Leveling the playing field: Aziz Ghamil, co-founder and CEO of Santra

The potential economic empowerment that an individual can achieve by running a home business is considerable. However, in an economy like the UAE where small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for 95% of all businesses, support for home-based business owners needs to be strengthened. That’s certainly the driving force behind Santra, a UAE-based online marketplace that supports small business owners and makers of homemade food and sweets. “Santra was inspired by the need to address inefficiencies in the local food and beverage industry, where businesses suffered from disparate systems and a lack of integrated digital solutions,” said Santra co-founder and CEO said CEO Aziz Gamil. “Envisioning a platform that streamlines processes and enables digital transformation, Santora will provide these businesses with intuitive and comprehensive tools to strengthen their operational capabilities and contribute to regional economic growth and innovation. Our goal is to be a growth partner for our clients, simplifying the complexity of digital implementation.”

Founded in 2022 by Gamil and co-founders Fatma Al Khaja and Mustafa Alelayawai, Santra provides digital solutions including order management systems, real-time inventory tracking, integrated payment solutions, and customer insights. Therefore, with these tools at their disposal, local food businesses and home-based food brands can reach a larger customer base by organizing orders and delivery times on a single, dedicated platform. Logistics efficiency can be achieved. And all of this gives small business owners a chance to compete with the large established chains, Gamil says.

Source: Soundtrack

“We offer two specialized apps: a customer app for easy ordering and a personalized experience, and a merchant app for efficient business management,” Gamil explained. Masu. “This dual-app approach addresses both the demand and supply sides and ensures efficient and responsive service. Entrepreneurs first contact us and then receive a demo of our platform. and a trial period. After that, we assist with onboarding, including setting up profiles and menus.”

Currently, Santra is a platform where 90% of sellers are women from the UAE. This is a profound testament to Gamil and his team’s commitment to fighting unemployment and empowering women entrepreneurs in the UAE. In fact, this sentiment is what inspired Gamil to start the startup in the first place, and it all started with the word “santora”, which is used in many languages ​​to describe mandarin fruit. Ta. “The name of this startup was born from a simple but memorable incident during my university days,” says Gamil. “During class, I was secretly enjoying Mandarin. The moment was humorously videotaped by a friend, which led to a burst of laughter and friendship between us. By sharing, co-founders Fatma and Mustafa somehow sparked a deeper conversation about the challenges faced by local brands and home-based food businesses. We shared many great ideas. and high-potential businesses, especially those led by women, are unable to reach their full potential. The story behind Soundtrack is therefore a reflection of spontaneity, innovation and our commitment to uplifting local communities, especially women entrepreneurs in the UAE.”

Aziz Gamil and Mustafa Alelayawi are the co-founders of Santora.Image source: Soundtrack

Of course, it’s no secret that the industry in which Santora operates is rapidly growing. In fact, according to a report by Mordor Intelligence, the food services market size is estimated at USD 16.92 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach USD 43.98 billion by 2029. In such a saturated market, there is an increasing need to differentiate yourself from your competitors. Gamil is also fully aware of this. “Santra was built with a unique set of selling points in mind,” he says. “First of all, it has a user-friendly interface that allows entrepreneurs with different levels of technical knowledge to efficiently manage their operations.Second, our platform is highly adaptable, allowing home businesses to create their own maintain your identity and meet your specific needs.We also offer one-stop-shop solutions for ordering, inventory, and customer relationship management that streamline operations and improve the customer experience. We focus on local markets, provide localized support, understand cultural nuances, and serve home-based businesses. And finally, our pricing model is budget-friendly for home-based businesses. , so you can pay only for what you need and have the flexibility to scale.”

Related: For the love of shoes: How Sophia Webster built her eponymous luxury accessories brand

In the midst of this model of empowering local home businesses sits Santora’s unique gateway to earning a share of the revenue. “Our main source of revenue comes from a small commission on each transaction processed through our platform,” Gamil explains. “This allows us to directly align our success with our clients’ success and ensure that we are motivated by a common goal of increasing our clients’ sales and business throughput. We are agile and ready for digital transformation. Our focus is on open business, but you may lack the resources for implementation and deployment.” “You can manage complex digital solutions yourself. We provide a scalable, integrated platform. This makes Santra a powerful tool in the growth of companies, enabling them to compete more effectively in the digital economy.”

However, Santra’s graph towards achieving an efficient operating model was not always linear. “One of the most important challenges I faced in leading Santora was finding the balance between rapid innovation and sustainable growth,” Gamil admits. “In the world of technology startups, there is tremendous pressure to move quickly. However, rapid development often comes with risks, both in terms of product stability and team burnout. Managing that balance has always been a challenge. Another big hurdle was introducing new services.”Providing digital solutions to traditional small and medium-sized businesses in the food industry has been a challenge compared to simply selling products. It meant advocating for a shift in operational thinking. Many potential customers were hesitant to move from established methods to digital platforms. I had to convince them. It doesn’t just require a solid product, it also requires a deep understanding of their challenges and effectively communicating the tangible benefits that can be gained. ”

Source: Soundtrack

In overcoming these challenges, Gamil realized that his startup would eventually be open to investment. “Santora’s fundraising journey is a testament to our growth and the confidence our investors have in our vision,” Gamil said. “We started in 2019 and were bootstrapped with personal investment from myself and close friends who believed in the potential of our platform. It was about proving the concept, gaining attention, and refining our services. Through hard work and proven success, we raised our first external funding of $300,000. 2022 Edition of Startup Event GITEX Attending Global was the next important milestone. The exposure and networking opportunities at such a prestigious technology event led to us raising $1 million in pre-seed funding. This capital injection has allowed us to further strengthen our offerings, accelerate growth and expand our reach to empower more local brands in the food industry.”

So, with that sense of optimism, Gamil hopes to lead his startup into 2024 and beyond. “Over the next six to 12 months, Santora will enhance our platform with new features requested by our clients, expand our market reach to welcome new clients, deepen existing relationships, and commit to innovation and client value. “I am committed to developing myself as an individual and as a team,” he declares. “This strategy aims to strengthen our offering in the food sector and help businesses adapt to a digital-first approach. We want to continue positioning ourselves in the market as a highly customizable, supportive digital platform.” Food sector! ”

Aziz Ghamil, Santora Co-Founder and CEO.Source: Soundtrack

Trep talk: Aziz Ghamil, co-founder and CEO of Santra, shares tips for entrepreneurs

Recognize the power of resilience and adaptation “Being an entrepreneur is about more than just having a great idea. It’s about your ability to adapt to changing circumstances, continually learn, and lead your team through the ups and downs with a clear vision and steady hand. Masu.”

embrace uncertainty “I’ve become more comfortable with uncertainty. I’ve realized that not every decision is perfect, but it’s far less paralyzing for fear of making a mistake. That’s a bad thing. Adopting a ‘learn fast, adapt fast’ mindset has helped me navigate ambiguous situations.”

Prioritize team health “I have learned the importance of fostering a work environment that values ​​not only productivity but also happiness. This is as much about taking a step back from time to time to avoid overburdening your team as it is about achieving development milestones. It meant promoting a culture where health matters.”

Focus on customer engagement and education “We have made significant investments in customer engagement, including in-depth demos, workshops and one-on-one sessions to explain the value of digital adaptation in the customer’s language, and We have shown that it has a direct impact on efficiency and growth.”

Related: DriveArabia Founder Mashfiq Chaudhry on how an unwavering commitment to honesty and integrity led to the company’s 20th anniversary