Agha Hamza: Generalist Pursuing Purpose
The Path to Becoming an Impact Investor from Ground Up
Many of us move through our careers not sure what we want to be when we grow up (aka some far-off time when we will have it all figured out).
Not Agha.
He has a crystal-clear answer.
When he grows up, he will be an impact investor.
Every decision, role, and connection he makes is in service of that North Star.
He isn’t taking the standard path - instead, he is starting from the ground up and building the skills that will serve him at the destination.
Along this journey, he served as a Portfolio and Program Manager for an Education Innovation Fund in Pakistan. This role immersed him in the on-the-ground work of impact investing and introduced him to the potential of educational innovations for people who are underprivileged. He learned to create profitable, socially conscious businesses instead of traditional non-profit models.
He managed this program by diving head-first into supporting 5 incubators across the country.
Agha had no ‘typical day at work’ and instead bounced between advising the startups, coordinating communications, developing strategies, managing projects and events, onboarding investors and consultants, and managing the overall portfolio.
On one memorable day, he hosted a unique Educational Investors Pitch event, gathering donors, NGOs, investors, and startups under one roof. He had passionately championed this event and handled everything from logistics to stakeholder coordination. Agha was so engrossed in running the event and having conversations with attendees that he missed his team leaving the city.
He found himself somewhat stranded, with the motorway closed due to fog and hotels fully booked. Luckily, he showed up at his aunt’s home unannounced (much to her amusement) and was grateful to have located a warm bed for the night.
As a Generalist, Agha thrived in this environment and built his confidence in delivering timely results on tight deadlines when the stakes are high.
He offers this advice to other Generalists:
There are many variations of Generalists in the world, often individuals who have acquired depth AND breadth of knowledge.
The unfortunate reality is that some people undervalue generalists as they don’t comprehend how one individual may possess such a diversified skill set. Don't underestimate yourself as a Generalist or fall prey to imposter syndrome.
Instead, accept your depth and breadth of knowledge as your differentiating factor and embrace that you are a fast-paced learner, quick to pivot, and excellent to execute as you can see the broader vision that others may not consider.
Don't shy away from opportunities, rather keep track of all the amazing work you do and contribute to.
Meet Agha Hamza
Founder | Investor/Pitch Expert | Anything & everything impact-focused
Agha is an Entrepreneurial Generalist, who supports startups and founders that create a positive impact through technology and innovation.
Throughout his career, he has made stops as a founder, innovation program manager, Fortune 500 client-facing sales associate, non-profit board member, and most recently impact investor.
He is known as a foodie, travel enthusiast, ‘startup guy’, cat lover, plant collector, and self-proclaimed ‘Resident Cheerleader’ in the Generalist World community.
He loves connecting with other Generalists and acting as a sounding board - drop him a note here or check out his instagram!
Join us in Breaking the Mold: Generalists Who Thrive in a Specialist's World as we explore real-life examples of generalists connecting dots, innovating, and solving problems.