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#91 Taste, Thrive, Toronto w/ Mustafa Ansari
27 Plays1 month ago
Every once in a while, we like to give the opportunity to highlight the incredible work of other immigrants that have been dedicating their professional lives to supporting entrepreneurs and this amazing ecosystem we are part of.
On today’s episode, we’re joined by a guest who has truly embraced the journey of building a new life from the ground up in Canada. Moving here in 2018, Mustafa started his adventure in the charming town of Kingston, before making the leap to Toronto.
Through volunteering, networking, and creating meaningful connections, he found his way in this vibrant city, thriving both professionally and personally. Currently, he serves as the Marketing Manager for TBDC, one of Toronto’s Training & Startup Incubator, where he supports entrepreneurs on their paths to success.
Beyond his work, he’s also a dedicated food and travel blogger, sharing Toronto’s best hidden gems and culinary spots, and he gives back to the community through volunteering with Rotary.
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Transcript
Introduction of Mustafa Ansari
00:00:33
Find A Way Podcast
Welcome everyone, this is episode 91, Taste Thrive Toronto. And today our guest is Mustafa Ansari. Every once in a while, as you all know, we like to give the opportunity to highlight the incredible work of other immigrants that have been dedicating their professional lives to supporting entrepreneurs and this amazing ecosystem we're part of. On today's episode, we're joined by a guest who has truly embraced the journey of building a new life from ground up in Canada. Moving here in 2018,
00:01:02
Find A Way Podcast
Mustafa started his adventure in the charming town of Kingston before making the leap to Toronto. Through volunteering, networking, and creating meaningful connections, he found his way in this vibrant vibrant city, thriving both professionally and personally. Currently, he serves as the marketing manager for TDBC, one of Toronto's training and startup incubator, where he supports entrepreneurs on their paths to success. Beyond his work, he's also a dedicated food and travel blogger, sharing Toronto's best hidden gems and culinary spots. And he gives back to the community through volunteering with Rotary.
00:01:37
Find A Way Podcast
Welcome, Mustafa.
00:01:39
Mustafa
Thank you so much for having me. I'm very excited to be here.
00:01:43
Find A Way Podcast
We're happy to have you. To start off, tell us about what you do with um this your work you have in you know supporting entrepreneurs with TDPC.
TBDC's Programs and Startup Visa
00:01:54
Mustafa
For sure, for sure. So I work for the Toronto Business Development Centre. DVDC was founded in 1989 and so far has worked with tons of entrepreneurs and startups, I think more than 9,000 so far. And we had tons of different programs, but currently we have a few unique programs that we're really working with a lot of international entrepreneurs that come to Canada.
00:02:18
Mustafa
So a few of the programs that we're doing right now are all related to the startup visa program, where a business founder, they not only bring themselves and their family to Canada, but they also bring their business. And then they try to expand the business. And in exchange, they also receive the permanent residency. And that is one program that has been working really well for our company. And we get so many exciting startups from around the world. They show us a case study how they've been successful in their home country. And then we see if they can expanding to Canada and then we have tons of mentors that help and support that growth. We have lots of programming that they go through as well. And it's a lot of cultural adoption and a lot of new things that they learn. We also help them out in settling into Canada because there's always a big cultural exchange, a change as well, and a lot of new things. So it's the journey of the founders that we support with and we get really excited when they do big things in Canada.
00:03:18
Mustafa
And a lot of them, yeah.
00:03:19
Find A Way Podcast
It's exciting.
00:03:20
Mustafa
And so this is something that we do on a regular basis, but TBDC has a few different programs that currently I'm also supporting, which are in the local industry in which we are training and supporting construction workers and truckers.
00:03:35
Mustafa
And we are kind of rewiring the positive image of these two industries and making it more exciting. So that is one of my new projects that is upcoming.
00:03:46
Find A Way Podcast
That's exciting. So if you're listening to us and you're interested or you have someone that is interested in the trucking construction, also segment um reach out to Mustafa and of course Startup Visa. We've mentioned it a few times here in the podcast because both Ingrid and I were both part of this Startup Visa program under another designated organization. So we do understand the hurdles, all the work it takes.
00:04:09
Find A Way Podcast
um and everything that surrounds startup visa. So it's an intense journey. But um I can say it's very worth ah going through.
