Shoaib Khan is a serial entrepreneur and humanitarian based out of Toronto, Ontario in Canada. He founded Clearoute Inc., a Canadian consulting company. He also founded M Worldwide Inc., an investment firm focused on real estate and technology. He has more than 30 years of consulting and venture capital experience. He has overseen investments worth over a billion dollars. Shoaib Khan is also known for creating Humanti, a nonprofit organization engaged in several large-scale humanitarian relief projects around the world.

What motivated you to pursue a career in consulting, and what keeps you passionate about it today?

Shoaib Khan: I founded Clearoute Inc. in 1999 as a means to share my expertise—specifically in the field of technological innovation—with companies and organizations that I could see needed help adapting to the changing times. So, I suppose you could say my inspiration for entering consulting was that I saw a need in the market and I endeavoured to fill it. I always thought that I could excel in the profession, and luckily, I did.

When did you decide to seriously turn your attention toward humanitarian projects, and what inspired you to do that?

Shoaib Khan: As Clearoute grew, I delegated responsibility to select team members. I still oversaw operations and weighed in on major client decisions. The firm ran smoothly. That’s when I found my thoughts turning toward humanitarian matters. Once I knew for certain that my company was healthy and thriving, I said to myself, “Shoaib, it’s now time to apply your talents and efforts to easing human suffering and making the world a better place to live.” In a nutshell, that’s when–and why–I founded Humaniti.

Are you working on any initiatives that you’re particularly proud of right now?

Shoaib Khan: Yes. Humaniti is currently in the midst of a campaign called Heal, which is a program that I am personally very excited of. 

Is there any overlap between how you approach your consulting work and how you approach your nonprofit work?

Shoaib Khan: Sure, there are many similarities between the two, especially in the realm of process. Like my businesses, my charity seeks the most value from its limited resources. So, we keep track of everything in great detail—be it monetary donations, physical supplies, or human resources. We analyze how to use these resources before each project. This approach maximizes impact and helps more people. I found these processes to be highly effective in running my businesses, and so I applied them to Humaniti as well, and the results have been tremendous.

Are there any words of advice you wish to impart to novice or would-be entrepreneurs and humanitarians?

Shoaib Khan: To any budding entrepreneurs out there, don’t give up. You’ve embarked on a long and difficult journey filled with many seemingly insurmountable obstacles, but once you’ve overcome them and found success, the rewards are incredible. Just keep it up. To any budding humanitarians out there, never forget that your job is to add love and hope to our world. Work to help desperate people have faith in themselves, and work to give them the support they need to reach their dreams.