How Billionaire Tycoon & Fulham FC Owner Shahid Khan Become Successful

One of the richest men in the world and the richest person of Pakistani origin in the world. An estimated net worth of over $3.8 billion which is more than Donald Trump who has a net worth of $3.5 billion and Oprah Winfrey who has an estimated net worth of $2.9 billion. Shahid Khan or Shad Khan as he likes to be known is ranked 122nd in the Forbes 400 list of the richest Americans and is the 490th richest person in the world.

Khan made his money from automobile parts manufacturer Flex-N-Gate based in Urbana, Illinois and also the owner of American Football side Jacksonville Jaguars and England Premier League Football Club Fulham. The charismatic billionaire works hard to make sure he is on top of his game but he has faced his fair share of adversity and had to overcome many challenges. It hasn't always been easy for Shad Khan.

Born in a middle class family in Lahore, Pakistan while his family were involved in the construction business and his mother a now retired professor of maths. Shahid Khan as a child was exceptionally motivated and wanted to do well for himself. He wanted to succeed. He would do anything to succeed. Shad Khan saw education as a way out of Pakistan saw it as a way he could bring success to himself. So when he was 16 he was looking for colleges to attend. One of the colleges that stood out to him was in Illinois. He set of to America with only $500 and a dream.

"I wanted to study engineering. We researched and applied to a couple of schools. The first letter that came was from the University of Illinois and admitted. So there I went. "

It was difficult for Shahid when he got into Illinois because he was in a foreign country with foreign people and he was only 16. By the time he made it to America, the soles of his shoes were torn. Khan came to America in 1967. He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign while studying for a BSc in Industrial Engineering, he graduated in 1971. When he first came into the USA his first job was working as a dishwasher for $1.20/an hour. Khan was more than pleased with this wage because according to him this was more than what most people were earning in Pakistan. He also spent his first couple of nights in the local YMCA for $2 a night. It was pretty difficult for Shahid at first as he did have difficulty speaking the language but then again to be successful you have to be able to overcome any obstacles and challenges.

"That area had almost a centuries worst storm. A blizzard about 30 inches of snow. So the air traffic was shut for days. So when I got there I’d been travelling for several days. And they’d drop you off at night and you’d be looking at snow. And where do you go? So I went to a couple of places and finally winded up at the YMCA that night. And it was ‘Wow. This is really different.’ I kind of wasn’t expecting this. "

While at university he joined the Beta Theta Pi fraternity to mix in with as many different people as he could. Beta Theta Pi was a highly selective house that was compromised of largely white students and Khan was the first Pakistani student in the fraternity.

While he was studying at the University of Illinois, Khan was working at Flex-N-Gate, an automotive manufacturing company that specialised in making bumpers for cars and other car parts. This would be his first step in success. It was here he learned a lot of things about business and becoming a success. When he graduated he was hired as the engineering director for the company.

"Then I started engineering school which was hard, and then I’d be saying ‘I can make this kind of money without a degree why should I even be going to engineering school.’ But then you discover the good things of America, the social life. I pledged a fraternity and most of the guys had convertibles so I had to get a car which meant you need another job. You get on that American Dream very quickly. "

In 1978, he started his own company, Bumper Works which made car bumpers, he started the company from a $50,000 loan and the rest from his savings. This was the start of something big for Shad Khan. In 1980 he bought out Flex-N-Gate from his previous employers. He turned Flex-N-Gate into a massive company supplying most the big car manufacturers such as Toyota, Honda and Chrysler. Shad adopted some key philosophies into making Flex-N-Gate successful; continuous improvement and respect for people and employees. This is key to Khans success and one of his principles for a successful company.

Shad grew Flex-N-Gate to a billion dollar company, he employs over 12,500 employees and has over 48 plants in the US and other countries. Since his takeover he has grown the sales from $17 million to over $3 billion, which is truly spectacular and an outstanding result.

