Issue Three | Page 46

@mechanigo NAVEED KHILJIE CALGARY ENTREPRENEUR PHOTGRAPHY BY PROfolio When I think back to being young and in school, I was a good academic student, but I made some poor decisions that changed the course of my life. I hung out with friends and didn’t go to school as much as I should (laughs). Sometimes I wish I could go back and change all the things I did wrong, but really these days I don’t take it as such a bad thing anymore. All those experiences made me the man I am today and I'm thriving. So I dropped out in high school at 16 years old. My Father didn’t want me off track of course. He gave me two choices; either go back to school or work in the trade industry in the automotive sector, like my Grandfather and my Uncle. My Father encouragingly got me my first set of tools and a tool box. My parents have always been my greatest supporter and wanted the best for me. So that's where it began. I started working for a taxi company in the mechanic shop. I worked there for one year and made good money. As a 16 year old, I was making more than $2000 a month which was amazing but a lot of hard work at a young age in Calgary. I developed a deep interest in it. I always love challenges and this industry brings a lot of challenges and technicalities. I have worked at many different mechanic specialty shops. I take every one of them as my education. I learn every single day without even thinking. We as humans don’t take life experiences as qualifications so I went back to school to complete my education out of necessity to move forward. I sure have been through a lot in life. In April 25 2009 I almost died. I got jumped by some people not knowing why. I thank God that a couple of my friends were nearby and got me to the hospital in time otherwise I could have seriously died. Read more of his story on out site. 42 | I'M HERE WITH