Local business owner reflects on family, faith

The Canton Citizen is pleased to partner with the Canton Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee to present “Community in Unity,” a monthly series spotlighting Canton residents of diverse backgrounds.

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Many businesses have suffered during the pandemic, and North End Motors, a used car dealership on Turnpike Street, is no exception. Although more people have been working from home and avoiding long trips, the basic need for cars hasn’t disappeared. Yet just as the pandemic is beginning to loosen, a shortage of cars caused by a global shortage of computer chips is hitting consumers and businesses.

Afzal Mohammad Ahmad

Semiconductor chips are used in multiple car systems, so new car production has slowed worldwide. In consequence, as Afzal Mohammad Ahmad, North End’s owner explained, new car dealers are stepping up sales of used cars, reducing total inventory. “The trickle down is pretty bad,” he said.

Before the pandemic, the business sold significantly more cars in a year and had more cars in stock as well as a high of 53 employees. Currently, North End Motors employs about 40 people. Ahmad noted that in the past, they were selling a lot of cars but profitability wasn’t as good. Now, he said, with fewer employees profitability is up.

His calm in the face of a difficult business period likely stems from several sources. One is that since entering the car business in 1987, his trajectory has followed a steady upward path despite occasional setbacks. After graduating from Boston English High School in 1985, Ahmad started college at Framingham State University but dropped out after a semester or two. “College was slow, and I wanted to make money,” Ahmad said. He liked cars and had an interest in mechanics, and in 1987 he was accepted into a sales training program at Boch Enterprises.

Several years later, he and a friend went into business wholesaling cars to dealers, including North End Motors. It was then in Brockton, named for an area of that city, not the better known Boston neighborhood. The owner, Mario Martin, eventually offered Ahmad a position. When Martin decided to sell the business in 2008, Ahmad decided to buy. This was during a recession; nevertheless, seeking more space, he moved the business to Canton, and it prospered. He also now owns a second dealership in Framingham, Direct Auto Mecca, with 40 more employees.

Another factor contributing to Ahmad’s resilience is family. His two younger brothers, Mohammad Farid and Mohammad Parwaz, work closely with him and “had a lot to do with the growth of the business,” he said. Their common experience as immigrants likely added to their closeness. The three brothers came to this country from Pakistan with their mother in 1980. (Born in Rabwah, Ahmad was then about 13.) They joined their father and four older sisters who had come earlier, and the boys grew up in Hyde Park, becoming citizens in 1981.

Ahmad is committed to his faith as a Muslim. He sets time aside to pray five times each day. Living in Avon, he and his wife are raising their three sons in the religion, and they all pray together; the family attends a mosque in Sharon. They are currently observing Ramadan, a holy month of worship, prayer and fasting (consuming neither food nor water during daylight hours). Ahmad said that at 10, 7, and 2 years old, his sons are too young to fast but they would like to follow their parents’ example.

Not eating or drinking during the day for 30 days may sound grueling, but Ahmad said Ramadan is his favorite time of the year. “I love it because it inculcates within me being kind and helps the rest of the year,” he said.

He explained that the month of fasting and more prayer is “almost like a cleansing,” which helps him get closer to God. He noted that he doesn’t miss his usual meals: “It’s amazing. It’s really more of a habit.”

Ahmad stated, “We are Americans first; Muslim is our religion.” He said that he hasn’t had any issues related to his culture in a while, nor have his children ever encountered problems. While a few minor things have happened in the past, lately it’s just a matter of occasionally correcting people who call him “Mo” instead of using his full name of Mohammad. He simply explains his preference to be known by the name honoring the Islamic prophet.

For the most part, Ahmad has had “a lot of great experiences” in the communities he’s lived in, and he has good friends of all backgrounds. He said that when he looks in the mirror, he asks himself, “What can I do to make things better?”

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Posted by Candace Paris on Apr 30 2021. Filed under Business. Both comments and pings are currently closed.