Finding My MAD Side

Does everyone have a MAD side? Well, I recently found out that I definitely do!

It was hibernating until I took the opportunity to work at MAD Talks. But that’s what I’m learning today. Let’s back track a little.

Life of a recent graduate

A month back, I was just a fresh graduate from CASS Business School and recently moved back to Dubai from London. I was enjoying life, spending time with my family and I even got the opportunity to fly to Malawi to relax with my best friend. But there was still this nerve wrecking feeling that I don’t know what I will do next. This feeling was made worse when I was asked by anybody I knew ‘what are you going to do now?’. I usually would say that ‘I haven’t decided yet’ or ‘I’m not sure’. When actually i just wanted to shout out that ‘it really isn’t any of your business what I do’. I know I should’ve been excited because there was so much I could do; unfortunately, I was scared because of the uncertainty of what was in my cards.

Learning about MAD Talks

Three weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to meet Mr. Tariq Qureishy and I wanted to see what it was all about. So I came to their Media City office and learnt exactly how MAD Talks ‘Make A Difference’ using their story-telling and digital content platform. I loved the way that they integrated technology and content together, focusing on empowering entrepreneurs and even large firms to get buckled up for the digital tornado that is fast approaching their industries. Their new business model of connecting millennials and startups with media, technology and mentors left me wanting to know more. When the CEO of the company asked me what I wanted to do, I told him confidently that I wanted to get some work experience and get an MBA in the not too distant future. To this he said that I was being extremely stupid for wanting to do a business administration course because in the future probably a robot will replace me. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Why was I being so narrow minded?

To get more exposure into what the start-up did, I was invited to come to Tariq Qureishy’s presentation and I was enticed even more. The presentation spoke to me and was all about my passion for technology but with other factors that I hadn’t taken into consideration. I felt like I was a part of a business that was making changes of how people my age and future generations are going to work. It was clear to me that I had a magical wonderland experience that was really exhilarating in the last two days and I wanted to stay and be a part of the start-up. I was keen to learn how MAD Talks branded themselves, the way that they interacted with CEOs and their creative disruptive strategies. However, what I was most excited about was that I was going to have opportunity to grow as a professional individual and to be bolder.

The Decision

I was so eager to work at MAD Talks, but I still couldn’t give a final yes. Why? Because I wanted to make sure that I was making the right choice for me and not for anyone else. That’s when I saw a MAD streak shining through me.

I am MAD about technology. I am MAD about disruptive innovations. I am MAD about making a difference.

Therefore, I decided to take a chance and to see how MAD I can actually be. I plan to make a difference by coming up with new strategies to make the brand known by more people and to aid the entrepreneurs who want to start their own businesses.

I am proud of making the bold choice of starting out at MAD Talks and building my own career path step by step because as it turns out that this is just the beginning of my journey and really finding my MAD side.