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MOMENTS ALLOCATED FOR THE FAMILY ARE THE PRINCIPAL CONQUEST

FIRAS AL MSADDI believes the TIME SPENT WITH LOVED ONES is PRIMARY to all your Business Goals

Lots of potentially gifted Entrepreneurs never make it through their initial couple of years. Some underestimate outlays and miscalculate revenues, a lethal mixture. But some of the greats carry it for long and do it exceptionally well. Firas Al Msaddi is one such incredible entrepreneur who did it greater than people could have anticipated. Along with lots of other hurdles, cultural adoption of a city with diverse population and language barriers was quite challenging. Firas stood up to these challenges and create his trail of triumph and glory.

Edgy Team reached out to Firas and discussed with his journey his view on some aspects of life. Talking to Edgy Firas expressed his views on various aspects including his journey, his vision, and his opinions concerning a multicultural society.

Firas founded his real estate agency in 2009 at the age of 25. He wanted to create a company that serves its customers with complete integrity and upholds the highest ethical standards in the industry. Today, he takes pride in telling that fäm Properties employs more than 200 members of staff, with a

7,000 square foot Business Bay headquar- goals, you will still be satisfied because ness, the vision is to continue scaling and ters, and operates an additional 3,500 you know where you’re heading to, you growing all my companies based on the square feet of four other retail outlets. know why you’re patient, determined, unique tech abilities that we have and His Company has been recognized as and persevering because you’re going been investing in for the past 5-6 years the best top sales performing brokerage after goals that’ll make you happy. And in Dubai. And I think when it comes for Dubai Property Group since 2012 that itself drives the process a joyful to life, you know business is a big part and were recognized in the market process. Or makes the process easier of life definitely, but my priorities have as the highest perform- for you.” massively shifted between business and ing agent of Meraas for family over the past few years. 2017 and 2018. And for CHERISH AND VALUE Concerning his vision two consecutive years YOUR FAMILY. That’s and goals for the future And that’s why I advise every sevenrecognized by DLD as the highest transacting agency in Dubai. one side of the coin. The other side is to work hard, consistently he said, “In terms of busi- teen or eighteen-year-old person or Speaking of success Firas Al Msaddi said, “I believe success is not grow and build a better future for them and yourself. measured by the size of your goals or objectives, nor is it by the size of wealth or cars or whatever you have; it’s measured by how happy you are. When you’re not complaining, and your content, and you have that self-contentment, that is the ultimate success, in my opinion. And for sure, if you wanna be happy, it’s important to have goals in life. Otherwise, life is boring and empty. But those goals need to be goals that make you happy once they’re achieved. This way, during the process or hardship of reaching those DUBAI sets one of the most OUTSTANDING EXAMPLES FOR BLENDED CULTURES. Many people came from places and cultures that individual to work hard because, from twenty to don’t feature various thirty, that’s where you nationalities, relations, can do miracles and esand backgrounds. tablish yourself and build a foundation that will allow you to shift your priorities in the future. You know, I missed many weekends; maybe I missed seventy percent of my weekends in the first ten years of doing business in Dubai or starting my career in Dubai. But today, I’m not willing to trade one weekend with my kids and family for the world because I always tell myself that I’ve worked so hard that I can afford to have a peaceful weekend & holiday with my family. To get this, you need to make sure that you’re willing happily to share the outcome and the profit with others. I consider myself in the business of finding trustworthy people who are

ready and willing to put in the work and effort with me and get rewarded for it.

for this. Many people came from places and cultures that don’t feature various nationalities, relations, and backgrounds. About the business plans, he said, “Our But when they came to Dubai, it became 2025 vision for fäm properties is to a great school for them. We learned to build the largest-ever adapt and live with each real estate company in other, living together the region, continue I CHERISH EVERY- peacefully once a system investing in technolo- THING IN THE ARAB is in place. Dubai reflects gies and systems in the CULTURE, but it would the example. company, and maintain being an extremely client-centric organization and growing with our be about family if I had to pick one. Family ties in the Arabic culture In our company at fäm properties, we have over 50 nationalities holiday homes. I think are far stronger than in from all around the the entire industry is many other cultures. world, speaking 30-32 fresh in Dubai. Today, languages, and we’re fäm living runs properties for probably working happily together. I believe over 1.2 billion dirhams, and I think we it’s, in fact, the greatest edge that we have a long way to go with our holiday have as an organization. home business.”

