With each season that passes, our Student Works operators never cease to astonish us with their tenacity, determination, and strategic entrepreneurial minds. Faraz Khan is no different.
Hailing from Pakistan, Faraz arrived in Canada in 2013 after dropping out of high school to support this family. It didn’t take long working a 9 to 5 for him to become intrigued by the outcome economy, wherein the effort he put into his work life could yield larger monetary returns.
Cut to Faraz earning our Rookie Operator of the Year Award, during the pandemic we might add.
In a conversation with Chris Thomson on our Leaders of Tomorrow Podcast, Faraz let us in on the key insights gleaned from his time with Student Works. Here’s what he had to share:
Foster a Curious Mind
Top performers distinguish themselves in a variety of ways, one being their ability to see everything that comes their way as an opportunity to grow.
Admittedly, Faraz was delayed on the uptake for this one. In fact, before beginning his first year, he thought Student Works was “just a program”. Nowadays? He calls it a “life changing experience” that taught him beneficial hard and soft skills that he will keep in his back pocket for all future endeavors.
“I did see that I did need to be more focused towards my organization skills, communication skills, and more focused towards relationship building. Relationship building is huge when you’re building a business,” he shared.
Rely on Accountability Partners
Trying to get a new company off the ground? Faraz says focusing on accountability is what helped him achieve the goals he set out for himself. In fact, he currently has 5 accountability calls per week etched into his calendar.
“I’m talking to all the rookies. I’m talking to the vets. I’m talking to painters and operators. I’m just trying to see what other people are thinking as well right? So I can take what works for my business and also give them tips as well… Student Works, this company is basically take or give, right? We make sure we help others so we can get help from them as well. This is a huge aspect for me. Actually keeping myself accountable by talking to different people,” he explained.
Put in the Work
There’s no cutting corners when it comes to achieving entrepreneurial success, and that is something all of our rookie operators learn quite quickly.
“Putting in the work is honestly the key. The amount of work you put in [is never wasted], it’s going to give you benefits, not right away but in [the] longer run. That’s the mindset I’m looking at from my first year to second year. I want to make sure [to stay focused on] the end goal, how are we going to make sure that we hit our goals, and how are we going to keep ourselves accountable to that?” he told Chris.
We’re excited to see what Faraz does next!
Are you a student looking to further your development as a leader and enter the exciting world of entrepreneurship? Check out more stories from Student Works participants and alumni on our Leaders of Tomorrow Podcast!
