A Story on how NOT to do business.
عربي https://www.ISaidNONS.com
Hi!
My name is Eduardo and this is the story on how I ruined my big chance of doing business with the great Naguib Sawiris.
Come and learn how NOT to act in business.
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The following story is the central chapter of the book I wrote inspired by a business conference I was invited to give right after meeting engineer Naguib Sawiris.
I hope you like it!
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**I Said NO to Naguib Sawiris. Twice!**
In this section, I’ll share a couple of stories from my business ventures that taught me valuable lessons. I’ll use these lines to reaffirm the importance of nurturing ideas through imagination, emphasizing even more by inviting readers to take this practice to the point of obsession to generate business opportunities.
The first is very recent, from a few months ago in 2025, though it began a year earlier, in April 2024, when I acquired the usage rights to a registered brand with some interesting history in Mexico.
It’s a brand once used in Mexico by an iconic global hospitality company that, for some reason, became available for purchase. I was the one who had the chance to acquire it, knowing that not only the company I mentioned but at least two other individuals in Mexico were (and are) trying to reclaim it and I bought it intending to negotiate with interested parties or develop it myself if the conditions weren’t right.
So, in April 2024, I acquired it, and by September, it was duly registered. During this six months between the application and registration confirmation with the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), my curiosity led me to research the brand’s history beyond Mexico, and what happened was pleasantly surprising.
When I saw the brand in the United States, I was thrilled.
Then I found it in Hong Kong and my surprise grew.
By the time I reached India, it was clear that investing in the brand was a great decision.
But when I discovered what was happening with the brand in Egypt and its future plans, I simply went crazy.
I was completely captivated by the sophistication with which the brand is being developed in the Middle East, Africa, and beyond, with its nerve center in Egypt. So, I dove into everything related to its creators, to the point that my ideas of negotiating the brand in Mexico were nearly forgotten, and my interest in contacting its former owners vanished.
Focusing on the Egyptian alternative, I learned about a company called ORA Developers, dedicated to hospitality and housing developments with a not just modern but futuristic vision, transforming the real estate landscape in emerging nations, creating authentic dreams and taking them to reality.
Thanks to my curiosity about this company, I soon learned that the mastermind behind it all is an entrepreneur named Naguib Sawiris, considered a pioneer in Egypt’s communications development and a true celebrity in Africa and the Middle East and the more I researched, the more my amazement grew.
I reviewed every article, interview, and page about Naguib Sawiris and just as with the opening of Ele Por Ele and whenever I focus intensely on something that interests me, I studied the brand and the person so thoroughly that it became almost an obsession.
One of the first things I decided to learn, driven by this growing passion, was the Arabic language, to communicate in the original language of the brand’s developers. This was out of respect and as a perfect excuse to learn a new language and I gave myself a year to advance in Arabic while continuing to gather information about ORA Developers and Naguib Sawiris, waiting long enough to secure the brand’s official registration in my name to make it marketable again.
Of these three goals, I never anticipated how challenging Arabic would be. I still feel like a beginner despite the hours I’ve dedicated, but since it’s become a passion and a challenge, I know I’ll eventually communicate with Arabic speakers, especially now that I plan to launch this book.
Along the way, I learned that Naguib Sawiris has not only leveraged his business genius in Africa and the Middle East but also challenged powers like Italy and France. I’m not exaggerating when I say these countries were shaken by what he achieved with his companies entering from outside.
I’m talking about the need for these nations to decide, at the level of their economy ministries and legislatures, to ask him to sell his stakes in the companies he grew, essentially because they became dominant players in an industry as critical as telecommunications. Though not stated in news reports, I intuit that the real issue was that, as a non-European from an emerging nation, their pride couldn’t tolerate his growth and access to such significant information. It was like an affront to their ego, ultimately resolved through diplomacy.
I must clarify that the above is just my perspective, not something I’ve seen in any opinion or article, and I take full responsibility for it.
