Luck Favors the Brave

The combination of continuous learning and hard work creates luck. Taseer Badar ’95 uses that formula to maintain and build a business empire that holds the record for being the most recognized on the Aggie 100, which honors the 100 fastest growing Aggie-owned companies.

The CEO and Chairman of ZT Corporate, a private equity firm with offices in Houston, New York, and Los Angeles that specializes in healthcare and automotive investments, was drawn to entrepreneurship when he started mowing lawns at the age of 8. Within six years, the number of lawns that he mowed weekly climbed to 40.

His zest for business continued when he enrolled at Texas A&M. The budding entrepreneur owned a toner cartridge business, which allowed him to save $250,000 by the time he graduated.

They’ll always remember getting their first loan for their first opportunity. That builds loyalty.

-Taseer Badar ’95
CEO and Chairman of ZT Corporate

After graduation, Badar worked briefly with Morgan Stanley Dean Witter in the company’s World Trade Center offices in New York City. In 1997, Badar returned to Houston to manage the financial assets of physicians who had recently completed medical school and residencies. He soon began assisting with their business plans and financing packages for their practices. “No one will remember if you bought and sold them Intel, and made them a few bucks,” he said. “They’ll always remember getting their first loan for their first opportunity. That builds loyalty.”

His company’s footprint in healthcare has expanded rapidly into dental centers, surgery centers, free standing emergency centers, hospitals, and in-home hospice. Badar remains committed to exploring every facet of his business, including dealing with patients, scheduling appointments, and co-payments. He also has entered the auto business, which is built around his passion for cars. The automotive portfolio, which operates under “ZT Motors,” currently has dealerships in Texas, Florida, and Georgia.

In addition to his portfolio focus, Badar is deeply committed to giving back through philanthropy and making a difference in the youth community. He is the founder of the Altus Foundation, which aids individuals and families in need, as well as ZT Baseball, a youth baseball league providing opportunities for youth through sports. Badar also serves as a National Trustee of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and is a Board Member of The Harris Center for Mental Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disability.

One of Badar’s most important insights is the value created by understanding what not to do. A few years ago, ZT Corporate entered the fast-food restaurant industry – and after experiencing what he described as a “debacle and distraction,” the businessman soon realized that his focus should remain on his company’s primary business areas. “We recognized we needed to stick to areas where we are experts. We were trying to diversify too broadly and do too many things – when your business is ‘wide and shallow,’ it can be very unstable waters where you may float,” he told students during his Mays Transformational Leader presentation. “However, when you focus in and go ‘narrow and deep,’ you really get to know your subject. There’s plenty of money to be made in your industry if you stick to those ideas and understand your business exceptionally well so you cannot be duplicated.”