Exclusive Trusted Magazine Q&A with Afif Tabsh , Founder @RPS Mena
How could you describe your career path in few words?
My career path was atypical to say the least. I graduated from the American University of Beirut (AUB) with a Computer Science Bachelors Degree and so naturally I tended to go for IT/Software-Development kind of jobs. I landed a job in IT in banking sector for around 2.5 years, but throughout those 2.5 years I was already taking on Project Management training courses, I was running my own non-profit organization, attending conferences globally, delivering training to youth and so I wasn't really limited to one thing. With time, I shifted career to consulting where I join a Project Management consulting firm where I started as Consultant and then moved my way up to becoming the Operations Manager of that company in probably 3 years. At that milestone, I had gotten several other international certifications in Project Management and Business Analysis and had started my masters in Human Resources Management as the HR aspect of organizations, and Organizational Behaviour, Competency Models, Organizational Structures and Corporate Dynamics were all topics I'm interested in. So out of no where, I got head hunted to one of the Big4 consulting firms in the GCC where I worked for a while, then I moved back to Lebanon as the Business Development and Projects Manager of a university's consulting, training and executive education arm. From there I had continued getting more certifications and feeling that there are more things to do, still running multiple non-profit organizations, advising on the board of others, volunteering in some, participating and speaking in global conferences and forums and what not. Eventually, the time came where I started my own consulting, training and research firm with my sister as a boutique family company called RPS MENA in 2018. Since then, the company has grown to have an office in Beirut and another in Istanbul with projects across the MENA and GCC and still expanding. Against all odds, in 2022, I also established a couple of other companies one called Just Peace Consulting Ltd based in Cyprus serving the EMEA region and the 3rd company called RainMakers, a business development services provider to consulting firms and NGOs based in Istanbul serving EMEA region as well. Opportunities are plenty and I believe from a career perspective, I might be on the track to start more companies in the coming years as things change and opportunities arise.
What was your most challenging experience and it has changed your mindset?
The most challenging experience is breaking free from the employee mindset to becoming self-employed and later as a business owner. That sense of having no safety not, no fixed job, no one to tell you what to do but rather having the freedom and responsibility to figure out what needs to be done and doing it and then either reaping the benefits if it was a success or paying the price if it was not. It changed my mindset in a way that I no longer wait for my paycheck, I no longer plan month to month, but rather months and years ahead. I think of cashflow and overall financial status rather than income and expenses, and monthly revenue. It got me to actively seek ways of optimizing my time, my use of resources and my way of thinking to generate more income, without having to put the 8 to 5 kind of working hours for it.
Based on your experiences, what skills should an entrepreneur develop in 2023?
Entrepreneurs in 2023 and in the past few years as well as the future should have a tremendous ability to adapt to changes. Things are changing at a pace that humanity has never seen before and new technologies and advancements might render something you've been working on outdated, just 6 months along the way. So be ready to be challenged, pushed and for the rules of the game to change in mid-game, with little to no warning. That resilience and ability to stand on your feet, think critically, analyze the situation, get the facts and plan for the way forward is what would differentiate between those who succeeded and those who would probably sink.
Based on your recent experiences, if you had one piece of advice for an entrepreneur's success in the context of 2023, what would it be?
I would tell every entrepreneur, business owner, manager and C-level executive to to keep learning, keep reading, keep observing what is happening around them some that they do not become obsolete. Whether you prefer to get your information through emails, social media, reading books, podcasts, training workshops, webinars, courses or mentoring, keep learning. There is no shortage of information and no lack of access to free content, we just need to know where to look and what to look for. It is not about becoming hyper-specialized in any specific topic as much as it is about keeping the sensors open to what is happening around in the world, the latest technologies, trends, regulations, needs and community aspirations. Being in touch with the world around us is becoming harder, especially for those who work remotely and/or from home, and thus do not have that regular interaction with coworkers that they used to.