Taking over the NFL

After the success of his automotive company, Flex-N-Gate, Shad Khan wanted to expand his portfolio of companies and move into American Football. Khan was a big fan of the NFL. His first attempt to move into the NFL was in 2010, when he tried to acquire 60% of the St. Louis Rams however the minority shareholders, exercised a clause which matched any proposed big thus cancelling Khans' bid.

His second attempt at buying an NFL team came the next year in 2011, when he wanted to purchase the Jacksonville Jaguars from previous owner Wayne Weaver. Shad Khan purchased 100% of the share prices estimated to be worth $760 million, thus making Shad the first person of ethnic minority ever to purchase and own an NFL team.

At Jacksonville, Shahid is not just a typical owner and he doesn't just sit on the sidelines. He meets the fans, interacts with them and tries to 'sell' tickets. His charming and charismatic personality makes him a fan favourite at Jacksonville Jaguars.

Khan knows that the fans are the ones that make the team and even though Jacksonville are playing pretty disappointing but on a positive note there performance is improving and they are winning some games. Khan's philosophy on investing in his employees is still used in Jacksonville  as he has invested vastly in his teams locker room. In the locker rooms he has put in TV screens, swimming pools and spa baths, everything in which the team can relax after a hard game.

Shad Khan acknowledges the support and loyalty that the fans give him and he thanks each and every one of them. He promises to invest into the team and make the fans proud.

Khan had his few fair racial remarks and racism from fans because of him being a Muslim but this never put him off or deterred him.

Making his Mark on the Premier League

With the purchase of his NFL team, Khan further added to his portfolio of companies with the purchase of English Premier League side Fulham. In July 2013, Khan agreed to purchase Fulham from previous owner Muhamed Al Fayed for an estimated £200-£250 million although an official price was not disclosed.

"There were two sides, business and football. Business I understand. It was pretty obvious to me what we had to do. But the football side was like the Holy Grail."

Shahid Khan with Former Fulham owner Muhamed Al Fayed

 

 

 

 

Fulham is a football club based in Southwest London and they are currently in their 13th consecutive season in the top flight Premier League season. Fulham FC's ground, Craven Cottage is very historic as they have been playing their since 1896.

 

Khan plans to grow the club through a long term consistency plan.

 

When asked why he chose to buy clubs such as Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham he replied that it was fate and luck or 'kismet'.

 

 

Shahid Khan's Principles of Success

 

Shahid Khan has used many principles to bring success to himself and build a billion dollar empire. There are many key principles that Shad used to succeed in life and in business;

 

Persistence

He never gave up. In business you must have persistence, you will face challenges but like Shahid Khan you can overcome them and have to keep on going. Khan faced many adversities and challenges such as moving to a completely foreign country or not having enough money but he learned to overcome them and change them to success.

 

Believe In Yourself

 

He always had belief in himself even when times got hard, he never gave up believing. He realised that If your not going to believe in yourself then no-one is. To succeed you have to believe in yourself even when the going goes tough and people say you can't do it, you have to prove them wrong.

Continuously Improving

This is something Khan believed in a lot. He believed you had to continually improve yourself and your staff. He believed that without continually improving yourself or others that worked for you, you wouldn't become successful. This is something that was made famous by automotive manufacturer Toyota and their philosophy 'Kaizen' which is Japanese for improvement.  

Invest in your Employees

Employees are key to any business. They are the backbone of any company so it is important to look after them and invest into them. Shahid Khan knew it was important to invest into his employees, that is one of the reasons he became so successful.

 

 

Khan gives back  to charity and also back to the community. He has gave a lot of money to the university that expected him while also paying for a tennis center and donating to the entire athletics department. He also lends his plane to them for recruitment purposes. He has donated more than $1 million to the YMCA, the place that first sheltered him when he came to the United States.

 

Shahid Khan's success story is truly extraordinary and inspiring and is truly a motivating story for any entrepreneur. But if you really want something badly, then nothing is impossible to achieve.



