Asad is a serial entrepreneur, investor and leader with business portfolio in Technology, BPO, Supply Chain, FinTech & E-commerce industries. Asad started his entrepreneurial journey at the high school and since then has established various growing businesses.
Asad is passionate about bringing disruption through technology enabled solutions while adding great business value for his global customers, partners and society.
Asad is keen to invest in innovative, focused and agile people and he firmly believes that to achieve greatness, one must empower and mentor the people who are working for you.
Company: Trango Tech
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company.
Asadullah Khan: Thank you so much for having me on this interview. I’m Asadullah Khan, a lifelong tech enthusiast turned entrepreneur with a deep passion for innovation and building impactful businesses. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of founding and scaling several ventures across diverse industries; from BPO solutions and SaaS platforms to a full-scale digital transformation agency.
At the heart of it all is my drive to stay ahead of the curve; whether it’s embracing emerging technologies, anticipating market shifts, or helping businesses unlock their full digital potential. As the CEO of Trango Tech, I lead a team that’s dedicated to delivering world-class software solutions, mobile apps, and enterprise services that not only solve real business problems but also fuel growth and transformation. I’ve always believed in being a first mover and not just following trends, but setting them.
Can you share a time when your business faced a significant challenge? How did you navigate through it?
Asadullah Khan: If you don’t have hurdles in your business success, then you are doing it wrong. Hurdles and challenges are a part of success, and for every business that I have successfully founded and scaled, I have had a lot of challenges. One challenge that I would like to share is for Trango Tech, a digital transformation company that has been present for two decades.
When I first started the company, the clients were coming in, we had a great graph of success, but throughout the years, technology has changed significantly, and the graph of evolution is still growing, with AI being the newest factor. However, coming back to the challenge, in 2020 when the pandemic hit, many businesses were out of the game due to work-from-home synergy issues, lack of trust in employees, and less overall trust and work by investors. But for the digital landscape, it was completely different. We had ample amount of work, and with teams scattered, locked at home, surrounded by frightening news of COVID-19, we started to miss deadlines and were losing the opportunity to capitalize on the boom in digital services needed.
This is where I sat down with my primary stakeholders (virtually) and developed a strategy to provide a perfect work-life balance, added benefits, and even some fun activities to make our employees feel appreciated and recognized, even during challenging times, such as the pandemic. With our new approach to providing tech support to employees across our locations, from the GCC region to the US, we were able to achieve the synergy we were missing and capitalize on the highest revenue of all time. And this challenge is one of my favorites in my entrepreneurial career, as we didn’t just acquire more clients, help more businesses, and earn more revenue; we also attracted the best human resources, who are still with us due to the culture we created and continue to follow.
How has a failure or apparent failure set you up for later success?
Asadullah Khan: One of the challenges that my company and I faced, which later turned out to be a blessing in disguise, was back in 2018. We expanded into the GCC region and started to open physical offices in the UAE, KSA, Qatar, and Bahrain. The reason for this expansion was backed by growing interest and digital boom in the region, and we wanted to capitalize on that. We wanted to have an on-the-ground presence in the country where we were providing our services.
In the first two quarters, our sales were close to zero, and the expenses kept piling up from the Office costs to employee salaries. Most of our leadership wanted to withdraw and serve as a remote-only service provider in the GCC region, but I was positive that things would change. We then went on to attend conferences, events, and showcase our presence in the region. And soon we started to get the results we wanted.
Today, roughly 30% of our revenue comes from the GCC region, and the clients that we first acquired not just referred us tons of other clients, but are still with us and are a part of the Trango Tech family. And that two-quarter failure is surely the one that set us up for unmatched success in a region that we operated for the first time.
How do you build a resilient team? What qualities do you look for in your team members?