And as if that weren’t enough, I learned that Sawiris is an opinion leader who practices social an political activism daily, an activity I also enjoy, though I’ve neglected it lately. But I’ll return to it, as emerging nations always need critical voices to challenge decisions about their vast resources.
This is how I became a true admirer of Naguib Sawiris’s work, philosophy, and brand development approach and thanks to the patience I discussed earlier, I spent a full year working on my strategy.
Thus, in January 2025, I saw Naguib Sawiris as the keynote speaker at a communications industry summit in Dubai, where he once again shared his views and captivated the audience with his charisma. From that interview I remember a part where he said his success largely comes from making quick decisions without overthinking, as time can work against you.
After watching that interview, I felt uneasy for missing the event, so I thought, “I can’t afford to let this information slip.”
From then on, I stayed highly alert to such events in the Middle East, which I had to follow personally, since being in Mexico meant I received no advertising about these conventions and that’s how I learned that, at the end of February, he’d be a keynote speaker again at an investment summit in Abu Dhabi, less than three weeks away.
I immediately checked the event’s website for tickets, but registration was not only closed, it was an invitation-only event, not open to the public.
So, there was no way to attend… in theory.
In theory, because I contacted the Mexican Embassy in the United Arabs Emirates, begging them to secure me tickets. But regardless of their response, I bought plane tickets and booked accommodation for myself and my wife, figuring I’d manage if the embassy didn’t come through.
I also consulted AI for ideas, and one was that many people attend such events hoping to beg for entry or even stay outside, just for a chance to contact key figures.
So, with plane tickets and hotel booked and the idea that I’d stay outside if necessary, I was determined to contact Naguib Sawiris by any means. If I didn’t find him at the Abu Dhabi conference, I’d visit his office in Dubai the next day.
But that wasn’t the case. Five days before the event, the embassy informed me that tickets would arrive via email, and I just needed to fill out the requested details.
I don’t know how to explain it, but I never doubted I’d be at the event. I was 100% certain, but you always need alternatives. No matter how sure your intuition is, you must have a Plan B, C, and D.
And february 26 arrived, the date of the Abu Dhabi conference.
My wife and I woke up early to arrive with time, as it was an hour-and-a-half drive from our hotel in Dubai. We’d been there days early, thrilled because it was the perfect excuse to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary in a city that captivates with its multiculturalism and business atmosphere. Our spirits were high.
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We left at 7:00 a.m. to register before 9:00 a.m., when the event started, as Sawiris’s conference was one of the first.
Of course!
The organization had him as an anchor for the opening, though not at the very start to allow time for registration, but early enough to ensure everyone was awake and excited.
We attended two fascinating prior presentations about the UAE’s success, with incredible speakers and the recurring theme of quick decision-making for organizational progress. The UAE’s economy minister spoke of laws changing overnight, sometimes in hours, when they realized they weren’t working and could hinder progress. When they talk about speed, they mean it.
Finally, the third presentation arrived.
The atmosphere was charged; people eagerly awaited it. You could feel the admiration in the audience. The previous speakers were brilliant, articulate, and offered invaluable information, but this conference was not only brilliant—it was interactive. We laughed at Sawiris’s anecdotes about extortions he faced due to emerging nations’ policies, something those of us familiar with the whims of improvised leaders understand well.
Pure genius.
The audience gave a standing ovation at the end and while this was happening, I rushed to the exit to try to interact with him, but there were too many people crowded around, and he was accompanied by two people acting as some sort of bodyguards keeping everyone at a distance because otherwise it would have been a total chaos. You could see the disappointment on people’s faces who wouldn’t get to greet him or take a photo. But with a year-long plan, I wasn’t going to stand idly by. I followed him from a distance as he quickly headed to the exit. I thought he was leaving, with a car waiting to whisk him away, and I was already planning to visit his Dubai office the next day.
But no!
