Muhammad Komail Abbas

entrepreneur behind FindMyAdventure

Compiled from 1 recorded interview. Every statement below is drawn from the passage cited beside it.

Muhammad Komail Abbas is the chief executive officer and co-founder of FindMyAdventure (now GoZayaan). Abbas got a job at Standard Chartered Bank. He joined the bank's fast track graduate programme.

Early life and background

Abbas was born in Multan and later lived in Taxila, Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore. His father had a career in the army. [1]

Education

Abbas attended a school that he describes as the best time he has spent, and a school in Karachi. He applied to LUMS for engineering but ended up studying economics there. He graduated in 2015. He says he was the only person in his batch with a GPA under 3 to reach the Unilever final round. He became president of the LUMS Adventure Society. [1]

Career

Abbas got a job at Standard Chartered Bank. He joined the bank's fast track graduate programme. [1]

Abbas had an experience with the Alibaba Group in China. He says he started a discussion at home about leaving his job. He says his managers knew he was leaving. [1]

Khoj

Khoj was Abbas's first eco-tourism company, and he chose the name himself. He says he decided to focus the venture on eco-tourism. His first trip took about 14 people. [1]

FindMyAdventure

Abbas launched FindMyAdventure. The first company on paper for FindMyAdventure was registered under the name Khoj. He says the company started with about 10 operators. He says three of the group were also relatives. Abbas was assigned to handle operations. [1]

He says the starting capital was put in from their own pockets. He says the company presented itself as one that speaks to people politely and explains what hospitality means. He says he has data on about 3,200 to 3,300 hotels. [1]

Abbas says USAID launched a Covid relief fund, and on that basis he raised more money. He says he had raised a round of about $450,000. He says the deal took about three to four months to complete. [1]

Views

Abbas says FindMyAdventure should never have been purely an online travel player. He says there is no real tourism industry in Pakistan. He says that in Pakistan nobody talks about impact. He says most hotels know that walk-in customers can be sold to. [1]

Personal life

Abbas's brother was very supportive. He says the birth of his son brought him sudden clarity in life. He says it had been two weeks since he moved from Karachi to Islamabad. [1]

Timeline

2015
Graduated from LUMS with a degree in economics[1]

Appearances

DateTitleWhere
2022-11-18 The man who built Pakistan's tourism startup through COVID Thought Behind Things

Frequently asked questions

What company did Muhammad Komail Abbas found?

Muhammad Komail Abbas launched FindMyAdventure. The first company on paper for FindMyAdventure was registered under the name Khoj. Abbas was assigned to handle operations.[1]

Where did Muhammad Komail Abbas study?

Muhammad Komail Abbas applied to LUMS for engineering but ended up studying economics there. He graduated in 2015 and became president of the LUMS Adventure Society. He also attended a school in Karachi.[1]

Where is Muhammad Komail Abbas from?

Muhammad Komail Abbas was born in Multan. He later lived in Taxila, Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore.[1]

What was Khoj?

Khoj was the first eco-tourism company of Muhammad Komail Abbas. He chose the name himself. The first company on paper for FindMyAdventure was also registered under the name Khoj.[1]

Did Muhammad Komail Abbas work at Standard Chartered Bank?

Yes. Muhammad Komail Abbas got a job at Standard Chartered Bank and joined the bank's fast track graduate programme.[1]

What does Muhammad Komail Abbas say about tourism in Pakistan?

Muhammad Komail Abbas says there is no real tourism industry in Pakistan. He also says that in Pakistan nobody talks about impact. He says FindMyAdventure should never have been purely an online travel player.[1]

