Good question. I launched my business in Lebanon in 2017 and had my fair share of ups and downs with excellent growth in the first few years, but also bad turns with the Lebanese financial crisis, covid lockdowns, and the Beirut explosion. Today I am in the process of scaling Sikasok in the region via our new base in Dubai. In parallel I am also focused on optimizing the business internally. I am learning to automate, delegate, create a structure that can strive with or without me. This will be a good foundation to prepare for a potential exit soon. I also soft-launched my 2nd business in Dubai, Qudra LLC www.qudra.me, a couple of months ago. It's in the corporate training space, mostly focused on soft/people skills. Basically we are redifining the way companies approach their staff trainings by offering expert-led short online sessions, in-person gamified workshops, and bytesized e-learning modules. I lead the content part, crafting the curriculum and matching each topic with the right expert. I think the key to unlock my next level is to grow my network of likeminded people in the region in general, and Dubai specifically.

So after playing with Dana Hourani at the 1833 live session in Lulu & the Beanstalk, I spent the night interacting with some of the attendees. My wife was also there, and got to do it even more as I was busy with the performance for a big part of the night. I loved the vibe and the diversity of the people, so after the concert I looked a bit more into it. I checked the different events you plan, and felt that it aligns with my interests. I also loved meeting and working with Sultan. I liked his mini speech at the beginning of the event and the vision he has for the club. The way I would use my membership would be community-driven. I am definitely interested in the actual events (concerts, masterclasses, trips, etc) that take place, but I am more interested in meeting the people I will get to share those events with. I am curious to see how the members express their creativity. I would love to hear their stories, learn from them, and help them with my experience. Such exchanges always energize me when done with the right / likeminded people, and I feel 1833 can be the right community for me.

Creativity is a big part of my day to day, both at work (www.sikasok.com) and beyond. The nature of my business requires a lot of creativity by designing socks that promote cultural heritage and make a statement, and it goes beyond the product itself. Wearing funky socks is still untapped in the region, and unusual for many. This means that we have to find creative ways of selling, and it's working. We've created custom socks to all sorts of businesses from diverse industries: Microsoft, Talabat, Heineken, Johnny Walker, Total, Exotica, Sarwa, Washmen, and hundreds more. And the reason I was able to sell custom funky socks to all these companies is finding creative ways of delivering and expressing their values, in a language that is more adapted to today's world, and focused on community. Besides work, I am a pianist and music composer. I've been playing the piano for the past 23 years, composing modern-classical pieces inspired by the likes of Ludovico Einaudi, Yann Tiersen, Olafur Arnalds, etc. I am also the pianist and tour manager of Dana Hourani. That's how I got to know about 1833 club actually, I was in touch with Sultan to prepare for Dana's gig at Lulu & the Beanstalk on Apr 27th, played the piano that night, and stayed for the evening - loved the vibe. I also love to find creative ways to challenge myself and step outside my comfort zone. From running a marathon to couchsurfing (sleeping at locals (strangers) when travelling), to learning a new language, and constantly audit my lifestyle and improve. It's obiously not perfect, but I do love the creative process that comes with structuring these challenges, auditing them, refining them, find new ones, etc. I think it's more creative than people think, and I find it more fun when I approach it that way.