Journey to Canada
00:04:20
Find A Way Podcast
Now let's I want to learn more about, you know, the Mustafa that ah personal and professional but reflecting on your journey, you moved to Canada in 2018. What initially drew you to make the leap? And what were your first impressions when you arrived in Kingston?
00:04:39
Mustafa
For sure, for sure. So it's a bit of a funny story. ah I came to Canada in 2018. Initially, I had been to Canada in 2015. That's when my family, especially my dad, he got the primary residency. But we all went back to Pakistan, where I'm from. And I finished my studies over there. And I was i really wanted to do a master's degree, because I really wanted that higher level education. And I applied to a lot of universities. and But I still came early. I came in the summer of 2018. And once I came,
00:05:12
Mustafa
to Mississauga, that's where I initially lived. To be honest, I felt like I was still back home in Pakistan. All the restaurants, all the people I met, the same language. And I was like, you know, I don't really actually feel like I'm in Canada. I do feel like there are stricter rules, but it's the same circle that I have of friends, the same food I'm having. And that wasn't really the experience that I was you know working for. So when I had gotten admission,
00:05:40
Mustafa
Queens University in Kingston. I was like, okay, let's let's explore Kingston and you know then we'll make the decision. So I remember I had gone to New York for the weekend before I came back on Monday. My uncle grew up We went to Kingston. And once he showed me the city, and I was like, OK, so where are the buildings and where's the city? He said, no, this is the city. And I was like, OK, maybe it's my lack of research, but this seems like a very small town. And I don't know if I want to live here or not. I didn't see any that many paisa and Indian people. My English wasn't the best at that time either. So I was just thinking that you know this might be a bit of a struggle. And then my uncle kept telling me, oh, the weather in Kingston is much worse than Toronto. And I had never seen.
00:06:25
Mustafa
winter like Paisan. I'm from Karachi which is near yeah the ocean and it used to get like 10 degrees plus on the worst day of winter in Paisan. So I was very skeptical about Kingston but I took that leap of faith because Queen's University that program I really wanted to do It was a master's in business innovation. So once I came to Kingston, I knew no one in Kingston. I knew nothing in Kingston. I knew no one. And I felt like you know at that time, I was 24. This is like a full restart in life. And there's no one's no one knows me, so no one's going to help me. I can't go back to the GTA every week, because at that time, I was a student. Budget issues, as always.
00:07:11
Mustafa
So I was like, OK, this is my only chance. Let's start fresh and new. And let's use all the experience that I've gained in my work, in my education in Pakistan. And unless let's use it here. So slowly and eventually, i my program started. And it was a very hectic program. But I always made time to explore Kingston, to explore all the events in
The Power of Networking
00:07:34
Mustafa
Kingston. And that's something that I learned in Kingston was that Every time we're going to a networking event, go alone. Don't have that cushion of a friend. Every time I had the cushion of a friend, I was going back to them, having the conversations, generally network, just came back with them, hi went for drinks and food after and that was it. Every time when no one joined me and I went alone, my LinkedIn, I had like 10 plus connections, I had business cards, I met so many other people from the university. So I was like, okay, this is something that you know I gotta do more often.
00:08:06
Mustafa
So as my program ended and I um met a lot of people from Kingston, I was really part of all the clubs in, in Queens as well, all the student clubs. So that really gave me that networking and volunteering experience that I needed. And I had changed one thing that I have been often hearing.
00:08:24
Mustafa
You need to have a Canadian resume, not a Pakistani resume. You need to have Canadian experience where people can resonate, too. They know the companies and they can reach out, too. So with all my volunteer experience, I had that to showcase. And once I graduated, i I started applying for jobs all over Canada and then the pandemic hit.
00:08:45
Mustafa
So I'll say, okay, you know, this, the pandemic came with a lot of opportunities as well for me, because after three, four months, I, through a referral, I got a job in Kingston downtown. So I always knew that I will eventually move back to Toronto.
00:09:02
Mustafa
because this is the city that I always aspire to live in. And you know I've seen the CN tower shots, the buildings, the helicopter shots, and all. So this was a dream. But I was like, that dream can wait, because this experience that I can get right now for like a year or so in Kingston might be something very different and unique that none of my other friends from Pakistan had who lived in the GTA. So I stayed in Kingston, and I felt like that was one of the best decisions I made.