10 Traits of Ultra Successful People and How to implement them

Have you wondered about the traits you need to be successful? The answer for the most part depends on the kind of work you do, but the one trait that we all need to get ahead and work effectively is trustworthiness. Being trustworthy is not so much from a personal perspective, but being perceived as trustworthy. You can be the most honest, reliable and hardworking person at your workplace, but it does you no good if no one else notices it. When people around don’t see you as being trustworthy, you forfeit the latitude to take risks, and do thinks your own way, which is one of the common traits of today’s successful entrepreneurs. 

Steve Jobs : Founder of the technology giant Apple

Success is something that we all wish we had, but unfortunately is not that easy to attain. What makes success so special is probably its relative elusiveness, which only seems to reach a handful of people. These people weren’t born with a golden spoon, but have worked their way up from the bottom to get to where they are today. The only time luck may be the reason for your success is when you are at the right place at the right time, which doesn’t happen too often.

To be successful requires hard work and certain traits that literally guarantee your prosperity. The best way to gauge if you have what it takes is to peruse the traits of ultra successful people, and the sooner you adopt these habits, the faster you will reach success.

      1.            Successful people are Workaholics

Successful people are determined to reach their goals, and understand that they can only be achieved through hard work and dedication. They work by the rule; input equals output. Rather than depending on luck, they use their determination and skills to their full potential. Work is probably the biggest part of their life, even if they have to sacrifice a few nights sleep; they do it with a smile because they know that there is success at the end of the road. They never complain or bicker, but rather focus on things that matter to them the most, and that is exploring new heights of success.

Cristiano Ronaldo : One of the most highest paid and successful football players for Real Madrid

     2.            Successful people never stop Learning

Most people hate exploring new things or simply give up at the first inconvenience, but that’s not how successful people do things. Rather than being narrow minded, successful people are always ready to learn new things, and ask questions to get all the information they need. They are hungry for more information, because they regard it as the backbone of success. The rule is that the more you know, the easier things are to do, and hence they want to learn anything and everything.

     3.            They Build great Networks

Like the saying goes “your network is your net worth”, successful people don’t believe that they have to be the star of the party, but rather are the most silent ones around. This is because they analyze the situation, and still manage to make headlines for all the right reasons. They are constantly involved in the process of exchanging information and are more interested in what others do, rather than their name and phone number. Successful people have an extensive list of people who value them, and in today’s world, it’s who you know and what they can do for you that matters the most.

     4.            Successful People work hard to Improve themselves

Successful individuals are always seeking new ways to improve their lifestyle. Aspects such as their personality, management and leadership skills as well as the other finer details of life are on the top of their list. It’s a learning curve that they never want to get rid of.

     5.            They are Extremely Creative

Unlike most people that accept everything that’s thrown at them and don’t like changes, successful individuals definitely walk into the room with whole new mindset. They ask questions such as “why not”, which brings out their curious side and are looking for new opportunities and possibilities. This is the reason why most new innovations are created by successful people, who are then recognized for it.

     6.            They are Responsible and Reliant

Even if they fail, successful people will gladly take responsibility for their actions, because they know that you can only fail so many times before you reach success. Other people in the same scenario will look for the book of excuses or shift the blame to others, and that is why they are not and never will be close to reaching success unless they drop that attitude. On the contrary, successful people don’t waste time complaining and bickering, but instead use the same time to improve and succeed at the next round.

Multi-Billionaire Donald Trump

     7.            Successful People are always Relaxed

No matter what the weather is or how stressful the environment, successful people know how to maintain their calm. They still manage to breathe easy, keep their cool, and ask questions with the right mind. They don’t let their emotions take over their determination, and this is the sole reason why successful people are the best problem solvers on the planet.

    8.            Successful People don’t know Past Tense

Successful people regard the past as a trial and error period and learn from their mistake and are only looking to improve. They understand that the present is where their future lies, and crying over spilt milk is not going to solve their current day problems. They are interested in what’s going on now, and not what happened yesterday, because they can’t recover lost times.

     9.            Successful people are extremely Responsive

When changes with regards to technology or a new competitor are needed, you will notice that successful people are the first ones to respond. They do not procrastinate on important decisions, but make them at the spur of the moment. This is because they understand that time is of the essence, and being a minute late can make a significant impact on others.

