Category: Spotlight

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Spotlight

Riffat Manasia

IPN Spotlight: Riffat Manasia (Executive Director at American Ismaili Chamber of Commerce)

Riffat Manasia is the incoming Executive Director for the American Ismaili Chamber of Commerce (AICC). She is a seasoned professional and an action-oriented entrepreneur with over twelve years of experience in running organizations, leading teams, and managing complex projects in for- and non-profit sectors. Of note, Riffat founded and scaled MRA, a lead research and consulting organization with 600 plus staff nationwide and over $1M monthly turnover in Afghanistan. Raised in Dallas, Riffat has lived and worked in Switzerland, Kenya, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, and has led projects in Syria, India and Nepal. Beyond her native English, Riffat speaks Urdu, Hindi, Gujarati, and basic Dari.
Riffat holds a Bachelor of Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a multi-disciplinary Master in Planning and International Development from Harvard University (Harvard Business School, Kennedy School of Government and Urban Planning).

What skills have helped you in your career?
Grit & resilience.

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
Consistently communicated with mentors and advisors throughout various chapters of life. Because of the broad spectrum I’ve worked on, my connections became choppy and my networks disconnected.

What is next for you in your career?
Executive Director, American Ismaili Chamber of Commerce (AICC).

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
Entrepreneurship, Management, Leadership videos/online casts. Standard readings in journals/magazines. Plus, a healthy dose of regular introspection and self-awareness.

What advice would you offer to others?
Stay true to your passion. Never compromise on your principles. Work hard.

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
Via Ismaili Chamber:
• Facilitate Business Connections
• Provide a platform to share pertinent knowledge/skills with the broader US Ismaili business community
As an individual:
• Consult/advise on application and integration of Quanti/Quali Research & Methods, Impact Assessments, and Metrics
• Sector expertise in poverty alleviation, security sector, international development, social entrepreneurship, conflict/post-conflict, applied social sciences
• Tough love

If you would like to nominate someone to be a part of the spotlight, click Here.

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Spotlight

Shahzil Amin

IPN Spotlight: Shahzil Amin (Managing Partner at Karlani Capital)

Shahzil Amin, who goes by Shaz as many people butcher his real name, is the founder of two companies on two different ends of the spectrum. The first is Blue Track Media, a mobile advertising company which he started right out of high school. The second is Plugged, which is a premium headphone manufacturer that he started during his senior year in college. In April 2014, Blue Track Media was acquired by Karlani Capital, where Shaz now takes on the role of managing partner where he focuses on investing in passionate entrepreneurs with great ideas.

What skills have helped you in your career?
I focus more on my traits than my skills, as my skills aren’t anything that others don’t have. First, I’m obsessive. Once I’m sold on an idea all I can do is think about how I’m going to make it big while tackling all the possible hurdles that may appear. Second is my ability to think outside of the box to solve problems and create partnerships. The ability to routinely find creative streams of revenue and cost-effective solutions to problems is something I pride myself in. But that trait comes from my ability to obsess and completely indulge myself in the opportunity or problem. Last but clearly not the least, it’s my genuine and blunt nature that’s helped me tremendously. I give 10x more than I get back. I see the best in people until they prove me wrong. And most importantly I’m blunt and I remove myself from negative people and negative situations. Not many people will highlight the types of things that have helped me in my career but these traits were crucial for my success.

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
I wish I had known how mentally and emotionally taxing the entrepreneurial journey is. Most people think that business issues, such as sales, employees, etc are some of the toughest things for entrepreneurs. I agree they are, but in my opinion the mental toll that the journey takes on them is just as tough. Imagine working 18-20 hours a day and seeing slow progress. Imagine losing friends and family due to their inability to understand what it takes to be successful or the envy that secretly builds up on their end. Imagine being responsible for the life of the employees you hire as well as their families’ well being. I wish I had known how all these issues would come to shape my life and my future.

What is next for you in your career?
It’s hard to predict the future, but what I want next for me is to work on an “Elon-type” of problem, something far greater than I can realize myself. Everyone wants to be Elon and will talk about him, but there are very few people who are willing to devote their life tackling grand issues. There was an interview that Elon gave a couple years ago where he said his wish was that the world’s best and smartest entrepreneurs and developers would stop working on internet companies and tackle the next big issue. That stuck to me. I’m not looking to create another Facebook or Instagram. I want to create another Tesla, SpaceX or Solarcity. I want to wake up and know I’m making a difference in millions of lives around the world. I’m not sure what I’ll be doing, but I gave myself a goal to figure it out by my early 30’s. However usually the best ideas just come to you without you chasing them.

