Do you think you could start a car repair business for $15. Sahid Khan did, and the way he did it could provide a template for creating a business in many fields.

SK Motor Syndicate is a one stop shop providing vehicle inspections, servicing, body repairs, interior fabrication, exterior add-ons and everything else the motorist might need. It does none of the work itself, but claims to be a value-adding intermediary between the customer and about 18 authorised service-providers in different parts of Karachi.

Why would a customer involve an intermediary and not deal with the companies themselves? According to Khan, the company provide a pick-and-drop service along with a seven-day workmanship warranty. They charge customers strictly the going market rates, absorb all risks and get the repair work done from a select group of service-providers at discount rates,

So there you have it, they market the service, pick up the cars and get someone else to do the work – taking a percentage for their trouble. Could you copy something like this in your area? Or how about taking the model and applying it to another market? As a middleman, you can let someone else worry about start-up costs.