 They do not have the Word Quit in their Vocabulary

Successful People vs Unsuccessful People

Say the word “Quit” around a successful person and they’ll probably laugh hysterically, because it is probably one of the things they have never done. Moreover, they love challenges, and are willing to sacrifice anything and everything to overcome them. Their goal is to be the best and top the list because that’s where they see themselves.

These are some of the traits needed to be successful, and although you don’t need all of them, the more you possess, the closer you are to a bright future.

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7 Things You Can Learn From Highly Successful People

Feels good, doesn't it?

  

Success. Many people want it but the fact of the matter is that not many people achieve it. Most people do not know the traits that are required to become successful neither do they want it hard enough. Successful people want success more than anything and they will do anything it takes to achieve it, they will not make excuses, they will just do it.

In this article we will list the different things that successful people do and the things you can learn from these highly successful people. Be sure to implement the things these successful people do because it will make your life more fulfilling and much more productive. Lets get started:

7. Never Give Up

Successful people never ever give up. Whenever they are faced with obstacles they surpass them and remove all barriers. Even when faced with failure or rejection, they never give up. Famous failures include Walt Disney who got fired from a newspaper firm for lacking imagination and having no original ideas. Kind of ironic, isn't it? He went on to revolutionise the American animation industry and created a billion dollar empire. Learn from Michael Jordan's quote, "I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed"






6. Always be Learning

This is a very important one in my opinion. Most people think if they get to a certain stage in their life, they will stop learning. But learning is a lifelong process. It doesn't matter if your 6 years of age or 60, you should always be learning. Ask any successful person and they will tell you they are continuously learning and trying to improve themselves. Learning and improving can be done in many ways, through books, audio tapes, seminars, videos, magazines, etc.


5. They dream BIG

They have big dreams and do not settle for anything else. They make sure thy get what they set out to get. If they want something, they will get it. And you have to adapt the same philosophy. Back in 1976, a much younger Arnold Schwarzenegger was doing an interview for his movie 'Stay Hungry' , when a journalist asks him what he plans to do now that he has retired from bodybuilding. His reply, "I’m going to be the number-one box-office star in all of Hollywood.” Now back then this idea was farfetched. Here's a man who is not originally from America and has an accent. But he went on to become an International action superstar with hits such as The Terminator and Predator. Here's a clip of a guy doing his best Schwarzenegger impression.

 

 

 

4. Always Positive

 

They always stay positive. No Matter how bad it gets, successful people always stay positive because they know that it will get better for them and a bad situation is only temporary. Staying positive helps you worry less about the bad stuff and start getting more productive and actually taking action. A wise basketball player once said "Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation", that wise basketball player was Michael Jordan.

 

 

 

 

3. Take Action

 

Taking action means actually doing something and working. That means whatever you are working on it gets done. That is what Taking action is. Without taking any action, you would not get anything done and stay unproductive. Action is necessary. Do not procrastinate as this is one of the WORST things you can do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Break the Rules

 

Now this doesn't mean break the law or do anything that would get you detained and arrested, it means don't do the normal and make sure you do different things. Follow what Tim Ferriss author of The Four Hour Workweek does and go against the norm. Do something completely different and break all the rules. If you want to be successful, you are going to have to not do what everyone else does and do something else.

 

 

 

 

 

1.Passion

 

You will need to be very passionate about whatever it is you do. Passion is a sense of love for what you do. So if you are not passionate about something, there isn't no real point of doing it. Successful people are always very passionate. Successful people who are passionate include; Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, J.K Rowling, Will Smith and Oprah Finery among many, many others. Steve Jobs explains why you need passion better in this short video;

 

 

 

 

So there you have it! You can learn many things from successful people and can improve and better both your business and yourself if you follow these simple steps and take away the lessons learnt from this article. We hope you appreciate this article and trust you to share the article to your friends and family via Twitter, Facebook or the many other social networking sites.

 

Do you agree with the tips contain in this article? Do you have any of your own tips? Maybe you have a question? Type away in the comment section below!