When people ask what I’m proudest of, they expect me to say the brand I created or the buildings I own. But the real answer is simple: the people.

Over the years, I’ve built businesses that have turned over millions. But the truest measure of that work isn’t the bottom line — it’s the lives I’ve seen grow alongside mine.

I Never Wanted to Be the Lone Success Story

From the start, I knew that if I rose alone, it wasn’t real success. My earliest lessons came from watching my father in Bangladesh — how he would mentor farmers, share knowledge freely, and settle disputes with fairness. In business, I took that same approach.

I hired young men who reminded me of myself at 19 — hungry but unsure. I watched them turn into supervisors, managers, even owners of their own businesses. I gave them not just jobs, but trust.

Leadership Isn’t a Title — It’s a Commitment

When you’re leading, you’re not just telling people what to do. You’re shaping how they see themselves. Every decision, every meeting, every risk you take becomes a lesson they carry forward.

That’s a responsibility I never took lightly. I didn’t just want my employees to be good at their jobs. I wanted them to believe in their own worth.

Small Gestures, Big Impact

One of my earliest staff members came from a rural village in Sylhet, just like me. He was quiet, shy, and terrified of making mistakes. But I saw how carefully he arranged shelves. I praised that. Slowly, he found his voice. Years later, he became a warehouse manager in one of my distribution centers.

Sometimes, leadership is just noticing people before they notice themselves.

Building People Means Listening to Them

It’s easy to stand at the top and hand out orders. It’s harder — but more important — to sit with your staff, understand their worries, and share your own.

I made it a point to be present — not just physically, but emotionally. When someone needed time off to care for family, I didn’t see it as lost productivity. I saw it as an investment in loyalty.

The Ripple Effect

The best part? It doesn’t end with the people you hire. The people you lift up lift up others. I’ve watched it happen countless times: an employee who learns dignity at work brings it home to their children. A manager who feels respected will teach respect to his own team one day.

This is why I believe building people is the ultimate business strategy.

Final Thoughts

I’ve opened restaurants, built warehouses, negotiated deals across continents. But the true test of all that is whether I leave behind a generation of people who see themselves as capable, worthy, and ready to lead.

Because at the end of the day, buildings crumble and brands evolve. But the people you build? They carry your legacy forward.

And that’s something no market can ever take away.