Home: Washington, DC; Cairo. Age: Thirty-something, with energy like I’m still in my twenties. Profession: Entrepreneur. Organization: Private Portfolio of Ventures. Title: Founder / Strategic Director. Significant other: My wife, Janae, the grounding force in everything I do. Languages spoken: English, Arabic, conversational French.
Current project: Developing lifestyle-oriented ventures across real estate, wellness, and hospitality industries. Latest accomplishment: Launching a new business location in a new country. Latest contribution to others: Helped an aspiring entrepreneur structure their first business. What’s been your big (or biggest leap)? Restarting after losing a major business I built from the ground up. Hobbies: Weight training, architecture, exploring luxury design trends. Recent travel or adventure: The Red Sea coast, scouting potential development opportunities. Last book read: The Heart of Business, by Hubert Joly.
Moral compass: Would I respect myself five years from now for this decision? What is your greatest joy? Seeing my family safe, supported, and thriving because of what I’ve built. What is your greatest fear? Wasting potential or betraying my own standard. What is your guilty pleasure? A late-night snack while browsing luxury watches or cars online. What natural talent have you neglected? Drawing. I used to sketch structures and spaces with real passion. What occupation, other than your own, do you most admire? Surgeons, for their precision, calm under pressure, and decision-making. What is your favorite place (or way) to spend money? On assets that multiply value: real estate, relationships, or experiences. What is at the top of your bucket list? Build something global that blends business with philanthropy.
What book have you repeatedly read? Can’t Hurt Me, by David Goggins. What’s prominently featured on your home or office wall? A whiteboard full of ideas, key goals, and reminders. What’s the best advice you received growing up? Your word is your wealth. What’s the best advice you received in your career? Build systems, not just services. What is your go-to source of creative inspiration? Modern architecture, clean design and solo travel. What company or organization do you most admire? Any that blends innovation with values, like Patagonia. What world event has had the greatest influence on your life? The COVID pandemic, which ended one chapter and started a smarter one for me.
What is your big idea?
Bring personalization, clarity, and purpose to service-based industries.
What change are you working on to effect in your profession or field? Help people believe that their background doesn’t define their ceiling. What widely held belief do you reject? That you have to choose between doing good and doing well. What mega-trend most excites you? Lifestyle automation paired with human connection. What mega-trend most concerns you? Losing human connection in the rush to digitize everything.
Who would you like to spend an evening with, in heaven? My grandfather, to show him what I’ve built. As a kid, what did you first want to be when you grew up? An architect. I always saw potential in empty spaces. After your loved ones, what object would you first save from your burning home? External drives. They carry years of work, strategy, and creation. How would you choose to spend tomorrow, if you knew it was your last day on earth? With my wife and kids, off the grid, just being present. What advice would you give your younger self? Say “yes” sooner to what you know is right, and “no” faster to what isn’t. What day in your life would you choose to re-live? The day I chose to rebuild. It was painful but powerful. What period in your life would you do differently, if you could? My early twenties. I would have taken bolder, earlier leaps.
Personal mission: To build structures that support families, empower futures, and live beyond my lifetime. Personal motto: Vision over comfort. Favorite quote: “A father spends most of his life teaching the people he can’t live without how to live without him.” Desired epitaph: He built, he protected, he inspired.
