Exclusive Trusted Magazine Q&A with Mohamed Khalid Ateeq, General Manager @ Rain
How could you describe your career path in a few words?
A rollercoaster of adventure and exciting chapters.
My career path and choices are fundamentally driven by my desire to self-improve, explore new ideas and concepts, and to challenge / push myself to the limits. I began my humble career in the financial, investment and banking sectors. Mostly dealing with regulators and reporting to the Board of Directors of financial institutions. I then began to experiment with opening and running a few business which gave me great insights and appreciation for entrepreneurs and investors alike. I would say my time as an entrepreneur was one of the most exciting chapters of my life.. Before I joined Rain. The first Central Bank licensed Crypto company in the Middle East and North Africa.
What was your most challenging experience and it has changed your mindset?
I would say, joining the dynamic and every changing Crypto industry. Coming from a very traditional and established financial and banking background, I found the Fintech and Crypto world filled with daily challenges and obstacles that require the most creative minds in the industry to adapt and solve. Rain always keeps me on my toes. And I love it. Every day brings with it a new set of exciting challenges. This tremendously helps me improve constantly and the vast amount of knowledge and experience a person receives in this industry is incomparable to any others I’ve seen. Especially if you have an amazing talented team that have the desire, hunger and belief in this field. Rain has some of the best and brightest minds in this region. And I’m proud of every single person contributing to the success of Rain.
When you get surprised by unusual or uncertain context, what do you think?
First, I meditate. Meditation is very important to me. I usually wake up around dawn, shower, meditate, and then start working. Whenever I get surprised by unusual or uncertain context, I meditate for 5 minutes, and then I remember all the previous challenges and roadblocks we encountered and how we managed to overcome them, regardless of how big of an obstacle they were. One thing I learned during my career is that nothing is impossible. There is always a way. You just have to plan for it. Write down the challenge, and then write down all the various solutions, no matter how unrealistic they may be. And then write down the steps you need to take to achieve those solutions. And never forget, trust your team members to do what needs to be done.
What’s the most important key success factor for you based on your experience?
Always believe in yourself. Always face your fears and overcome them. And turn your passion into your profession. Working for something you have no passion for will never be sustainable. You have to do what you love in order to be extraordinarily successful in what you do. Also, always wake up early, even on weekends, and strive to learn something new every day. Success comes to those who work for it. Success doesn’t happen by chance. You make your own success. You cannot wish for a positive change if you never make any positive steps towards such change. The only person you have to blame is yourself.
What would be the major pitfall that may undermine the success of a leader?
Go with your gut but also listen to common sense and logic. Both go hand in hand.
Also, never dismiss the advice of your team members. You must always assume the person you are talking to knows something you don’t. Always stay humble. Always stay true to your word. And always work to make a positive change in people's lives.