Instead, he was led to a lounge in the hotel’s reception, away from the conference bustle, where he sat to talk with someone for about ten minutes. You could see them, as it wasn’t closed off; you could’ve even walked by and greeted them if you were bold enough. I stayed a few meters away, watching the bodyguards, who were nearby but distracted, no longer focused on the conversation happening in the hall.
Suddenly, Sawiris stood and walked toward the exit, right where I’d been sitting, observing from afar. It was incredible—I just stood, extended my hand, and introduced myself:
– “Good morning, Engineer Sawiris. My name is Eduardo, from Silversands Mexico. I want to congratulate you on your brilliant conference…”
Before I could continue, with a surprised gesture, he asked:
+ “Silversands Mexico?”
– “Yes, that’s right. Last year, I bought the rights to the brand that coincidentally matches yours, and I came here to ask you to bring your version of Silversands to Mexico.”
+ “I’d love to!”
+ “I’ll need you to find a beachfront plot near an airport and please, I don´t want one of those saturated beaches you have in Mexico. I want a place where we can pave the way for a Silversands hotel and you send the information to the email on this card.”
Then, he handed me his business card.
I was in disbelief, thinking to myself, “This is what he means by quick decisions!”
It didn’t take him a second!
+ “Do you have your business card?”
It took me some moments to react.
– “I, I, I… don’t have one, but in this brochure you will find information about the business potential for the brand in Mexico and some beachfront plot options I’ve already researched. While some meet your specifications, I’ll look for alternatives.”
+ “Have you seen my Silversands hotel in Grenada?”
– “Not yet, but I plan to see your work firsthand, though I had to come find you first.”
+ “Great! Send me the information to the email, and I’ll respond at any moment. We’ll meet later to discuss contracts and fees.”
– “Perfect! I’ll gather more information and get to work as soon as I return to Mexico to have it ready per your requirements.”
My comment about returning to Mexico seemed to trigger something in him, and before we parted, as to clarify our brief talk, he said:
+ “Wait. You said you came all the way from Mexico just for this, right?”
– “Yes, yes, yes. My only goal in coming here was to meet you and discuss this in person.”
+ “Then let’s meet Friday at my office to discuss details.”
And there I was, with a proposal to meet and discuss business details with the living legend, as he’d been introduced at the conference. I don’t know how many attendees would’ve given anything for that opportunity, and I was getting it on a silver platter.
Or maybe I should say I was getting this opportunity on Silversands!
It was a year of research, studying Arabic, obsessing over every detail about him and his companies. A year of dreaming, pushing everything to the limit, using all my imagination to make things happen, and deciding that the best strategy was this trip with no certainty but immense confidence in everything I’d done to tell Naguib Sawiris in person how much I wanted to bring his Silversands to Mexico.
All the hours of study, nights and days daydreaming, ideas generated to get here—it all boiled down to this moment, and it turned out far better than I could’ve imagined.
And I said no!
He insisted.
I refused twice!
By the time I came back to my senses, I had neither the meeting nor the deal.
And that’s exactly how you ruin the chance to do business with the Middle East’s business titan.
But you can’t let Naguib Sawirs go just like that, right?
When I told him I had plans to see his work first hand, I really meant it, so there’s still more to come on this story, because I went to Cairo and found him there.
But first, let me take you back to 2019 and a second story of dreams, obssesions and big opportunities worth sharing.
By then, I’d long been dreaming of a plot of land, as having acquired the first three properties to found Ele Por Ele, with two doing very well, I began dreaming of a fourth property with specific characteristics: it had to be at least 40,000 m² and up to 200,000 m², rustic, on the city’s outskirts but not too far to attract people to my go-kart track, and eventually eligible for approval by the Mexican Motorsport Federation for national and international competitions.
And it had to be very cheap.
As karting competitions went by, I fueled my dream more and more. I became obsessed with that plot, just as I’d been with opening Ele Por Ele and later with the Sawiris deal. Nothing would stop me.