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
I audit classes at local universities. I don’t need another degree or an MBA, I just like to learn, especially when it’s free and there are no grades involved. As an entrepreneur, you’re constantly learning on the job.

What advice would you offer to others?
Many founders start a company for themselves, but I think about it differently. Start a company for someone else, someone you deeply love. Because most of the time you’ll eventually get over letting yourself down. But when you’re doing it for someone you love, you’ll work that much harder just to make sure you don’t let them down.

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Entrepreneurship
• Venture Capital
• Talk Therapy

If you would like to nominate someone to be a part of the spotlight, click Here.

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Spotlight

Jamil N. Jaffer

IPN Spotlight: Jamil N. Jaffer (Vice President for Strategy & Business Development at IronNet Cybersecurity)

Jamil N. Jaffer is currently Vice President for Strategy & Business Development at IronNet Cybersecurity, a startup technology firm founded by former National Security Agency Director Gen. Keith Alexander (ret.) and former National Counterterrorism Center Director Matt Olsen. Jamil also currently serves as an Adjunct Professor of Law and Director of the Homeland and National Security Law Program at the George Mason University School of Law where he teaches classes on counter terrorism, intelligence, surveillance, cybersecurity, and other national security matters and is affiliated with Stanford University’s Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC).  Among other things, Jamil previously served as Chief Counsel and Senior Advisor to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and as an Associate Counsel to the President in the White House.

What skills have helped you in your career?
While law school gave me strong analytical skills that I use every day, the real skills that have helped me succeed are the appreciation my family gave me for hard work, personal loyalty, and doing whatever needs to be done.

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
I wish I had known what a critical and massive impact individual people can have on your life and how seemingly small decisions can have a huge impact on what happens next.  At every turn, I can point specifically at one person or event that has changed the course of my career.

What is next for you in your career?
To keep doing jobs that are fun and challenging and allow me try new things.

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
I read a lot; although less online then you might think.  I’m old school – I like my books, magazines, and newspaper in print.  I also teach, which can be fun and a lot of work, so that helps keep my mind active.

What advice would you offer to others?
Try new things.  Don’t be afraid to fail.  You can get your dream job, but you may have to take a circuitous path to get there; don’t let that bother you – just do things that look fun, interesting, and rewarding and it’ll all work out.  Make your bosses look good, work late, and be willing to do anything; the best opportunities come when there’s no else around to help.

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Help getting jobs in government, politics, national security, foreign policy, and technology
• Advice on switching careers
• Thoughts on how to accelerate progress in a given career progression

If you would like to nominate someone to be a part of the spotlight, click Here.

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Spotlight

Dr. Zohray Talib

IPN Spotlight: Dr. Zohray Talib (Associate Professor of Medicine & Health Policy, George Washington University)

Dr. Zohray Talib is Associate Professor of Medicine and of Health Policy at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She practices Internal Medicine and is a leader in global health with expertise in health workforce, community engagement and medical education. Dr. Talib is a Member of the National Academy of Science Global Forum of Health Professions Education and currently serves as the Honorary Secretary of the Aga Khan Health Board for the USA. She has worked with leadership of medical schools in Africa to improve the quality of their education programs. She currently leads a study across ten countries examining the value of bringing students and academic rigor to community health facilities. Dr. Talib has consulted for programs in Central Asia and Africa and has published on different aspects of building capacity within health system in low-resource settings. Dr. Talib received her B.Sc. in Physical Therapy from McGill University and her M.D. from the University of Alberta.

What skills have helped you in your career?
Being able to develop my career in multiple dimensions simultaneously – as a clinician, as an educator, as a program director, and as a global health researcher.
Balancing the urgent daily tasks, while also investing regularly in a longer-term goal and keeping my eye on the ball of what contribution I would like to make.
As a mom of three kids, the balancing act can get complex so I have embraced creative ways of managing at home including scheduling meals in advance, shopping online for groceries and getting the kids involved in housework.

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
There were times during residency training that I could not see the light at the end of the tunnel. The days seemed long and I was not able to nurture any other part of my career path. At those times, I needed reminders that it is important to embrace certain phases of learning and dive deep in skill-building. In hindsight it is much easier to appreciate the value of having immersed myself in clinical training for that time.

