From Silicon Valley to Skardu, A Story of Starting New Businesses and Making New Things.

Sitting on the floor of a village house in Shigar Valley, Pakistan, and getting more than 40 thumbprints from the people who own the land was very different from being in Silicon Valley with its comfortable chairs and big tables for meetings. But it was an important part of our journey to start a new business – a fancy resort in Skardu Valley.

When you start a business, it’s important to figure out if you’re solving a real problem or just creating something without a purpose. This is called the Startup Founder’s Dilemma, and it’s something many people face, whether they’re making software or planning a vacation spot.

For example, after COVID-19, we noticed something important: people wanted to travel to the scenic areas in the northern part of Pakistan. This wasn’t just a random idea; it was a response to a real need. Both people from Pakistan and tourists from other countries were interested in exploring these beautiful places. So, we saw an opportunity to create travel opportunities that catered to this demand.

Pakistan has some of the tallest mountains in the world, which attracts a lot of adventurous people from different countries. But not only hardcore climbers come here; many tourists also visit for simpler activities like sightseeing. However, there weren’t many places for these visitors to stay comfortably.

We noticed this gap in accommodation options while traveling ourselves. Even though we didn’t have any experience in the hotel industry (our backgrounds were mostly in educational technology and medical technology), we saw an opportunity to fill this need. We believed that with a solid plan and hard work, we could create a solution. So, we decided to jump into the hospitality business, aiming to provide a comfortable base for travelers to enjoy their time exploring the area.

When we were in our late twenties, we loved traveling to far-off places like Patagonia, Alaska, and Africa. Back then, we used to camp or stay in cheap motels to save money. But as we got older and had more money to spend, we still craved adventure in remote places, but now with a bit more comfort. We wanted things like hot showers, cozy beds, and tasty food.

All those years of traveling taught us something important: there’s a demand for luxury even in places far from cities. So, we decided to create something special for people who love high-quality experiences. We aimed to surprise our guests with luxury and top-notch service, even in the most isolated spots.

After checking out many places in the northern areas, we decided to get land near Skardu. This area gets lots of tourists in the summer, but there aren’t enough rooms for everyone. Plus, it’s got an international airport, which is a big plus.

Our decision to pick Skardu wasn’t just about business. We also felt a strong personal connection to this place. We wanted to solve a problem that we ourselves faced when traveling, and we believed that other travelers had the same issue. So, we decided to build our solution there.

We really liked the landscape where we decided to build, but it also posed some challenges. We picked one of the hardest areas to construct in, which was against what most people would advise. We could have taken our time and accepted that building here would take longer.

But we realized something important: in business, there’s something called opportunity cost, which isn’t talked about much in Pakistan. Basically, it means that if we missed the busy summer season, it would cost us a lot more than spending extra money to finish the project quickly. So, we pushed hard. We pushed our architect, contractor, and hired extra workers to work faster. They even worked in shifts around the clock to finish by May 2023.

At every step, we thought about how to speed things up by doing tasks at the same time. This was something we learned from running our other businesses. Having a reliable team on-site was super important because we were traveling back and forth between the US and GB almost every month.

We teamed up with local architects called Alcoholics, who brought new ideas to our project. They’re from Gilgit Baltistan, so they know how to mix the traditional local architecture with a modern style.

We also hired local workers and craftsmen, and we used materials from the area. This way, we could help the local economy grow with our project. We’re happy to say that almost everything in our resort is made in Pakistan. We only imported a few things.

Our journey from Silicon Valley to Skardu shows how entrepreneurs can be innovative and determined.

Whether it’s in technology or hospitality, success comes from having a clear vision, never giving up, and having the courage to chase your dreams, no matter what.

As we keep growing, we promise to give our guests an amazing experience at Khoj. This shows how determination and aiming for excellence can achieve great things. We hope our story encourages others to invest in Pakistan, so we can turn problems into opportunities and help the country grow.