My desire and obsession were so strong that one day, browsing auction properties, I found exactly what I was looking for and on September 11, 2019, I was the highest bidder for an 80,000 m² flat plot in San Agustín Tlaxiaca, a small town 15 to 20 minutes from Pachuca, my hometown, at a bargain price, perfect for attracting motorsport enthusiasts.
Practically tailor-made, I could hardly find anything more ideal for the dream I’d been nurturing for a year and a half. By January 2020, it was duly registered to Ele Por Ele and during the months between the purchase and registration, I had time to reconsider and realized that buying the plot was one thing, but building and maintaining a track as a lifelong business was another. I also considered that other racing categories might pull us away from karting. So, my plan shifted from building a go-kart track to selling the plot. And as I explained earlier about my passion for sports and watching my children grow in them, my entrepreneurial dreamer’s mind changed plans to build a gym on a plot I own, perfect for my daughters to develop their gymnastics skills under my vision and facilities. A gym requires fewer resources than a karting track, and in gymnastics, you can train in one place without needing to change every two or three years, as in motorsport.
In early 2020, Mexico enjoyed a good economic situation, with optimism and momentum. I quickly had interested buyers, but no one committed, as properties that size had relatively limited demand. Nevertheless, I knew the sale would come soon, enabling the gym and other pending projects. But on February 27, the government declared the COVID-19 emergency, which we thought would last a couple of weeks but turned into months and even years. In Mexican schools, in-person classes didn’t resume until 2023, though most activities had restarted by mid-2021, with devastating consequences for businesses, many of which closed permanently after a year and a half of uncertainty.
For real estate, the COVID-19 emergency was especially brutal. The optimism turned into a scenario where many stopped investing as the lockdown extended, needing to plan resources at least medium-term. For many businesses, it became about survival, not profit.
But as always, I got obsessed and kept offering the property through every possible channel. With my mind fully focused on the sale, I thought I could close it in May for my son’s birthday. When that didn’t happen, I aimed for June for my wife’s birthday, then mine, but nothing.
I mention this quickly in a few lines, but when I talk about setting these dates as goals, I mean the obsession I keep emphasizing. It’s hard to explain—a state of being where you focus entirely on the goal. You think, dream, and nurture that single purpose, and deep down, you know it’ll happen. I’m a psychologist and I know this is the way the mind works, but other than psychology, this state of mind It can actually be considered a sort of esoteric mantra, I believe.
At some point, my wife mentioned the plot to a family acquaintance in real estate, who said he might have an interested buyer and he actually didn’t take long to follow up.
On Tuesday, July 7, he called to meet at his house and present an offer for the land.
I remember receiving it with the same surreal feeling I had when Naguib Sawiris said he loved the idea of a Silversands Mexico. The offer was very good and in cash. In that moment, I felt like I was floating on clouds—the realization of a dream, an obsession fulfilled exactly as I’d visualized.
And that wasn’t even the best part! The best was when he told me something like:
“If you give me an answer by Thursday, we’d be signing the deed on Monday at this notary.”
We’re talking about Monday, July 13, 2020. I know this exactly because that day we were celebrating Lia´s birthday, and it’s also the same date I registered the name Ele Por Ele with the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property. In fact, I can almost say my daughter and the company share the same birthday.
And there I was, receiving this fantastic offer in the middle of the pandemic, when everything was at a standstill and practically no one would spend money on real estate, on a date that couldn’t have been more special.
Two years of dreaming about finding the land, imagining and reimagining the possibilities, searching for opportunities everywhere, talking to potential clients, not losing faith despite being in the midst of one of the most unexpected periods the world has ever faced, and as the cherry on top, picturing how I’d arrive at my daughter’s birthday on July 13 with my pockets full thanks to this magnificent sale.
And I said no!
He insisted.
I refused twice!
That’s right!
Believe it or not, that’s what happened.
