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Altaf Rehmani

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Altaf Rehmani

Projects Director

Redbytes Software

Altaf Rehmani is a member of:

- Expert

Can you briefly map for us on how you have scaled up the ladder?

I started my career with IT and was lucky to be in Hong kong straight out of college. That exposure taught me a few important things very quickly and that remained with me for years. The IT field is constantly changing and being aware about what is going on in the industry and the impact it has on consumers and businesses worldwide is what very IT professional be wary of.

Early days is a lot about learning, so keeping your head down and quickly becoming a master of your skill pays for the long term. Being good is no longer enough - you need to be better than people around you and also be able to fit into your company culture. After having spent more than a decade working for international firms, I decided to head back home to pursue my dream of starting on my own (Redbytes Software). Its been an exciting journey so far and in 3 years we are already a profitable and funded company.

What are the important career decisions that you have made along the way?

Learn, share and help others around you. Whether it is your colleague, your boss or your financier? What are their challenges? how can you help them look better? if you can help others in a big way - you are on your way to monumental success. Choosing to work on something that interests you, being adaptable and open to learning newer things is also equally important.

What have been the inflection points in your career?

Getting a break in HK, working in a professional environment. Being a part of Asian and global financial crisis (1997 and 2008), working with some exceptional talent and finally the decision to return to India to pursue my dream.

What different works are you doing in the present job as opposed to your previous one and why?

I am wearing various management heads and taking decisions that impact the business as a whole - at the same time ensuring that what we do is fun and of value to our customers. Not everyone gets to choose what one works on and I am blessed in that regard. We are working on educational apps for kids which are very different from financial services where I spent most of my career.

Where do you see yourself couple of years from now?

Leading one of the most innovative educational app companies, providing fun educational apps for toddlers and kids. 5 year from now - retire.

What are the important lessons you have learnt in your professional life?

Be honest and ethical in all your dealings. Learn from everyone around you and keep your ego in check at all times. Take time consciously to brand and take yourself from where you are to where you want to be, Success is all about smart work with the right network. So be exceptional, create wow products, brand yourself / your organization and network with the right people.

How has your profession today been different from the days when you started?

Working for someone and employing people are two extremes, both of which come with their own challenges. I did not make the decisions which shape the company's future. it was someone else's strategy and money. Now, I stand to lose if I don't get those things right.

What is your advice for someone who would like to start of today in the same domain as you are in?

The mobile domain is here to stay for the next decade as a part of the computing cycles we have seen in the past. There are lots of opportunities for young and fresh minds. The idea is to focus on niches and create a position for you through innovation and working on things slightly ahead of the curve exploiting the solution gaps in the market. Hard work, perseverance and the ability to take risks to pursue what you are passionate about is what I would advise to anyone looking for long term success.

What are some of the areas of specialization within the Mobile domain that you strongly recommend that you think will be the most sought after in future?

HTM5/CSS3 for sure if you are into business apps. Learning some of the popular frameworks like phone gap and titanium is going to be handy. Companies solving integration problems across various OS, enabling collaborative apps, turning traditional content into fun, interactive and engaging one.

How have certifications helped you in your professional life? Which certifications do you recommend for the readers?

Certifications are a good stamp to certify your credibility, but not an end game in them. At the end of the day - your skill/product/service has to help either consumers or businesses. Some of the top brilliant minds of our times did not even complete their formal education. Yourself belief and passion score more than your certificates.

Websites that you recommend for someone who want to excel in the Mobile space.

Gigaom, Techcrunch, Chrisbogan,Onstartups, Readwriteweb, Paulgraham

Books/ Authors that you recommend for someone who want to excel in the Mobile space.

Built to Last, Competing in a Flat World, Outliers, Business of iPhone and iPad Development, The Secret, Tony Robins, Robin Sharma.

Is there anything else we did not ask, you think is beneficial for a budding professional in this space?

I can be contacted on altafr@redbytes.in if I can be of any help to anyone. More than happy to share the lessons I have learnt in my career journey.