My First Business

I don’t have a rags-to-riches story. I wasn’t poor, but I didn’t grow up with generational wealth either—just your average middle-class misfit. Entrepreneurship wasn’t really in the cards for people like me. We were raised to get good grades and land a safe corporate job.

So, like a good Pakistani (and Canadian) son, I got a Fortune 500 job in Toronto. I broke sales records, climbed the ladder, and became a VP at 28, managing millions. 

But inside? I was falling apart.

I moved to Dubai to be closer to family. I continued working in 'safe' careers.

When Covid hit and my “safe” career didn’t feel so safe, I joined my wife to grow our digital marketing agency, Digitalina. We were having fun, making some money—but we still felt lost. Business felt like a rich person’s game, and we had no mentors or family role models to guide us.

That’s why I started my podcast—for people like me: middle-class, no mentors, no connections. If you don’t have the right network, borrow mine.