Missed Teen Experiences of Asif Ali Gohar

Developing a new product and growing a business has large effects on any life, and in this case, Asif Ali Gohar has missed out on many typical teen experiences as he started his business in a high school class. In today’s interview we discuss what he missed, how it affected him, and any suggestions he has for others following in his footsteps.

Are there any teen experiences that you feel you missed while completing this project?

I think that I did miss out on some, there were many nights that I didn’t go the sporting events or dances, or times that I was unable to spend with my friends as I worked on developing my business. It was important to me to get a good start on the idea, but as it began to snowball into something more, I did miss out on some activities and events.

Do you think that missing those affected your friendships during those years?

I do think that I was unable to build as strong of friendships as I could have if I had attended more school events and spent more time just being with my friends. They played games and went places that I didn’t, and they became closer to each other while I was working. I did still have good friends and strong relationships, we just didn’t spend as much time together, had fewer inside jokes, and eventually they invited me to fewer gatherings.

Are there any that you have been able to enjoy since then?

I have spent some nights eating pizza and watching TV or a movie with my friends, we follow some of the same TV shows and sports teams so we talk about those. I haven’t replaced any of the dances that I missed or the school events, but perhaps I will attend those from the perspective of a parent one day. I think that I did get the most out of my teenage years and that I have been able to maintain the most important friendships from that time.

How do you suggest that other entrepreneurs avoid missing out on things or deal with that disappointment?

I think that you just approach it as a tradeoff. You are not missing everything, you are sacrificing some experiences in order to gain others. The experience that you are gaining is one that fewer people will have, and it will offer you different advantages as an adult. 

Did these missed experiences affect your adulthood and relationships?

I do think that it affected my adult relationships, I do not have a strong bond with those I went to school with. However, I do have many experiences that have affected my life and have changed my adulthood in the better. I would not trade my current success or my knowledge simply to have better friends in high school. I also had to learn how to form and support friendships in nontraditional ways, without the built in events and socialization that schools support. These are skills that have helped me to learn how to make friends outside of the environment that I am in each day, or to work with my coworkers and collegues to build friendships with people I may not otherwise be friends with.