Interview: Hamza Iqbal – Healthwire Co-founder and Entrepreneur

Hamza Iqbal – Healthwire Co-founder and Entrepreneur.

At Sugermint, our aim is to bring to our entrepreneurs community some of the motivational interviews and success stories from the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

As part of this endeavour, we invited yet another passionate entrepreneur Hamza Iqbal – Healthwire Co-founder and Entrepreneur for an exclusive interview with us.

Let’s learn more about his inspirational journey and her advice for our growing community!

Tell us a little about yourself

I was born in an academically sound household where education is of key importance. My father was in the army and that is why even though I was born in Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab, I am used to traveling, and that too a lot of it. I did my O and A levels from Beacon House Lahore.

I used to be a sports enthusiast and football was the core of my attention for a long period of time.

I wanted to pursue this as a potential career in the future but then I got admission to one of the most reputable institutes of Pakistan, LUMS and that is how I kick-started my educational journey. It was during my second last year at college in 2015

How did you get your idea or concept for the Healthwire?

It was during my second last year at college in 2015 when Healthwire came into being. What led to it was some interesting turn of events.

There were multiple factors, but I vividly remember the two most eye-opening incidences that lead me to this idea.

It was during that time in my university that I ruptured my knee ligament. I was in search of a highly qualified sports specialist.

And it was during our search that I discovered the extremely muddled and unorganized healthcare system in our region.

I had to go through a number of hazy procedures to finally land an appointment. By this time, my pain and frustration were at their peak.

And during that time, I thought about what are the measures that could have been in place so that I could not have to go through all this ever again. This was both a turning point for me and my direction in life.

With time it dawned on me how healthcare was a basic need so many of us were deprived of. What started off as a challenge to chase became my life’s purpose.

At the start of the journey, Healthwire was an appointment booking platform and not the software house that it is today.

What service(s) or product(s) do you offer at Healthwire?

We offer a business module that extends to both B2B and B2C.

In the B2B model, we are offering our services in terms of our software such as practice management software, hospital management software, pharmacy management software, and laboratory management software.

In the context of B2C, we are connecting patients with doctors, pharmacies, and labs. We also have a properly devised corporate wellness program to assist our locales.

What is unique about your Healthwire?

We are thriving to establish a healthcare ecosystem in Pakistan that is not restricted to one domain but is able to capture the whole essence of it. Healthwire is going to bring a generational change in the niche of healthcare in Pakistan.

What made you choose this type of business?

I am not a person who can dive into things just because they are easy and are able to provide me with a sense of comfort.

I like challenges and thus I wanted to explore the sector of healthcare because what can be more challenging than revamping the digital healthcare scenario of Pakistan.

Pakistan is currently struggling in a number of sectors both economically and strategically. The burden of effort in these demanding times lies on the functional youth. Because if not now then when and if not us then who?

What was your mission at the outset?

The mission is to make health as accessible as possible for every citizen of our country. Health is one of the most common necessities that should never be dependent or divided on the basis of the wealth of a person.

Thus, Healthwire is providing its services in not only revamping digital healthcare but is also tirelessly working to ensure its easy accessibility to the whole nation at cost-effective rates.

How many employees in Healthwire?

Today, Healthwire has a family of 200+ employees and the numbers are multiplying at a steady pace.

What’s your company’s goals?

The goals of the company are as follows:

To digitalize as well as revolutionize the e-healthcare sector in Pakistan.
To establish a healthcare ecosystem in Pakistan that is holistic, integrated, and easy to access.
To procure a generational change in the niche of Healthcare

How do you build a successful customer base?

We at Healthwire believe in

People
Products
Profits

In the same order as above. And this optimistic attitude that is executed by each and every member of Healthwire is the reason that we have successfully secured a safe and colossal customer base.

What have been some of your failures, and what have you learned from them?

No one listens to a person who is providing them with a business model that involves a software house as a viable option to secure clients.

This idea was a hard nut to crack at the start of my business journey back in 2016 when digitalization was not a common and trustworthy concept.

But it was me and my team that had faith in our strengths and were pretty much aware of the way how we can shift the health paradigm by making it more user-friendly and homogenizing.

I learned a lot of things along the way of the journey and professional work ethic and the importance of time are what take the lead.

Furthermore, I was the first salesperson, first accountant, and first receptionist of this business and all these small skillsets are what I have learned alongside the road.

Who has been your greatest inspiration?

It is not a person but a journey that inspires me more. For me, inspiration has never been a one-liner it has always been a scenario or the overall journey a person takes to bring a change that can revolutionize the whole sector to which they belong.

I am a fan of autobiographies of game-changers and the teachings of those are also pretty much engraved in my professional mindset.

Since I was a football enthusiast Zeidan had always inspired me along my journey. His journey, his calculated demeanor, and his professional ethics are what motivated me in my teens. Then in the later parts of my life, it was steve jobs and his revolutionary take on Apple.

What are some of the biggest mistakes you’ve made?

In the initial stages of the business, key team players can either make it or break it for you. In the crucial stages of Healthwire, I opted out of some decisions that were short-sighted and were not aligned with the long-term goals of my company.

It took me a longer period of time to establish a sound in-house culture which should have been done a long time ago. Also, I was a bit laid back towards my health which is not a sound thing to do.

If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?

Have a purpose in life and that impacts you much more than your identity. Have a purpose in life even if that means making a shift of 180 degrees.

Then comes relentless hard work and sheer dedication. Make sure to stand even when no one is willing to stand with you.

I can guarantee that there will be days when you have to be your own cheerleader, your own motivator. And it is in those times when you must keep going. Eventually, you will find a lot of opportunities coming your way.

Another thing that I would like to communicate to the young minds of our society is never ever underestimates the power of time. Learn how to make the most out of it as it is the most important skill to learn.

Does your company help the community or society?

In Pakistan, healthcare services and professionals have been struggling for quite some time to bring out the best.

We as a team are working day and night to ensure that our services are in line with our people’s demands.

We thrive to build an ecosystem in healthcare that is equal parts sustainable as well as easily accessible to all citizens of Pakistan equally.

Website: https://healthwire.pk

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