From the very start, Ismail Sirdah was meant for the world of business. Coming from an entrepreneurial family in Cape Town, South Africa, he was introduced to the restaurant business early on. All through his teen years, he worked diligently at the family restaurant, learning the business as he went. This prepared him well for the day when he would move to Georgia and open his own restaurant. The story could have ended there since he had the means for self-sufficiency at that point. But instead, he continued moving forward, starting a music promotion business. As owner and operator of his promotional company, he helped many local bands to raise their profile and enlarge their fan base. However, his true ambition lay in the world of photography.

As a man with a long history of business success, he has a few good insights to offer about business, and about life in general. In a recent interview with Ideamensch, Mr. Sirdah offered a few interesting insights. Ismail Sirdah has a general rule about meeting a new business client. He says that, when he meets a new client, he doesn’t start talking about money or business. Instead, he invites them to go somewhere and have a drink with him. This approach seems very practical, as it creates a social aspect to what would normally be a bland discussion of figures and stats.

On the subject of bringing ideas to life, Mr. Sirdah says that excitement is the key. If you aren’t excited about a new idea, you won’t be very likely to commit to it, and you also won’t be likely to spend the time and resources that it takes to get the job done. Excitement is what keeps a business person going when things are dull. Mr. Sirdah also recommends making a list every day, consisting of the three most important things that he wants to accomplish on that particular day. I myself have often found the making of lists to be both helpful and essential in an attempt to get the most out of one’s day. Mr. Sirdah says that this practice has been a major part of his success.

 

Read the full IdeaMensch Interview: https://ideamensch.com/ismail-sirdah/