Hey everyone, Umer here!
Some paths are chosen deliberately. Others are shaped by chaos, setbacks, and moments you only understand years later. Ahsan Mashkoor’s journey is one of those paths. From food and solar businesses to building AI products used by banks and governments, his story is about values, adaptability, and playing the long game.
Our conversation on The Path We Choose went far beyond tech and entrepreneurship, and it stayed with me long after we wrapped. Here’s what I learned.
Do more before you specialize
Ahsan shared that early in life he made one rule for himself: “When you’re young, do as many things as you can. Things that are not related to you today will be related to you in the future.” If you’re early in your career, stop rushing to niche down. Take roles, projects, and experiences that broaden your perspective before you lock yourself into one lane.
Scarcity creates real innovation
After being laid off as a country manager at 27, Ahsan said plainly, “Scarcity is the mother of all inventions.” That moment pushed him into entrepreneurship. Instead of fearing instability, use it as a forcing function. Ask yourself what problem you can solve right now with the resources you already have.
Money is not the starting point
One of the strongest lines from Ahsan was this: “To start a business, you don’t need money. You need an idea and a plan.” Stop waiting for funding. Write a simple plan, test it with real customers, and let traction do the talking.
People invest in people, not ideas
Ahsan repeated this throughout the conversation: “People buy from people. People invest in people, not in companies or products.” Build trust before pitching. Focus on relationships, credibility, and clarity of thought. That’s what opens doors.
Ego kills growth
One line that stood out was when Ahsan said, “The day you realize you’re insignificant, ego and arrogance start to disappear.” Drop the need to be right. Invite people who will challenge you and correct you, even if they are younger or less experienced.
Exposure beats credentials
He shared that exposure across industries and environments shaped his thinking far more than titles or degrees. “If you stay in a silo, you’ll never recognize your real strength.” Seek environments that stretch you. Different industries, different people, different conversations.
Start with people if everything is taken away
When asked what he would do if he had to start from zero, Ahsan’s answer was clear: “I would first rebuild human capital. The right people come before everything else.” I think if you’re starting over, don’t chase tools or ideas first. Find aligned people, then build together.
This conversation with Josh reinforced a simple truth: results come from commitment, volume, and refusing to play the victim. If this resonated with you, the full episode goes much deeper into outbound, building offers, and how to stay consistent long enough to win.
If you want to hear the full conversation, watch the full podcast here:
Watch Full Episode
Thanks for tuning in. I hope this episode encourages you to live authentically and embrace your own path with resilience.
Best,
Umer Farooque
