Omar Goheer is on a mission to change the way Muslim women feel in a head scarf. His company, K.Sultana, was founded to solve the prevalent problem of discomfort from hot temperatures experienced by Muslim woman who wear the head scarf. These innovative scarves ventilate and provide comfort over the head and around the neck through the use of a unique blend of breathable and lightweight fabrics. The K. Sultana scarf can be worn over the head by women who wear the hijab or it can be used as the perfect fashion accessory for women who choose to not wear the hijab. K. Sultana also has a social impact component to the business, partnering with local homeless shelters to allow battered and abused Muslim women help sell the scarves in exchange for a sales commission.
Omar credits his entrepreneurial spirit to his mother, Kishwer Sultana, after whom he named the company.
“The reason I am passionate about women’s economic empowerment is because my mom was a single parent and provided for us by starting her own business. I witnessed firsthand the impact entrepreneurship could have on the quality of life of a family”
Omar has come a long way since starting his business. In addition to competing in the Pitch Dingman Competition and the Do Good Challenge, K. Sultana was also chosen as one of the 15 UMD student startups to exhibit in the Cupid’s Cup Startup Showcase. Showcasing UMD’s top entrepreneurial talent, the Startup Showcase was an opportunity for Omar to promote K.Sultana to fellow entrepreneurs, angel investors, faculty, staff and special guests. Attendees had the chance to text-to-vote for the Five Coolest Startups, who each won $2,000. K.Sultana was one of the five winners.
Omar has also successfully completed the Idea Shell and Hatch Stages of the Fearless Founders accelerator program, conducting extensive customer discovery, developing a minimum viable product, and proving a product/market fit. As one of the seven companies selected for the Terp Startup summer incubator, Omar is spending the summer taking his business to the next level, increasing sales while effecting change in local communities along the way.
K. Sultana was recently featured in an article by OnIslam, which garnered 1,200 Facebook likes. 
F
ollowing that article, French outlet Oumma.com wrote a piece on the company that was shared nearly 5,000 times resulting in a huge spike in sales within a matter of days.
Only a few weeks into the Terp Startup program, K. Sultana has already established their first brick and mortar retail partnership with a store in Aix en Provence, France. This summer, the company is focused on three major initiatives:
1. Creating a new product line with new designs.
2. Establishing partnerships with at least one new retailer.
3. Finding key influencers in the community to leverage as brand ambassadors.
Although the boost in sales has been a huge milestone for Omar, the social aspect of the business is most rewarding to him. The pride felt by his mother and the impact made on disadvantaged Muslim women keep him motivated to continue growing the business.
To learn more about K. Sultana and purchase a head scarf, visit their website.
[…] Jordan cites the most difficult part of running Meta Cartel as being respected among his peers who are running tech companies. In workshops and networking sessions, he noticed that the questions he was asking were different than those of the other entrepreneurs. Rather than obsessing over metrics or pitching investors, Jordan is more focused on making his passion project a sustainable one. One of UMD’s student entrepreneurs that Jordan admires the most is Omar Goheer, founder of K. Sultana. (Read our coverage of K. Sultana HERE) […]