Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of any economy. Not only are they a major contributor to the GDP and driver of economic growth, they also provide employment to a large percentage of the population. In Pakistan, SMEs account for 90% of businesses and contribute 40% to the GDP (Noman & Khalid, 2019). SadaPay believes in the potential of these enterprises to stimulate and grow the economy.
In an effort to acknowledge the incredible efforts, stories and achievements of all countless self-made entrepreneurs and freelancers, we at SadaPay launched a new content series on LinkedIn. Wishmah Hassan — the proud founder of Hues, an innovative Western clothing store, and Pazirish Mirza — the 19-year-old MasterChef behind Pazzees ice cream, were featured. It’s not only an attempt to push these young minds to continue to innovate, but also an attempt to inspire others to follow their passion and uncover their entrepreneurial spirits.
To spread awareness around the journeys of entrepreneurs who created something of their own and to inspire more entrepreneurs to follow suit, SadaPay launched Hustle Diaries — a one on one interview series. The series focuses on interviewing entrepreneurs and exploring their journey to success. The first of this series featured Mr. Asif Ansari — a self-made powerhouse filmmaker from the city of winds — Hyderabad, and the Founder of a renowned film studio — Asif Ansari’s Photography. He has not only made his mark in the Pakistani market but has been a part of international projects as well, working on documentaries for Amazon.
In a conversation with Omar Qureshi, SadaPay’s Creative Director, Asif mapped out his entire journey of how he started out with a point-and-shoot camera back in 2012, and made his way gradually to veteran status where he now has a full-scale studio with a team of over 10 people. Mr. Ansari, to date, has covered over 700 grandeur weddings, produced multiple Lahooti events with The Sketches, and was involved with Sindhustan, an acclaimed film that made it to Amazon Prime.
Although the interview is a great watch on its own, we wanted to also talk about the important lessons that would be great for any aspiring creative practitioner looking to write their own story of creative and entrepreneurial success.
1. Dedication and Learning
Asif emphasized the importance of market research and the drive to learn continuously. When he was starting out, he spent months doing research and learning by observing others in the field. “No matter what field you’re in, no matter what you want to achieve, if you’re not dedicated, you will continue facing the same difficulties you do every day in your work”, Asif pointed out. He discussed how one should not shy away from problems and that having a solution-oriented mindset is imperative for success. “It’s always exciting for me to encounter and solve new problems”, he said, “that’s the only way your business can stay innovative and competitive.”
2. Teamwork
He also highlighted the importance of having a good team. “If you have a team that is fun to work with, and it’s a lot easier to achieve your milestones,” he advised. Asif went on to discuss that employees that are loyal have a sense of ownership in the business and perform better. This loyalty can only be nurtured if you as a boss or manager care about the career growth of your employees. The foundations of your company culture are extremely important especially as the challenges increase and a great level of grit is required. A good workforce can make or break a business at its infancy stage.
3. Setting principles
His advice to all budding photographers and filmmakers was to set their principles in life and stay true to them. Asif urged entrepreneurs to believe in themselves and their vision as that will help them overcome many obstacles in their way. “If you follow and work with your principles in line, then you will quickly prosper and succeed in what you do best,” Asif emphasized. He discussed how having a strong value system and a firm adherence to principles helps one achieve success in all spheres of life; personal and professional.
Watch the entire interview here.