Firas thinks cultural diversity is supporting element for any society. He said, “Yes, indeed, blended societies are a lot more tolerant for sure. I think Dubai sets one of the most outstanding examples Dubai has proven its long-term ability to attract foreign investors and new residents because of what they created in terms of the multicultural lifestyle. So the reason why people come worldwide to Dubai to live and do business

is that they know that despite what background they come from, they can still live and reside here happily. Long as it’s based on mutual respect, people have the freedom to live the way they like to live, long as they comply with the laws and regulations of the Emirate.”

He Said, “I cherish everything in the Arab culture, but it would be about family if I had to pick one. Family ties in the Arabic culture are far stronger than in many other cultures. I value the respect shown among family members, such as respect among elders, respect for those who have a broader knowledge of things, and mutual respect.”

Talking about his purpose of being on social media and the following he has attracted. He said, “I don’t have a huge following, and I don’t consider myself a social media influencer. I think this entire thing has started with social media becoming an essential part of the business. My role was to step up for my companies, my career and share all the professional, technical real estate knowledge with the rest of the world

via my social media platforms and know that it will attract those on the same frequency. I think we do business with people and you must expose your knowledge to others or the maximum number of people out there. So those who are interested in your services will come to you. I’ve always been against hiding information.

I think it’s not intelligent to hide information because if you want people to pay you respect or attention, or if you are in a position yourself as a go-to person or company for something you have to share with the world, what you know, so the world can come to you. And I believe social media made it very easy and handy. So, no. I’m an entrepreneur before being an influencer, but I don’t consider myself a social media influencer because that would include people who do ads commercial and paid ads. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I’m not there.”

I can take myself as an example; when I came to Dubai, I did not speak English. Even when I started the company, I didn’t have the fluency in English or the other resources that many other big companies, large players owned by competitors, other entrepreneurs that came from all around the world had. The fact that I did not have those resources created the biggest motive for me to work harder.

And to learn the language and do whatever it takes for me to succeed. And I think the same applies to my brother, Fateh, whose been leading the technology abilities at fäm properties since day one.

So again, what is the takeaway here? The difference is that, in general, Arab entrepreneurs have access to much lesser resources and experiences and maybe to a certain extent also education as compared to global entrepreneurs from the west, for example. As an Arab without having any resources and living in an environment that doesn’t provide those needed requirements, I think the journey is far more difficult than a talented entrepreneur who started from nothing but came from a background full of experience and resources, education, and knowledge.

Firas is married for thirteen years and blessed with twin girls and two boys. He said, “my family is my top priority. I don’t get to spend as much time as I want with them, but I’m far better than before; I had to compromise a lot to spend more quality time with them at the start of my journey. But now, I’m proud to say I’m a very committed husband and father. I’m also fortunate and well blessed to have my brother and our parents here. My sister also visits Dubai every six months, so we get to be complete. So yes, I’m a family man whose committed and close to my own small family, there being with my wife and kids as well as my brother, sister, and parents.

In the end, Firas left his message and he said, “Cherish and value your family. That’s one side of the coin. The other side is to work hard, consistently grow and build a better future for them and yourself. Because that’s what brings meaning to one’s success; sharing your outcome with those you care about the most. That is the ultimate achievement you can ever succeed in life.

Meaning to one’s success; SHARING YOUR OUTCOME with those you care about the most. That is the ULTIMATE ACHIEVEMENT you can ever succeed in life.