What is next for you in your career?
I would like to continue to strengthen the academic health sector in low-resource settings. I feel strongly that strong academic institutions can underpin and sustain development. Strengthening academia will require diversifying partnerships (e.g. to include the private sector) and innovative thinking on how we teach and evaluate education programs. I would like to continue to build the evidence and advocate for decentralizing academia. Bringing academic rigor and resources to low-resource communities and under-served areas creates a vibrant environment where there is synergy and efficiency between teaching, learning, service and research.

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
I am constantly learning. I am an ad hoc reviewer for several medical journals which is a way to keep abreast of what is happening in my field of work. My research and teaching roles require me to read the literature regularly and I often read about the conditions my patients have. Like many others, I also watch TED talks and enjoy reading articles on social media.

What advice would you offer to others?
Allow for creative paths to achieve your career goals – don’t assume just because you can’t see the path that there isn’t one. Career paths are rarely linear. New doors often open at unpredictable times, so allow for that while working diligently towards the goals you set. Work hard and smart but also seek mentors to guide you in different aspects of your career. It is very uncommon to find one mentor who can advise on everything and often it takes time, effort and patience to find the right mentor. Be bold and ask those you admire if they can guide you on your path.

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
•Mentoring professionals interested in global public health
•Finding opportunities to get involved in our community service
•Monitoring and evaluation

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Spotlight

Amyn Jan

IPN Spotlight: Amyn Jan (Technical Director with the US Government)

Amyn has spent over ten years with the US Government in various technical leadership roles working with diverse emerging technologies such as natural language processing, telematics & advanced cellular technologies. He is well-experienced in seeding several leading edge technical programs. Amyn has taught emerging technology classes in several US Government research forums as well as pioneered technical breakthroughs in this area. Prior to joining US Government, he spent ten years at private sector in applied research and product development.
Amyn holds a Master’s Degree in Electrical and Biomedical Engineering as well as an MBA.

What skills have helped you in your career?
• Critical thinking skills has served me well, in particular when you are dealing with complex ill-defined situations. Ability to evaluate and use multiple sources of information to effectively inform decisions and outcomes.
• Team work – I submit, the solution to complex problems are no longer possible in isolation. Instead more solutions are being derived through increased coordination across multi-disciplinary teams of knowledge workers who share common interests – thou make sure you bring added value/competency to the team.
• For a manager, two most critical skills – (i) Have competency is (in area) what you manage; and (ii) Empathy as how you manage your organization’s biggest asset – human capital.

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
• Should have taken more risk, I am conservative in pursuing ideas. That said, we need to sometimes consider in the context of the rest of our lives. As a techie, working culture that embraces failure – silicon valley kind of an environment.
• I have tended to over compensate when it comes to “managing down” at the expense of “managing-up”, as it continues to be my challenge.

What is next for you in your career?
Seeking more responsible and potential overseas assignments.

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
• Seeking knowledge is a condition that is continuous and critical. Have humility to recognize it as humility compels careful and necessary reflection. Learning is the minimum requirement for success in any field.
• One of the best offerings on your base pay is the training opportunity your organization offers – ask if your employer can offer paying for graduate school, etc.
• Personally, I get bored working in monotonic areas. Reflection I worked in diverse industry sectors, government research and policy, semiconductor, telecommunication and biomedical industries.

What advice would you offer to others?
• Build professional relationships, whether it means playing golf helps (or not) is a separate debate. The network of your former colleagues is as important than those within your organization.
• Work at a start-up or a small company in your career (if you can) – early the better.
• Embrace failure and learn quickly.

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Career advice
• Working in the government sector

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Spotlight

Shereen Kassam

IPN Spotlight: Shereen Kassam (Business Development Manager, The Walt Disney Company)

Shereen Kassam is a Business Development Manager at The Walt Disney Company. Previously, she has worked in various roles at JPMorgan, Deloitte, and Amazon. Shereen is also a national touring stand-up comedian whose jokes focus on a multitude of topics, including the misunderstanding of Muslims in America. She won the 2015 Improv Clash of the Comics competition and was invited to perform at The World Series of Comedy in Las Vegas. Shereen received her BA from Brown University and an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. She currently resides in Orlando, Florida and has a difficult time saying no to Cadbury chocolates, red Starbursts, and spicy chicken wings. You can learn more about her at www.funnybrowngirl.com or follow her on Instagram/Twitter: funnybrowngirl

