"Don't pay attention to those who constantly say "no," and don't allow them to slow you down or modify your course."
Haseeb Awan, Founder of EFANI, is an experienced CEO with a demonstrated history of working in the crypto and cyber security industry. He’s a strong strategic and business development professional skilled in building, innovating, and growing businesses.
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Table of Contents
Thank you for joining us today. Please introduce yourself to our readers. They want to know you, some of the background story to bring some context to your interview.
Haseeb Awan: My story is unique. With the growing cyber threat pandemic in the world, identity theft has become the new normal. After being a sim swap victim myself four times, I invented a solution – a solution that has helped many. The solution, therefore, became my successful career solution for 1.9% of Americans. The intent was to provide military-grade protection against traumatic identity theft experiences. My voice resonated with many!
You are a successful entrepreneur, so we’d like your viewpoint, do you believe entrepreneurs are born or made? Explain.
Haseeb Awan: Entrepreneurs are born, not made. These are people who are upbeat, self-driven and have a lot of motivation and self-assurance. They want to be recognized as a successful self-made individual. Individuals like these do not develop these traits suddenly, but rather over time. It could be a childhood dream or vision that they have always desired to realize. They have successfully observed their respective surroundings over the years, which aided them in becoming an entrepreneur. They always benefit from their failures and can learn from their experiences.
If you were asked to describe yourself as an entrepreneur in a few words, what would you say?
Haseeb Awan: I am self-driven with a strong desire to succeed. I thrive on a challenge and establish objectives for myself regularly so that I have something to aim towards. I’m not content with mediocrity, and I’m continuously looking for methods to improve and attain excellence. To establish a healthier work atmosphere, I ensure that I provide opportunities for open communication to everyone and I try to be emotionally attentive to my team’s needs and desires.
Tell us about what your company does and how did it change over the years?
Haseeb Awan: Efani is America’s most secure and private cell phone service that runs on a leading cell phone network. Efani guarantees customer protection against SIM-hacking encrypts personal information and provides $5 million insurance coverage. The plan comes with a 100% money-back guarantee for 60-days. The company operates a bit like a mobile virtual network operator. It uses the network infrastructure of Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile to provide services to its customers. But it only relies on this infrastructure to provide cell coverage. Everything else for the $99/month plan, from data management to customer service, is managed in-house according to Efani’s practices. On top of these measures, EFANI conducts background checks of all employees, requires multi-employee authorization to make account changes, and stores customer information in server silos to keep data segregated. Additionally, customer names and phone numbers are kept separate.
Thank you for all that. Now for the main focus of this interview. With close to 11.000 new businesses registered daily in the US, what must an entrepreneur assume when starting a business?
Haseeb Awan: Accepting support from experienced entrepreneurs to take your firm to the next level is a good idea at some time. So, even if you want to do everything yourself, be open to working with a startup mentor and accepting assistance from experienced business owners to make your life easier. A good startup mentor can help you build your company considerably faster than you could if you tried to handle everything on your own.
Did you make any wrong assumptions before starting a business that you ended up paying dearly for?
Haseeb Awan: Assumption. They are always working. Some of them do, but they quickly burn out. Working 16-hour days adds no real value and, in my opinion, signals strategic issues. Working against the clock could imply financial or budgeting issues, or it could signal that the product or service is being released too soon. There should be no need to work longer hours in either case. As some other commenters pointed out, business success is not always synonymous with personal success. In the end, making money is quite simple, but it comes at the expense of energy that could have been spent on something more valuable – time with loved ones, time enjoying nature, or learning more about oneself.
If you could go back in time to when you first started your business, what advice would you give yourself and why? Explain.
Haseeb Awan: Don’t pay attention to those who constantly say “no,” and don’t allow them to slow you down or modify your course. They are either unconcerned, haven’t tried hard enough, or are working in the wrong place.
What is the worst advice you received regarding running a business and what lesson would you like others to learn from your experience?
Haseeb Awan: The worst piece of entrepreneur guidance I ever received was not to start a business! Instead of launching my firm, I was frequently advised to join an existing organization. But I had a clear idea of how I could build a business that would provide clients with something unique, and my goal was to provide military-grade security against catastrophic identity theft experiences. Finally, my voice struck a chord with many others, resulting in a successful business venture.
In your opinion, how has COVID-19 changed what entrepreneurs should assume before starting a business? What hasn’t changed?
Haseeb Awan: Accept the new reality. The Covid disaster has forever altered the way corporations function. It has established a new normal that has presented businesses with both new problems and opportunities. Accepting and using the norms of the new normal in your business is the path forward for enterprises.
Begin by working in a virtual environment. Organize Zoom meetings. Use internet marketing collaterals such as newsletters, webinars, videos, and social media to promote your business. Focus on seamless service, and follow WHO guidelines for the sake of your employees and customers. This will ensure that everyone is in good health while also lowering your operating costs significantly.
What is a common myth about entrepreneurship that aspiring entrepreneurs and would-be business owners believe in? What advice would you give them?
Haseeb Awan: Entrepreneurs should always focus on their instincts. There’s nothing wrong with trusting your gut, and there are plenty of anecdotes in the business world about successful entrepreneurs who followed their instincts despite what others believed. The truth, on the other hand, is significantly more complicated. Listening to clients and appreciating constructive criticism is essential. There’s always room for improvement, and what we think of as fantastic ideas isn’t always so good.
What traits, qualities, and assumptions do you believe are most important to have before starting a business?
Haseeb Awan: Non-Conformity, Emotional Intelligence, being Street Smart, Motivation and Diligence.
How can aspiring leaders prepare themselves for the future challenges of entrepreneurship? Are there any books, websites, or even movies to learn from?
Haseeb Awan: The Inc. magazine, which was founded in 1979, focuses on growing businesses in the United States. Businesses should strive to be included in the Inc. 5000, an annual list of America’s fastest-growing companies.
“Start-Up” is the section of the site that is most valuable to new entrepreneurs. It’s jam-packed with must-read articles on business dos and don’ts. It wouldn’t be a waste of time to take a quick look at Inc. once a day.
You have shared quite a bit of your wisdom and our readers thank you for your generosity but would also love to know: If you could choose any job other than being an entrepreneur, what would it be?
Haseeb Awan: Security Architect (Bitcoin), while one of the advantages of bitcoin is that it is considerably more difficult to hack than traditional payment systems, security architects are still required to ensure that security is maintained. It would be my responsibility to develop procedures to protect the company’s technology from outside threats and fraudulent transactions.
Thank you so much for your time, I believe I speak for all of our readers when I say that this has been incredibly insightful. We do have one more question: If you could add anyone to Mount Rushmore, but not a politician, who would it be; why?
Haseeb Awan: Muhammad Ali: Muhammad Ali was an American professional boxer, activist, entertainer, poet, and philanthropist. Nicknamed The Greatest, he is widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated figures of the 20th century and is frequently ranked as the best heavyweight boxer of all time.
Larry Yatch, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Haseeb Awan for taking the time to do this interview and share his knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Haseeb Awan or his company, you can do it through his – Linkedin Page
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