Get to know Business Management alumnus, Dan Shaikh!

We're connecting with Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) alumni to see what they're up to today. This series of blogs will help you understand what life after graduating university can look like and might even give you inspiration for your future! Read their stories to see what could be waiting for you.Dan Shaikh graduated from the Ted Rogers School of Management’s Business Management program in 2013. He says that his degree taught him how to connect the dots with the bigger picture and find creative solutions in the industry.

Earlier this year, Dan connected with the Alumni and Friends team at TMU and chatted about his time here as a student. While reading about Dan’s entrepreneurial AfterTMU journey, I gathered some key takeaways that I’d love to share with you!

During his co-op at TMU, he gained experience with IBM (external link, opens in new window)  and Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) (external link, opens in new window) . By the time he was 20 years old, he had a job at a bank and claims it to be a major contributor to his current career.

Not only were the classes and books a huge asset to Dan’s education, but so were the life lessons and connections. Courses offered in entrepreneurship and public speaking were Dan’s favourites. 

For his entrepreneurship course, Dan says that professor Sean Wise opened his eyes to what starting a business really means. Dan said, “It was more than just theories and concepts; it was about seeing the possibilities of creating something from scratch, something I could call my own.”

He also says that his public speaking course was a challenge as English wasn’t his first language. Therefore, speaking up in front of others was intimidating for Dan. Although it was tough, he was able to push himself out of his comfort zone and face his fears. Dan is grateful that the course helped him grow into someone who could speak confidently, which led him to his current business venture: Speaker Slam (external link, opens in new window) . 

Speaker Slam is North America’s largest inspirational speaking competition. The agency has created successful speakers and paved the way for those speakers to work alongside TEDx talks, publish their own books and get featured in documentaries! To Dan, it’s a place to share stories and connect with each other. 

The idea of creating Speaker Slam came from his personal growth journey while rising above his fear of public speaking. Dan said that he doubted himself as he lacked experience in the world of business, yet was driven to make an impact. With his passion and his business partner’s confident communication skills, they made a great team. Dan said, “When you’re busy solving problems, being creative and making things happen, you don’t have time to second-guess yourself. You’re too wrapped up in the action. That’s how I got over my fears.”

Growing up in an immigrant household, Dan said that the concept of chasing your passions was something he was never introduced to. The only life he’d ever known was about survival. Dan said to not be afraid to say “yes” to opportunities as you never know where they can take you — it may lead to the start of something life-changing! He said, “Each one is a chance to learn, grow and connect. It’s about being open to the journey, wherever it may take you.” 

The event that initially pushed him out of his comfort zone was a “Passion Search Competition” that his friend at TMU invited him to. The event was about finding your passion and he decided to volunteer and to join a public speaking group. This led to a journey of discovering his self confidence.

Reading about Dan’s story is truly inspiring. He didn’t stop trying until he discovered his potential and put his passions to work. If you’d like to read more about Dan and the lives of other TMU graduates, take a look at the Alumni and Friends blog. Also, for more information about applying and getting your post-secondary journey started, check out the how to apply page!

Talk to you later,

Hadiqah