What skills have helped you in your career?
• Interpersonal skills have played a huge part not only in my corporate career, but also in comedy. I was a shy child growing up and actually discovered my passion for comedy after taking an improvisation class while in consulting, in order to enhance my client communication skills. The class not only launched my comedy career, but it also helped me to land new clients during my time at Amazon
• Managing my time and my energy are crucial as I try to balance a full-time job, comedy, acting classes, auditions, family, and those all-important 8 hours of sleep. I have had to learn say “no”, as well as schedule regular “me” days to refuel and rest
• Goal setting has been influential in my career. I am constantly creating new goals and evaluating my progress towards achieving those goals (both professional and personal)

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
I now appreciate that my career path does not need to look like the traditional Wharton career path. Early in my career, I spent a lot of time comparing myself to where my friends were in their professional careers. I am a competitive person and never wanted to feel that I was not as successful. With time, I came to understand that my definition of success might differ from my peers, but at the end of the day, we are all striving to master the natural talents we have been gifted with.

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
I read as much as I can – I am always scrolling through Flipboard and Twitter. I have tons of Google alerts set up so I do not miss the latest news, trends, and research in my industry. In regards to comedy and acting, it is all about exercising those muscles! I perform at open mics nightly and take acting classes. Recently I have been focusing a lot of time on self-improvement – practicing gratitude, meditating, working out, eating healthy, and sleeping – to stay centered.

What is next for you in your career?
I went to business school with a keen interest in entrepreneurship. I am currently exploring a handful of business models that enable me to merge my love for comedy, and the skills I have enhanced on-stage, with my MBA training and corporate background.

What advice would you offer to others?
I’ll be corny and say, “Don’t be so busy working, you forget to live.”
I was spending so many hours working; I ignored my health, my family and friends, and the activities that brought me joy. Physical exhaustion prompted me to finally take some much-needed time to step back and put my life into perspective. I began to look for a position that would provide me more work-life balance so that I could focus on my passions. Finding that harmony has not only allowed me to pursue comedy and acting, but also find purpose in my life.
I would also say, be bold in your pursuits no matter what those around you may say.

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Goal setting
• MBA Admission
• General mentoring

If you would like to nominate someone to be a part of the spotlight, click Here.

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Spotlight

Lela Nensey Basaria

IPN Spotlight: Lela Nensey Basaria (Real Estate Broker, Baird & Warner )

Lela Nensey Basaria acquired her degree in Finance from DePaul University and worked at Federal Reserve as a Bank Auditor/Budget Analyst. After working long hours in the corporate world Lela decided to be with her daughter and leave Federal Reserve and went back to school to obtain a degree in Early Childhood Education along with becoming certified as a director for a preschool. Lela’s dream of starting a preschool was placed aside when they were faced with the challenges of 9/11. Lela started a small business in the mall and then in 2006, she purchased a franchise, Cinnabon, and in 2012 she obtained her Real Estate License. She began her Jamati involvement in 2001 as a TA, then, was appointed as a principal of NREC. She has also been a part of the Social Welfare Board for a few years and currently blessed with the position of REC coordinator. They were blessed with the opportunity to serve behind part for Chandratt Majalas as well. Lela’s daughter continued the tradition by becoming a TA then a teacher of 5th grade.

What skills have helped you in your career?
I honestly feel that my communication skills have proved to be paramount in my personal and professional career. I love working with people; whether they are mall managers, clients in Real Estate, and parents for REC, or teachers.

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
Looking back, I have no regrets towards the decisions I have made in my life. At times, I do think to myself, “Where would have I been today if I did not leave Federal Reserve–retiring a position of such high prestige. But then I look at our daughter. I was blessed enough to give her some time in my busy day when I switched career paths. She has turned out to be such a successful young lady, and now that she has left for college, every day I am thankful that I did not lose the opportunity to be with her. Shukar Mowla…for giving me the opportunity. In the end, I can easily say that the sacrifices I made were small in comparison to the rewards they helped me receive.

