When we start our entrepreneurship journey, there are people who have already travelled the path. They have stories, lessons and experience worth sharing. And if you pay attention you can reduce your hurdles, become a better entrepreneur and motivate yourself to do more.
And what’s the best place to listen to these success stories? It’s
TED Talks!
It’s a place where speakers come from different backgrounds to address their challenges, ideas and solutions for their business. Through TED speeches, they inspire you to approach your life with a new perspective and embrace your journey.
And you can relate to them better when you know that they are your fellow Pakistanis. People who were continuously told they are good for nothing, people who were rejected, people who stand tall against all the obstacles and people who become successful despite all the setbacks.
So, for this week’s dose of inspiring lessons, here are 5 best TEDx Talks by successful entrepreneurs of Pakistan who make their dream possible.
Let’s know why their stories are worth the listen.
Note: Tedx talks are independently organized but serve the same TED’s mission that’s ‘ideas worth spreading.’
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Nabeel Qadeer: What Makes an Idea
Founder: Idea Croro Ka – Pakistan’s first reality show on business
Nabeel Qadeer is the founder of “Idea Croron Ka” – Pakistan’s first reality show based on entrepreneurship. His story started in 2015 when there was no or little support for entrepreneurs in Pakistan. Nabeel found out that there’s extreme entrepreneurship talent in Pakistan but the disconnect between entrepreneurs and investors limits the talent to where it’s born. So, he presented his idea to the leading news channels in Pakistan but was mocked and rejected multiple times as it lacks the glamour and the channels don’t find it entertaining for the audience. But he believed his idea and kept continuing his efforts and was later on accepted by NEO News.
With the vision to rebrand Pakistan, his show has garnered viewership in millions, aired 4 seasons and featured more than 25 investors. Not only this, but the show has also become one of the most-watched shows on NEO News by highlighting the entrepreneurs of Pakistan.
Listen to Nabeel’s journey in his TEDx talk below. It’s truly a get-up-and-going lesson from him.
Memorable Quote:
Believe in your dreams and work hard to achieve it, you’ll get your fruit of success one day.
2. Bilal bin Saqib: The Wheel of Life
Founder of Tayaba Organization | Featured on Forbes 30 under 30
Second, on the list is Bilal bin Saqib who founded an NGO Tayaba.org with the vision to give life to the under-privileged and water-deprived communities all across Pakistan. He’s a Master graduate from London School of Economics in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Although he had never been an A grade scorer in his academics but his journey has let him featured in Forbes 30 under 30 list for 2020. He believes the other use of social media is to change people lives by connecting them to the basic necessities of life.
In his TED talk, he talks about the lives of the women and children who are deprived of water and how far they have to travel to bring one pot of water. He further added how the wheels of life transform their journey and give them access to water by not burdening them up. He concluded his talk with the words that your grades don’t decide who you are, but your mindset. So, always focus on growth mindset and keep learning from your failures. His NGO is one of the best NGOs in Pakistan who provide access to clean water in the water-scarce areas.
Listen to his TEDx talk if you’re looking for social entrepreneurship TED talk to bring a change in this world.
Memorable Quote:
Your grades don’t determine your achievements, it’s your willpower and the growth mindset.
3. Sara Saeed Khurram: Who are the Doctor Brides?
Founder of Sehat Kahani
This is my one of the favourite TED talks which I can listen on repeat a hundred times. In Pakistan, the women are often told that you should learn to please your in-laws and husbands because that’s what your actual home is, but Sara Saeed ditches all this type of patriarchal thinking by showing that you can be a doctor bride and entrepreneur together.
She encourages women that a Gol roti shouldn’t be your identity or ultimate goal, if you want to do something then come out of your shell and work hard and smart. Her business ‘Sehat Kahani’ is formed with the mission to provide affordable and convenient primary healthcare services for all using technology. Her platform has collated all the home-based female doctors who connect with the patients and counsel them about their health.
If you listen to her story, the typical thinking of our community also become her obstacle, but she paved her way out of it. She’s now a successful entrepreneur with her successful married life and manages both phases of her life together with perfection.
Her story and lessons compile in a TEDx talk is a must-listen for all.
Memorable Quote:
I don’t want my daughters to wait for a prince charming who will take them into the castle. I want them to ask, choose, build their castles and get their prince charming into the castle.
4. Zain Ashraf Mughal: Improving Living Standards through Microfinancing
Founder Seed Out | Featured on Forbes 30 under 30
Zain is the founder of Seed Out, an NGO who worked on poverty issues and help the micro-entrepreneurs to scale their businesses. These microentrepreneurs can be the seller on the food stall, a painter or anyone who is deep below the poverty line and has no resources to feed themselves. Seed Out is a crowdfunding platform which generates micro-entrepreneurs through interest-free microfinancing. Zain believes in teaching a man the skill to earn his bread and butter rather than feeding them once or twice. With all the funds he generates from his platform, goes on establishing a business for deserving entrepreneurs.
He’s also listed in Forbes 30 under 30 Asian list of Social Entrepreneurs for his incredible journey to change people lives. He’s the pride of Pakistan and also the first Pakistani to hold the Commonwealth Youth Award (2018) for excellence in development work through Seed Out (2018). His journey is inspired by the small events that happened in his life when he saw the poor people suffering because of no finance and resources. Moreover, he has also represented Seed Out on international level.
This TEDx talk happened at TEDxPIEAS is worth taking inspiration from one of the successful entrepreneurs of Pakistan.
Memorable Quote:
When you give a man a fish, you feed him once but when you teach him how to fish, you feed him for the lifetime.
5. Khalida Brohi: Redefining Honor to Fight Honor Killings
Founder of Sughar Foundation & Chai Spot | Featured twice on Forbes 30 under 30
If you have known tribal communities, you must be aware of the honor killings – murdering women in the name of honor, exchanging brides and child marriages. Khalida Brohi is also a tribal woman from Balochistan who challenges all these shame labelled under honor. She took the stance of redefining honor to men and women by communicating to them directly, running campaigns and defining the real meaning of honor.
With her mission to empower women, she founded Sughar Foundation where she helps women earn their livelihood by unleashing their potential and making them a leader for their communities. She also runs a Chai Spot in the USA with her husband where she envisages the Pakistan culture and make people fall in love with it. Khalida Brohi husband, David is an American convert to Islam who support his wife whole-heartedly in all her initiatives. The revenue they generate from Chai spot goes in grants for rural women in Pakistan.
In her TEDx talk, she talks about her journey and shares how tough it was to stand against the cultural norms which were good for nothing. It’s a must-listen TED talk for every wannabe entrepreneur to learn how to stand strong in your entrepreneurship journey.
Memorable Quote:
Even if I have nothing, I should have honor.
I prefer books and diaries more than phones and Facebook. Soulfully connected to Pakistan. And I passionately believe that I can change the world through blogging.