00:09:28
Mustafa
I really started enjoying the small city town, a small city life, the calmness, no traffic, 15-minute city. Everything was there. Anything you wanted to get was just 10, 15 minutes away. And it it was a very charming, small town. it again It gets really cold. The best thing was it was right in between Ottawa, montrea and Toronto and I explored a lot of small towns nearby like Brockwell, Bellwell, Smith Falls, can I knock with that I had never even heard of before when I came to Mississauga so that small city life I still have it in me I still sometimes miss it but eventually when I wanted to scale up in my career and get better opportunities I did find some in Toronto and then I made the leap
00:10:13
Mustafa
came to Toronto and finally living that dream that I had like maybe in 2015.
00:10:20
Find A Way Podcast
That's so nice. Do you go back eventually to visit Kingston and your friends there?
00:10:24
Mustafa
So just last weekend I went to Kingston. i went So I went after a year and I was amazed at how much it has grown.
00:10:28
Find A Way Podcast
That's good.
00:10:32
Mustafa
So many new buildings popped up. They have this ferry that I used to take every two weekends. It was a free ferry. It's the ferry where, so basically there's an island where a lot of people live and there's no bridge in between.
00:10:45
Mustafa
So they have a ferry where you can have a lot of your cars, like i around 50 to 100 cars can go in it.
00:10:45
Find A Way Podcast
Oh.
00:10:51
Mustafa
And the ferry is free. It's a one hour ferry, you 30 minutes, you reach that place, 30 minutes, you come back and they have really gorgeous deck that you can sit in. So every like two weeks, three weeks, if I had to catch up with someone in Kingston, I used to say, okay, let's just wrap coffee and let's just sit on the ferry, we'll talk and all, we'll see the sunset, we'll see the views and everything.
00:11:12
Mustafa
you see some of the thousand islands that are in that area and then you just come back and you see the Kingston skyline.
00:11:16
Find A Way Podcast
okay Okay.
00:11:19
Mustafa
So this time I took that ferry and I started having all those memories that I had and some few coffee shops and restaurants nearby that area that I really like. So kind of relived that whole thing last weekend.
00:11:32
Find A Way Podcast
That is so nice. Now I have to go and I have to hop on that ferry to to understand.
00:11:37
Mustafa
Yeah, yeah, for sure, for sure.
00:11:38
Find A Way Podcast
what you this um You did mention something that caught me my attention. You mentioned a lot about that volunteering and networking, how it played a big role in your settlement. Can you tell us more about a memoral memorable experience or a connection specifically that helped shape your path in Canada?
00:11:59
Mustafa
For sure. So one like the one thing I want to say, first of all, I've probably applied for like maybe 500 jobs or more. So many cover letters, so many resumes, but all the jobs that I ever got.
00:12:12
Mustafa
was through at a referral where somebody just reached out to me or reached out to someone and they said, yeah, we have an opening, no cover letters, data, up resume resume, interview, job offer, done. Some of the positions, they were never advertised. So one of the first jobs that I got in Kingston, ah so when I When I lived in Kingston, they had this Pakistani association. So every time I used to miss food from back home, Kingston didn't have that many options. So they I used to go to their events. And also so going there, I met with a lot of people. And then there was this guy over there who who used to work for this HR company that used to do a lot of placements. So I told him that, you know,
00:12:56
Mustafa
ah My internships are done. I'm looking for opportunities. I'm looking for opportunities everywhere. Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto. If you see something in Kingston, I would love to stay in Kingston. So eventually he he got me a few placement opportunities. I gave a few interviews. One of them gave me an offer and that really stood out and I took that position. So really having that conversation and meeting people and exploring the communities, the the events that really helped out. And it was all about reaching out, I would say. So even once I i came back to Toronto, it was the reaching out and networking. And I'll give you an example. It's a bit of a long story. So one of my
00:13:41
Mustafa
So I make a lot of videos as a content creator. And I saw a lot of influencers posting a video of this Ramitans company. are And I was like, you know, this is good. Like, you know, people like me, they always send money back home for their family. So I want to make a video as well.
00:13:57
Mustafa
So I reached out to this, reached out on their page, I messaged them, and they said, OK, here's the email address. I reached out to him, and he said it was a short meeting. I was like, OK, this is a bit of work for you know just a video. It's like $100 max. So I reached out, and he said, OK, let's hop on a meeting. I went to a meeting. We have this whole conversation. We're not talking about the video. He's just ah asking me about my experience. What do I do? How's my network? And I was like, this guy's very interested in my network.
