From rock star to MBA student An interview with Nimmer Khokhar Hult Blog

Imagine your palms are sweating. Your heart is pounding. The stage lights blind you for a second, but as they turn, you see thousands  of faces in front of you. The roaring crowd deafens your thoughts. You can only feel the hot air that blasts your hair and dries your sweat. Everything seems to be in slow motion. The sound engineer is shouting something at you, but the adrenaline running through your body won’t let you focus on what he is trying to tell you. Suddenly, you hear the first chord and you are out of your trance†¦ it’s time to start. Originally from Pakistan, Nimmer Khokhar has been drumming since he was 15 years old and he quickly developed a passion for it. As every teenager struck by high voltage rock n’ roll, he decided to start his own band with a bunch of his closest friends. Like every great story, the beginnings were humble. Nimmer remembers having to carry all his equipment even on rainy days just to get to a show, and although being on stage with some of his best friends was an incredible feeling, he sometimes found himself wondering if it was all worth it. His gut was telling him that something great was about to happen, so he decided to persist. Soon the good times rolled and he was asked to open the Formula 1 post-race show for legendary Lionel Ritchie. Playing in front of 35,000 people and before one of his lifelong heroes put a lot of pressure on him. But he was able to enjoy the moment and rocked the hell out of his drum kit, giving a performance of a lifetime. His lucky streak continued and he was later asked to open shows for the Scorpions and Olly Murs. In addition, Nimmer was invited to play with two different bands in the world-famous Burning Man Festival. Nimmer letting loose on the drums on stage. One hot and humid day in Dubai, Nimmer was between meetings working to build a fintech company when he came across an interesting cab driver: â€Å"I was sitting in a cab in Dubai and started chatting with the driver about cricket, when he told me that, because of his tight budget, he didn’t have extra funds to send to his kid, so that he could buy cricket equipment. It was this idea that really solidified the concept behind LendMe, a micro-loaning application.† When a cab driver told me that he couldnt afford to send money to his kid for his cricket kit, thats when the concept behind LendMeêŸ ·my microloaning appêŸ ·was born. Although it might seem like the cosmos conspired to instill a business idea into Nimmer’s head, he had to undergo the process of validating his assumption and ascertaining whether a gap in the financial services market really existed for people like the cab driver. Another titanic task was the  setting up of the company, which in his words â€Å"was the biggest challenge in itself.† No less important than that, the team had to decide which direction the company should take. Should they go with market trends or break the mold with innovation? As with his previous bands, Nimmer felt that he had something special with his business idea and decided to build the product. The team decided to go for the newfound unattended market and created cutting edge technology to offer microlending services to people that don’t have access to traditional credit options in Dubai. Theyre now expanding across the Middle East. Jump forward a couple of years and Nimmer is an MBA student at Hult’s Boston campus. Looking back and reflecting on his past experiences, Nimmer thinks that creating a band bears a lot of similarities with the process of starting a company. In a sense, â€Å"you have to know what you do (or what you play), what differentiates you from others; understand who you are internally and know how to showcase that externally, set up a brand, market yourselves accordingly, and be in the right places at the right time.† Nimmer with Dean Mary on Hults Boston campus. How do you think that your past experience as a drummer in a rock band has helped you as an MBA student? Nimmer: Musicians often enjoy playing music together and improvising, which ultimately means creating music without ever having practiced what is being played. When you start improvising, you will fail†¦ a lot†¦ but then after your 1,000th failure, you will start playing music and connecting with other musicians without having to say anything to one another. Music has helped me not to fear failureêŸ ·and how to fail efficiently and try again knowing where I went wrong. This has been key to my experience as an MBA student at Hult. Why did you decide  to leave the music industry to become an entrepreneur? N: I wouldn’t say that I ever left the music industry. I was just very fortunate to have met people across many different backgrounds with whom I was able to click, and we connected on a level that is deeper than the music we wrote. I think I would go insane if I didn’t have music in my life. Can you give us some insights about the FinTech industry (current and future)? N: I feel as though the Fintech industry will simply become the future of banking.  Currently, the issue of security is key to how we deal with and transact money. We are culturally entangled with the fact that money must be deposited and brought to the bank as well as when we sign up for banking services: that it should be done with a teller and papers must be signed. Also, the market is becoming saturated because there are new entrants every other month offering financial services. It will be key to see how governments form their regulations to either let these new technologies and services thrive (create sandbox environments to first test the technologies before entering the market) or completely control the process to ensure all safety standards are being met.  In the near future, this will no longer be the case as facial recognition/bio-information scanning will be readily available and we will have the comfort of running all our banking services from home. As we already do! We will see branches becoming scarce and tech-savvy financial institutions sprouting up offering services more in-tune with the morals, beliefs and thinking systems of the new generation. How has your experience been so far in Hults MBA program? N: I have been fortunate enough to grow up in several parts of the world (living in Dubai and attending college in Canada) and experience different cultures throughout my life. Hult has surpassed this. I have never been in a room with so many individuals representing cultures across the world. It has been an unreal experience getting to form friendships and connections, which I am sure will last a lifetime. Boston is a glorious city rich with culture and welcoming people. Lastly, which bands do you currently follow? N: All them witches, BB King, Nina Simone, Bonobo, Dream Theater, He Is Legend, The Midnight, Bomba Estereo, Erykah Badu, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Blackstar, Jill Scott, Brother Ali, Kendrick Lamar, The Pharcyde, Refused, The Offspring, Nas, Damian Marley, Ziggy Marley, Gang Starr, Thursday, Taking Back Sunday, Mute Math, Prophets of Rage, Iron Maiden, Sublime, Pennywise, Animals as Leaders, System of a Down, Lettuce, Marvin Gaye, Tool, Wu-Tang Clan, Eric Clapton, InFlames, Slipknot, 36 Crazyfists. Download a brochure  to find out about Hults business degree programs. Make the most of what your career has to offer with a Masters in International Business from Hult. To learn more, take a look at our blog The Top 7 Skills Needed for Success in International Business, or give your employability a huge boost with an MBA in international business. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to explore everything about the business world, the future, and yourself. Luis Olguin Luis Olguin is currently enrolled in the Hult MBA program in Boston. Upon completion, he will pursue a Dual Degree in Business Analytics in San Francisco. Before coming to Hult, he worked as a Capital Markets and Accounting Advisory Senior Consultant for PwC in his native Mexico. His interests include venture capital, fundamental and technical analysis, corporate finance, portfolio management, and the application of big data to analysis in finance. Related posts Academics Beyond (narrow) business concepts: â€Å"Soft† skills turn out to be critical skills News Building success: Dual Degree students win at USASBE Community How going beyond business at Hult helped me launch my company Admissions Accepted Students Weekend: A weekend to remember Careers Career mapping: How to become an executive in the next 5 years 0 Thought leadership How to prepare for an uncertain future in a world of AI Instagram Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021 Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021"> During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . Happy New Year, Hultians! . Happy New Year, Hultians! .