Today we’d like to introduce you to Rahmad Hawkins.
Hi Rahmad, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My identity has been shaped by a range of factors that have culminated in my rich and diverse background. It is my aim to utilize this carefully crafted background in every way possible to create generational wealth and leave a legacy for my family. At thirty-three years old, I am a seasoned professional with a wealth of experience and achievements to my name. I have been married for thirteen years and am the proud parent of four children, a responsibility that has helped to ground me and instill a sense of purpose and commitment in everything that I do.
Originally hailing from Buffalo, New York, I have been exposed to a range of cultures and experiences that have broadened my perspective and enriched my worldview. My wife, who is from Mexico, has also played a significant role in shaping my identity and informing my perspective on life.
Growing up, my family was deeply entrenched in the worlds of music, sports, religion, and technology, which has had a profound impact on my personal and professional journey. As a national recording artist, songwriter, podcaster, and actor, I have leveraged my talents and passions to carve out a unique and rewarding career path. Along the way, I have garnered numerous accolades, certifications, and recognition, all of which serve as a testament to my dedication and hard work.
Beyond my professional pursuits, I am deeply committed to making a positive impact on the world around me. I am a passionate advocate for social justice and equality, and I derive immense fulfillment from helping others and giving back to my community. Above all, I am driven by a deep sense of purpose and a relentless pursuit of excellence, always striving to be the best version of myself and make a meaningful difference in the world.
I recently authored a book titled “SAOP: Sharp and On Point – Steps to Creating Your Own Success in the Workplace.”
Life can be unpredictable, challenging, and difficult. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t overcome its obstacles and create the life you desire. It’s important to note that success is not a destination; it’s a journey. Therefore, this book will provide you with the tools, strategies, and mindset needed to navigate the ups and downs of life with ease. You will discover how to overcome limiting beliefs, develop unshakable confidence, cultivate a growth mindset, and harness the power of persistence to achieve your goals.
One of the most effective ways to learn is through failure and adversity. I have faced both head-on and come out on top. Therefore, I will share my personal experiences throughout this book so that you can gain insight into how I turned my failures into opportunities and persevered through seemingly insurmountable challenges. Through reading, you will be empowered to embrace your own obstacles as opportunities for growth and take bold action toward creating the life you truly desire.
Twelve years ago, I didn’t have any direction for my corporate career path. However, I knew where I wanted to be financially, so I forged my own path. Caught between passion and providing, I got married at the age of twenty and went from making $24,000 per year as a schoolteacher to six figures as a technical project manager, a top 100 customer success strategist worldwide, and a best-in-class award-winning customer success leader. A long way from the life I now know, I began from humble beginnings with the faith and belief that my foresight would one day come to fruition.
My motivation stems from several reasons: my family, including my wife and four kids, my desire for freedom, financial security, and getting out of debt, and my definition of success is based on the number of individuals I can assist. Additionally, I aim to create a legacy and generational wealth.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Early in my career, at the age of twenty-two, I worked as a contracted security officer. This was around a year into my marriage, and I had a daughter who was less than a year old. My job was in a gated community with a country club, luxurious cars, and magnificent homes. Surrounded by high-end cars like Porsches, Ferraris, Benzes, and Lamborghinis, I knew there was more in store for me and my family, serving as daily motivation and a reminder of the life I aspired to have.
I worked a combination of day and night shifts, dreaming about my future while staying focused on securing the residents. To keep myself engaged during the night shifts, I would listen to Dave Ramsey or Info Wars on the radio. As a security officer, effective interaction with people was crucial, and I always considered myself a natural people person. I dedicated myself to any task I undertook.
I firmly believed that the key to life was to give without expecting anything in return. This mindset set me apart from others because I genuinely cared about people. There’s a saying, “Don’t be afraid to go the extra mile; it won’t be crowded.” I took this to heart and made it a point to have a positive impact on clients, fellow staff members, and anyone I came across. I volunteered for various activities and soon became acquainted with many members of the community, consisting of around 650 homes. By taking pride in my position, I built a good rapport with the residents, receiving recognition on multiple occasions and being honored with the Above and Beyond Award at the annual end-of-year luncheon held by the client.
I received training for a supervisor position after six months in the job, but after two years, I realized that my career as a security officer had a limited ceiling. I needed to consider my future and the opportunities ahead. Concurrently, I was an independent business owner involved in multi-level marketing, driven by my desire for financial freedom. I dedicated around forty hours per week to my security job and an additional twenty-five hours to building my business. This period was challenging but it was necessary. I learned valuable lessons on perseverance and focusing on positive outcomes.
During this time, I spoke at events, presented in front of thousands of people, and even had the opportunity to present the business plan at a well-known leader’s open meeting. These experiences boosted my confidence and reinforced my belief that I, too, could be a leader. I developed a duplicable system for presenting the business plan, allowing my team members to succeed independently. As a result, my team grew. So did my family. My wife became pregnant, and we had our second child, who was born just fifteen months after our first daughter.
