Business News Imran’s success defies the odds By John Griffin
Birmingham entrepreneur Imran Rashid is carving out a promising niche in the UK energy market – despite being blind from birth and written off as unemployable. Imran was born with a rare genetic condition called
Leber’s congenital amaurosis which afflicts only around one in 80,000 of the population, rendering him completely blind. Now 33, the city businessman has defied the sceptics
to launch his own company, Prestige Business Services, which offers substantial savings to clients on gas and electricity bills. The company says it offers ‘unbeatable nationwide pricing’ with fixed price contracts for 12, 24 or 36 months. And he says his disability has helped drive his ambitions to ‘become the richest blind person in the UK by the age of 40.’ After a varied business career in banking, mobile
phones, advertising sales and recruitment, Imran took the bull by the horns to launch Digbeth-based Prestige Business Services just over a year ago – and has seen the firm grow to a workforce of 11 and a monthly turnover of up to £150,000. “I am originally from the slums of Sparkhill but if you
Imran Rashid: attitude is the key
have a can do, will do attitude, anything is possible. Many people with disabilities are too sensitive and afraid to talk about it – there is a wide proportion of disabled people who do not achieve anywhere near what they could do. I can open doors – it is sheer determination and
gruelling effort. We are now doing £100,000 to £150,000
a month turnover from the electricity and gas suppliers. We want to grow to £500,000 a month turnover.” Prestige Business Services works with a wide range
of commercial, corporate and domestic customers, from schools, mosques and care homes to shops, warehouses, fish and chip shops and pubs. “The main focus is corporate and commercial. We
get a bill from the customer, look at it and analyse what they are paying. We will ask for a bill and a letter of authority, examine the information and then request rates from the suppliers. “Our average saving is £3,500 to £5,000 but we
have saved a big corporate £134,000 - £126,000 electricity and £8,000 gas. We have helped more than 300 clients in the last 12 months. “We do not charge upfront fees and there are no
hidden costs. If we say we can save you £85,000, we save you £85,000. The savings are all theirs and we make our money through the suppliers. We have only been independent for just over a year but we have come on leaps and bounds. I am very encouraged by how things have gone.” Imran says he was written off as a youngster
because of his blindness. “At the age of 14, my dad was told ‘your son in incapable because he is blind’. “But the mindset has to be right, and attitude is key.
I use my own disability as an ability. My inspiration is my team, they make it possible for me. I am a team player, and I trust them 100 per cent. “I believe in democracy, not autocracy. Being blind,
you always have to prove yourself - it is the story of my life, people telling me what I can’t do.”
December 2016/January 2017 CHAMBERLINK 13
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