The West Coast or Silicon Valley (SV) Chapter of the Organization of Pakistani Entrepreneurs of North America (OPEN as it is called) closed its current year meeting calendar by holding a very informative seminar on “Profiles in Entrepreneurial Success” at the Hotel Crowne Plaza in the Northern California city of Palo Alto on December 11, 2002. The Palo Alto area, for some who may not know, is home to the world famous Stanford University. This university along with the University of California at Berkeley a few miles away, has been instrumental in providing a great deal of the brain power that has fuelled the almost mythical reality of Silicon Valley nearby, an area which is still considered by many to be the focal point of hi-tech innovation on this planet.

“Profiles in Entrepreneurial Success”, with its associated subtopics, generated a great deal of response and enthusiasm from the over 300 people from the Pakistani-American community and their guests in that attendance. We all got the opportunity to learn from a very talented panel that itself oozed success. Made up of Asim Abdullah, Kanwal Rekhi, Safi Qureshi and Zia Chishti and not to forget its moderator Zia Yusuf, the panel represented not only the past and present success of members of the South Asian community here but more importantly, it was able to show the future to some members in the audience, as examples to emulate.

The evening started off with a brief registration and welcome period. Current OPEN President Sajid Sohail and the entire Executive Committee (VP Asim Abdullah, Secretary Zia Yusuf, Treasurer Umair Khan, and Executive Members Idris Kothari and Safwan Shah) need to be commended right off the bat for making the arrangements for this event.

Umair Khan gave the initial presentation during which he introduced the recently initiated OPEN (SV) Fellows program, the OPEN (SV) Newsletter and the new OPEN (SV) website (http://www.opensiliconvalley.com ) through which people can reach the organization and also become members online. Umair named the main players involved in the Fellows Program, Ahmed Shah (Coordinator), Dilawar Syed, Fahd Bangash and Imran Qureshi (Marketing), Nadir Rahman, Naeem Raza and Yusuf Safdari (Event Management) and Rehan Jalil (Membership Services). He also went into the aims and objectives of the organization, defined certain target segments for OPEN and gave a preview of events coming up in 2003 starting with a February meeting focusing on “How to Succeed in Fortune 500 Corporations”.

The next speaker was a welcome surprise for many of us. Michael Wolfe, the Executive Producer at Unity Productions responsible for the “Muhammad, Legacy of a Prophet” program to be aired on Public Television all over the United States on December 18 (please check local listings for exact time). Michael had the opportunity to share with us how he got started with the project on our Prophet (PBUH). He said that more than 4000 people wrote checks to get this project off the ground (the list includes a number of Pakistani-Americans). He said that sometimes the ways in which the media operates is un-business like. He added that this project had gone on for quite a while and that the intent is “to extend the reach of this program into public schools.” He also shared with us postcards with information on the film’s premiere, a much anticipated and awaited event for the Muslim community all over the United States. Later, after the seminar was officially over, I had an opportunity to briefly chat with Mr. Wolfe and asked if he had other projects in the pipeline. He mentioned two more areas of interest to Muslims in America that need to be projected in film.

After Mr. Wolfe, a corporate presenter addressed the event and certainly dazzled us with much current/futuristic hi-tech that his company has to offer. Nazim Kareemi, President and CEO of Canesta, a San Jose, California company gave us examples of the technology that his company is developing and has patents on, targeting low cost electronic perception technology. As an example, the opening of doors without keys may become a part of our lives It is certainly in the realm of current reality. But though some of us have used wireless computer keyboards that are now available, how many have ever used a keyboard that can actually disappear into thin air after use? Let me leave it at that amazing point here because Canesta is in the process of making such technology a reality.

The much anticipated panel discussion followed the Canesta presentation. Moderator Zia Yusuf initiated and facilitated quite a discussion on the paths taken by the panelists towards entrepreneurial success. Asim Abdullah who co-founded Veo Systems, described as a serial entrepreneur (nothing bad, just that he has co-founded many companies), offered his words of wisdom. He said that he was “not born an entrepreneur” but became one. Another panelist Kanwal Rekhi a Rawalpindi-born Indian-American who “disappointed” his traditional fauji (military) family “by becoming an engineer” (Kanwal, has been Co-founder and Chairman of The Indus Entrepreneur or TiE organization) shared some of his personal business insights with us. Safi Qureshi, currently Managing Partner of Irvine Ventures and one of the initial trailblazers of Pakistani-American entrepreneurship in hi-tech (via AST Research which he co-founded), added many words of experience and encouragement. And last but not least Zia Chishti, a young man who is the founder and Chairman of The Resource Group, and previously CEO of Align Technologies, a medical technology company. Zia shared with us his initial struggles associated with being an entrepreneur.

It is just not possible in one short report to convey all the words of wisdom imparted by the panelists and to discuss each intelligent question asked by the attendees. But to mention just a few choice replies would appropriate here. Asked what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur Kanwal Rekhi had a short reply. “Luck”, he said. Asked about the transition from being an entrepreneur to a VC (Venture Capitalist), Safi Qureshi replied with much humor; “What I earned as an entrepreneur I lost as a VC.” On the issue of ethnicity and the business environment here in the United States Safi said that in hi-tech, “today it is a plus to have an accent and color.”

Asked who is responsible if a company does not do well, Asim Abdullah said that it was the CEO. He said that the CEO is mainly responsible and that leadership is a difficult process. “Things go wrong every day,” he said and that you have to handle problems as a team like a family. Asked about people who are company builders versus those who run them, Zia Chishti said that, “there is no one size fits all.” He added, “you have to learn to integrate.” On a question by Idris Kothari to Zia on if he could share the all time low point in his career as an entrepreneur Chishti mentioned that he was “asked to leave” Stanford University at one time because he did not have money to pay for his tuition or even the rent for his residence. Today, it appears that times have changed for Mr. Chishti.

Several observations can be made from this, the last OPEN meeting of 2002. One is that even during the current bad times in the hi-tech industry, people are looking for new avenues to expand their business, and though selective in consumption the marketplace for ideas is still stirring. Second, and with a word of thanks to TiE and Kanwal Rekhi, the cooperation between South Asians continues both socially and in business. Thirdly, it is great to see Pakistanis who have expanded their horizons from our usual community activities and are making success and innovation a high priority.

And finally for those of us who came to this gathering for its ethnic focus. This was an “All-American” business gathering, with a Pakistani-Indian twist at best. Stock options and bonuses got more “air time” than South Asia here. Hiring family and friends got mixed reviews. But all was not lost. Safi Qureshi concluded on the most philosophical note. He stressed the importance of investing in the developing world. He said that he was impressed by the work done by President Jimmy Carter after he left office and that the developing world continues to inspire many.

To carry that thought a bit further, one can conclude that even though the members of the panel at this event were not close to retirement age (or for that matter most in attendance at this meeting were not), during and after the pursuit of entrepreneurship, we might all think of investing in and developing the mind resources in Pakistan. Because it will not only be good for the economy and people there, but from what we have learned recently in America, it might just also be good for us here.