MEET THE BUSINESS
JULY 2019
Hadeel Abou Ghaida, Co-Founder
Ms. Hadeel Abou Ghaida is the Co-Founder of Spotlight Revenue a marketing agency right outside of Washington, D.C. to help businesses find their voice online and increase the growth of their business. They do this through web development, social media, and SEO. How they got there was quite a journey on its own, tune in below.
Below are a few questions to help facilitate this interactive connection. At the end of the page you will have an opportunity to post your own questions for Hadeel.
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How did you become an entrepreneur? Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I always wanted to achieve something greater than myself and I knew working a 9-5 job wouldn’t help me get there. Entrepreneurship seemed to be the best move I could take in order to have control over my life.
So, at the age of 18, I developed an App with my brother and dad that helped connect consumers to business owners. The idea was to help increase sales for businesses and give consumers the best discounts. It was my very first failed venture. And man did I learn many lessons from that. My bank account didn’t look too great after that either.
But I never gave up. I truly believe that if you learn how to fail forward, you’ll always know how to turn your losses into successes. That failed venture led us to start a marketing and web development agency. The same developers that worked on our app loved working with us that they wanted to work with us on our next venture and we made it happen. Three years later, we are still running the agency and loving every bit of it!
Please discuss a moment or turning point in your life that led you to your career path:
It was my last year in high school and for a good 16 years, I played competitive soccer. My dream growing up was to play for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team. However, during my last game of the season for my senior night (where I was getting recruited), I ended up tearing my ACL from celebrating too hard after scoring the winning goal…I was always a clumsy one.
After six months of not being able to fully walk and spending most of my summer on the couch, I was determined to figure out my next move. I picked up a book called “How to Start Something That Matters” by Blake Mycoskie. And that’s when Entrepreneurship was first introduced to me. The rest was history.
Please discuss a role model that motivated you or mentor you had that helped guide you:
There were so many role models I looked up to growing up but the main one that comes to mind is Oprah Winfrey. She has played a huge role in my life. From the way she handled her adversity to achieving her own version of greatness by playing to her strengths. Oprah really taught me what it means to know who you are and why it was so important to live a life of service. She helped me get closer to my faith, question myself and everything, be aware of myself, and most importantly listen to my instincts. She kept me grateful through my hardships and humble through my successes. She truly helped shape me become the woman I am today.
Do you recall any specific challenges you encountered and overcame? How did you overcome that and what advice would you give others in your situation?
One challenge I had going into business for myself was learning how to ask for what I want. I was so afraid of someone saying “no” to me that I would dread going into sales meetings. Even networking events were scary for me. The thought of putting myself out there and that there could be a slight chance I could get rejected, I would try to avoid it at all cost. It wasn’t until one of my business coaches changed my perspective when he said “If you are fearing rejection than you are putting too much focus on yourself. If you are truly in business to help people than start focusing on the value you can offer someone rather than how you look or feel.” The more you focus on how much value you can bring to the table, the easier it becomes to make that ask.
As an entrepreneur, what is it that motivates and drives you?
Freedom. Freedom for my family and me. My family has always been a huge driving force for me. Growing up with parents who came to this country with nothing and giving up their dreams to raise their kids really hits a soft spot in my heart. This selfless act is giving me opportunities to achieve whatever I want. Given the sacrifices they made for me, I see it as my moral obligation to achieve something that’s greater than myself. I don’t want to give my parents money or a house. I want to give them the freedom to live the life they always dreamed of–one they never truly had the opportunity to live because of the adversity they had to go through. This freedom I am seeking is the freedom I want others to achieve as well. This is what truly drives me and makes me hungry to do more.
What would you say are the key elements for starting and running a successful business?
It is simple. Find a problem you are passionate about solving. That is truly the key to a successful business. Understand the problem and immerse yourself in it. Then focus on the solutions. Listen to your customers, they are the best triggers for ideas. And remember, solving problems may be the key to a successful business but passion is the fuel for it. Make sure that whatever problem you are trying to solve there is passion behind it.
Where do you see your business in the next 10 years?
I see my business evolving into a tech company that helps solve a bigger problem. Our goal is to develop a solution to a world conflict that helps give people more opportunities. Our marketing agency is just a stepping stone to achieving this goal.
I also want to take what I have built through my business and platform and help transform our educational system. I truly believe that the “school of hard knocks” was the best degree I have ever received. Combining that with technology, which is growing so rapidly, I believe that there is a better way to build an educational system that is more accessible, affordable, and focused on helping our younger generation (our future) to be leaders in innovation and really any field they want to pursue.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs who are starting out? Before you do anything figure out who you are. Once you got that down you can accomplish anything. Being an entrepreneur is one of the most rewarding but hardest things one can do. It can be lonely and, at times, exciting. But knowing who you are, what you can and cannot do will be your greatest superpower. There will be times you will feel stuck and that’s normal, but just remember that you know yourself better than anyone. You know the answers to all your questions., so you’re never truly stuck. Our souls have lived many lives and went through many journeys. So what you seek has already been found, and what you’ve questioned has already been answered. So it’s your job to spend time with yourself and just listen to yourself and the universe because you’ll eventually figure out your true purpose and the next move to take.
Tell us a little bit about your hobbies outside of your field:
I’m an adrenaline junkie and I love doing things that are out of my comfort zone. One example is that I do Krav Maga. It’s not only a great stress reliever, but it also keeps me on my toes.
I love to read and learn from the greats, so I spend a lot of time reading about successful people, as well as immerse myself in spiritual readings to gain more wisdom.
I also run a podcast called “The Warriorz Podcast” where I interview modern day Warriorz (entrepreneurs, public figures, leaders, etc.) who are trying to make a difference in this world. My platform allows me to not only connect with some amazing people but it also provides my viewers a chance to learn something from another person’s story! My intentions behind my platform is to spark one’s soul that fuels them to achieve their own version of an unstoppable Warrior.
If you have an amazing story you want on my podcast or you just want to connect, you can email me at hadeel.aboughaida@gmail.com.
You can also follow me on:
Instagram: @therealhadeel_
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKdw1tsELfMlX2fb782iUOQ/videos?view_as=subscriber
A Q&A form will be uploaded shortly. In the meantime feel free to send any questions you would like to ask Hadeel to admin@network1017.com