By Emb Hashmi
Born into an entrepreneurial family, Kashi Latif at only 31 and the third generation of Latifs running the same family business, Kashifs grandfather founded, ‘Latifs’ warehouse in 1957, Kashif said his grandfather started the business from a suitcase and went door to door selling small value items. Since then the business went from strength to strength, and is today a multimillion pound highly recognised household brand.
The business started its expansion program in 1992, and Kashif said “the expansion of all the branches are self-funded, no bank money no loans”. Something he and his family are very proud of. Also something that helped them survive the tough economic times.
Kashif took over the family business after starting from the bottom; he said “When I told my father I wanted to work in the family business he told me to start by unloading the Lorries with the other employees”. From unloading stock from articulated lorries Kashif worked his was all the way to the top, and became CEO presiding over the whole company and said “I turned over more than £120,000,000 in the ten years I was in running Latif’s”. Today Kashif has handed the baton to his younger brother, as he takes a new seat on the board as the self-proclaimed Brand Ambassador for Latifs. Kashif said his role model is his father former CEO of Latifs Ishtiaq, and he further commented “If I can emulate James Cann, I will be happy”.
Today Latif’s have three lucrative sites; Wolverhampton , Bilston in Stoke-On-Trent and the flagship store Digbeth in the heart of Birmingham.
Kashif explained how family values are imperative and the business is run on eastern values even though he sees himself very British, Kashif explained “My father is the Honorary chairman of the board, my sister is the financial director and my younger brother Amir is the new CEO and my four year old son wants to work for Latif’s one day”, so maybe keeping it in the family is the reason why Latifs is such a successful strong brand and business.
Kashif has had many ups and downs in his life, he was diagnosed with cancer in 2007 whilst he was the CEO of Latif’s and as well as fighting for his life he did not want the business to suffer so he continued to run the business and recover from his poor health. Kashif today is in remission and has taken a new leap of faith he has branched out and has launched not one but two new businesses;’ Corner Prophet’ a business consultancy he said “to help push young entrepreneurs forward and aid them with advice guidance and even funding”. Kashif’s second new business venture is called ‘Hanged Man Productions’, a company he said he set up to produce short films and give new artists a platform, where he can help them to try and break into the main stream.
As well as the hugely successful Latif business the family has set up the ‘Latif foundation’ where they have built a school in the village where the family descends from in Pakistan called Latifabad.
Alongside being the brand Ambassador for Latif’s, and running his two new ventures Kashif also holds the position of youngest vice president of the IAB in the IAB history.
Latif’s is the official sponsor for the young Entrepreneur of the year award; Kashif said “it’s important to support new business startups”.
Kashif Latif five year plan is to see his new ventures become a success.
Kashif does not see himself retiring or in a position where he can say he has really made it, as he said he keeps pushing the goal post back so the road to everlasting success gets longer and longer, he said “the day I say I’ve made it is when I pack my bags and go home, why give up something I love so much”.
