MBA lemonade seller Arif shows the way to youth

Mohammad Arif Hussain at his Limbu Pani stall in Hyderabad

awazthevoice.in
Published: 12-06-2022 12:04:00 PM
4 min read

Hyderabad

“MBA limbu Pani Wala" is a popular cool drink roadside joint in the city of Hyderabad, Telangana, where people of all strata come to enjoy a variety of lemonades. More importantly, the cool drink kiosk has become a symbol of the modern trend of enterprise and dignity of labour because of the credentials of its young owner.

Muhammad Arif Hussain, the owner of the stall located at the Liberty Square, Bashir Bagh, holds a Master's degree in Business Administration, hence the name of his business. He chose to start this enterprise with his firm belief that “no job is big or small.”

Arif Hussain says, “I want to create my identity in society. There is nothing wrong with hard work. No profession is small or big. Big goals can be achieved only through small efforts.”

Arif Hussain however has big ambitions. His family didn’t approve of him starting his business from a Bandi (kiosk) by selling lemonade after doing his MBA degree. However, for him, it is just the starting point, for he holds big dreams and ambitions in his mind. He was keen to find opportunities for livelihood rather than waiting for getting an appropriate job.

He was keen to find opportunities for livelihood rather than waiting for getting an appropriate job.

Mohammad Arif Hussain's lemonade stall

However, it was not an impulsive decision for Arif Hussain; he did his due diligence by undertaking a detailed survey of the primary markets. He also spoke to a lot of people to realize what would sell.

He started his business from a roadside kiosk in February 2021 although his family continues to protest against his decision even to this day. Arif started his business with Rs. 60,000 that he had managed to save. His 18-year-old cousin Saif chipped in with Rs 30,000 and a London-based friend Farhan with Rs 10,000.

Arif Hussain pays special attention to hygiene at his kiosk. He uses mineral water for lemonade. He sells different types of lemon water like soda lemon water, plain lemon water, dry ice lemon water, and used flavours. His stall stands out in terms of hygiene and cleanliness among hundreds of other Limbu pani stalls in the city. This is probably the key reason for the stupendous response to “MBA wala ka limbu pani."

Arif Hussain is a resident of Dudh Bioli Hussaini Alam. He received his early education from Madina Islamic Mission School, Mughalpura. He completed his MBA degree from the Vivek Bandra Business School

Arif Hussain belongs to a business family. He has three brothers and two sisters. Arif Hussain has always tended to business. However, his style of business is different and unique. He believes in creating a distinct identity in society. But Lemon Water is a source of pleasure and they are happy with their business as well as happy.

Arif Hussain in front of his shop

In a short period, Arif Hussain's business has gained a reputation. When he started his business, he faced opposition from all quarters. However, he never felt frustrated and inferior. At the same time, the situation has changed dramatically. Today, Arif Hussain is achieving tremendous popularity on various social media platforms.

Food blogger Dr. Fody posted his video on Instagram and about 3.5 million people watched it. Arif Hussain is receiving investment offers from all over the country and he is planning to set up a franchise

Arif Hussain sells lemon water for Rs. 3,000 per day and earns a profit of about Rs. 1,500. Even after the summer, their business will not slow down as his mocktails with lemon as a key ingredient are popular among the youth.

Speaking to Awaz-the Voice, Mohammad Arif Hussain said that he has an MBA and can get a job in any big company but he was never interested in a job since his childhood. “I have a master's degree and I am focusing on business.”

Arif Hussain rues that it’s not only his family but friends who also tell him that he is tarnishing the name of his family by getting into this small business. “Apart from creating a unique identity, there is nothing wrong with working hard for development,” he said.

He however is not bothered about what others think of his business and people who dabble in negative thoughts.

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Arif Hussain has a message to the young generation that they should never give up and work hard; Do not waste your precious time through various tricks and excuses as only small efforts can be fruitful and history has shown that most great people started their successful life with small deeds.