Asif Alidina is the co-founder and CEO of Inntelo, a company developing AI solutions to automate the processes of hotel administration and communication.
In this week’s Founder in Five Q&A, Alidina discusses recognising what makes you unique and reminding yourself of it, respecting the diversity of your team and a chance encounter with Beyoncé.
What advice would you give to a first-time founder?
Asif Alidina: As an entrepreneur, I believe it’s so important to know what makes you unique and keep reminding yourself of it. It’s very easy to get swept up into focusing on the specific problems you are addressing or the industry you work in, and before you realise it, you have forgotten to focus on the unique insight and experience that gives you an ‘unfair advantage’.
I worked in hotel operations for twelve years, seeing up close how a hotel operates, having pushed linen carts and made the beds myself. So, I have to constantly remind myself that my first-hand industry knowledge gives me an upper hand over my competition – that’s my unfair advantage. Founders need to work out theirs.
From a more practical standpoint, having a financial cushion can be a game-changer. If you can manage to have a couple of years’ worth of money in the bank, that will help alleviate some of the financial stresses that come with being a start-up, allowing you to focus on growing your business.
Finally, you have to enjoy it. If you don’t enjoy what you are doing, then why even start?
What’s the best way to promote diversity in the workplace?
AA: The obvious answer is to hire a more diverse team, but while this is important, it doesn’t always make the team more cohesive. I believe that cohesion comes from a deeper understanding of people, their backgrounds, and their cultures, and a great way to do that is through celebration.
Whether it’s celebrating a religious festival like Christmas, Hannukah or Eid or cultural awareness celebrations like pride and black history month, if you get your team all together to celebrate their differences whilst having a great time, it can have a massive impact on how we understand each other. This makes our workplace somewhere where every person, no matter their beliefs or backgrounds, feels at home.
I experienced this when I worked at a global facilities management company, where we had all sorts of celebrations. One year, Hannukah, Eid, and Easter all fell on the same week, so we had nonstop parties for a fortnight – it was amazing. But we all learned so much about each other without feeling like we were in a diversity training workshop. And the variety of snacks was great, too!
What’s a fact about yourself that people might find surprising?
AA: I have an uncanny ability to find myself in the company of A-list celebrities. It started with my parents, who ran newsagents in North London. It must have been the areas we were in, but customers included Kate Moss, George Michael, both Gallaghers, and even Walter White from Breaking Bad!
Another occasion was when I was about 17, and one of my friends worked at a London radio station. Through that, we spent the weekend hanging out with Beyoncé and Destiny’s Child. They were just emerging on the music scene (that shows my age!), and we travelled across London and went to one of their concerts. These encounters were unforgettable for me as a teenager!
What’s the most misunderstood technology?
AA: Big shock, but I have to say AI. I think there’s a misplaced fear that AI is going to take every single job and displace large sections of the workforce. But that’s ultimately for us to decide: those implementing the technology will determine what we want the technology to be used for and how it will impact the human experience. It’s not inherently bad or good – it just brings about change.
Of course, there is some legitimacy to the fear of certain aspects of AI, specifically when it comes to bad actors who want to use the technology maliciously, but if we are proactive as an industry, we can address the misplaced fear that is commonplace at the moment and bring about an exciting new era of tech.
Is there a technology that the world would be better without?
AA: I’m going to be controversial here and say apps. I’m sick of downloading apps. I know many businesses use them and will say they need them, but it seems that everywhere I go, I am being asked to download a new app. And it’s not just the app – I have to register with my email address, and set up and remember a new password when I just wanted a sandwich! There must be a better alternative.
Similarly – you’ve got me started now – I can’t stand going to a restaurant and having to scan a QR code to view the menu. I understand why it came in, of course, but it’s totally unnecessary now. When I go for dinner with somebody, I want to chat with them straight away, not spend the first ten or fifteen minutes fighting with my phone just to see the menu.
The post Inntelo founder: Know what makes you unique appeared first on UKTN.
