Today we’d like to introduce you to Tasnim Rahman.
Hi Tasnim, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born as a first-generation Bangladeshi-American in Queens, NY and that’s where my story started. The family I was born into was huge, where I was raised by not just my father and mother but also with the support of my aunties and uncles as well as lots of cousins for friends. My father also started his first job in the States after I was born as an Electrical Engineer. My father was the sole provider for my family for most of our lives. I have two younger siblings, and he wanted my mother to focus on raising us in this new environment the best way they knew to. We lived a very simple life, but my family always found a way for us to go visit Bangladesh every other year as a family in December for a month. Looking back, it’s the experiences of my childhood, my family’s struggles and successes, as well as being raised as a Muslim that shaped the rest of my life. From a young age, I was taught to strive to be the best I can be and pursue my American Dream. My parent’s wanted the best for me but also made sure to instill values through our Islamic faith that I couldn’t be any more appreciative of. I looked up to my father who was the breadwinner, but also was able to empathize with the downfalls in the world at a young age. I knew from maybe middle school that I wanted to grow up and be an engineer, but not just any engineer. One that can truly make a difference globally. I used to fundraise for global initiatives, especially for Bangladesh and UNICEF from elementary schools.
By the time high school came around, I dreamt of attending Ivy Leagues, but I ended up attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts for Electrical & Computer Engineering. This period of my life as an undergraduate really shaped my life to find my independence and true purpose. My father did his best to help me focus on my studies throughout grade school, but I was left to figure out my future during my undergraduate on my own. I worked in the library, restaurants and lounges, recreation centers and even pursued a business as a makeup artist throughout this time while keeping up with my engineering courses and engineering internships in the summertime with Sikorsky Aircrafts in Stanford, CT. I even attended fashion shows in Boston, MA for my makeup artist business. Least to say, I was quite ambitious and tried to stay well-rounded. It took a lot of hard work and focus, but education always came first. My first job was in Rome, New York with the Air Force Research Laboratory as an Electronics Engineer in the telecommunications sector. During my time there, I also completed my Master’s in Electrical & Computer Engineering. I love learning and exploring the world despite how difficult a task it was because I believed it is only my education that can help me to be successful.
However, I quickly learned that life isn’t just about going to school and working. There’s more that can be learned through experiences and I had to find my way back to what made me happy as a child. What I felt my purpose was and why I even started my journey. Fast forward to 2020, I quit my job and went on my first international solo trip to Barcelona, Spain at 23. It was so fulfilling and reflective where I was able to immerse myself into their history and culture. There were people there from all over the world and I felt that I reconnected with my purpose which is to use my education, experiences and skills for impact globally. Through my years of working hard to get through school, make money and to just survive, I lost touch with that part of me. I came back to the States and moved to Atlanta, GA and since then have been at Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) as a Research Engineer; started my own consulting firm called Tazs & Co. for emerging market projects focused on Technology Strategy & Innovation, started studying for my MBA at Georgia Tech and became Director of Emerging Markets & Strategy for a non-profit called Techsgiving. Although the pandemic put a dent into being able to meet amazing people in the city, I took that time to be intentional with my life and future. I knew that in order to make an impact using my skills globally, I need to build a track record and be strategic. And now in 2023, I continue to do so and take everything one step at a time.
