From Barista to the Head of Sales of the Biggest Cafe Chain in Bangladesh

Md Salauddin Mohid, Head of Sales of North End leads a team that has a clientele of 450+ restaurants. North End has 12 different outlets and is easily the most popular coffee shop in Dhaka. They already occupy some of the most popular corporate spaces in Dhaka city.

Yet the vast majority of their revenue is generated from B2B sales. Such is the success of the team and the person in question. Even some of the other more popular coffee shops are direct customers of North End as well.

How it all began

Late 2014, MD. Salauddin Mohid is a 3rd year graduate of North South University.

With a humble upbringing behind him, the glamour of Dhaka city alienated him a bit. He was adamant about making it work though. North End started as a coffee chain in Bangladesh. He looked at an opportunity to become a barista, which resonated with him perfectly.

Jan 2015 is when it just clicked. He got the opportunity to become a barista there. He was making about 14k BDT ($160 then) monthly which is decent for any university student here.

The social situation in Bangladesh doesn’t encourage students to take up odd jobs. It looked down upon. People like Salauddin don’t stop chasing their dreams for anything though. So he kept on doing it for almost a year when it was almost time to graduate.

Long Term Commitment

Once he graduated, he realized that he needed something a bit more stable. Good for him that the North End management saw his potential and offered him a role in their marketing and sales team. By then Salauddin was also in touch and love with the company.

He was already earning a handsome amount, more than most of his friends as he already had 1.5+ years of job experience behind him. For the company, it made sense because he knew the customers inside and out.

But he wasn’t there just for the money. He fell in love with the company culture more than anything. He was determined to make it work as if it was his own company.

He understood that he got the opportunity to interact with customers directly. As a Barista he got to interact with customers, get direct feedback, and use that knowledge to improve both the product and the business.

Moving Through the Ladder

From a small shop in Badda Shahajdpur in 2011, North End over the last 13 years has become a household name in Dhaka city. Every outlet is almost always completely occupied. From teenagers to experienced corporates, they also represent a vibrant booming situation in Bangladesh.

For Salauddin, the story gets sweeter. He already dealt with clients, worked on actually getting food prepared, and completed a host of courses on food quality and sustainability. The growth from personal development and working on various angles of the business meant, that he generally was the first choice for every promotion.

In a space of 5 years, he went from an Area Sales Manager, Area Marketing Manager, Manager of Sales to finally Head of Sales. Now he leads a sales team that supplies coffee beans and accessories to more than 450 restaurants all over Bangladesh. He has been approached by multiple companies locally but feels North End has become a part of his life and emotions. He wants to take North End to even greater heights before thinking of anything else.

From understanding the minor details of machinery to the major decisions of outlet placements, it’s absolutely clear that he knows almost everything there is to know in his field. You can see that he worked through the ladders. He is also an example that you don’t need anything to become successful other than determination, hard work, and patience.