Week 3: Very Short Interview No. 1

Very Short Interview With Entrepreneur

The entrepreneur I had the privilege of interviewing was Nabil Shaker, owner of a restaurant and successful real estate company. He is originally from Cario, Egypt but currently lives in Tampa. My family and I visit his restaurant back at home all the time, the food and service is great. At only the age of 17 he left home and went out into the world with the search for new opportunity. Initially, he moved to Switzerland where he worked for a year as a bus boy at a restaurant - obviously this wasn't his aspiration, he knew he had more potential. Then him and his brother, only 19 at the time, moved to New Jersey and then Florida where they decided to buy their first property with the little to no money they had. They turned that first property into a local restaurant which is still profiting today - 21 years later. Now, Shaker owns several properties and his own real estate company, St. Mina Realty, as well as the restaurant that started it all. Shaker did not even complete his college degree and has worked many jobs and has done business in almost all forms. He is the wisest man I know when it comes to making executive or irrational decisions - all that make up an entrepreneur. What he knows you cannot learn from a textbook or a class, it is pure experience. 

Here's a deeper look into a part of the interview:

Jessica: "I just have a few questions for you, answer however you like. Here's the first question Mr. Shaker. What does it mean to be an entrepreneur to you? Was it different than what you expected?"

Shaker: "To me it means No limit and every day is an adventure of its own.. Like having a new puzzle every day Also it means being a leader is a positive way.  No one will follow you if you can't lead. I started so young that if I thought of what it would be like, this would have to be better than what I would have ever thought . What is different is Challenges are getting complicated and there are no more easy answers to them and most choices are not perfect."

Jessica: "Thank you. And is there anything that you wish you had been taught in school before setting out on your own path as an entrepreneur?"

Shaker: "To pick one write answer since all answers are correct and Patience. As a young entrepreneur I did not have the best patience. I knew what I wanted and would exhaust myself figuring out how to do it right and fast."

Jessica: "Ok, one last question. What has been your hardest challenge as an entrepreneur? Working all the time? Not having initial support? Moving your business towards a direction you did not know of? Do you regret anything?"

Shaker: "The Hardest challenge has been maintaining a balance between Blooming and growing successful business with it’s growth challenges and Fun Family life and it’s hard to resist activities."

Nabil Shaker is simply inspiring to me. I am 19 years old and I don't even know what I want to do with my life really and at only 17 he left home for good to set a new life of his own. And today he is very successful. If that is not risk than I do not know what is. A true entrepreneur.