Insights about Usama

General Overview

Usama is currently pursuing a Masters in the field of accounting. He plans on being a CPA and to start a successful career in public accounting. Within the next eight years, by the age of 30, he would also like to establish his own small business. His parents also own a small business where he experienced American virtues such as entrepreneurship and hard work. They raised him and his sister in a close-knit Pakistani family. During high school, most of his weekends were spent in family get together with Pakistani food, clothes, and traditions.

On a separate note, Usama is physically active and goes to the gym three to four times a week. He also owns equipment that he uses to workout at home. Usama enjoys watching sports with friends and follows his hometown teams the Rockets and Texans closely. He avoids playing sports himself due to a weak ankle. Moreover, Usama is found of technology which is demonstrated by his background as an electrical engineering student. To illustrate, he was able to write a code to fix his GPS. He also connects with others through the web via facebook and online PS3 games.

Techonology

Usama realizes the benefits of using the internet when purchasing goods and services. He uses websites such as slick deals to find great deals on products such as clothes and laptops. He also uses online reviews before availing services such as plumbing and car maintenance. His parents are immigrants and did not get much exposure to technology in their home country. Hence they rely on him to meet most of their technology needs such as setting up wireless printing at their store.

Usama is amazed by how much the internet helps in purchasing major items. For instance, Usama helped his mom purchase a new car this summer. First, he looked at websites such as Edmunds to find the true market values of the cars. Then he contacted 55 internet managers from dealerships across Texas to find the best price on the car. Without internet it would have been impossible to have numerous dealerships aggressively bid for a car buyer, within a two week time frame.

Activities

Usama is an extrovert and utilizes opportunities to network with others. He has been active part of the student organizations at UT. For instance, as a member of the Masters in Professional Accounting council at UT, Usama coordinated various events for accounting students to network with each other. He also tried to introduce UT students to a different culture by hosting campus-wide Pakistani cultural events. One customer insight that Usama strongly concurs with is that of creating an experience for the customer. Usama used this insight to help promote Pakistani culture at Forty Acres Fest. To illustrate, Usama acquired cans of a distinct Pakistani soft drink called “Pakola” to sell to students at the event. He pitched the soft drink as a once in a lifetime chance to experience something unique from a different culture. Usama was able to sell all the soft drinks successfully.

Furthermore, Usama enjoys reading anything that he believes can improve him as a person. This encompasses increasing his general knowledge from sources such as Time Magazine. He also thinks it’s vital to learn from other and thus deeply ponders over books such as Jack Welch’s “Execution.” Lastly, Usama is also a fun loving individual and his current hobby is making nonalcoholic drinks such as “Buckhorn Exchange.”