A veteran entrepreneur, Danish Sayanee is an internationally published author with 3 books published under his name on platforms such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Simon & Schuster. He is known for his innovative developments and affiliations in technology and STEAM/STEM integration at the school level – some of these affiliations include Microsoft, Google, STEM-ED Coalition, Common-Sense Education, and more. On top of that, he’s also the co-founder and director of the Institute of Excellence in Learning and Teaching.
A highly sought-after trainer, Danish is an internationally certified and licensed TESOL trainer from the Arizona University; he’s Pakistan’s very first CommonSense Educator, and he’s a Cambridge English trained agent which entails him to counsel students, teachers, and professionals on the importance of Cambridge English Certification. In fact, he has incredibly trained 3000 individuals including teachers, students, and other professionals. Danish also happens to be the first National Geographic Educator in Pakistan.
Danish has completed Business and Leadership Management from the Michigan University and he is also a Microsoft Educator, Adobe’s Master Trainer, and Intel’s Technology Partner, who’s currently working on his Teacher Training Licensing Program from London Teacher Training College OFQUAL Affiliated program.
MoneyCentral Magazine recently caught up with Danish to discuss his journey to entrepreneurship and here’s what went down:
What are your standards for success? Is it a certain dollar figure?
My benchmarks for success are not measured by anything especially not by the monetary success of a man. I have set the standards of my success on two principles:
1. Your Effort should match your vision
2. Be true to your vision
I have stuck by these principles, worked hard, tried my level best not to deviate from my vision, and climb ascend Mount Success.
What do you think made you successful in business?
I was born not to be the sort of person who can comply with the rules that others set for him, rather, from an early age, I have been able to make people do what I wanted them to do, I feel that this being able to delegate, and process who does what best is a key factor that made me successful in business. Another thing is the fact that I can jump from the mountains but I can still stick to a vision. Often, businesses simply fail, or people running them fail because they lose sight of their vision.
How would you define true entrepreneurship?
The truest form of entrepreneurship is when a person can identify a true social gap and fill it up with a unique and innovative idea.
What inspired you to develop your idea?
I have always been a compassionate person by nature, this enables me to look at society from a unique perspective and this is the very perspective that I am able to translate into ideas. So far, my analysis of societal needs has been pretty much on point, and I hope that this will continue to be the case.
What were the main challenges you faced at the early stages of your business? And do you still encounter them to this day?
Challenges have and will always be part of my life, they are part of every person’s life. In Pakistan, the situation for budding entrepreneurs is tough, it is cutthroat most of the time. Some of the major challenges I have faced is the lack of investment availability, people are not willing to invest in businesses that will reap a profit in the long run but at a steady pace. Nowadays, people want instant gratification when it comes to reaping their investments.
What keeps you going even in hard times?
Interesting question! I guess the fear of failure is a huge motivator for me that keeps me going but another motivator is that I am a largely stubborn human being and hate giving up, this keeps me going on.
What are your thoughts on entrepreneurship for young people especially in an economy where jobs are harder to find?
Unlike what many people believe, entrepreneurship hasn’t arrived, it is here to stay, and entrepreneurship is the element that will create opportunities for Generation Z.
What strategies did you first use to market your business?
Hah! You will probably laugh when you hear what I have to say on this. I had no ideas about marketing strategies in those days, I had no idea how a business was supposed to be run. I relied heavily on social media platforms to spread our word and to introduce the business and promote it. As time went by, we invested in paid marketing and again we had no idea how it actually worked! In the end, all I can be grateful for is that our wild guesswork paid off.
How have your priorities changed from when you first started?
No, I guess not, my priorities have not drastically evolved over the years, but I have realized that for a man to succeed in a business, he needs to learn to give as much leverage to his team as they deserve, and not let them take advantage of you. I have always prioritized empathy and sustainability and have tried to ensure that I achieve the two.
Knowing what you know now, is there anything you would have done differently when you were first starting out?
Nah! I think I wouldn’t have succeeded as much as I have if I go back and undo my learning opportunities, I have grown and matured with time and my mistakes, my missed chances, even the moments of despair have taught me to be a better man and an even better entrepreneur.
