The purpose of this paper is to share the perspective of the founder and CEO of Edible Arrangements, Tariq Farid, while exploring the importance of life stories and authenticity to successful leadership and entrepreneurship.
The paper was based on a structured interview format. Tariq Farid's responses were used to guide and inform the discussion.
This paper presents the views of a successful Pakistani‐American. It found that a person's life stories and early socialization provide meaning and self‐awareness that are important to their success as a leader and an entrepreneur.
This paper offers the perspective of a CEO of a multinational corporation with first‐hand experience and knowledge of being a successful and innovative entrepreneur. His perspectives are valuable to the discussion on the influence of life stories, being authentic and the role of South Asian values and upbringing in honing leadership and entrepreneurship qualities.
