Impact Story: Prince Khan

In 2024, Prince Khan is all about giving back.

“I really want this year to be about being involved in the community,” he says. “I do a lot of volunteer work with a lot of organizations, from youth to adults. Community is the foundation of who we are; for me, it’s about helping the people around me.”

Prince is uniquely qualified to help. He began his career in the small business space over 10 years ago. Ever since, his work has centred on small business operations and entrepreneurship, particularly in his current work as the Space Supervisor at the Brampton Entrepreneur Centre and as an Instructor at the University of Guelph-Humber.

When he heard about Rise, Prince knew it would be a good fit. “The whole reason I joined was because I really wanted to help people who were looking for a mentor, an advisor, or a sounding board – I knew I could be that for someone, and I find great comfort knowing that I’m able to help other people.”

For his first Rise mentorship, Prince was matched with Maheshi Wanasundara, a Rise client whose business, Musey, sells artisanal crafts made by Sri Lankan artists.

“Prince has a remarkable ability to listen deeply, making clients feel truly heard and understood,” says Maheshi, who nominated him for the Scotiabank Volunteer of the Year Award. “He’s never stingy with his time, always willing to go the extra mile to ensure Musey receives the guidance and support we need.”

Prince also speaks highly of his mentee. “Maheshi has been such an inspiration to work with,” he says. “She has really blossomed since our first meeting. Her financial literacy has improved, she’s finding more value for her marketing dollars, and she’s thinking of business growth. She has really impressed me!”

Volunteering with Rise has been a unique experience for Prince. “I’ve gone through times of depression and anxiety myself, and I understand that it’s really hard to talk to people about it,” he says. “With Rise, I’m able to be matched with someone who may be experiencing something very similar. I feel like I can give back to people experiencing the same barriers in their personal lives.”

When it comes to the decision to pursue entrepreneurship, Prince has some important words of advice: “I always tell my mentees and students that entrepreneurship is not easy. It’s not the easy way out. It’s really a quest to try and fulfill in your life,” he says. “But if you really care and deeply think that there’s an opportunity, then you should really consider it.”

With Prince’s year of giving back drawing to a close, what’s next?

“The next few years will be about how I can give back even more,” he says. “How can I be more involved in the community? I love being a part of people’s journeys – helping them to feel like they’ve accomplished something.”

Prince Khan was our 2024 Scotiabank Volunteer of the Year.