worked with Khalid to redesign the interior decoration of his pharmacy, using the grant he received from the Programme, to make it better structured, easier to navigate by customers, and to give it a professional look reflecting the new brand identity.
Zubair SEC’s main objective has been to turn Khalid’s business model into a successful one and help him achieve growth and sustainability.
As his business continues to improve, Khalid is ready to take the leap forward in trying new strategies to develop his pharmacy. “We are devising marketing strategies like distribution of leaflets to residents to tell them that there is a pharmacy next door in an effort to build some kind of local positioning and business attractiveness. Additionally, customers can get their blood and cholesterol checks done at the pharmacy. It is also planned to have a series of programmes to reach out to customers.” Three small polyclinics in close proximity of Shafi Pharmacy are certain to bring in customers to the pharmacy, he avers.
Khalid also collaborates with his fellow-entrepreneurs and members of Zubair SEC in cross selling their products, such “Al Broumi Honey” and “Grandma’s Mixes” hair care products, in line with Zubair SEC’s strategy to encourage its members to collaborate in business.
While dwelling on the future, Khalid has set his sights on expanding into other parts of Oman, where he envisions to replicate the Shafi franchise model. His ambition is to have a chain of pharmacies across Oman. The journey has not been free of challenges. Zubair SEC has been working with Khalid to draw a roadmap to reach his goal and overcome any existing and foreseen challenges.
Khalid is now looking at setting up pharmacies in Sohar or Salalah to start with by the end of 2019 as these areas do not have a lot of pharmacies. He strongly believes that the future is promising and he is confident of emerging more successful in the years ahead with his own set of brands.