Chairman & CEO of Floward gives keynote speech at American United School Graduation Ceremony

"I stand before you today not as someone who was born with extraordinary talent, rather I am an individual who grew up from humble beginnings, who was neither the best nor the worst at anything, who pursued interests that were perhaps all too common early in childhood life. But I want to share with you a simple yet powerful revelation I had: while it's possible to earn love and respect being average, to truly make a dent and leave a mark, to stand out and positively impact communities we live, mastering a trade and embracing your passion is a cornerstone for the legacy you want to leave behind you.

There have been moments in my life when I realized the true depth of this idea. It was when I embarked on the journey of memorizing parts of the Quran, an endeavor that demanded discipline and commitment. There's a certain exhilaration, a sense of gratification, in achieving mastery over a chosen path. And it was in that moment, I realized the value of hard work and how it feels to be great at something.

These moments of realization didn't stop there. I felt it again when I excelled in math class, a subject often viewed with dread, and was recognized several times by the best math teacher I’ve ever come across. I tasted it again when I started devouring Arabic literature and later began writing my own poetry that is still cited by my Arabic high school teacher. These moments taught me the importance of diving deep into my passions, of not being afraid to follow my interests no matter how common or mundane they might seem.

As I journeyed into higher education, I found myself falling in love with the world of ecommerce and only excelled in this subject along with math. After college, I was intrigued by the world of finance and in a very short period of time, I educated myself, practiced in smaller roles and was later employed by the best private equity house in Kuwait. It might seem like an unlikely intersection, but it's at this crossroad that I found my calling. I dove headfirst into the entrepreneurial world, and before I knew it, Talabat happened. That experience led me to pursue my MBA at the London Business School. Today I find myself with amazing partners at Floward, arguably the best gifting platform the world has ever seen and at a culmination of all my past experiences, still learning and growing every day.

Looking back, you might think that these moments in my life were random, disjointed, but in truth, they were anything but. We are the sum of all our experiences, and it's these seemingly random events that shape us into the individuals we become.

So, what was it that drove me to strive for excellence in these different areas and stops of my life?

Firstly, it was the power of the subconscious mind. Your environment, the way you're nurtured, has a profound impact on your thought-process and decisions in life. Secondly, it was peer pressure. But not the kind you're thinking of, rather it was the positive kind - from family and friends, from team members who naturally pushed me to elevate my learnings and performance. And lastly, it was my insatiable curiosity that kept me pushing forward, that kept me learning and growing until this day.

As you embark on your next adventure, remember, it's okay to be average. It's okay to have common interests. But never forget to strive for more, to strive for excellence because one day you will find your calling and pursue your passion. The power of perseverance, of hard work, and curiosity, can turn the most ordinary journey into an extraordinary one."