Former physicist, former investment banker, and current full-time father and entrepreneur Asim Qureshi embraced the work-from-home, learn-from-home lifestyle long before Covid-19.
His award-winning time clock app, Jibble, helps companies and employees manage time remotely. Meanwhile, his home schooling approach has given his children a years-early head start.
“You gotta try in life. And keep trying,” writes Qureshi. “Sure, trying usually gets you nowhere but if you keep at it, embrace it in every aspect of your life, it will eventually pay off in ways you never imagined possible.”
From investment banking to entrepreneurship, Asim Qureshi has tried it all
Qureshi’s resume boasts some big names. He worked for Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse, as well undertaking multiple start-ups and entrepreneurial ventures of his own. Currently, Qureshi is the CEO of PayrollPanda and LaunchPad Startups, as well as his latest venture, Jibble.
PayrollPanda is a “leading HR cloud-based platform” that has positive reviews across the board. Meanwhile LauchPad Startups supports other tech-based entrepreneurs in Southeast Asia.
Qureshi calls his decision to leave investment banking and become an entrepreneur “by far the hardest decision I have taken in my life.” Nevertheless, the risk paid off.
Qureshi’s best-known business, Jibble, is a software that allows companies update their work schedules, verify attendance with facial recognition, utilize geolocation and keep data private. Qureshi vows to keep Jibble free, helping companies of all sizes to run smoothly. The company achieved remarkable growth in its first two years, achieving a $1 million Annual Recurring Revenue, which on average takes six years for software-as-a-service companies.
Physicist to banker to serial entrepreneur
Qureshi has a Masters degree in physics from Oxford University. However, he decided not to follow the initial career for a twofold reason. Qureshi writes, “after 3 years of studying nothing but physics, that passion had gone. Frankly, even if I remained passionate about physics I wouldn’t have pursued a career in it. The pay was too low.”
He also remarks that his parents immigrated to the UK for mainly economic reasons. As a result, he also grew up with that mindset.
His wife, Isabelle, also attended Oxford and studied Classics. She is originally from France, and they have been married since 2000. Together they have three children, Maryam, Danyal, and Sabeen, who the pair have been homeschooling to great success.
Asim Qureshi homeschools to success
Qureshi swears by homeschooling. He witnessed first-hand the academic strides his children were able to make when they were taught to learn at their own speed. Other than the obvious conveniences of making your own schedule, Qureshi cites this study which shows that homeschooled children outperform schoolchildren academically.
“Kids have so much time it’s ridiculous,” he writes, “It means they can do what they’re passionate about.” He also says it has brought his family together and given his children both confidence and security.
Maryam is 15 years old, and her brother Danyal is 13 – both finished their A-level exams, similar to US Advanced Placement tests, two years ago. Usually, students take these exams at the age of 17 or 18.
Additionally, Maryam speaks 6 languages. She currently works at Jibble, while Danyal is already starting a business of his own. 11 year old Sabeen recently participated in a story-telling competition (and won!), and is the youngest girl to get an excellent A* in her Physics IGCSE exam, aged 10 at the time.
Qureshi’s program for his children includes a mix of tutors and both parents sitting down and studying different subjects with the children. Under this program, his children have thrived academically, and feel ready to take on the rest of their lives. With the pandemic creating concerns about in-person education, Qureshi’s insights and plans could help children everywhere thrive despite these conditions.
Learn more about Qureshi here.
