Ahmad Ashrafi is the founder, CEO and managing director of Infinity⁹.
When I was fresh out of college, I stood in my father’s office, brimming with confidence. “Dad, I’m ready to take over the family business,” I declared.
My father, an Iranian immigrant who had forged a thriving business from nothing in Ecuador, gazed at me with a mix of amusement and wisdom. His response would change my life forever: “I don’t aspire for you to be my equal—I want you to be 100 times me.” Then, with a firmness in his voice, he added, “That’s why you won’t be joining the family business.”
Confused and slightly hurt, I left his office that day, not realizing that I was about to embark on an entrepreneurial odyssey that would test my limits, shatter my preconceptions and ultimately forge me into the leader I am today.
Lesson 1: Passion Isn’t Everything—It’s Just The Beginning
Fueled by my father’s challenge, I dove headfirst into my first venture, an agriculture company. Nature was my passion, so success was guaranteed, right? Wrong. Five years of backbreaking work later, I created a company that had solid growth. I was realizing my mission. But I still had the taste of bitter failure in my mouth. That’s when it hit me: Passion alone is like a seed without soil or water. It needs purpose and skill to truly flourish.
Takeaway: Find the sweet spot where your skills, interests and the world’s needs intersect. That’s where true success blooms.
Lesson 2: It’s More About Who You Are, Not What You Do
Lost and confused after selling my agriculture business, I dwelled on the question, “What am I going to do next?”
Thankfully, my mother, who has always been a source of wisdom, told me: “The real question is not what you want to do but who do you want to be?” That simple reframing of the question cut through the list of new ventures I was considering starting next. It was like a bolt of lightning for me, illuminating a path I hadn’t seen before. It dawned on me that who I wanted to be was an investor. Since then, I have embarked on many successful ventures and realized I am a much better investor than an entrepreneur.
Takeaway: Define your identity, not just your activity. Your “who” will guide your “what” far more powerfully than any business plan.
Lesson 3: The Cost Of Waiting Is Higher Than The Cost Of Failing
I have had dozens of startup ideas that seemed brilliant on paper. For months, I would refine my pitch deck, waiting for the “perfect moment” to launch. That moment never came. Instead, I would watch helplessly as a competitor brought a similar product to market, leaving me with nothing but a polished presentation—and a harsh lesson that in entrepreneurship, waiting can have negative consequences.
Takeaway: Embrace imperfect action. The world rewards those who dare, not those who wait.
Lesson 4: Frugality Is The Mother Of Success
When I was flush with my first taste of success as an entrepreneur, I overindulged in what I thought I needed for my next venture: nice offices, top software, etc. Six months later, that success was wiped out, and the uncomfortable feeling of being broke settled in again. I learned that true innovation thrives on constraints, not comforts.
Takeaway: Stay lean, stay hungry. Your best ideas will come when resources are tight, and the stakes are high.
Lesson 5: Your Team Is Your Superpower
In my early days as an entrepreneur, I was a one-man army—CEO, CFO, CMO and janitor all rolled into one. Unsurprisingly, I was also my own worst enemy. Everything changed when I started asking, “Who can do this better than me?” instead of “How can I do this all myself?” Surrounding myself with brilliant minds didn’t diminish my role; it amplified my impact.
Takeaway: Build a team that makes you the dumbest person in the room. Your business will thank you for it.
Lesson 6: Support Is Earned, Not Owed
The skepticism from family and friends when I started my entrepreneurial journey felt like a betrayal. It took me years to understand that their doubts were a gift that pushed me to refine my ideas and strengthen my resolve. Now, I wear their initial skepticism as a badge of honor—it’s a reminder of how far I’ve come.
Takeaway: Embrace the skeptics. Let their doubts fuel your determination to prove them wrong.
Lesson 7: Today Is The Only Day That Matters
For years, I chased the mirage of “someday”—that magical moment when I’d finally feel successful. When that day came, it didn’t feel any different, and I realized that my mentor was right; he had once told me that today is the only day that counts. Now, I find joy in the journey, celebrating small wins and learning from every setback.
Takeaway: Don’t defer your happiness to some future milestone. Find purpose and satisfaction in each day’s work.
Ultimately, Entrepreneurship Is About Embracing The Journey
As I stand here today, a battle-tested entrepreneur with scars and successes alike, I’m grateful for every stumble, every failure and every lesson. That naive 24-year-old who walked into his father’s office couldn’t have imagined the adventure ahead. But now I understand what my father truly meant.
Being “100 times” him wasn’t about eclipsing his success. It was about having the courage to forge my own path, to learn my own lessons and to build something uniquely mine. It was about embracing the entrepreneur’s journey in all its thrilling, terrifying glory.
To all the aspiring entrepreneurs out there, remember this: Your path won’t be straight. It won’t be easy. But every twist, every turn, every seeming dead-end is shaping you into the leader you’re meant to become. Embrace the journey. Learn from every experience. And always, always keep moving forward.
As the great poet Rumi said, “Salty water rises in the air, so the garden will be drenched with fresh rain.” Your daily efforts, your lessons, your growth—they all matter. They’re all growing your garden.
So go forth. Be bold. Be resilient. Be 100 times the entrepreneur you think you can be. The world is waiting for what only you can build.
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