References

  1. The man who built Pakistan's tourism startup through COVID . Thought Behind Things , 2022-11-18.
Show the source passages (38 statements)
  1. He was born in Multan and later lived in Taxila, Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore. Born in Multan, one year Taxila, 6-7 years Islamabad, and then 20 years Karachi, jisme se beech mein 4 saal Lahore and now back in Islamabad.
  2. His father had a career in the army. end of the army career of my father
  3. He attended a school that he describes as the best time he has spent. Saint Mary's Academy ek hai, Lalazar, which will hamesha mere sabse, mere khayal mein dil ka sabse, sabse acha time tha jo maine guzara hai.
  4. He attended a school in Karachi. Karachi aur Karachi mein I went to the school called DA Public, which is Defence Authority Public School.
  5. He applied to LUMS for engineering but ended up studying economics there. apply engineering hi kiya tha LUMS mein but gaya law mein. I ended up doing economics.
  6. He graduated in 2015. So, so you graduated in 2015. Yes.
  7. He says he was the only person in his batch with a GPA under 3 to reach the Unilever final round. the only one in my batch under a 3 GPA to go to the Unilever final round as well.
  8. He became president of the LUMS Adventure Society. Adventure society thi LUMS ki. Usme maine, mujhe mere badon ne kaha tha ke yaar LUMS Adventure Society join kar lena. Woh join kar li thi, uska president ban gaya by the end of it.
  9. He says the problem with economics degrees lies with the students who pursue them, not the degree itself. the problem is not with the degree itself ya the coursework in it. I think the problem is with people pursuing it.
  10. He says what matters at university is what you learned, not what you studied. it's not about ke aapne padha kya hai, it's about ke yaar aapne seekha kya hai
  11. He joined Standard Chartered Bank's fast track graduate programme. So mera Standard Chartered mein hua tha in their fast track graduate program.
  12. He got a job at Standard Chartered Bank. Getting a job at Standard Chartered Bank
  13. He decided to focus the venture on eco-tourism. isme hum eco-tourism pe focus karenge
  14. His first trip took about 14 people. So I took my first trip for around 14 people.
  15. He chose the name Khoj. iska naam main rakha tha Khoj
  16. The first company on paper for FindMyAdventure was registered under the name Khoj. Even Find My Adventure ki jo pehli company on paper thi woh Khoj ke naam se thi.
  17. Khoj was his first eco-tourism company. Khoj: his first eco-tourism company
  18. He launched FindMyAdventure. The launch of FindMyAdventure
  19. He says the company started with about 10 operators. Literally I think we started with 10 operators
  20. He says three of the group were also relatives. hum mein se teen jo hain rishtedar bhi the
  21. Komail was assigned to handle operations. operations to Kumeil ko aate hain to Kumeil operations kar le ga
  22. He says the starting capital was put in from their own pockets. jo capital money hai na wo ek to jeb se dala tha aur dal diya tha in an account
  23. He says the company presented itself as one that speaks to people politely and explains what hospitality means. we are a company jo tameez se, achi tarah logon se baat kar ke un ko samjhati hai ke yaar hospitality kya hai
  24. He says he has data on about 3,200 to 3,300 hotels. mere paas takreeban I think data hai 3200 3300 hotels ka data hai
  25. He says USAID launched a Covid relief fund, and on that basis he raised more money. USAID ne ek Covid relief fund launch kar diya. Uss basis pe maine paisa aur utha liya.
  26. He says he had raised a round of about $450,000. maine ek chaar, saade chaar lakh dollar ka round raise karke rakh liya tha
  27. He says the deal took about three to four months to complete. it took us around November, December, January three months or four months maybe we we got done with the deal
  28. He had an experience with the Alibaba Group in China. Experience with the Alibaba Group in China
  29. He says he started a discussion at home about leaving his job. And that's when I started the discussion at home ke yaar main naukri chhorta hoon
  30. His managers knew he was leaving. ab to main chhor raha hoon to my managers knew it
  31. His brother was very supportive. Yaar my brother was very supportive
  32. He says the birth of his son brought him sudden clarity in life. right after my the birth of my my son wo overnight ek clarity aa gayi zindagi mein
  33. He says FindMyAdventure should never have been purely an online travel player. That is that is my biggest learning from Find My Adventure ke it it should have never been an online travel player
  34. He says there is no real tourism industry in Pakistan. Tourism mein toh industry exist hi nahi karti
  35. He says that in Pakistan nobody talks about impact. In Pakistan mein nobody talks about impact
  36. He says most hotels know that walk-in customers can be sold to. But 95% hotels aise hain ke literally unko pata hai ke walk-in customer bikta hai
  37. He says 2022 has been a bit of a disappointment. 2022 has been a bit of a disappointment
  38. He says it had been two weeks since he moved from Karachi to Islamabad. mujhe do hafte hue hain Karachi se Islamabad aaye hue