Shaqeem Akbar-Downey did not start his career in an office. He started it on courts and fields. Long before marketing dashboards and ad campaigns, his days were shaped by practices, road trips, and team huddles. Those early years helped form how he works, thinks, and leads today.
“I grew up playing basketball and football year-round,” Shaqeem says. “If I wasn’t at school, I was training or traveling to play another team.”
That constant movement exposed him to new cities, new people, and new expectations. It also taught him structure. Show up on time. Do your job. Support the team. Those lessons stayed with him.
Early Life Rooted in Sports and Discipline
Shaqeem played for multiple teams growing up. Travel was a normal part of life. Competing outside his home city showed him different levels of talent and preparation.
“You learn fast that effort matters,” he says. “Talent helps, but effort keeps you in the game.”
Sports gave him confidence, but they also gave him limits. Injuries, losses, and missed opportunities forced him to adjust. That mindset later helped him off the field.
Education That Built Practical Thinking
Shaqeem attended Sir Wilfred Laurier High School, where he balanced academics with athletics. After graduating, he enrolled at St. Lawrence College. His choice of study surprised some people. He focused on culinary arts and business management.
“I liked working with my hands, but I also wanted to understand how businesses run,” he explains. “That mix taught me how systems work.”
Culinary training sharpened his attention to detail. Business management gave him structure. Together, they shaped how he approaches problem-solving today.
Entering Marketing and Advertising Management
Shaqeem’s career path eventually led him into marketing and advertising management. He found his niche working with used car dealerships. It was not glamorous work. It was practical.
“Dealerships don’t need hype,” he says. “They need leads that turn into real conversations.”
Shaqeem began partnering with major used car dealerships to run targeted marketing campaigns. His focus stayed narrow. Reach the right people. Track performance closely. Adjust quickly.
He built campaigns that consistently delivered qualified leads. Over time, those leads turned into closed deals. His reputation grew because he paid attention to results, not promises.
“I learned early that numbers tell the truth,” he says. “If something isn’t working, you can’t hide from it.”
Turning Ideas Into Action
Shaqeem’s strength is not just ideas. It is execution. He starts small and tests often.
“I don’t believe in launching big without proof,” he says. “One message. One audience. Then we see what happens.”
That approach mirrors his sports background. You study the opponent. You make adjustments. You keep moving.
His campaigns often draw from local context. Neighborhood language. Community timing. Familiar faces.
“People respond when things feel close to home,” he explains.
Giving Back Through Youth Sports Programs
Outside of work, Shaqeem Akbar-Downey remains deeply connected to youth basketball and football training programs. He volunteers with kids from the same neighborhoods he grew up in.
“I see myself in a lot of them,” he says. “Same energy. Same distractions. Same dreams.”
He uses sports as a teaching tool. Not just drills and plays, but habits. Showing up. Listening. Working through mistakes.
“Sports gave me structure when I needed it,” he says. “I want to pass that on.”
Lessons From Setbacks and Growth
Not every campaign worked. Shaqeem recalls an early failure in which leads looked strong on paper but failed in practice.
“The ads were clean, but the audience was wrong,” he says. “I didn’t ask enough questions at the start.”
That moment changed his process. He now spends more time understanding customers before launching anything.
“Good strategy starts with listening,” he says.
Building a Career With Purpose
Shaqeem Akbar-Downey’s career shows a steady progression. Athlete. Student. Marketer. Mentor. Each phase builds on the last.
He believes growth happens through repetition and honesty.
“Follow-up matters,” he says. “Most people quit too early.”
His days are still full. Campaign reviews in the morning. Strategy work in the afternoon. Youth training in the evenings. It is a rhythm he understands.
“I like staying busy,” he says. “Movement keeps me focused.”
Shaqeem’s story is not about shortcuts or overnight success. It is about applying lessons learned early and carrying them forward. From the court to the campaign plan, he continues to build ideas into action, one step at a time.
Pallavi Singal is the Vice President of Content at ztudium, where she leads innovative content strategies and oversees the development of high-impact editorial initiatives. With a strong background in digital media and a passion for storytelling, Pallavi plays a pivotal role in scaling the content operations for ztudium’s platforms, including Businessabc, Citiesabc, and IntelligentHQ, Wisdomia.ai, MStores, and many others. Her expertise spans content creation, SEO, and digital marketing, driving engagement and growth across multiple channels. Pallavi’s work is characterised by a keen insight into emerging trends in business, technologies like AI, blockchain, metaverse and others, and society, making her a trusted voice in the industry.