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
My daughter always says, “I can’t wait to be done with school,” and I always laugh and say, “Honey, you’re never going to be done learning.” In order to maintain my Real Estate license, I am asked to complete CE hours. Regardless of my required CE hours, I always like to learn and try to instill the passion of learning within my daughter as well. Currently, I am contemplating taking some Spanish classes to become fluent in a language I began learning in high school. I am able to communicate with native speakers, but I would really like to become completely fluent. I am also considering taking Physic classes……..lets see

What is next for you in your career?
I would like to sell my Cinnabon and finally pursue my dream to start a Pre-school, all the while maintaining my Real Estate career. I always pray: “Mowla, please guide me in the path which is beneficial for my family and always, always, bless us with the opportunity to continue SEVA in any way possible…”

What advice would you offer to others?
The best advice I can give to anyone is: to follow your passion–because at the end of the day, things do work out. Stay in school because you can never have too much education and that is one thing, which no one can take away from you. Always do SEVA in anyway possible. (Stay connected to your roots). I have blind faith and that would be my advice. That is what we tell our daughter follow your dream and pursue your passion…be honest and do SEVA. My blind faith says…When you do for Mowla then Mowla returns it right away…

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• I can help individuals with business advice
• I have also maintained great relationship with mall managers
• I can also give inside to the housing market or any which way possible

If you would like to nominate someone to be a part of the spotlight, click Here.

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Spotlight

Fahim Naim

IPN Spotlight: Fahim Naim (Founder at eShopportunity)

Fahim is an e-commerce/start-up professional and advisor. He launched eShopportunity, an e-commerce consultancy partnering with companies ranging from the Fortune 500 to start-ups. Fahim speaks regularly at e-commerce conferences and advises several start-ups in the field. In addition to e-commerce, he launched an online dating service called SneakPeek Dating, focused on live video conversations.

What skills have helped you in your career?
I started my career in corporate finance and was fortunate to gain high executive exposure at a young age, which was a catalyst to growing rapidly at my company. Having solid quantitative skills is extremely valuable in most industries, particularly in Retail. Additionally, the lean startup method has been a huge asset for my personal endeavors and advisory roles. This has taught me that you don’t have to sit idly by when evaluating a business idea or concept. Instead, you can test a “MVP” (minimum viable product) and get quick data (i.e. create a launch page for your product and see if you get traffic/feedback) before investing too much time and resources.

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
While brand-name work experience early in your career has definite advantages, if you are passionate about an idea and have the desire and prowess to see it come to market, then take the leap of faith. Also, while it is fine to stay at a company for several years during your early years, ensure that you are constantly proving to yourself why this company is worth staying at and understand what other opportunities are out there so you can make the evaluation regularly.

What is next for you in your career?
In addition to scaling the e-commerce consultancy, I am evaluating taking a senior role at an emerging e-commerce platform or growing the SneakPeek dating service.

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
I subscribe to several industry related newsletters, attend conferences, comment on articles, and meet with industry professionals very regularly. There is always information imbalance within an industry, so be at the forefront of the news, stats, etc. so that people come to you when they have questions and ideas.

What advice would you offer to others?
Find other smart ambitious people to be around, especially technical ones if you are interested in tech start-ups. You will increase your chance of success dramatically by having people to lean on and join.
You will undoubtedly fail in your first attempts at a start-up, but you will learn tremendously valuable lessons through that process. Embrace the lean startup principles (MVP, fail fast, etc.) and keep churning.
Be bold, don’t settle, and have the confidence that you will accomplish anything you set out to do (as long as you are willing to put in the work for it)

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• E-commerce related questions (i.e. starting out a new e-commerce company/idea, optimize selling on Amazon, etc.)
• Startup advising (B2C focused)
• MBA admissions
• Personal financial planning

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Spotlight

Dilafruz Khonikboyeva

IPN Spotlight: Dilafruz Khonikboyeva (Deputy Director of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Center for International Disaster Information)

Dilafruz is currently the Deputy Director of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Center for International Disaster Information (USAID CIDI). The organization engages in programming, policy, and outreach in partnership with the general public and diaspora groups in disaster relief and international humanitarian assistance. Dilafruz has been with USAID CIDI since 2008, serving in many roles including Chief of Media Relations. Previously, she worked with CNN, the Pentagon, and the Atlanta-based 48 Hour Film Project. She obtained her B.A. in Conflict Analysis and Global Studies and MS in International Conflict Analysis and Resolution with a focus on the civil war and post-conflict reconstruction from George Mason University. Born in Khorog, Tajikistan, Dilafruz moved to the U.S. with her family in 1995. She currently serves on the National Conciliation and Arbitration Board (CAB).