Remember when I said in the introduction that you’d stumble over the same stone multiple times?
Well, consider these two anecdotes as proof of that statement taken to the absurd.
– ‘But why did you say no?’
The students and attendees at the lecture asked me, their faces a mix of surprise, disbelief, and even indignation.
And the answer was simple.
– ‘Because I was foolish.’
Ambition can lead you to make a mistake as big as turning down the local magnate for the sale of a highly coveted piece of land.
When I spoke with the sale promoter his words were more like:
+ You don’t have to give me an answer right now. Think about it, and if you respond by Thursday, we’d be signing on Monday at this notary.
I told him I’d think about it just to pretend, while in my mind the sale was already done.
BUT, I suppose it was on Wednesday when I got a call from someone I’d heard about, saying he was investing in real estate at the time.
+ ‘Good afternoon, Eduardo, I’m… and I’m calling because I got information about the land you have for sale, and I want to tell you I have the following offer… Are you interested?’
The offer was 5% higher than the one I’d received, with no middleman fee and also in cash, making it a 10% higher temptation.
– ‘Yes, of course I’m interested.’
+ ‘Great, I’d just ask that we go see the land in person on Monday and finalize the agreement.’
– ‘Perfect, see you on Monday.’
And the long-awaited Monday arrived—my company’s birthday, my daughter’s birthday—and with the expectation of closing the deal, I went to the appointment. We saw the land, he asked a few questions, made one or two comments, and concluded:
+ ‘Well, I like the land. Just let me verify the information on my own to ensure everything is in order, and we’ll follow up to close the deal.’
Since I was 100% confident in what I was offering, I thought, ‘The only difference is that the deed won’t be signed on July 13, but oh well’:
– ‘Perfect, I’ll wait to hear from you.’
A few days later, the promoter of the first offer called to say I hadn’t followed up, which he found odd and feeling overly confident, with my big ego bursting off my chest I told him:
– ‘Guess what? I got another offer, and that’s why I haven’t reached out.’
+ ‘Well, our offer still stands for signing, but don’t take too long, or my client might back out.’
Two weeks passed without a response from the second offer, and by the time I contacted the first promoter to say I was ready to proceed:
+ ‘Guess what? It’s no longer available. My client had an unexpected issue and spent the funds allocated for the land purchase.’
And that’s how you ruin a sale to the most important local entrepreneur, who, by the way, later made it very clear to me that he calls the shots in his area.
I ended up selling that land in 2023, not without first falling victim to a scam, and at a price 30% lower than the first offer I received, with post-pandemic inflation further reducing the value of the 2020 offer.
In December 2021, a ‘client’ came along, and I signed a dream contract for the sale of the land, for an amount 50% higher than the first offer I’d had, that I thought “It was worth the wait”. The contract included a clause stating payments would begin at the end of January 2025, after fencing the land with cyclone mesh to secure possession, with both of us splitting the cost. I saw no issue with this because the city was full of advertisements featuring his company’s logo, and not only that, he was a sponsor for a few months of the city’s soccer team, which is somewhat famous and put Pachuca on the international map. Soccer fans in Msr may know it, as it has played in a Club World Cup against Al Ahly at some point. So, I contributed money, and he immediately started working on the land. But at some point, he told me a group of people stopped him, claiming the land belonged to the community.
Two days later, I got another call from my acquaintance, the promoter, saying they were repeating the 2020 offer, for immediate signing the next day if I wanted.
– ‘Under other circumstances, I wouldn’t repeat the mistake I made year and a half ago,- I told him – ‘but I have a signed contract that doesn’t allow it.’
This time, my second refusal happened because I was tied up. On one hand, a contract obligated me to wait at least six months for it to lapse if conditions weren’t met; on the other, the local entrepreneur made it clear he’d buy the land when he decided, on his terms, and I failed to understand that at the time.
