Roberto Masud

With a lifelong career in international and commercial corporate law, Roberto Masud has pivoted his career and expertise to his newly launched business venture as a Strategic Advisory Firm based in London. As the owner and founder of Masud International Limited, Roberto utilizes his skills to analyze complex data, identify patterns, and develop business challenge solutions required for clients. The firm specializes in cross-border financial transactions, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, venture capital, company formations, corporate governance, and other related services.

Roberto Masud began his career training at the University of Miami with a major in finance and accounting. He continued his education at the University of Miami with an M.B.A. concentrating in finance. He furthered his education in law attending the Boston University School of Law where he achieved his Juris Doctorate degree (JD). He continued his education when he attended four years of training at the Program on Negotiation residency at Harvard Law School and immersed himself in the study of international negotiations.

Despite his ongoing success, Roberto understands the importance of work/life balance. Outside of work, Roberto enjoys traveling and learning about new cultures. One of his interests is as an enchanting magician. He also challenges himself at a good game of golf.

What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?

My typical day consists of several activities and strategies that make my day more productive. I often have many tasks on my to-do list, so it’s essential that I prioritize. Time management is critical. Networking and building relationships with potential partners and customers is also vital. I try to do that as much as I can. I try to set aside some time each day to connect with others. Learning and continued growth are also essential. I must continually learn and stay up-to-date with industry trends and developments. I try to dedicate some time each week to reading books and attending webinars or industry events.

How do you bring ideas to life?

I bring ideas to life by brainstorming, problem solving, and exploring new possibilities. The goal is to come up with something that is unique, viable, and can solve a problem or meet a need. Once an idea has been generated, it is important to validate the idea by conducting research and planning. Once the idea is validated, the next step is to develop a detailed plan for how to bring it to life by executing the process of implementing the idea.

What’s one trend that excites you?

The trend that excites me is artificial intelligence or AI. One of the most exciting aspects of AI has the potential to transform the way that we live and work. AI has the ability to analyze vast amounts of data and make predictions and decisions based on that data. It can also automate routine tasks and frees us up to focus on more creative and strategic work. Another exciting aspect would be the potential to drive innovation and new discoveries in a variety of fields like finance, healthcare, and transportation.

What is one habit that helps you be productive?

Prioritizing tasks and focusing on the most important ones is the best habit to focus on as an entrepreneur. This involves the regular assessment of tax tasks and determining which ones are the most urgent or important and align with my overall goals.

What advice would you give your younger self?

There are several words of wisdom I would convey to my younger self. First, be confident in who you are. Don’t try to become someone that you’re not just to fit in or impress others. Next, take care of your physical and mental health and build strong relationships. Invest time and effort in building and maintaining positive relationships with family, friends, and romantic partners. Last, pursue your passions, explore your interests, and pursue the activities that bring you joy and fulfillment.

Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?

How about climate change? There are a lot of people that believe climate change is caused by human activities such as burning, fossil fuels and deforestation and such. Despite the overwhelming evidence, a lot of people continue to deny or downplay the role of human activity and climate change.

What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?

Learn from your failures and mistakes. We see failures and setbacks as something to be ashamed of or avoided, but it is really an opportunity to gain experience and improve.

When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?

The idea for the launch of Masud International came from a combination of factors. It was the market demands for strategic advisory, and a desire to provide specialized expertise and guidance to businesses, organizations, governments, startups, and industry leaders.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?

One very important strategy to help an advisor or consultant to grow their business is to provide exceptional customer service. Happy customers are more likely to become repeat customers and recommend my business to others.

What is one failure in your career,  how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?

One common failure that I made is not conducting thorough market research before launching a product or a service. This has resulted in a lack of understanding of the target audience or poorly designed service and ultimately a failure to attract customers. I overcame that issue by placing a strong emphasis on market research to understand the target audience’s needs, preferences, and behaviors.

What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?

I think that social media management is something that is cool. It is really important because of the rise of social media management services. This business would involve managing and creating content for clients, social media accounts, analyzing data and performance and implementing strategies to increase engagement amongst the followers of that content. I used to retain a firm to do that for me, and I think it is a really cool idea. They did a really excellent job. It is valuable for entrepreneurs these days for sure.

What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?

I would have to say Trello. Trello is a web-based project management tool that allows users to create boards and lists and cards to organize and collaborate with others. They can be used for personal productivity, or team collaboration. It is a great tool for managing workflows and prioritizing tasks and staying organized.

Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?

I would recommend The Lean Startup by Eric Ries. The book introduces the concept of lean startup methodology which is focused on developing and launching new products or services quickly and efficiently. It uses the process of continuous experimentation and feedback. It’s been the book widely praised for its clear and actionable insight and has become a popular guide for entrepreneurs and business leaders seeking to innovate and grow their companies.

What’s your favorite quote?

I have two favorite quotes. The first one is “Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.” That was said by Winston Churchill. And the second one is “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” And that was said by Mahatma Gandhi.

Key learnings:

• Being flexible when pivoting your career can be extremely rewarding.
• Maintaining specialized expertise and integrity with the services you provide will keep your business in high demand.
• Time management is critical for an entrepreneur.