00:14:24
Mustafa
ah in in the Pakistani area in Canada. So I tell him that, you know, I'm part of lots of WhatsApp groups, lots of Facebook groups. I do a lot of, I go to lots of events and all. He said, okay, go to our LinkedIn profile and go to jobs and you'll see this position as brand ambassador and you're your profile fits that really well. And there's like 200, 250 people applied to it. I haven't seen anyone's resume yet, but I feel like if you want to take that offer, tonight I'm gonna take that post down and I'll just,
00:14:55
Mustafa
give it to you. So that whole reaching out from just one message got me that position, and I still work with them part time. It's been like two years now. And it's ah it's a good retainer, and I get them a lot of leads. So that one message went a long way. So you never know what opportunities can come up. Got to be open to every door and just take that call.
00:15:16
Find A Way Podcast
You never know. I agree. I agree 100%.
00:15:19
Mustafa
Yeah.
00:15:19
Find A Way Podcast
And in terms of you're settling into Canada, because we know that building a ah life in a new country comes with lots of challenges. And you did mention some of the work challenges, you know, not knowing this or how to build your network on volunteering, the first Canadian experience, all of that.
00:15:36
Find A Way Podcast
But what would you say that were the biggest obstacles you faced? And how did you overcome those?
00:15:43
Mustafa
Yeah, yeah, for sure. I feel like winter was one of the first obstacles that I faced. I didn't really know that it would get that cold when I was in Kingston.
00:15:53
Mustafa
I feel like last year's 2023 and hopefully 2024 is much of a mild winter, but yeah.
00:16:00
Find A Way Podcast
Oh yeah, that's, it has been. At least for us here, I assume Kingston too.
00:16:04
Mustafa
Yeah so Kingston when I moved I think I've seen snow that was still knee deep and I lived in a small us small neighborhood in Kingston so they didn't do that much cleaning over there so you could see snow for like days. So winter was one of the obstacles and eventually I think we just get used to it. we We also end up enjoying it and you know, all this winter activity. It's a whole different vibe, you know, getting the hot chocolate. and It's the other thing that recently also every year kind of, you know, sets my whole routine upside down is the 4 45 5 p.m. sunset.
00:16:44
Find A Way Podcast
That gets me crazy. I agree with you.
00:16:47
Mustafa
Yeah, so even even this year, like i would this is my 5th or 6th year in Canada. Still, every year, I'm like, well, it's dark already. It's like the end of the day. And it's like, no, it's just 5 o'clock. It's 5.30.
00:17:00
Find A Way Podcast
It was funny, even yesterday I mentioned with my husband, we were, I was just like sitting and watching a movie with my daughter. She had come from school. um And then out of nowhere, where I was just like all pitch black outside and we were, I wasn't hungry and we were talking about what's for dinner. I'm like, no, but dinner already and I looked I'm like but but now it's late you know like we missed the dinner time but it was like 5 30 pm and it's so weird how it does to our system and I think it messes up our our whole um you have to really be in that mind space of just like okay so it's temporary we will go so we will be seeing the sunlight again pretty soon it is very confusing I agree this is one of the very few things I do not like about being
00:17:48
Find A Way Podcast
up north.
00:17:51
Mustafa
Yeah.
00:17:51
Find A Way Podcast
But thank you for sharing that. Outside of your role at TDBC, you're also a food and travel
Blogging Adventures
00:18:00
Find A Way Podcast
blogger. So you do showcase the best of Toronto and you know the hidden gems.
00:18:05
Find A Way Podcast
um How did you get started with blogging and what keeps you motivated to explore these different places?