The dream contract turned out to be a scam. As I followed up on this client, signs of dishonesty emerged. Though I spoke with him by phone, the calls were only to stall, assuring me that if he didn’t buy the land, he’d find a buyer and charge a commission, while already presenting himself as the new owner. So, I went to confront him at his business, where we’d signed the contract, only to find it had been transferred to someone else. Then I went to his house in an upper-middle-class neighborhood where we’d first discussed price and conditions, only to learn he was no longer there. It was as if he’d vanished overnight. To top it off, I received information about someone from Querétaro (a city 150 km from Pachuca) looking for him for fraud in a home sale, and they weren’t the only one—there were at least two others in Querétaro seeking him.
They even contacted me:
+ ‘If you’re in Pachuca, you can look for him at these addresses.’
– ‘I went to both places, and he’s not there anymore.’
Piecing it together, I realized the money he got from the Querétaro scams was used to relocate to Pachuca, flood the city with his advertising, and even appear as a sponsor on the professional soccer team’s shorts to convince people of his company’s importance.
In this case, I was deceived with the advance payment for fencing my land, which hurt—yes, for the money, but more for my pride and because it cost me a sale. Still, it’s nothing compared to the frauds in Querétaro, and I don’t know if they ever caught the scammer.
In the end, I sold the land to the municipality at a relatively modest price, and today it hosts a sports complex.
The purchase decision fell to the person who made the first offer, no longer as a private individual but as a public representative, and honestly, he earned my full respect because he taught me a great lesson.
What comforts me from this experience is that the land ended up with the best possible client, serving a social purpose by fostering youth development.
Back to Naguib Sawiris…
To wrap up the case with Engineer Naguib Sawiris, I pick up our conversation where I left off.
+ ‘Let’s meet Friday at my office to discuss details.’ (It was Wednesday.)
– ‘Friday’s tough for me. Can it be tomorrow?’
+ ‘No, I can’t tomorrow. I’ll be busy all day.’
– ‘No problem, whatever time you say, early or late, I’ll meet you wherever you want.’
+ ‘No, really, I can’t tomorrow, but we’ll meet Friday.’
– ‘The thing is, I have my return flight on Friday.’
+ ‘What time’s your flight? If you want, we can meet very early so you have time.’
– ‘I have to be at the Abu Dhabi airport by 5:00 a.m. at the latest because my flight’s at 7:00 a.m.’
I think after my second refusal, he gave up on my foolishness and said:
+ ‘Well, you have my contact info. Send me the information, and I’ll reply at any moment.’
And that’s how I let Naguib Sawiris slip away.
In my defense (if there´s any), this exchange happened in a span of two minutes at most. It was incredibly fast, and I was so stunned by his response that I couldn’t think clearly.
It “caught me off guard,” as we say colloquially.
The next day, when I went to his office in Dubai to speak with his personal assistant and explain the encounter I’d had with her boss the previous day, saying I was there to tell her I’d changed my return flight and could meet him on Friday, her response was:
+ ‘Sorry, Mr. Eduardo, but I just spoke with Mr. Sawiris, and his plans have changed. He’s at the airport leaving the country right now and won’t be able to meet you this time.’
I returned to Mexico, gathered the information, sent it to the contacts he provided, and after a reasonable time with no yes or no, I decided to go find him again.
On May 4, I showed up at his office in Cairo and spoke by phone from the reception with his assistant.
– ‘Good morning. In February, I met with Engineer Naguib Sawiris to present an investment proposal for Mexico, and he asked me to send information, which I’ve done. I’m here to reiterate my interest and see if he liked the proposals I sent.’
+ ‘Very well, Mr. Eduardo, give me a few minutes to reach out to him, and I’ll get back to you with a response.’
Ten minutes later, I spoke with the assistant again:
+ ‘Mr. Eduardo, I spoke with my boss, and he says he greatly appreciates your interest, but for now, he has no plans to expand to Mexico. He also says he’d love to meet you, but his schedule is very busy these days. Please leave your contact details and let me know how long you’ll be here, and he’ll try to make time for a meeting if possible.’
