Everything starts with a story ~ This is ours

This was back in around 2012-2013 where I had started to work on my first start-up ViridiTECH Industries. Through the help of PriceWaterhouseCoopers in Kuwait and their PIN^2 Challenge, we were able to obtain a meeting with five of Kuwait's top CEOs at the time (The National Bank of Kuwait, Zain Telecommunications, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, The Wharton Club of the Middle East and Ali Abdulwahab Al-Mutawa  Commercial Co).

At that time I was the Founder and CEO of ViridiTECH Industries and had 3 others with me as my Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Head of Research & Development. Out start-up was specializing in smart house automation and robotics.

So the meeting took place at a corporate tower, floor 20-something and we were there inside a board room with all the CEOs, a camera and our PwC backer and my parents (Father, whom I could see on his face how much proud he is of me and Mother who I can feel her cheers about to burst through the phone and turn the pitch into an awkward silence). I do have to admit though, having my parents there supporting me was definitely a great push; I am grateful everyday for having them in my life. Anyhow, back to the story, I presented our sales pitch, demographic targeting, years of market research and our financial forecasts (which were a nightmare to generate at the time since smart house automation was relatively new and disruptive). We managed to get two rounds of applause from the board even after being grilled with questions (especially financials).

In the end, the financials were not deemed as structured and the risk was too high for them and thus our project lost to our competitors with us ending up being in 4th place. To be frank, I do like the number four so there was that silver lining there.

Failing to secure that funding, was a very humbling thing that made me grow as a better leader and understand the running of the business world. I had no experience, no financial background and no managerial background at that stage and was able to get myself in-front of that board with my head held up high and left that tower with my head held even higher because I knew where I had failed and how to fix it.

I spent the next 7 years refining the company but now under the advise and mentor-ship of an ex-CFO who has held in the top rankings of CFA and CMA in the world as well as the guidance of an ex-Founder that holds within the top 10% of the world in market research.

After those years have passed, I was privileged to meet yet another mentor who's been an ex-investment banker for many years and the framework of Suvon.org started from there.

Now in 2020, I am a few days away of the formation and foundation of Suvon Corp. in the United States of America. A company that builds upon the successes and failures of ViridiTECH Industries and will be the mark that I leave for this world centuries after I am gone.

Here's hoping to that :)