24 | BIZPRENEUR MIDDLE EAST March 2021
A Day In The Life Of...
IBRAHIM ABUDYAK, CEO
BUSINESS COACH & CO-FOUNDER OF THE SMASH ROOM
When I moved to the UAE in 2010, I didn’t have an initial major breakthrough in my career. I started working in the automotive industry and slowly but surely worked my way up the ladder. I started out as a Service Advisor but then moved to a corporate job as a Field Specialist. I moved up the ranks every year for 5 years to become an After-Sales Manager and eventually become a Sales And Marketing Country Manager.
All this time, I thought I was heading towards the right direction. I was doing great. I loved what I was doing, and at the same time I was achieving my goals. But life decided to throw me a curveball.
Losing Everything
One day I came in to work, got called into my boss’s office, and was told I needed to take all my things and go home — I was fired. And to say I was shocked was an understatement.
I had no idea what to feel. But one thing for sure is I went through so many negative emotions. That day I went to a nearby park, sat by a lake, and just cried my eyes out. I felt like it was the end of the world for me. Losing my job, losing that secure paycheck — I was hopeless. I doubted my own capabilities and was questioning my self-worth.
So with my work life in shambles, soon after my marriage started going south. It was just curveball after curveball.
This was the time I decided to attend a Tony Robbins event called “Unleash The Power Within” in London, and I became a fire-walker. That event was a turning point for me. It changed my life and my perspective. I worked on my fears, which I found out didn’t really reflect anything in reality.
And so the biggest disaster in my life ended up being the biggest opportunity for my own self-growth. I decided that the corporate scene was not for me. I made up my mind— I was gonna start my own thing. I wanted to build a business.
Being so fulfilled and renewed after a Tony Robbins event, I started going to lots of workshops, seminars, and networking events. Another notable event attended was the National Achievers Congress which featured Robert Kiyosaki live in Dubai as a keynote speaker. He talked about financial education which resonated in me. I’m a numbers guy down to the core and this further ignited my passion for it.