A go-to source for reliable expertise will disrupt sector in the Gulf

SouKare founder and chief executive Faraz Khan talks to The National about the business.

Q Do you think you timed the launch of souKare correctly?

A It’s a too early to say yes or no because we are not big enough. In six to 12 months, we will know. So far all the indicators – that mainly come from investors – indicate that we got it right. They seem to like the idea. In a year to two, we hope to be disrupting a few things and as a disruptor timing becomes less relevant. What will you be disrupting? Basically your whole healthcare experience, the purchase experience and journey. When I moved to Dubai I did not know which doctor to go to whereas if you had a Trip Advisor for doctors that would make life very easy. That does not exist today and that’s the disruption model.

Are you going to create a Trip Advisor for doctors?

The end-to-end idea is to, yes, have three categories advising on the best-rated doctors, fitness people and yogis. How are you building a defendable business? Exclusive partnerships will key to be that so imagine if we have partnerships with clinics that don’t have their own pharmacies, then that will give us a first move advantage. In e-commerce building something that is defendable is very difficult, the only thing you can do is make sure that the products are always authentic.

What start-up do you wish you had created?

Careem, not just because of what you see as a customer but because I know their culture, their employees and their level of excitement and the way that they buy into the company’s mission. Then it’s how the founders have managed to grow the company, the level of satisfaction that they have and the fact they are making a difference to so many people. If you go to Pakistan, everyone now – even those that could not afford taxis – are booking Careems because their prices are typically half. What they have done over the last five to six years is quite fascinating.

What new skill have you learnt through setting up your own company?

When you are a consultant you work with many people and you think you have nailed it. Now I realise those people were almost all on the same wavelength. Now, as a startup, the stakeholders can be the people getting your uniforms or bike boxes made, the person processing a licence or investors – initially you do it all yourself. So you deal with the entire spectrum.