When Jhonathan David Shaikh arrived in Houston in the late ’90s, it wasn’t for college or career opportunities—it was for cancer treatment. Originally from Colombia, Shaikh first moved to Mexico City for treatment before ending up at MD Anderson Cancer Center and Texas Children’s Hospital. His early experiences living abroad inspired Shaikh, who pursued International Business Management and Finance degrees at University of Houston-Downtown (UHD).
He earned The Lucia La Madrid Cain Scholarship at UHD, which covered Shaikh’s tuition and enabled him to dive into campus life while still recovering from major treatments.
“I would go to the hospital, get my post bone marrow transplant treatment, hop on the light rail, go to classes at UHD during the day, and then at night I would either work at the student government association or at the O’Kane Theatre,” he recalled.
Shaikh credits Dr. Thomas Lyttle, founding director of the Theatre, for equipping him with many of the “impact” skills that have helped him thrive in the finance world: “Being on time, being prepared, speaking well, having stamina, standing by your word, knowing your lines—all these things are necessary in the professional world.” This experience further paid off when Shaikh started a podcast and fielded requests to start speaking at conferences.
Another of his most formative lessons at UHD came in a freshman English course. Dr. Michael Dressman, Professor Emeritus of English, returned a poorly written essay with the words, “The writing is not as precise as it needs to be for this level of the University,” it was a wake-up call. Far from discouraging him, the blunt feedback fueled his growth. “Had he not slapped me on the hand,” Shaikh noted, “I wouldn't have realized how much I needed to improve.” That early critique reshaped his understanding of excellence—not as something that happens to you, but as something you earn through deliberate effort.
It wasn’t easy breaking into the industry without connections. After graduation, Shaikh first worked in banking as a bank teller before landing a position as a credit risk analyst—his first major professional leap. However, two projects from finance and finance strategy classes, taught by Dr. Charles Smith and Roger W. Darrt, helped him demonstrate proficiency in the technical knowledge needed for such a position. Shaikh evolved to becoming an international banking risk officer and international management consultant working at global institutions in New York City.
A few years later at age 27, he started a business. It grew rapidly but eventually failed. “I thought I had everything I needed to be a great business owner and leader. However, due to a high amount of immaturity and the lethal combination of youth, no money, and inexperience, I failed that company.”
This failure in conjunction with timely advice from a mentor motivated Shaikh to pursue an MBA. During his return to school, Shaikh traveled to China where he first encountered data science and artificial intelligence. Recognizing the potential there, he launched a podcast to interview industry experts and later enrolled in an intensive data science program in New York City while working full-time. With his newly built network in the city, he started a data science and consulting firm, Xabios Data.
Today, Shaikh works in the financial sector with a focus on banking, data analytics, and data science. He manages multi-unit and diverse teams spread out across the world. He also runs his consulting firm, speaks at international conferences, and, in a full-circle moment, teaches strategic management courses as a faculty fellow at UHD, teaching Strategic Management.
His advice to current students is grounded in both grit and gratitude: Don’t wait for the perfect opportunity. “Get involved. Don't wait for things to come to you. That's my advice. And yes, go through the pain and suffer. But I hope you do. I hope you go through hard times and suffer a little and gain experience—real experience, real value experience. And you come out of it a better person.”