Asadullah Khan: A resilient team isn’t something you just hire; it’s something you build, nurture, and evolve with over time. For me, it starts with hiring individuals who are passionate, adaptable, and have a growth mindset. I look for problem-solvers, not just task-completers. People who take ownership, who don’t shy away from chaos, and who are okay with wearing multiple hats in tough situations. Now, this might sound like too much to ask from employees, but trust me, the only thing I want is passion in the work that you do and the strive to be the best in it.
During challenging times, like the 2020 pandemic or our GCC expansion setbacks, I saw firsthand that transparent communication, empathy, and empowerment were the real glue. We made sure our team was equipped, mentally and professionally, to take on the store, and the results of how resilient and strong our team is are clearly visible in our annual reports.
How do you maintain your personal resilience during tough times?
Asadullah Khan: Honestly, I’ve always believed that if the captain is anxious, the ship feels it. For me, resilience isn’t about pretending everything’s fine; it’s about acknowledging the chaos, finding your calm, and leading with clarity. I maintain my own resilience by stepping back and zooming out. I remind myself why I started, who I’m doing it for, and what long-term value we’re creating.
I also rely heavily on my inner circle – mentors, co-founders, family – people who keep me grounded. When the world feels heavy, having a 15-minute call with someone who just gets it does wonders.
What strategies do you use to manage stress and maintain focus during a crisis?
Asadullah Khan: My go-to strategy is simple: compartmentalize and prioritize. When everything feels like it’s on fire, I focus on what’s going to move the needle today. I’ve learned that in a crisis, momentum is medicine; if you can create a small win every day, it keeps morale high and stress manageable.
Personally, I also disconnect when needed. Whether it’s a short walk, playing with my kids, or even a good espresso with some music in the background – those little pockets of recharge help me come back stronger. The key is to not let stress paralyze your decision-making ability.
How do you communicate with your team during a crisis?
Asadullah Khan: During a crisis, ambiguity is the biggest enemy in my book. Thus, I make sure our communication is clear and two-way. We’re not just sending out messages, we’re actively listening. I hold weekly check-ins, townhalls, and even impromptu virtual huddles to keep the pulse going.
And most importantly, I humanize the conversation. I acknowledge what the team is going through, show vulnerability when it’s needed, and make them feel seen and heard. That’s how trust is built – not with perfect answers, but with honest leadership.
What advice would you give to other CEOs on building resilience in their organizations?
Asadullah Khan: Don’t wait for a crisis to build resilience, bake it into your culture from day one. Teach your teams how to think independently, problem-solve on the fly, and adapt without waiting for permission. Build feedback loops. Celebrate failures as learning moments.
And as a CEO, be visible during hard times. Your team isn’t expecting you to have all the answers, but they are expecting you to stand with them. Resilience isn’t just about bouncing back; it’s about bouncing forward.
How do you prepare your business for potential future crises?
Asadullah Khan: We treat every crisis as a rehearsal for the next one. We document what worked, what didn’t, and how we responded. This turns into a playbook that we keep refining. But preparation isn’t just about systems and SOPs. It’s basically just the mindset, culture, and energy that you have in your organization.
We run scenario-based strategy sessions, empower our mid-level leaders to take charge, and keep a diversified portfolio – whether it’s our clientele, revenue streams, or talent base. Flexibility is our best insurance policy because no crisis or challenge comes when you are ready for it.
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned about leadership in times of crisis?
Asadullah Khan: The most important lesson that I have learned and always talked about is clarity. In a crisis, people aren’t looking for a superhero; they’re looking for someone who communicates clearly, listens actively, and leads decisively.
The most powerful thing I’ve learned is to lead with people-first thinking. When you prioritize your team, understand their safety, their mental health, and their motivation, the business outcomes follow. During COVID, during expansion challenges, during economic slowdowns – our culture kept us afloat more than any strategy ever could.
So, if any new leader is hearing me and wants to get through every business challenge that they face, invest in your team, understand them, and be their role model. You can never win alone, but if you have a team that backs you up, you can win in any situation.