Since moving to Atlanta, I have worked on several projects in emerging markets through Tazs & Co. and in collaboration with other companies for technology strategy and innovation focused on impact in primarily the African market. I have tapped into countries such as Rwanda, Ghana, Nigeria, Italy and the United Kingdom for impactful initiatives and projects. Through my work, I have been able to work with startups, non-profits and companies throughout the African continent and domestically as a consultant, advisor, investor, panel moderator, fundraiser and more. I do this all outside of my Research Engineer role at GTRI where I work on 5G telecommunications R&D. I hope that someday I can utilize my background to bring innovative solutions to telecommunications globally through different partnerships, especially with the organizations that I am affiliated with currently. Despite my many projects and successes through career and businesses, I still believe that I am growing and have a lot to learn. I am looking forward to completing my MBA in Spring 2024 so that I may be able to do much more for global impact through my tech background.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road at all. I grew up in a middle class, immigrant family that did their best to give their children the best that they could. I did not have the fanciest clothes or opportunity to participate in a lot of things with friends, but I was loved by my family and that is all that mattered. After 18, I knew I would have to navigate life the best way I could on my own. I did not want to burden my family, but rather support them the best I could and make them proud and happy. I worked two to three jobs at a time during my undergraduate studies. Fortunately, I was able to build myself to a point now that I can live sustainably off of one income at 26. However, now I work even harder to pursue my dream of having a global impact using my technical and business background. I will never regret experiencing my struggles because they made me the ambitious woman with high values today. I learned to never settle for less. Through prayer, hard work and big dreams, anything can be possible.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Tazs & Company is a consulting firm based out of Atlanta, GA that started in 2021. Although I started the company with just an idea of how I would utilize this firm to align my technical and business background with impactful work that I can execute outside of my Research Engineering role at GTRI, it has definitely grown in these two short years. The firm now primarily focuses on technology strategy and innovation, primarily for impact and in emerging markets. It originally began by supporting small businesses with their technology needs for business strategy and growth. Since then it has grown into global spaces. I have partnered and collaborated with numerous organization and companies through my firm for many projects and initiatives, primarily in the African Market. Tazs & Co.’s most notable growth globally has happened in the past year. In 2022, I supported the Laudato Si Challenge Foundation and Data Charter Group to curate events at Vatican City to focus on impactful African startups and companies and Sustainable Development Goals. The work for this project focused on sourcing startups from various industries including agritech, health tech and fintech and connecting them with potential investors as well as policy makers to fulfill SDG initiatives. I also had the opportunity to work with Tim Draper’s, a notable venture capitalist, team from The Draper Show to conduct due diligence for startups and companies for funding them. Furthermore, I worked with Ambassadors from countries such as Senegal, Haiti and Cote D’Ivoire to The Holy See to understand their country’s needs and how to align emerging tech with them as well as how the different startups and companies and potentially benefit their countries. This was a huge learning process for Tazs & Co. and what propelled the firm’s purpose to focus on technology in emerging markets. In 2022, Tazs & Co. was also a part of the Africa Tech Summit in London where I was able to open their market on November 24th. I also utilized Tazs & Co.’s resources to support organizations that I am now affiliated with including Techsgiving and TechConnect Africa. Last year, Techsgiving donated laptops in Ghana through Microsoft which I was able to support. Furthermore, this past year, I visited Kigali, Rwanda where I moderated a panel on “Collaboration for Innovation- The Power of Working Together in the African Tech Community.” Recently, we are working with the Africa Science Olympiad to facilitate technology and R&D initiatives for this youth competition that will be held in Kigali, Rwanda in 2024. The firm continues to consult, support and formulate partnerships for technology strategy and innovation in these markets and I hope that it will continue to prosper in the future. It was for this firm that I pursued business school and Georgia Tech and continue to build my track record. My goal for Tazs & Co. in the upcoming year is to continue pursuing projects and partnerships to facilitate the advancement of technology in emerging markets for impact. I hope that this will also lead to a solid team in the future. I firmly believe that as I wrap up my MBA from Georgia Tech in Spring of 2024, I will be able to lead this growth in Tazs & Co. for more success for not just the firm, but the entities and countries we work with in the future. The world cannot change for the better without a team of people and a purpose.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I believe that there is room for a lot of growth when it comes to technology and innovation in emerging markets in the next five to ten years. Specifically when it comes to the agritech, health tech and fintech sectors amongst others. There has been a large yet positive shift towards focusing on tech for impact in emerging markets, especially the African market, with an influx of new startups. A huge target has been on starting and scaling tech companies to fulfill the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Another focal point has been economic development in these regions through local resources. There has been an increase in investment in these regions by other governments, companies and individuals and I firmly believe that this will continue to grow globally in all emerging markets as technology advances. I do encourage more individuals that are interested in these spaces, but are not sure how to, to find minor ways that they can contribute even its not monetarily using their respective skillsets. I also encourage companies coming in from foreign markets to not just go into emerging markets to for their own profits, but how can they create profits for not just themselves, but the local economy that they are looking to integrate into. Finally, I believe that local policy makers and government officials in these markets should educate themselves on technology advancements and innovations to close gaps when it comes to aligning their own vision for their country and that of the different businesses and investors showing interest and implementing themselves. These local policy makers and government officials can also support their local economy through this extensive understanding. I’ve seen countries like Rwanda do a great job connecting with startups in their economy and listening to them for future progress and further innovation.
Contact Info:
- Website: tazsandco.com
- Instagram: @sheistasnim
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/tasnimrahmantc
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/sheistasnim?lang=en
