I come across many inspiring entrepreneurs who have received their UK Global Talent Visa #TechNationVisa and the next recipient is just as inspiring if not more. Why? Because Hara Two Abdul applied not once, not twice but three times before he finally received his endorsement for exceptional promise from Tech Nation (formerly Tech City UK). As a result, Hara Two can finally apply for his Global Talent Visa!
For the past 3 years, Hara has been the founder of LiveTheGo, a technology platform that enables an on demand public transport system for cities with buses, vans and taxis. His idea was spun out of being at University and received his Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur Visa (now Start up Visa) from the University of Nottingham. But like many graduate entrepreneurs on this visa, time runs out quickly after one year and the clock ticks faster as time to remain in the UK under this visa runs out.
Prior to founding LiveTheGo, Hara was already a tech entrepreneur in India and his company expanded and grew rapidly to owning and managing the largest fleet of buses in regional India. He started conducting tours for college students at the age of 18 and shortly after, expanded to sectors of employee transportation and transport consultancy. His idea was simple but effective. He always used the first mover strategy to launch luxury coaches in the passenger transport sector which led him to working with multinational corporations such as Volvo Buses and Tata Motors.
Hara has been an entrepreneur with 15 years experience running many businesses in the transport sector including technology businesses.
Like many entrepreneurs, Hara has both business and technology expertise and deciding which one to fit the criteria for the UK Global Talent Visa (formerly Tier 1 Exceptional Talent Visa) in digital technologies proved to be challenging. Hara not only submitted once, but twice until his third application for endorsement by Tech Nation was finally accepted and he was endorsed with exceptional talent.
Looking back, Hara now understands why he didn’t succeed the first two times he applied. He says confidence is key when applying even if you are unsuccessful. He also said he failed to bring out his best in his first two applications. His final application became more refined, with specific examples of how he contributed to the UK tech ecosystem using both his management and technology expertise. In other words, Hara’s final application not only showed his contributions but how he made those specific contributions and how it benefited the technology sector. His letters of recommendations became more specific and he was able to provide further supporting evidence such as awards and letters from Dubai Transport Organisations and Senior Government Officials from Singapore Government Bodies.
Hara was also grateful to have found and read my blogs about how other applicants received their exceptional promise and exceptional talent endorsement from Tech Nation and then went on to achieve their UK Global Talent Visa in digital technologies #TechNationVisa.
He reached out to me to learn how I was successful in receiving my endorsement for exceptional talent when I was the Ambassador for the #TechNationVisa scheme. I gave Hara my encouragement and full support because being an entrepreneur is a lonely road, one that only fellow entrepreneurs can also understand and particularly those who have been through the Stage 1 Global Talent Visa endorsement journey can understand the extremely tough journey ahead. Hara felt that the more he was able to find common ground with other successful UK Global Talent Visa recipients, the more he was able to receive guidance, advice, support which all helped him refine his application.
Two words that we all describe the process is that it is mentally draining because we are all busy, running our start ups either in the UK or overseas or working full time in our demanding jobs. Applying for an endorsement for exceptional talent or promise by Tech Nation (formerly Tech City UK) is unlike applying for a job; it is more work as it heavily relies on relevant supporting documentation, fitting into the mandatory and qualifying criteria and relying on letters of recommendation by highly regarded experts.
Now that Hara finally has his UK Global Talent Visa in digital technologies and is a part of the #TechNationVisa Alumni, he splits his time between London and Nottingham. Hara has since started another company, an idea that came about in between his Global Talent Visa endorsement applications. Hara had a Eureka moment when he discovered his other strengths were his abilities as a mentor.
With his background in Motorsports engineering, Hara understands the mind of a race driver and so the Formula Entrepreneur was born. The Formula Entrepreneur is a lecturing, mentoring and workshop program aimed at nurturing budding entrepreneurs through an interesting and new approach of training entrepreneurs in the same way as training a Formula One Race champion. It is a new approach using Hara’s business, techniques and frameworks to prepare entrepreneurs to have that winning mindset. It already has a strong network of over 100 international technology entrepreneurs in Singapore and Dubai including speakers from around the world. I am so pleased to be part of Hara’s Formula Entrepreneur network.
Hara is even busier but now with his Global Talent Visa, he can continue to be a leading talent, contribute and add value to the UK tech ecosystem by connecting his international networks to the UK tech sector.
I have no doubt Hara will succeed in his plans and reach his dreams in the UK after persevering and never giving up. Because success after all is 99% persistence and 1% inspiration.
Find Hara on
Twitter @hara2_abdul
Linkedin Hara Two Abdul
www.livethego.com | Twitter @LiveTheGo
www.formulaentrepreneur.com | Twitter @FormulaEntrepr1
For more stories on how other recipients were unsuccessful in their applications for endorsement for the UK Global Talent Visa the first time, read Mofoluke Ayoola and Katie Carroll’s inspiring stories on how they overcame the same challenges and setbacks to make the best comebacks.