I left my details, but the meeting never happened. From news and social media, I saw he was indeed extremely busy those days. He’s someone operating on another level. He came and went from Egypt during the five days I was there—no way he could fit me in.
But the incredible thing is that, despite his constant travel between countries, I did see him during my trip.
I was in Cairo those days because there was a concert at the Opera House where Engineer Sawiris had announced his presence, and I’d already bought my ticket. But the night before, his social media showed him inaugurating his Madinat Al-Ward project in Iraq, and I thought, ‘He probably won’t be here tomorrow.’
But he was, surrounded by press and friends, and I was just meters away—maybe as close as three meters from him.
I could’ve been bold and greeted him, maybe even spoken briefly, but he’d already given me an answer, and I felt the place and moment weren’t right, so I just remained a concert attendee.
To put my plan during my Cairo visit in context, I arrived on Sunday and was set to return Thursday night, meaning I was in Cairo the entire workweek, confident that Naguib Sawiris would be in the country, so my plan couldn’t fail, right?
Well, that Sunday, he appeared on the news at a charity event in the afternoon. Monday, he likely traveled early, as his social media showed him in Iraq that night, inaugurating his Madinat Al-Ward project. Tuesday morning, he was seen approving the project’s offices and at that point I thought he might not be in Cairo after all, but the next day, Wednesday night, I saw him at the concert.
It never crossed my mind that someone could have such a schedule, but it’s Naguib Sawiris, and I had no idea something like that could happen.
Of course, I wonder what I could’ve done differently, and there are many things I considered but didn’t act on, like notifying in advance of my Cairo visit and requesting a meeting. But I always wanted to add drama to my trips to find Naguib Sawiris, with an element of surprise.
There were also other actions that only occurred to me afterward, and I don’t know how I didn’t think of them earlier or even in the moment.
Obviously, saying yes immediately in Abu Dhabi to his proposal to meet was what should’ve happened first, but since it didn’t, here’s something I can’t understand why I didn’t consider:
Why did I wait until the next day to go to his Dubai office to request a meeting when I could’ve gone right after the conference?
It was 11:00 a.m. when his conference ended—maybe I would’ve found him there if I’d acted immediately.
Why was I so insistent that the meeting be on Thursday when I could’ve suggested meeting later that same day?
He said he’d be busy the next day, but he didn’t mention being busy that same day.
Oh well.
The point is, I let the opportunity slip due to a lack of mental agility.
And so, I close this chapter with two anecdotes about how NOT to act in business. Though my doubts led me to waste a couple of great opportunities, I still consider them very valuable because they taught me lessons that will surely work in my favor in the future.
Here are some that come to mind:
1. **Business happens in the moment.**
When the opportunity comes, don’t hesitate, don’t let your ambition or indecision sabotage you. When I say business happens in the moment, I mean making quick decisions Naguib Sawiris-style—in a second—because if you think too long, the opportunity slips away.
2. **Push your mind to the limit.**
You must desire what you want with your whole mind and body, without fear of taking it to the point of obsession. That’s how opportunities arise—it’s up to you to seize them.
3. **Take risks.**
When there’s uncertainty, the only way to clear doubt is to act and let what it has to happen, happens.
4. **Alternatives.**
If the original plan fails, ensure you have multiple alternatives ready. If you still fail, the experience from failure will become maturity.
5. **Business trips don’t have a return ticket.**
I suppose many people who travel to close deals know this, but it wasn’t something I was aware of. Unfortunately, I didn’t consider it in either of my two Middle East trips, but next time, I’ll make sure to book only a one-way ticket.
There are surely more lessons I could draw from these anecdotes, but these are the ones I find relevant for this story. Beyond continuing with my conclusions, I invite you to leave a message and share your experiences and opinions about what I’ve said in this stories, as that’s how learning is enriched.
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