What skills have helped you in your career?
More than anything, a good work ethic and positive attitude has distinguished me from the crowd. At one point I had two internships, was taking 21 credits in undergraduate studies, and was slated to graduate a year early. It was undoubtedly difficult, but it taught me patience and prioritization. It also showed that I was willing to go above and beyond to gain experience and break into a field.

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
I think there is always more I could have done to be better and it can be dangerous to live in the past as one cannot be certain how life would have been different. I’ve also found that failing has been the best teacher in personal and professional growth.

What is next for you in your career?
I would like to bring my programming and policy experience to the ongoing debate about immigration and refugees in the E.U. and the U.S. It holds a special place in my heart as I am an immigrant and the sheer number of forced migrations today are already testing international law, local infrastructure, and fear of change.

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
Being in DC allows me to attend conferences, brown bags, and lectures several times a month to dive into a specific subject. I love to read. I also audit classes at local universities as well as attending trainings through the USAID University.

What advice would you offer to others?
Work hard – no job title is too lowly, and engage in self-discovery through action: internships, volunteering, and various jobs. Don’t be afraid to fail.

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Disaster relief, humanitarian assistance and policy guidance of the U.S. agencies and UN systems
• Media and social media branding, strategy, and scaling
• Mediation, conflict analysis and resolution
• Program design, management, and review

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Spotlight

Suneera Madhani

IPN Spotlight: Suneera Madhani (CEO/Founder of Fattmerchant)

After almost three years of corporate culture Suneera Madhani knew it was time she took her learnings and applied them to her real passion of entrepreneurship. With a background in business, advertising, and sales, Suneera established herself in a merchant services career and quickly realized that business owners are frustrated with their providers, due to a lack of transparency and never-ending gimmicks. She decided to found her company, Fattmerchant, with the promise to establish a transparent, subscription-based merchant services model that offers financial and strategic value to the everyday business owner. Since the launch of the company in mid 2014, Suneera has been recognized for her vast achievements and strength in business plans through various mediums including Forbes, Fast Company, Tech Crunch, Huffington Post, and has been recognized by Merchant Maverick as a 5 star merchant services provider.

What skills have helped you in your career?
Being able to think outside of the box is a skill that has continuously driven me throughout my career. This is the skill that allowed me to grow my vision for Fattmerchant and a new way of merchant services. Before Fattmerchant, there was no such thing as subscription-based merchant services. We are the first provider to offer 0% markup processing with no ancillary fees or contract. Without my ability to think outside the box, Fattmerchant would have never come to be.

My innate ability to lead a team has also been an invaluable skill throughout my career. At the end of 2014, Fattmerchant had only 2 full time employees. Today, we are a team of 18 and still growing. Being able to effectively lead the company and aid each individual in growing in their position, makes Fattmerchant a strong, united team.

What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
At the end of every day, week, or year, you will wish you had done something differently. Mistakes are inevitable when you are starting a business from scratch and working to get it off the ground. When I really think about it, however, I would not change any one of those mistakes. Last year we had 2,000% growth as a company and that was enormous. Now, we’re coming in 2016 and we need to keep up that momentum and continue to grow.

What is next for you in your career?
As Fattmerchant continues to grow and scale, I will maintain my position as CEO of the company. We will be raising a Series A round shortly and I will be at the forefront of this next step for our company. In the coming year, we will continue to build out our marketing, sales, and technology departments to meet the growing demand for our business model and technology.

I am also looking forward to increasing my involvement in the Orlando community, particularly through working with other local startups. Through the inception, implementation, and success of Fattmerchant, I have learned many business lessons and am eager to share this knowledge with other up and coming businesses.

What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
I am an avid reader and read at least 2 books a month, one on my kindle and one through my audible account. Some of my favorite books I’ve recently read have been “Girl Boss” by Sophia Amoruso, “Delivering Happiness” by Tony Hsieh, and “Good to Great” by Jim Collins. By constantly reading books like these, either on my couch at home or listening on my drive to and from work, I am able to continue my education and constantly improve in my professional life. Each book teaches me something new and shows me a way that I can be better in my position and a better leader for Fattmerchant.

What advice would you offer to others?
The advice I would give would be to set realistic, actionable goals. If you feel passionate about something, you should 100% go for it! But that doesn’t mean you need to quit your job today. Find the customer demand for your idea or product and you will have the validation you need to take that running leap towards changing an industry.

Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Start up business plans
• Fundraising
• Professionals interested in payment technologies