Kareem Rahma: From 'Subway Takes' to Self-Made Success

The Genesis of Subway Takes

• 💡 Kareem Rahma, host of the viral web series Subway Takes, interviews people on the subway, eliciting strong opinions on low-stakes topics.
• 🎯 His interview style, often a 100% agreement or disagreement, encourages less timid expression of passionate opinions.
• 🚀 Beyond Subway Takes, Rahma also hosts 'Keep the Meter Running,' where he asks taxi drivers to take him to their favorite places.

A Lifelong Hustle and Financial Savvy

• 💰 Rahma has been working since age 14, holding various jobs from McDonald's to telemarketing and busboy roles.
• 📈 After moving to New York, he secured positions at Vice and The New York Times, but found desk jobs unfulfilling.
• 💡 He employed financial maneuvering, like flipping motorcycles bought with loans, to fund his education and create his own financial aid.
• 🧩 This entrepreneurial spirit extended to buying and selling items like jeans and iPhones, though not all ventures were successful, like the batch of ill-fitting jeans.

Embracing Identity and Career Pivots

• 🎭 Growing up in an immigrant family in Minnesota, Rahma felt pressure to assimilate, initially distancing himself from his Egyptian heritage.
• 🎨 He describes a period of trying to fit in, not following his early interests in comedy and filmmaking, which were not considered 'cool' in his youth.
• 🚀 At age 28, he began to develop his own taste and opinions, leading to an intense period of creative output.
• 🎤 In his early 30s, Rahma pivoted to pursue comedy, embracing it fully by introducing himself as a comedian from day one, rather than an 'aspiring' one.

The Entrepreneurial Path and Self-Acceptance

• 🏢 Rahma worked in digital media, including roles at Vice and The New York Times, and started his own media company, but felt he wasn't achieving wealth or fame as an entrepreneur.
• 🎭 He found self-acceptance in New York, realizing that embracing his identity, even as a 'loser,' was a path to authenticity and coolness.
• 🎶 He transitioned from making funny songs to more sincere music, aiming to create content with long-term audience appeal, moving away from ephemeral viral videos.
• 🌟 Rahma identifies as having ADHD, diagnosed as an adult, and manages it by staying extremely busy and utilizing his calendar as a structured list of diverse tasks.

Fatherhood and Future Pace

• 👶 Rahma became a father at 33, approaching parenthood with an improvisational, non-overthinking style, finding it a joy that has enhanced his life.
• 🎯 He has specific goals for his current projects, including reaching a million followers for Subway Takes and securing distribution for his feature film, before considering slowing down his prolific output.
• 🎤 He views himself as a 'neop baby' he created himself, bankrolling his own career through consulting work while pursuing comedy.