Shaqeem Akbar-Downey grew up on the move. Basketball courts. Football fields. Long drives to games in other cities. Those early years shaped how he sees effort and growth. He learned quickly that showing up matters. So does finishing what you start.
He attended Sir Wilfred Laurier High School, balancing sports with school. After graduating, he attended St. Lawrence College, where he studied culinary arts and business management. It was an unusual mix, but it gave him both structure and creativity. He learned how systems work and how people move within them.
Today, Shaqeem works in marketing and advertising management. He partners with used-car dealerships to run campaigns that generate real leads. His focus is simple. Reach the right people. Track what happens next. Adjust when needed. His work is built on consistency, not guesswork.
Outside of business, he stays close to his roots. He spends time coaching and supporting youth basketball and football programs. He works with kids from the same neighborhoods he grew up in. He sees the same energy. The same challenges.
“Sometimes they just need direction,” he says. “Not a speech. Just structure.”
Through sports and mentorship, he helps young athletes build habits that last. Showing up on time. Listening. Staying focused when things get hard.
His story continues to move forward. From playing the game to teaching it. From learning structure to passing it on.
What inspires you on a daily basis?
What keeps me going is seeing progress in real time. That could be in business or with kids I train. I remember working with a young player who couldn’t finish a simple drill without stopping. After a few weeks of repetition, he completed the full set without breaking. That kind of change is real. It’s not talk. It’s effort showing up.
What first shaped your mindset around discipline and effort?
Sports did that early. Traveling for games showed me that there are different levels to everything. You play one team and feel confident, then the next weekend you face a stronger team and realize you need to step up. That gap teaches you quickly. You either adjust or you fall behind.
How do you inspire others without forcing it?
I don’t try to motivate people with speeches. I show them structure. For example, during training sessions, I keep things consistent. Same warm-up. Same expectations. Kids start to understand the rhythm. Once they see progress, they buy in on their own.
How do you build confidence in your ideas in business?
I test them. I don’t rely on feeling. If I think a campaign will work, I start small. One audience. One message. Then I watch what happens. If the response is strong, I build on it. If not, I adjust. Confidence comes from seeing results, not just believing in something.
What’s a risk you took that helped shape your path?
Focusing only on one type of client was a risk. Early on, I worked with different industries. Results were inconsistent. Once I narrowed in on used car dealerships, everything became clearer. I understood the patterns. That decision reduced variety but improved performance.
How do you handle moments when things don’t work?
I go back to basics. I look at what I can control. In one campaign, we had a lot of leads but no real conversations. Instead of changing everything, I checked the follow-up process. It turned out responses were delayed. Fixing that improved results without touching the campaign.
What role does routine play in your success?
Routine keeps things steady. I review performance at the same time every day. I track leads and responses. That repetition helps me spot changes quickly. It also keeps me focused when things get busy.
How do you help young athletes believe in themselves?
I give them small wins. I don’t start with big expectations. If a player struggles with a drill, I break it down. Once they complete a smaller version, confidence builds. Then we scale up. It’s the same approach I use in business.
What does success look like to you now?
It’s consistency. Seeing things work over time. In business, that means campaigns producing steady results. In coaching, it means kids showing up ready and focused.
What advice would you give someone trying to move forward in their own path?
Stay consistent. Don’t change direction every time something feels slow. Progress takes repetition. Focus on what works, even if it’s small, and build from there.
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