Good morning {{first_name}},
You might have wondered when reading my newsletters or seeing me online:
Why am I here?
Why do I do what I do?
Who am I doing it for?
What’s my story?
Today, I’ll answer all of that so grab a coffee. This one’s going to be interesting.
How I got here
Age 6: Spent weekends and school holidays with my dad, going to his work. In the car, I asked endless questions (still do) and helped him out — it was a really fun, hands-on experience.
Age 13: Started working with him during summers. Around this time, I had a growing passion for tech and picked up cloud and IT skills that I could apply at his business. My dad was impressed by what I could do at that age.
Later: Tried web design but didn’t enjoy it. Then discovered graphic design on social media, and it clicked that’s what I do now.
The people around me
The people I’ve grown up around shaped a lot of who I am:
Most are self-employed or running their own thing.
My father built his business from scratch, faced failures, and always got back up.
My grandfather left school young, built a property portfolio, and even ran a business with my grandmother.
Seeing their work ethic and resilience has driven me to start young, take control of my path, and build experience early.
At 16, I run a business while going to school. Some might see it as boring or think I’m missing out that’s fine. By the time others are figuring things out in their early 20s, I’ll have years of experience behind me.
Why I document my journey
Track growth: Helps me see how far I’ve come.
Passion for content: Making newsletters and sharing knowledge is something I love.
Learning independence: Doing it teaches me I can achieve things without needing anyone’s approval.
Connection: Sharing my work with my grandparents keeps me grounded. My grandad often asks, “Did you write for Sunday?” and reads everything carefully. If something isn’t clear, he asks me to explain. It reminds me I have supporters who want me to succeed.
Why I never aimed for a 9–5
Everything I’ve experienced the people around me, the work I’ve seen, and documenting my journey has shaped my path.
I wanted to start young, take control, and gain real experience.
Documenting isn’t just about progress or teaching others it also keeps me connected to the people I care about.
This isn’t about saying everyone should start early. For me, it’s the best way to combine passion, growth, and connection while staying true to my path.
A few places you can read more about my journey
Over the past few years, a few articles have shared my story and my thoughts on entrepreneurship, creativity, and education:
Manchester Times: “Manchester Teen Shares His Journey and His Thoughts on Broken Education System”
Talks about my experience running MYS Designs while in school.
Highlights why I think traditional education often discourages risk-taking and following your passions.
Manchester World: “Turning Passion Into Profit: My Story of Founding a Design Business at 15”
Shares how I shifted from UI/web design to graphic design.
Explains how I grew my skills, launched my business, and built a client base with family support.
Talks about my goal of inspiring other teens to follow their passions.
DesignRush – Rapid Transit Logo:
I was a finalist for this design it was one of my most liked projects.
Shows that you never know who’s seeing your work and how recognition can come from anywhere.
These articles give extra insight into my work, my approach, and why I do what I do.
Talk Soon
Yousaf