Farhan Mohamed: Turning a side job into a media powerhouse
One of Capilano's own, Farhan Mohamed recently made Vancouver Magazine's Power 50 list.
Mohamed is one of the founders and co-owners of Daily Hive, the newsfeed site providing local stories and lifestyle advice since 2008. They’ve grown over the past eight years to become a heavy hitter within the local media publishing sites, expanding to Calgary, Montreal and Toronto and rebranding from VanCity Buzz to Daily Hive.
Mohamed graduated from Capilano with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 2013, and is the chair of the Capilano University Alumni Association Board. We sat down with him to find out the secret of his success:
In 2011, you were finding success with VanCity Buzz, and your career was well on its way. What brought you to pursue a degree at Capilano University?
FM: I knew what I wanted to do, but I wanted to do it right. I had so much left to learn in order to support the vision for this project. The BBA program was a complete 180 from any of my previous schooling experiences. I loved it – I even made the Dean’s list!
Do you feel you’ve accomplished what you set out to do?
FM: The company is at step two out of 100. We’re not there yet. The past three or four years have been focusing on the business. School isn’t a struggle – the mistakes you make in the real world and how you navigate them are the real struggle, and how you learn about yourself and grow. Subjects that I didn’t think relevant at the time turned out to be a strong part of the role I’m in now, such as human resources. A lot of the techniques for hiring a strong team have come from those classes.
What was it about Cap that made your experience unique?
FM: Going from a lecture hall of 400 students to a class of 30 peers made a big difference. We got to know our instructors, and build our community at the student level. It’s important to be authentic and vulnerable to demonstrate your strengths, and the right network will support you in that kind of growth. Carolyn Stern’s leadership class really stood out, but really, all of the instructors positively influenced me in different ways.
Was that community feel what made you want to be involved with the Alumni Association?
FM: I love being a part of building community, and that is a big part of Cap. I wanted to be a part of bringing alumni together and instilling pride, and helping the University reach its potential.
Having gone through everything you’ve experienced, what advice would you give to students looking to build their careers?
FM: Build your portfolio with things you enjoy. Want to write? Start a blog. Write every day. It doesn’t matter if no one reads it, it just matters that you do it. Dedicate time to building upon your interests and eventually it could reward you with a career doing what you love.
Submitted by: Communications & Marketing