My Rollercoaster Ride: Embracing Life's Ups, Downs, and Loop-de-Loops.

Hey there, fellow thrill-seekers of life's rollercoaster! Buckle up as we dive into the wild ride that is my journey.

Up in Smoke: My Humble Beginnings

Picture this: at 16, I'm hustling outside local cigarette shops, trying to sell a substitute for smokes. Spoiler alert: I sucked at it and got the boot within a month (Maybe less). But fear not, for this tale is just getting started!

Coffee Shop Encounters: The Road to Conference Stardom

Fast forward to university life at 18, where I stumble upon Jason Darmody , from GDS International. Our fateful coffee shop rendezvous sparked my journey into the conference business, but boy, did I hit some roadblocks!

Selling felt like trying to catch a feather in a hurricane, with my efforts fluttering away in the chaos! and I was on the brink of being sacked more times than I care to admit. Yet, I somehow managed to dodge the firing squad each time. Lucky me.

Crashing and Burning

Then comes the entrepreneurial itch at 2012, where I bravely ventured into a business with friends, only to have it crash and burn like a paper plane in a bonfire. Painful? Absolutely painful and riddled in debt may I add. But little did I know, it was laying the groundwork for the lessons yet to come.

Reed Revelations: Industry Insights and Epiphanies

Cue my stint at Reed Exhibition , It was here that I honed my skills in long-term industry problem-solving, gaining insights that would later shape my entrepreneurial journey. thank you Michael Mandl, MSc & Dan Londero

Oddbox & FFCC: A Pocketful of Dreams and Determination

Armed with newfound wisdom, I dove back into the entrepreneurial fray in 2017 with ODDBOX BUSINESS SOLUTIONS & (FFCC) Fast Food & Cafe Convention , armed with little more than pocket change and a heap of determination. and 2 amazing partners Mini Jacob & Nijeesh Hareendranath

Heartaches and Heart Attacks: Battling Adversity

The journey wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, though. In 2019, I faced a heart attack at the ripe old age of 33, courtesy of a vigorous game of basketball, a full time job, the business and the dark side of an unhealthy lifestyle.

But hey, I'm not one to let a pesky heart condition slow me down! After months of recovery, I traded lay ups for marathon runs, albeit at a leisurely pace – blame it on my incessant watch-checking and trauma-induced heart rate paranoia.

Covid Crash

In the journey of life's thrilling rollercoaster ride was 2020, our business hit the jackpot with record-breaking sales - cue the confetti cannons and celebratory dance-offs! We treated the team to a round of drinks and I jetted off to Goa for a well-deserved holiday. But just as we were basking in the glow of success, fate decided to pull a fast one on us. Two weeks after my return from paradise, bam! Covid crashed the party like an uninvited guest, leaving us stranded in limbo. The sales we'd toasted to were suddenly as elusive as a disappearing act by Houdini, thanks to the cancellation of in-person events. Talk about a plot twist.

A Leap of Faith in the Desert Sands

Of course our business hit rock bottom faster than a lead balloon, leaving us staring at a big fat zero on the scoreboard. With heavy hearts, we bid farewell to our beloved team and found ourselves back at square one with just two partners in crime. Mini Jacob & George Mohan But fear not, for where there's a will, there's a wacky way! With our sights set on the glittering skyline of Dubai, we hatched a plan worthy of a heist movie.

Armed with nothing but our wits and a local partner's support, we launched our daring expedition into the desert oasis of opportunity in 2021. With only two of us at the helm – affectionately dubbed "Mini" and "Me" – we took on every role imaginable, from sales supremos to design divas. The anxiety? Oh, it was off the charts, like trying to juggle flaming torches while riding a unicycle on a tightrope! But lo and behold, our gamble paid off as the event took off like a rocket in the UAE, thanks to the support of some truly stellar folks. And in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, we fast-forwarded to 2023, When we launched our next epic adventure in KSA.

So there you have it, folks – a tale peppered with failures, triumphs, and more twists than a rollercoaster ride. But enough about me – I want to hear YOUR stories of epic fails and miraculous comebacks. Stay tuned as we delve into Mini Jacob 's journey next, and remember: when life throws you curveballs, just keep swinging for the fences!

Keep failing forward, my friends, and remember - the journey is just as wibbly-wobbly as the destination!