Recognizing the need to increase my income and seeing a lack of financial progress in my business, I made the decision to transition into a teaching career at a private learning academy. I started as a technology specialist, and from there, I took on various roles such as an after-school lead, summer camp staff, full-time classroom teacher, bus driver, substitute teacher, and even filled roles as a handyman and gym teacher. While teaching, I built strong relationships with parents, fellow teachers, and students. I thoroughly enjoyed teaching for three years, but the increasing demands of my family’s financial needs compelled me to find ways to earn more money. I started driving for Uber before and after work to supplement my income. During this time, my wife became pregnant again, and we had our third child, a boy, in 2016.
Less than a year later, I transitioned into the corporate world, entering traditional corporate America at the age of twenty-seven. I had three children and had finally achieved the opportunity I had envisioned for years. I possessed the skills and experience necessary, even without the desired title or company to complete my profile. I had gained experience in dealing with clients, training, teaching, and delivering results in my previous roles, many of which involved earning certifications.
I began my corporate journey as an implementation analyst and eventually worked my way up to a customer success manager position. Throughout this period, I learned and adapted quickly to the corporate world. I encountered numerous valuable lessons, such as working in the CCAS/SAAS industry during the COVID-19 pandemic, working remotely for a year and a half, transitioning to a startup fintech company focusing on financial crimes, and becoming the head of customer success winning both national and global awards. Additionally, during this time, my wife and I welcomed our fourth child, another son. Presently, I hold the position of technical project manager.
However, despite my corporate success, I have always yearned for something more. In my early years, I had a heartfelt conversation with my brother about my conviction that I was destined for something beyond a conventional nine-to-five job. Despite how it may come across, I spoke from the depths of my heart with a strong conviction that a greater purpose was instilled within me by a higher power. The idea of spending forty years of my life working for someone else’s dream while neglecting my own aspirations sent shivers down my spine. I have always been a free spirit, a creative thinker, and an innovator. I yearn for engagement, challenges, and opportunities that allow me to spread my wings and soar.
From the early days of my career, I have juggled balancing my creative passions with providing for my family and climbing the corporate ladder. I have always had a passion for sports, music, and entertainment. In my freshman year of college, before my plans to get married and start a family, my brother introduced me to an opportunity to be in a movie, and I added film to my repertoire. I was cast as an extra in my first film and being on a big set for the first time in my life, I felt alive. This was a new type of energy, and the thought that this was a real job was out of this world. Since then, I always think of that realization I had on set when choosing a new opportunity or adventure in my corporate life.
While working in security, I dreamed of transitioning to an office environment. However, achieving that goal made me realize that it was just a step, not my ultimate dream. I wanted to love what I do, have the freedom to pursue my passions, and live without limitations. Although I recall someone once saying that love alone cannot cover one’s expenses, I have come to learn that loving something or someone intensely can ignite a passionate flame within to persist and overcome any obstacles, even if it means forging new pathways.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m passionate about managing and delivering top-tier client experiences, leveraging over 10 years of diverse skills and knowledge. Throughout my career, I’ve consistently achieved high customer satisfaction, earning numerous awards from employers and peers. My focus is on building revenue while maintaining exceptional customer retention rates, and I am dedicated to timely responses, team motivation, and process improvements to close revenue leakage gaps.
As a highly collaborative leader, I excel in working with cross-functional teams to articulate customer requirements and enhance customer success. I managed accounts , projects and escalations for Dunkin’, Baskin Robbins, McDonald’s, Sephora, Major banks, the Boy Scouts of America and others, to ensure a positive client experience.
My dedication to outstanding customer service has been recognized with several awards, including the ‘Above and Beyond Award’ from Walden Security, the ‘Respect and Teamwork Award’ from NCR colleagues, and the ‘Employee of the Quarter Award’ at Kids R Kids. I’ve also been featured in Shoutout Atlanta Magazine and received the Customer Success Leader of 2022 award from the Customer Success Collective, and was recognized as a Top 100 Strategist in Customer Success by SuccessHACKER.
Apart from my corporate achievements, I am an award-winning entertainer, author, and podcaster. I was the 1st Place Winner of Myloh the Cat’s Indie Artist Showcase Episode 3 and have appeared in various film and TV productions, including “Black Panther,” “Van Wilder 3: Freshman Year,” BET’s “Tales,” and the hit TV show “Star.” My adaptability and talent across different entertainment mediums, along with my role as a National Recording Artist/Songwriter, set me apart from others in my field. I even won the Met Gala Award for Best Dressed in the office, showcasing my unique blend of professionalism and creativity.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me are my faith, my family, and making a positive impact on the world and everyone I come in contact with. My faith provides me with a strong foundation and guiding principles that shape my actions and decisions. My family is my greatest source of support and inspiration, motivating me to strive for excellence in all I do. Above all, I am driven by a desire to leave a positive mark on the world, whether through my professional work, personal interactions, or community involvement.
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