00:18:13
Mustafa
Sure. So I feel like this is something I started like way back, even before Kingston, even before I came to Canada. This was something I did in Pakistan, on but at that time Instagram was just ah photo app it was just one photo it was quite basic so I started with that and because I've always been a foodie and I because I work in marketing I used to work in marketing agencies before so we had exposure to a lot of all these food brands where our clients that they always wanted some extra help so I started with that I got
00:18:46
Mustafa
I used to do a lot of pictures and all, but ah then I came to Canada. Kingston, I didn't really do that much except for just showcasing a lot of local places. While in Kingston, I i applied for my citizenship. So because citizenship and my PR card renewal happened at the same time, I couldn't go outside the country till I got the new card. So in that time, this is also a unique fact that I wanted to explore all 10 provinces of Canada before I'd given my citizenship test. And at that time, I'd already been to British Columbia, Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary, Banff, Alberta, and then Montreal was nearby, so I'd already done that. So I was like, okay, now that I can't go outside,
00:19:32
Mustafa
Canada and I really like to travel and you know things are opening up after the pandemic and there's such cheap airlines coming why don't I explore all of Canada in the meantime because I know once I get the citizenship and the passport US looks more tempting than you know exploring Saskatchewan for example So initially, once I came to Toronto, I knew it's going to be an easier to access. I used to travel from Ottawa before. So it was a bit bit of a journey, like you know two hours to Ottawa, and then going to any place, and then coming back to Ottawa, and then two hours back to Kingston. So when I moved to Toronto downtown, I was like, OK, this UP Express train goes directly to the airport. This is very easy. Let's try Winnipeg. Started with Winnipeg, got a lot of content from there, started posting that, and then
00:20:21
Mustafa
at that time Instagram has started stories, started reels and with this video change similar to becoming like TikTok it really gave me a boost in my following because not a lot of my followers and my friends overall had seen a lot of these places like Winnipeg or Saskatchewan. So once I came back from Winnipeg, I was like, okay, I'm getting a really good deal for Saskatchewan, let's see Regina and all that. And then I came back, I went to the East Coast, explored three provinces on the go, came back and then took another flight like three weeks after to St. John's, Newfoundland.
00:20:53
Mustafa
Once I came back, I had so much content, so much food content, so much travel content, so many hidden gems all around Canada. I started pushing some videos. I got such a great ah reaction to it, like all these big pages, like Narsity, Wave Room. They started unboxing me. Oh, could we reuse your video? Could we share it? And we posted on our page. And I was like, yeah, go ahead. And all these videos, even right now, you won't see that many videos of, let's suppose, St. John's or the Atlantic. or a place in their Halifax or Saskatchewan or New Brunswick. So all these videos, once I started posting, got me really good traction.
Exploring Canada
00:21:33
Mustafa
Every time some video has been shared, I was cutting a lot of views, I posted on my story, I said like, okay, touch 100k, 200k views, and that's the time I reach out to all the other brands. So once they come to my page, they see, okay, this guy's doing well, so we want him to do our videos as well. And then a lot of my food videos, they got, got wider, so,
00:21:52
Mustafa
It keeps me motivated because, you know, I like to eat and I like to travel and a lot of brands, they, they pay as well. So it kind of gets me a side income.
00:22:03
Mustafa
I use that to buy Lego sets and PlayStation games.
00:22:05
Find A Way Podcast
Like I said, I love that
00:22:08
Mustafa
Lego sets are very expensive for some reason, but I love them. It gives me like, I have a lot of screen time all day on the laptop, come home all day on the phone editing. Once I get a LEGO set, it's like some random podcast on the background.
00:22:22
Mustafa
And just me and the LEGO set for two hours. I'm not even listening to the podcast, mainly it's just me and the LEGO set. It's like very therapeutic in my mind because there's no screen time. It's a do not disturb zone.
00:22:32
Find A Way Podcast
That's so nice.
00:22:32
Mustafa
And I'm just making, yeah.
00:22:34
Find A Way Podcast
I love hearing that. and And out of all of your traveling throughout Canada, what was the most surprising place like you did not expect that you would like so much?
00:22:46
Mustafa
It's funny because I would say Victoria because of the weather. ah It was a small island, small community. I really like the ferry that goes to goes from Vancouver to Victoria. On the way back I took a sea plane that was a very cool experience. So Victoria was one of my favorite cities. St. John's Newfoundland, very underrated city. ah They are really good fish and chips. Some of the places over there you feel like you're in.
00:23:14
Mustafa
Scotland or someplace the it was always the three days I was there it was raining non-stop anyway yeah like I went in July but if you go in April and or May you see a lot of icebergs over there they have this point which is the easternmost point of North America really cool place you see the whole ocean
00:23:20
Find A Way Podcast
But you still have to get make some good memories, right?
00:23:31
Find A Way Podcast
Okay.
00:23:38
Mustafa
and ah Newfoundland I really liked and the third place I would say that I really liked I would say Halifax was also pretty under pretty underrated they had this one activity where you go in a bus and the bus goes into the water and it becomes a boat and I didn't know that my friend played a prank with me and
00:23:47
Find A Way Podcast
You're good. surprise
00:23:59
Mustafa
I was just surprised at that. The bus was a different shaped one, but I didn't pay that much attention. And the bus guy just said, okay, everybody hold on to your rails and seat belts.
