“The more credit you give away, the more will come back to you. The more you help others, the more they will want to help you” are the wise words of Brian Tracy, a Canadian-born American motivational public speaker. This idea still holds true among Asian businesses in London, where conducting business with the heart, and not just the head continues to be a norm among the self-employed Asian youth.
Recently, I was walking towards a stall selling Malai Kulfi (ice-cream) on a hot afternoon in Southall Broadway. The frozen delicacy was sorely tempting but I had run out of cash to buy it. My card was mis-reading so I couldn't withdraw money.
It was then that 32-year-old Rehaan Shahid asked for a Kulfi to be handed over to me, “abhi kha lein, paisa baad mein de dena”(eat it now since you feel like it; you can always pay back). I felt that I had to be honest and reiterated that I wasn't a local, I was only there on work, and had no idea when I would be back in the area to pay him, but he insisted that I take the kulfi irrespective.
I felt guilty taking a favour from a stranger, but having the exotic ice-cream on a hot afternoon along with the selfless gesture was rather hard to resist. I gave in and took the kulfi, promising to come back to pay him when I could. While I started eating it, I got chatting about his other business in perfumes or 'attar' while he chatted about my area of work.
In a market-research kind of way, he asked what perfume I wear and what women like in offices, etc. With my limited knowledge in perfumes, I responded that I tended to prefer floral-based-mild perfumes. He attended to customers while talking with me and, while I was taking my leave, he handed me a bottle of the amazing 'attar' - to be considered a gift for visiting the area for the first time.
This gesture truly touched my heart. On what had seemed an ordinary day, I had developed a mini friendship. I now knew how he had started the business, where he sourced his products, and we chatted about our roots back in South Asia, our backgrounds and life in the capital.
Born and brought up in Perivale, Middlesex Rehaan is a former cricketer who played professional cricket for Middlesex alongside players like Moeen Ali and Eowen Morgan. He got into the attar business by chance, and started his business with just £2000. He's especially happy about the fact that Asian people continue to use attar and, from an economic point of view, he monopolises the business at the Southall Broadway.
It felt like being back home where one didn't mind a little chit-chat while conducting business. On an otherwise busy afternoon, it was a welcome change of pace accompanied with some warm smiles. There was no hard-selling and both the products were so good that I would go back to eat some more of the Malai Kulfi and buy a few bottles of attar for my family and friends. I left the stall having had a wonderful experience and with a feeling of wanting to get back again. Good business is where you make it and Rehaan knows how to treat his customers right.
