30 Best Business Leaders of the Year 2019 30 Best Business Leaders of the Year 2019 | Page 37

Priven Reddy: A Formidable Leader
What’s the best thing
that happened to you
recently? Either at work
or outside of it!
I flew abroad to acquire a
license to initiate and operate
my company in Estonia.
What other business
leaders do you look up to
and why?
Mark Zuckerberg is an American
technology entrepreneur. He
is known for co-founding and
leading Facebook. He also
co-founded and is a board
member of the solar sail
spacecraft development project
Breakthrough Starshot. He
launched Facebook from his
dormitory room in 2004, with
college roommates. His net
worth is estimated to be
$55.0 billion. In 2007 at age
23, he became the world’s
youngest self-made billionaire.
As of 2018, he is the only
person under 50 in the Forbes
10 richest people list and the
only one under 40 in the
Top 20 Billionaires list. Since
2010, Time magazine has
named Zuckerberg among
the 100 wealthiest and most
influential people in the world
as a part of its ‘Person of the
Year award’. In December
2016, Zuckerberg was ranked
10th on Forbes list of ‘The
World’s Most Powerful People’.
If you had one piece of
advice to someone just
starting out, what would
it be?
Follow these eight codes and
success will be inevitable:
• Code 1: Find your inner
drive and keep feeding it,
• Code 2: The biggest
opportunities are found
•
•
•
•
•
•
where things are the most
difficult,
Code 3: There’s no
substitute for hard work,
Code 4: Perseverance
always pays off,
Code 5: Don’t be afraid to
leave your comfort zone,
Code 6: Believe in your
product, always,
Code 7: Mindpower is real,
Code 8: Never stop
learning.
What do you think is the
most memorable moment
in your career?
The most memorable moment
was when I took my first
business flight overseas and
initiated the company abroad.
If not a business leader,
what else you wish to be?
It’s always been my dream to
be my own boss and that I have
achieved. I don’t see myself in
any other field.
What do you hope to
accomplish in the long
run?
I hope to expand the company,
create more job opportunities,
develop my staff, and maintain
the success of the business.
SR
Priven Reddy
Founder & CEO
Born in Chatsworth Kzn, Priven
Reddy , 37, faced challenges
at the age of 11 when his father
died and he had to go through a
tough upbringing that changed
prospects for further education.
Despite these challenges, he
managed to get a job and worked
as a car guard and waiter until he
figured he could solve problems
in the tech world. He has now
established six companies that
provide IT solutions in graphic
designing, app development,
artificial intelligence software,
cryptocurrency exchange,
transport solutions, and business
consultancy. The net worth of his
businesses has been reported to
be over four billion Rand.
Mr. Reddy believes in following
one’s passion, doing the difficult
things, hard work, perseverance,
courage, confidence,
maintaining a positive mental
attitude, and continuous learning.