The Migrant Entrepreneurial Spirit
Little did I realise it at the time, but growing up in Pakistan laid the foundations for my entrepreneurial future. In Pakistan, the ‘system’ seemed entirely at odds with the direction I wanted to take in life. I bucked against an education system that I perceived to have no real-world application and bore no relevance to the goals I wanted to achieve. I moved fast, but I lived in a country with inherently slow systems that constrained my dreams.
Nonetheless, with my beautiful red 1976 Honda CD-175 motorcycle by my side, I figured out methods of working with the system. I became streetwise and strategic— skills that have served me well to this day. Once I had made a success of my early career in my father’s business, and then in international hotel management, the next step was to move abroad.
In Darwin, I joined the ranks of migrant self-starters who came with a raft of transferrable skills that provided certain advantages when setting up a successful business. The very nature of the migrant experience necessitates grit, determination, and a sense of ultimate responsibility - all key character traits of a successful entrepreneur. It’s no wonder that approximately one-third of small businesses in Australia are migrant-founded.
Emigrating from the developing Global South provides a lasting perspective on Australian egalitarianism. For someone who grew up in a sometimes stifling country like Pakistan, it is difficult to comprehend how the privileged classes in high-income countries continue to complain of unfairness (although inequities among the underrepresented no doubt exist).
I am acutely aware that my wife Neelo and I would not have achieved the things we have today without Australian society giving us a ‘fair go.’ That said, don’t expect success to be served on a silver platter, and complacency won’t take you far. I can honestly say that I got a ‘better go’ than many other people because I showed genuine interest, tenacity, and fire in the belly to go and achieve things.
Tips on how to become a high-performing migrant entrepreneur
Curiosity and self-improvement
Embrace a growth mindset through striving for continual improvement.
Gain wisdom and insights through reading. If I could give you one recommendation, it would be to read Dale Carnegie’s 1936 classic, How to Win Friends and Influence People. Read, take notes, and read again!
Networking
Actively cultivate new contacts in every place you visit.
You need not look further than friends and family at first; there is a wealth of untapped experience and knowledge sitting there.
Mentors will help crystallise your vision and provide feedback on strategies for success.
Negotiation
Harness your charisma and streetwise tactics in all your dealings.
Aim to make a genuine connection with all stakeholders.
A path of compromise exists in even the most difficult negotiations.
Risk-taking and self-reflection
Be prepared to take calculated risks.
Avoid self-entitlement at all costs and become the master of your destiny.
Practice self-reflection and learn from experience, or in the words of ‘my old friend’ Dale Carnegie, ‘Discouragement and failure are the two surest stepping stones to success.’