00:24:11
Mustafa
And I'm like, what? And he went full speed into the water and with this big splash on everyone's face. I was like, I'm gonna die today.
00:24:19
Find A Way Podcast
now I have to go explore that see I didn't know that one okay yeah so I have to have someone take me and not tell me that's the the bus you're mentioning um what would you
00:24:19
Mustafa
But yeah. Yeah. It's more fun when it's a surprise. ah
00:24:30
Mustafa
yeah
00:24:35
Find A Way Podcast
give as an advice for newcomers, like people that are thinking of starting a fresh new starting in a fresh new country, um whether they're you know pursuing entrepreneurial journeys or professional journeys, what would be those top three advices you give them?
00:24:37
Mustafa
Yeah.
00:24:53
Mustafa
For sure. The third top three advice is so one of them is definitely Keep the opportunities open. You never know something can come from any place. ah one I went to this event where this big CEO was presenting and he said the best opportunities that came in his life were from the places that he was least looking at.
00:25:16
Mustafa
And that really caught me because, you know, even for me, the best opportunities I've got are just surprises are places that I'm just looking at. And the places that I'm least I'm most looking at actually never really worked out because I'm like this job posting that I, so I really want this job to be perfect. And it doesn't end up happening for some reason. And then I get a call from someone, Oh, would you like to, you know, take this opportunity? And I was like, okay, I wasn't seeing that, but some opportunity really kind of defined your whole career. And they just come out of the blue.
00:25:47
Mustafa
So that is one thing. The other one is like for me especially and when I came to Canada, I was in my comfort zone. Pakistani friends, same language, wasn't learning, same food, same lifestyle, same sports. And if you really want to thrive in Canada, I would say be outside that comfort zone, meet new people, new cultures, learn about them, learn about the history of Canada as well. It's very interesting and ah keep exploring. And exploring actually has opened a lot of doors, a lot of friendships, a lot of opportunities. And I feel like Canada has so much to offer, especially even Southern Ontario and especially the area that you're in. I've not explored that area of buried in Muscogee in detail.
00:26:35
Find A Way Podcast
Yeah.
00:26:35
Mustafa
But I know calling word, Blue Mountain, that area is amazing as well. So keep exploring. ah And then the third advice I would say is that, the i I mentioned this in the podcast before, but if you're going to a networking event, go alone.
00:26:52
Find A Way Podcast
Yes, that's a good point.
00:26:55
Mustafa
Yeah.
00:26:55
Find A Way Podcast
Thank you for those. Now we're going to hop into some like very random questions like personal, very well, all of these have been personal, but, um, more just different questions.
00:27:07
Find A Way Podcast
Okay. That I like asking people, if you could have dinner with any person alive or dead, who would that be? It could be a celebrity. It could be a family member, whatever it is.
00:27:18
Find A Way Podcast
Um, would that person be?
00:27:18
Mustafa
Hmm. Dinner.
00:27:23
Mustafa
I feel like I would like to have dinner with Justin Trudeau, just to understand a lot of things.
00:27:32
Mustafa
Just to understand like, what's the plan?
00:27:32
Find A Way Podcast
it's good to know What's the plan, right? What do you have down the line? um And also, one of the things that we like to do here on the podcast is always ask our previous guest to leave a question for the next guest. And the question that was left to you is, if you could choose a movie or a TV show to be in, which one would that be?
00:27:57
Mustafa
Interesting. So I would just say that the show that I was watching recently, and I really liked that show. I watched the show before as well, but If you watch the show, Silicon Valley, ah it's about startups and you know the startup culture and all that. And there's actually a Pakistani guy in it who's part of the group. He's from my neighborhood in p Karachi as well. And it's a very it's a very funny show how this came. Their business, they have a lot of challenges, a lot of times they go down, then they come back up, they get funding. So I would be i would like to be part of that show, movie. And I would like to play that character.
00:28:39
Find A Way Podcast
Good to know.
00:28:40
Mustafa
Yeah.
00:28:41
Find A Way Podcast
And if you could describe in one sentence um Mustafa, what is success to you?
00:28:49
Mustafa
I don't think I can summarize it in the same sentence.
00:28:53
Find A Way Podcast
We're in topic.
