Roads, Reviews, and Realms

Who doesn’t get a kick out of cars?

The Chit Chat and Getting Acquainted:

Salaam Shaheel! It’s great to have you here. Let’s kick things off on a light note – if your life had a movie title, what would it be and why?

Waleckom As Salaam Usman, thanks for having me. Well, that’s a pretty good icebreaker. I am the kind of person who likes structure in life, but then, life has its way of teaching us that it can be very unpredictable. So, a title would be something like “Organized Chaos”.

Having experienced both the UK and Pakistan, what’s the one food item you miss the most from your student days in England?

Although I am not a foodie by nature, I have to admit that I miss having Avocados here in Pakistan. It’s not just about the taste, but also about the nutritional benefits they offer. Avocados are rich in healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals, making them a great addition to any diet.

Being a gaming enthusiast, if you could insert yourself into any video game, which one would it be, and why?

The idea of immersing myself in the exhilarating world of Forza Horizon 5, navigating diverse terrains from sun-kissed beaches to lush rainforests, behind the wheels of exotic cars is truly captivating. The rush of adrenaline, the allure of open roads, and the freedom to explore the stunning landscapes of Mexico make it an irresistible fantasy. I would love to be in Forza Horizon 5, experiencing the thrill of driving those high-performance vehicles in such a picturesque setting...

Your journey involves both the automotive industry and gaming. If your car had a gaming console built-in, what game would you play during a traffic jam?

In frustrating traffic jams, I find comfort in playing my developed mobile game, Zombie Shooter. Available on both iOS and Android, it offers an accessible escape. The game’s one-handed gameplay lets you navigate zombie-filled landscapes, injecting excitement into mundane moments. For iOS, download here: Zombie Shooter for iOS, and for Android, click: Zombie Shooter for Android. Try it during a traffic standstill; it might make the wait more bearable.

As the co-founder of BloomBig Studio, what’s the most challenging and rewarding aspect of being a key investor and marketer in the F2P gaming industry?

The biggest challenge as a key investor and leader is to ensure that all departments are working together to reach a mutual goal i.e. to make games that have good retention and can generate profits. As a Marketer, the biggest challenge is to adapt to the constantly changing market trends and make games that can be successful in any given market condition.

Business Adventures and Entrepreneurial Escapades:

You’ve been a successful freelancer on Upwork. Any amusing or challenging stories you’d like to share from your freelancing days?

The journey on Upwork is directly related to my video-making skills. I was building a decent portfolio through my YouTube that I showed to potential clients and that’s how I landed projects. The biggest challenge on Upwork or any freelancing platform is that the rate of rejection is too high, especially if you’re starting a new one.

Bloom Big OverDrive sounds thrilling! Can you share a funny incident or a memorable experience from your time as an Automotive Journalist, especially when working on your YouTube channel?

There have been plenty of incredible memories, especially from the first few years. For instance, there was this incident, when we were going to review a car, a Toyota Mark X. The standard procedure is that before the shoot, we would take the car for a little drive to form our first impressions. So, this time, Ali (co-host) was driving the car and he was just a bit too heavy on the throttle. There was a roundabout that we were passing, (luckily, there wasn’t any traffic at that time), so, the car oversteered a bit and the next thing we knew, it spun twice and just hit the curb on the side.

We were lucky, that no major damage was done to the car or any bystanders. But yes, from that point on, we have implemented thorough vetting of a car before reviewing it. We later found out that the tires on that Mark X were expired, so losing traction was inevitable at that point.

Moving on to the serious stuff, how do you see the future of the gaming industry in Pakistan, and what role do you envision BloomBig Studio playing in it?

The gaming industry of Pakistan is still in its infancy, there are just a few big players and the rest of the industry comprises bootstrap studios with limited resources. I think, there is a huge potential in it, however, we need more initiatives by the government to support the new businesses in the IT sector. BloomBig Studio is currently helping by partnering up with global publishers to increase the reach of its audience. However, it’s a tedious process that takes time and patience.

Being a director at Faizan Shahzad Pvt. Limited, what’s the secret sauce for successful B2B marketing and client acquisition?

B2B marketing requires us to be more communicative with the client. It starts with email marketing and it goes all the way to 1-1 meetings. I have had the privilege of showcasing my products across different European countries including, Germany, Lithuania, and the United Kingdom. In essence, the secret sauce is to have good 2-way communication with the client.

Your streetwear brand, ‘Strada,’ sounds intriguing. What inspired you to target car enthusiasts, and any plans to expand beyond Pakistan?

In short, it’s my passion for cars and it’s just another form of expressing my passion. Most of the designs we have made are conceived from scratch. Secondly, I saw that there was an untapped market for high-quality car-related apparel in Pakistan, so I decided to dip my toes in the industry by launching warm hoodies (400 GSM+). So far, the learning experience has been great and I would like to explore this industry more.

What exciting developments does Strada Apparel have in the pipeline for the future?

