How to Build the Globe From the Middle of Nowhere | Abed Mously | TEDxPSUT

Quick Overview

Abed Mously shares his entrepreneurial journey of building a global business from Jordan, emphasizing the necessity of constant learning, being stubborn about the end goal, and embracing failure quickly to achieve success, culminating in 5 branches in Jordan, expansion to 2 new countries, and securing $150,000 in funding.

Key Points: The speaker, Abed Mously, emphasizes the principle of "Fail Fast, Learn Fast" as crucial for entrepreneurial success. He recounts overcoming early struggles, including two years with no sales, customers, or funding, which led to a realization about his path. The speaker credits his success to surrounding himself with people who shared his ambition and vision, specifically mentioning his co-founder Hamzeh and partner Nasser. A major turning point involved applying for and attending the 'Startup Weekend' event, despite initial hesitation and focusing on local opportunities. The business eventually achieved significant milestones: 5 branches in Jordan, expansion into 2 new countries, and raising $150,000 in funding. He advises aspiring entrepreneurs to be stubborn about the final goal but flexible in the methods used to reach it, contrasting his initial academic focus (Engineering) with his eventual entrepreneurial path.

Context: Abed Mously delivers a TEDxPSUT talk detailing his entrepreneurial journey, which he titles "How to Build the Globe From the Middle of Nowhere." The narrative contrasts his initial academic background in Jordan, where he felt limited by local opportunities and societal expectations (doctor/engineer), with his eventual pivot into entrepreneurship. He shares anecdotes about early business failures and the essential mindset shifts required, such as embracing rapid failure and maintaining a clear long-term objective.

Detailed Analysis

Abed Mously recounts his challenging entrepreneurial path, starting with feeling confined by the typical local expectations in Jordan (doctor or engineer). He initially wanted to build a global business but struggled for two years with zero sales, customers, or funding, which he illustrates with a slide detailing this failure. He stresses the importance of the mindset "Fail Fast, Learn Fast" and being stubborn about the end goal while remaining flexible on execution. A key step involved networking and attending events like Startup Weekend, where he connected with ambitious individuals like his partners Hamzeh and Nasser. He also mentions trying to sell his product (which involved ice cream/food vending) initially in Jordan without success, leading him to look internationally at companies like Joe & The Juice and a Silicon Valley company called Bolt. After shifting focus and developing the core product (which seems related to data/recruitment platforms shown in later slides), the company gained traction, securing $150,000 in funding and expanding to 5 branches in Jordan and 2 new countries, demonstrating that persistence toward the global goal eventually paid off.