Purpose.Impact. Legacy. These are the concepts upon which Dr Rosh Khan has built his mini-empire which spans SocialRank Media marketing company; the Masterclass Institute (business education); ERGrafix (a one-stop shop for all graphic and motion graphic needs); as well as the soon-to-be-opened FranklinCovey Guyana and GardenOfTheAmazon ecommerce business.
Rosh Khan
“People matter,” he said fiercely, and that fervent desire to help people and make their lives better has taken him from the rigours of becoming a medical doctor in his early twenties to helping persons accomplish their goals of becoming more and making their ideas reality. Citing Facebook and Pinterest as examples of the type of ideas he hopes to give life, the passionate socially-minded entrepreneur said “if one of my students were to become 10th of what Bill Gates is, imagine what he could do for Guyana …for the world…. It’s not just about me…. .”
He knows well the power of inspiration, of information, of that light bulb moment when everything clicks into place and you experience a mind transformation. As a teen, Khan had his mind blown by The Arc of Ambition – a book about leadership that featured technology’s visionary leaders at the time Michael Dell, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs – given to him by a cousin. Already consumed by technology, the ever-curious teen, fuelled by computer classes at Global Technology and a kid-friendly laptop gifted by his father, set about creating the blueprints for Siber, his own computer factory. He would later decide notwithstanding his tech fascination, that he would become a doctor, merging his ambitions to help people, earn a decent living and make his family proud. But fate had other plans for the humanitarian-at-heart.
“… Being in medicine, I loved it…but I realised that I could do more; as a doctor – as phenomenal as that is – you are really helping people one on one, but you look at these visionaries in the world and while they may have gone through that phase where they helped people one on one— the end goal was to create some sort of corporation of some kind. They were able to scale it up at such a multinational level, where now they could build the hospitals, where now the money they made from the corporation could fund research, where now they could fly in humanitarian aid. As a single doctor, you’re able to do your part, but if we (his companies) are successful in everything we want to do, the scale at which we can help is just so much bigger…”
The long-time avid creator and consumer of tech knew that social media, then in its infancy stage, would be huge and chose it as his vehicle to sate his hunger to create positive change.
The hard part was telling his parents, who had worked long and hard and spent millions to send him to medical school in the US, especially since his father, local businessman Roshan Khan, was adamant his children would not know the stress and strain of building and sustaining a business and would be experts. But he convinced them that he was watching the trends and knew what he was doing and got their support. Khan was further determined that he would start his business without any financial support from his family.
Now SocialRank Media, the financial backbone of his enterprises, has grown from his New York bedroom where it was started in 2011 to serving Fortune 500 companies and doing over US$20,000 in revenue monthly. On the local market, it has been around for about three years now, but really picked up steam last year. “I believe Guyanese have really seen and understand the power of digital in the last two years and realise that if you’re going to continue to win, if you’re going to stay competitive, you’re going to need a powerful team that understands digital marketing and can deliver results – that’s us! (To date, we’ve worked with some of the biggest companies and organisations in Guyana.)”
Of Masterclass Institute, which grew organically out of his realisation that some businesses needed more than social media marketing help as it was like putting a fresh coat of paint on a rotting structure, Khan waxed eloquent: “We are a very young company, but based on our success stories just one year into the programme, we are confident and committed. Changing lives is what makes us tick. And that’s why we’re launching the Digital Wealth Creation Summit (scheduled for February 4 at the Marriott) – the first event of its kind in Guyana.” He plans to build Masterclass Institute into the premier business education and learning institution in Guyana and the Caribbean.
“At the end of the day, we are a GROWTH AGENCY. Whether it’s through our marketing services, consulting, or business education and training programmes, we help people and businesses grow… It’s about helping entrepreneurs rediscover themselves and growing businesses that value purpose, impact, and legacy,” Khan stressed. “….Business must be about profits, but profits must have a purpose.”
In talking about his influences, the names come rapid-fire: entrepreneur and motivational speaker Jim Rohn, philosopher Alan Watts, scientist Carl Sagan, digital entrepreneur Chris Farrell, and the biggest – his Dad whose work ethic and treatment of people he lauded. “He really helped to mould me into the man I am today … I’m also blessed to be CONTINUALLY influenced every single day from the greatest mentors, businessmen, and coaches from around the world – through their books and content.”
The lessons he has learnt along the way include: 1.Listen. Take guidance. Consult. But at the end of it all… DO WHAT YOU FEEL IS RIGHT; 2. Entrepreneurship is not sexy but that’s exactly the point. It takes hard work to get to where you want to go. (The good news and the bad news is that no one is coming to save you.); 3. Don’t become a victim of comparisonitis. Focus on being a better you – PERIOD; 4. A million-dollar idea is nothing without the million-dollar execution; and 5. BE COMPASSIONATE and ETHICAL ALWAYS. UNDERSTAND THAT EQ WINS AGAINST IQ.
Highlighting that his failures have proved his biggest inspiration, Khan, who says curiosity and grit are the most important qualities of an entrepreneur, mused: “Success is in knowing that failure is not the final destination. Just understand that we are not done yet that we have more ways to go.”
Contact: Regent Street (between New Garden and Oronoque Streets opposite Shoe Heaven); 225-1842; www.facebook.com/DrRoshKhan; and www.roshkhan.com
