We had the good fortune of connecting with Zahid Rao and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Zahid, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Well, I have been in business for almost 20 years now. I have ventured into different avenues such as convenience stores, restaurants, hotels and now most recently a banquet hall. I have learned a lot and throughly enjoyed my experiences. Prior to my business entanglements, I worked in a corporate setting and was a consultant for PWC. Overtime, I realized that there is no financial ceiling owning a business and I admired the idea of being my own boss (realistically the customers are your boss). The thought process behind Sapphire Banquet Hall was that I wanted to create a lucrative business that would always be in demand and also one that could satisfy the clientele. Our motto is “Let Us Celebrate You” and that is exactly what we intend to do.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Sapphire Banquet Hall & Conference Center was designed to be a stand alone venue to attract clients to be celebrated. We designed it to be a one stop shop to be multi-cultural and multi-functional, meaning anything that a client needed, we would try our best to deliver. We broke ground (it was just a piece of land) back in 2021, right before the pandemic, and it’s been a year and a half long process. The most exciting part about this type of business is that every event is always different. We strive to make our guests happy and that is truly what makes us proud. One thing that sets up apart from others is that we have a young team that is very creative with ideas on how to utilize our space. Although we’re only 14-15 weeks into the business, we have many ideas that we are anxious to bring to life.

There have been many challenges we have faced trying to get to this point. Due to the pandemic, there have been a lot of shortages on parts as well as inflation. Everything has become expensive. Any venue needs to have materials to provide for hall rentals. Finding these goods at a decent cost became problematic. We had to rent equipment for the first couple of events until we had enough capital to buy our own. The lesson I learned from this type of business is that it can be very stressful and it relies heavily on networking and partnering with vendors. Customer service is also essential for this and any business to thrive.

An interesting story to our brand is that the term Sapphire is close to my heart. My father passed away when I was very young and he had given my mother a Sapphire ring before he passed. My mother took care of my siblings and I all on her own (I have 5 brothers). Due to financial reasons, she eventually had to sell the ring. It was a sad period of my life but that sacrifice she made helped me become the man I am today. I have always looked back at that moment to motivate me to keep pushing forward. I eventually bought her a Sapphire ring on my own and have embodied it into this business. A Sapphire is also believed by cultures to be a symbol of nobility and faithfulness. This is a symbol I enacted to be faithful to our clients to celebrate them.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would say I am a pretty simple man. I enjoy the smaller things in life. One of my favorite spots to eat at is this Tex-Mex restaurant called Abuelo’s. I would definitely take my best friend there if he was in town. I also have a huge sweet tooth so I would love to get dessert after. Recently I have been going to this place called Andy’s. I think showing the best time ever to someone who is not a native Texan is to take them to a rodeo, after all that is what people think Texas is about. One place I also take guests of mine is to see where JFK was assassinated. I think history is very interesting and I love showing people the history of Dallas.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Yes of course, I would not be where I am without the support of my family, more specifically my mother. When I first moved to the U.S. in 1990, my mother gave me some advice on how to be successful. She told me to never lie or cheat anyone and to always be honest, especially in business. I have embodied these principles in my life and with her prayers and support I have been successful. I would also like to say with Sapphire Banquet Hall, it’s now a family owned business (rather than just me managing it). I have to give credit to my family for stepping up and helping. Without their support, this business would not be able to thrive.

Website: https://sapphirebanquet.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sapphirebanquet/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sapphire-banquet-conference-center

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SapphireBanquetCenter/

Image Credits
In the photo of my family from let to right it is My son – Maaz Rao My daughter – Aqsa Rao My Wife – Erum Rao Myself- Zahid Rao

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