Fadi Ghandour’s Ten Rules for Being an Entrepreneur

by wamda, May 4, 2011

Fadi Ghandour, the founder and CEO of global logistics company Aramex, spoke at Startup Weekend Cairo about what it takes to make a successful entrepreneur in the long term. Here are his rules:

1. Think from day one that you are in it for the long term.

2. Have a good team. The first question I ask, as an angel investor is, “Who’s your team?”

3. Listen. An entrepreneur has to have the ability to listen more than he talks. Across industries as well.

4. Use your ecosystem. Learn from your peers and other businesses.

5. The question is not whether you will fail. It’s, how quickly will you fail?

6. Don’t be greedy. Sharing ownership of assets and the company with your team is important.

7. If you have a potential investor that talks about immediate returns, don’t let them invest in you. Good investors should think long term and be in it to build your company.

8. Copying and pasting is ok. Copy, paste, and innovate. You want to arabize, localize, or customize? It’s all ok. Most of the companies I’ve made have been copy and paste. But then we innovate. And I’m proud of that.

9. Don’t be shy. Pester people. As an investor, I don’t mind being pestered. Investors want to be pestered.

10. Always be concerned with the well-being of your community. It will sustain you.

Read more from Fadi on his blog or contact him at @fadig.