We are currently working on launching the summer apparel collection. This time we will be doing it in phases to ensure that new designs are given more attention. The eventual goal is to make it a standalone streetwear brand with the potential of exporting it to other countries.

Considering your focused segment of the market, in your opinion, is the fashion sense in Pakistan notably robust?

Yes, it is quite robust, especially when it comes to the upper middle to higher income class. People are generally quality-conscious but then the market is also getting saturated with new brands popping up frequently.

Digital Presence and Content Creation:

As a top-rated profile on Upwork, what advice do you have for freelancers looking to make their mark in the digital marketplace?

I would say that it’s important to build your portfolio before you start to bid on jobs. Secondly, one should not be demotivated by rejection. It’s important to understand that you’re competing against the global community of freelancers, so the chance of failure to land a project is high. However, you have to be resilient and the process of bidding shouldn’t stop (considering that you bid on right projects).

With your interests in video making and number crunching, have you ever considered creating a quirky data-driven video about the automotive industry in Pakistan?

Yes, as a matter of facts that’s in the pipeline, I have worked with a few publications including Profit Magazine to get the facts straight and soon we will have such content on our channel as well.

Traveling is on your list of interests. What’s your go-to travel destination, and can you share a hilarious travel mishap or adventure?

Yes, there are many places that I’d like to visit and I would certainly like to visit Mexico and Cuba to explore the Latin American culture. So far, I have visited 22 countries in 4 different continents. In terms of mishap, I lost my luggage when I was traveling to Heathrow, London for the first time as a student and it was a nightmare for me. They were unable to find it for 2 weeks and luckily, I got it delivered to my dorm just before the start of my first semester at Warwick.

The most adventurous trip would be my backpacking trip to Vietnam and Malaysia. It was an exceptional experience for me to explore Far East Asia for the first time. I traveled for 9 days and took 8 flights within this timeframe.

Being an influencer, how do you balance your online persona with the real-world Shaheel? Any funny encounters with fans or followers?

I think I am at a point where I only get partially recognized in public as my YouTube channel has still not seen exponential growth in a short timeframe and I am content with it. However, there have been multiple instances where people would come up to me and appreciate my content. The plus side is that when I am selling my car, I usually find buyers without much of a hassle. Most people watch a YouTube video review before buying their next car, so luckily, I have reviewed about 90% of the cars that we see on Pakistani roads.

Automotive Industry and Reviews:

So Shaheel, diving into your role as an Automotive Journalist, what initially sparked your interest in reviewing cars, and how did you decide to venture into the world of YouTube for it?

To be honest, I wasn’t just satisfied with the kind of car reviews we had in Pakistan. I was in the UK and used to watch Car Buyer, Car Wow, and Top Gear, and always wondered why we can’t have similar reviews in Pakistan. Besides that, I had a knack for camera equipment and videography since my undergrad. So, I was like, let’s utilize my skills and make some good content for the Pakistani market.

We’ve all been there, binge-watching car reviews on YouTube. What made you think, “I want to do this too!” and start your channel, BloomBig OverDrive?

I just wanted to help people in choosing their next car. This is the key problem that we are solving. I have had the privilege of personally driving and owning multiple cars that people are interested in, so naturally, I thought I should combine my 2 passions i.e. Cars and Videography, and start putting up videos on YouTube. I didn’t have any prior experience of making content for YouTube, but it has been a great learning experience for me and the team and we are still testing our creativity to bring out the best content that we can.

Now, getting personal with your reviews, do you remember the first car you ever reviewed on your channel? What made that experience memorable or challenging?

Yes, the first car that I reviewed was the Toyota Fortuner (2018) 2.8D Sigma4 in Pakistan. I had just bought it and wanted to experiment with the drone shots, so one fine day, I took it out for a ride and started making aerial shots of it. After reviewing the footage, I shared it with the circle of my friends and they encouraged me to make more content. Then I met Ali (co-host and a fellow car enthusiast) for a cup of coffee. We shared our thoughts on the content and decided that we’d give it a shot.

As someone who’s probably spent more time with cars than some owners have, what’s been your all-time favorite car to review, and why did it leave such a lasting impression on you?

I liked reviewing the Mercedes Benz S Class (W140) 1993. It is one of my favorite cars of all time. I went to the Mercedes Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany to read more about its history, and needless to say, it was a car that was way ahead of anything else at the time. I still think that the 90s was the golden era for car enthusiasts.

Your reviews are not just informative but also enjoyable. Can you share your philosophy when it comes to reviewing a car, and how do you strike that perfect balance between being technically sound and relatably entertaining?

Before reviewing any car, I tend to do research by reading articles and watching reviews from fellow YouTubers. Otherwise, the format of our car reviews is very similar to what we’ve been doing for the last 2 years. But we do bring in new segments to keep the spark alive. We’ve experimented with long-form and short videos, and I keep an eye on analytics to see which type of content is getting more views. As of 2023, short videos are getting twice the views of our long-form videos.

