"...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."

I moved to Dhaka for my higher education. Unlike my brother and sister who went to the UK for their university, my parents decided to keep me close to them in Dhaka. I disliked the decision initially, but having gotten enrolled in IBA, it was perhaps the best decision they made for me.

During my university days, I participated in a lot of business competitions. I earned several accolades, traveled abroad, and met a lot of interesting people. Because of my relative success, my juniors used to ask me for advice. To redirect them to better content, this amazing blog was born! This small initiative made me realize the power of micro-effort and how much of a difference it makes. Even to this day, I receive emails from strangers thanking me for the content I write and how it helped them to win a competition.

It was probably because of these competitions, my business partner, Asif, approached me to be a part of Alpha Catering. While it started as a university assignment, it took a life of its own by the time I completed my internship in my own company. This was in 2016 and what a ride it has been!

The COVID-19 pandemic has made me rethink my priorities in life. I have slowly understood the disproportionately large impact technology can have and I’m convinced that should be my next endeavor should be at the intersection of technology and changing lives.

Onwards!

I am Sylheti. A proud one as well. I spent a good 18 years growing up in a quiet neighborhood in a joint family living in a house full of laughter and happiness. My childhood has almost been magical. My cousins were my first friends and I still hang out with my kindergarten friends whenever I’m in town.

My school, BBIS, was where I did my first hustle. I used to sell my lunch to my friends (don’t tell my mother!). Trading CDs and repaired computer parts were second. I think it was around that time when I was about 14 when I built my first website. Experimenting has always been in my DNA.

Since my childhood, I have seen my father and uncles help each other out through every hurdle they faced. That has instilled a sense of collective purpose in me. Everything I do is measured by the impact it has on the people around me. And that manifested in me even before I passed my O Levels. I found myself teaching in a school for visually-impaired kids and also helping out underprivileged kids in my neighborhood during the weekends. My grandfather was a popular school teacher and I tend to emulate him by teaching and guiding people at every opportunity I get. To this day, I try to stay true to my identity either by mentoring young kids at non-profits or by advising first-time business owners or young professionals in random coffee shops.

Now that I look back, you really can’t connect the dots looking forward.