00:28:54
Mustafa
initially Initially, I had thought that, you know, successes having that Lamborghini, that penthouse and that 10 figure bank account and that high paying job and all. But I feel like success is at the end of the day, you want a peace of mind. You want to come home, you're content, you're happy. ah And I think for me, success comes after a journey, that destination. Once you go through that journey,
00:29:25
Mustafa
ah That's when you feel like, OK, I've really earned this. I've earned for it. I've inspired it. I've wanted this for a while. And then once you get that, that's when you feel like, OK, today I've earned this. This is a success for me. I'm happy. ah Even if you don't have that penthouse Lamborghini, that doesn't matter anymore. It's just how you feel at the end of the day. And it doesn't really have to be.
00:29:52
Mustafa
with all these goods that you know I used to think about.
00:29:57
Find A Way Podcast
Thank you for sharing that. If you could choose one superpower, what would it be and why?
00:30:05
Mustafa
I feel like just because I live in downtown Toronto, I would like the option of flying because traffic is crazy. The TTC is unreliable. I would just like to, you know, hop on something, just fly outside my balcony, just go to the destination and come back. and It wouldn't even be to, like, save the world or something, it would just be for commute. And even commutes become a bit expensive, so it's gonna save me some cost.
00:30:31
Find A Way Podcast
That'd be good. um We're gonna give you some rapid fire questions. So I'm gonna give you two options. You choose the best ah that fits with you, okay? Introvert or extrovert?
00:30:44
Mustafa
I feel like I'm in an ah extra world.
00:30:47
Find A Way Podcast
Early riser or sleep in?
00:30:49
Mustafa
Oily riser, especially with the time change.
00:30:54
Find A Way Podcast
Dancing or singing?
00:30:59
Mustafa
What's this thing? Singing.
00:31:02
Find A Way Podcast
singing and camping or a luxury hotel.
00:31:06
Mustafa
Luxury hotel, for sure.
00:31:08
Find A Way Podcast
yeah i mean easy one There are some guests that do answer camping surprisingly for me at least.
00:31:09
Mustafa
I'm in that age group.
00:31:15
Find A Way Podcast
um We also come to the point ah that we always like to collect our guest book recommendation. So is there any book? It doesn't have to be business book or any book whatsoever that has made an impact in your journey in your life. What book would you recommend to our guests?
00:31:33
Mustafa
For sure. And this is the book that I just completed like last week. It's a very short book. You can complete it maybe like three, four days. It's called Animal Farm. And Animal Farm is a very short book.
00:31:45
Mustafa
It has a very deeper meaning to it. I only got to know that once I asked once I finished the book and I asked Chad GPT to summarize the book for me just just so I know in case I missed something and Chad GPT gave me like a whole different exposure to the story.
00:31:52
Find A Way Podcast
but
00:31:56
Find A Way Podcast
Bye.
00:32:01
Mustafa
I did know I did like read the whole book and it was very interesting. to just give you a preview, it's about ah animals taking over the farm, they make the humans run away, and then they lead operations. so And how you know they deal with each other, how they work against each other for power and all that. And overall, it just kind of showcased that even animals, if they were given that opportunity to lead and have that option of greed,
00:32:33
Mustafa
they would be just like as humans have been. And it's a human trait. And it's actually a about some story from way back about some Soviet Union thing. So it was a very deep book. I didn't know, but I would highly recommend everyone to check that out.
00:32:45
Find A Way Podcast
I'll take a look at that for sure. And before we close the episode, Mustafa, what question would you like to leave to our next guest?
00:32:56
Mustafa
Interesting. If they weren't what they're doing, today, what would they have done? I don't even know if that makes sense that much, but yeah, let's suppose if, for me, if I wasn't doing marketing and good blogging, what what is something else that I would have done?
00:33:17
Find A Way Podcast
I love that. We will be asking our next guest that then. So um thank you so much, Mustafa, for sharing your story, for your time. um This has has been lovely getting to know you a little bit better. And is there anything you'd like to add before we close the episode?
00:33:33
Mustafa
I think, you know, it was better being over here and anyone who's listening, you know, keep your keep the doors open. You never know. Something incredible might be on your doorstep.
00:33:45
Find A Way Podcast
I love that. Thank you. And this was our episode number 91, Taste Thrive Toronto with Mustafa Ansari. We'd like to thank all of our listeners and would like to remind you that we will be posting one episode biweekly, always with a different guest. So make sure to subscribe on your favorite streaming platform.