Automobile Industry in Pakistan:

Shaheel, with your deep involvement in the automotive industry, how do you perceive the current scope and future potential of the automobile sector in Pakistan, especially given the prevalent financial crisis and inflationary pressures?

You’ve rightly pointed out the global financial crunch and Pakistan is no exception. The Automotive sector has been struggling due to the unprecedented levels of inflation in the country. I believe this was bound to happen. If we go back a few years, there was a surge in prices due to the investors in the car market. They had created an artificial bubble that had finally burst.

In terms of market trends, people have become very price-conscious and they are happy to experiment with new brands, especially from China. Haval is a great case study for investors who are interested in bringing new car companies to Pakistan. Haval has managed to bring out high-quality cars that are now being assembled locally. So, it’s just a matter of time, before we will see more Chinese brands in Pakistan. Another interesting trend is the rise of EVs in Pakistan.

Although, I am very skeptical about it due to the lack of infrastructure, it seems inevitable.

Electric Vehicles (EVs) are gaining traction worldwide. In the context of Pakistan, where we’re dealing with economic challenges like dollar instability, do you see the introduction of EVs as a potential success story for the automotive market?

I think the future is going towards EVs. Yes, Pakistan lacks the infrastructure but I think it’s a good opportunity for investors that want to make a strong footprint in Pakistan. It was rather surprising for me to see the success of Audi Etron in Pakistan. Yes, I know that it caters to a very small segment of the economy, but then launching an EV with just 250 km of range in 2020 was a huge risk. However, Audi managed to pull it off. I have recently reviewed Seres 3 EV, which is a relatively cheaper C-SUV, and yet it offers more driving range than an Audi Etron 50 SUV. So, let’s see if they can survive the Pakistani market.

Considering the financial circumstances in Pakistan, marked by inflation and currency instability, how do you think these economic factors might impact the growth and innovation within the automobile industry, and what adaptations do you foresee for the sector?

I think the current sentiment is not very optimistic when it comes to Pakistan. However, being the 5th most populous country in the world, we cannot neglect its importance. Yes, we are far behind many other countries with lesser populations, but I do think that once the global recession is going to settle, we will see a rise in investment in the automotive sector of Pakistan. The key adaptation would be a step closer to EVs and sustainable charging solutions. To bridge the gap between a gasoline-powered car and an EV, we would first have to go through Hybrid and PHEV (plugin Hybrid) vehicles.

In your car reviews Shaheel, whether initiated by an automaker or conducted independently, how do you approach the process? Given the tendency of some influencers to accentuate a car’s positive features while minimizing drawbacks, potentially due to financial arrangements with the car manufacturer, what principles do you follow in your evaluations?

In case of a review, even if a car is provided by the automaker, we have this deal where we don’t have to be biased. We are equally critical of the test drive unit as we would be of a self-arranged review car. I think people are very critical of reviewer bias as well. However, if we are making a sponsored video, we would mention that in the video that it’s sponsored, but then it’s not a review. For instance, we were invited to MG Factory in Lahore, where they gave us a tour of their production facility along with the experiential drive of their locally assembled car (MG HS Essence), in the same video, we mentioned that these are our first impressions of the car. A detailed review will be done once we have a unit with at least 10,000 Km on the odometer.

Future Insights:

Reflecting on your time at Warwick Business School, what’s the one marketing strategy you learned that you still apply today?

I think the importance of market research is often neglected. People are either too passionate or have tunnel vision to look at the business side of things. I have made the same mistake as well. In essence, do some market research through surveys and focus groups before starting a new venture, know your Unique Selling Proposition (USP), and make changes to your business based on the market feedback.

As a team player with leadership qualities, what’s your approach to managing a team of 13 for game production at BloomBig Studio?

I believe in delegation of authority. Yes, you should keep an eye on your long-term goals and objectives, but you shouldn’t worry too much about the methodology. Everyone has different ways of solving problems and by allowing them to solve it their way, you empower them. However, you still have to be watchful of their actions. There’s no harm in guiding them if you have more experience.

Looking ahead, what message do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs and professionals in Pakistan’s dynamic business landscape?

I know the current situation is far from ideal, but this is the best time to invest in your skills and start things fresh. If you have an idea, validate it, test it, and learn from the mistakes. Always try to diversify your portfolio. If you’re starting fresh, then it is better to learn through the plethora of free resources available on the Internet.

Finally, Shaheel, if you had to give a TED Talk titled “The Art of Blending Business and Passion,” what key points would you share with the audience?

Here are my key pointers:

1. Find Your Passion: Identify what drives you and align it with a purpose.
2. Intersection of Passion and Market: Discover where your passion meets a market need and work on its monetization.
3. Balance and Adaptability: Maintain a balance between passion and practicality, being open to adapt.
4. Create Value and have a Unique Selling Proposition: Focus on solving problems and creating value for customers
5. Success as a whole: Measure success beyond finances, considering personal fulfillment and impact.

The Closing Reflections: