The cozy office situated in the commercial area of one of Pakistan’s largest cities might not look like much, but the clients that they’ve been bagging are tycoons in their respective fields. With a diverse clientele ranging from local companies to multinational titans of the business world, Creative Dots has come a long way and has an even longer way to go. Revolutionizing how business was previously done, Creative Dots has also changed how offices work with eliminating workplace hierarchy.
Over the chatter of his team and a cup of very good chai, we sat down with the Founder and Managing Head of Creative Dots, Mr. Rashid Pervez Mughal to discuss how he has achieved all that in such an insignificant amount of time and to dissect modern entrepreneurship.
OrangeInk: What made you go for your own firm when getting a job would have been the easier option?
Rashid Pervez: I always knew I would go for my own firm. I knew that even before doing my MBA from LUMS. I put it up in my application back then and during the course of my MBA, I strived to achieve that goal. By being farsighted and passionate to a point where I did not even apply for a job, I ended up achieving what I had envisioned.
OrangeInk: That being the harder choice, you had to come across a lot of struggles. Share some of your initial hardships.
Rashid Pervez: I had to start from my house, in Karachi. After working on Creative dots for a few months I had to park it for a year and a half because I gave in to my doubts. During this tenure, I worked at maple leaf for a year and a half. That period was filled with the longing of going back to my company thus, despite my second thoughts; I took up Creative Dots again. I had to work in a shared space for 4 months but, eventually, I was able to acquire what you see today.
OrangeInk: And what do you think helped you attain that? What will be your advice?
Rashid Pervez: My consistency and hard work. Gradually, things started working out. We started with one client and one team member until we reached 80 clients and 12 team members. We now have Nestle, Coke, Engro, Treet, LUMS, Mitchelles, Sonex and other multinational brands under our belt due to the consistency and collective team effort, so there can’t be any better advice than this.
OrangeInk: What’s the philosophy behind creative dots?
Rashid Pervez: Creative Dots signifies the importance of individual effort that is done for the greater good. Dots are the metaphorical beings that come together to create something bigger than themselves.
OrangeInk: What will you say your talents are?
Rashid Pervez: My characteristics that got me this place are the facts that I’m a people’s person and I can sell. I’m an empath and I take into account what the clients want. I try to think about my team. I haven’t written CEO anywhere. In all my documents, it says Marketing Head. Nor do I feel like writing that. My designation doesn’t matter; the value, hard work, consistency and trust matter.
OrangeInk: Knowledge is a very big tool in the modern world. Transparency requires courage. How much is it involved in your company?
Rashid Pervez: We are partners with our clients. We extend the family umbrella to not only our team members but also our clients. We tell them what we spend to the last figure. There’s a lot of communication between our team members and the clients to ensure quality in every sphere of the whole process.
OrangeInk: How important is empathy in the business world, because most people imagine it to be a cold selfish part of the society?
Rashid Pervez: Empathy should be the priority as even the technical skills come later. The client should believe that we can get the job done. This is done by developing empathy. This is a service industry and we should strive to provide the best possible service to our clients.
OrangeInk: How likely is it of your teammates stealing your clients?
Rashid Pervez: In the industry, there are many malpractices that might involve schemes of that kind. We either work with a 100% trust or not work at all. If we work, everybody should be on the same page. Nothing is hidden. The team has access to the clients’ details, their email addresses and contact information. This ensures communication between the clients and my team members. This trust adds value.
OrangeInk: How do you earn the trust of your teammates?
Rashid Pervez: I try to understand their needs. There’s never been a single instance when the workers or our vendors’ pays have been postponed. I also uplift accountability, where even I’m responsible for all of my actions. Mutual respect is extremely important, they trust me and I trust them.
OrangeInk: How hard was it to emerge in the market, considering there were so many rival companies?
Rashid Pervez: Although the competition is a good thing, it comes as a package. If you think you are ready then take it up otherwise don’t. The industry not only has agencies, rather a plethora of free lancers: students and kids. They at times are successful at winning clients over us. The competition is very hard. The only way to beat it is through our quality of work and the relationship with the client.
OrangeInk: What is the thing about creative dots that helped it achieve the status it has now, as it got a client even before you guys had time to think of a name.
Rashid Pervez: I guess that will have a two-tier answer. In the initial phase, LUMS credibility, my background and selling skills got me my first clients. Now, this is no longer a one man company, rather has a team of competent people working every day to ensure quality.
OrangeInk: What helps you get out of bed in the morning??
Rashid Pervez: I want to leave behind a legacy. Money doesn’t attract me. Fame, respect and living your dreams do.
OrangeInk: Creative Dots is the fruit of your labor, it is your child. Has it reached the dream you had for your child?
Rashid Pervez: The day I’ll be out of creative dots will be the day I feel like it has reached its full potential. And I’m still here.
OrangeInk: I think the biggest question then will be finding the right person who is competent enough to take up your company. Do you have anyone in mind?
Rashid Pervez: I will build a sustainable system. LUMS has trained me and all LUMS MBAs to do a lot in life, thus I don’t see one creative dots, rather a whole intricate system of companies co-existing and supporting each other. So the team is going to handle it, they’re very competent and I trust and believe in them.
