Chapter 1: The Beginning of My Journey

At the age of 13, I was captivated by two subjects in school: languages and mathematics. Everything else felt like a distraction. Basketball, however, was my sanctuary. While my peers were fixated on football, I immersed myself in the NBA, devouring every documentary, game, and highlight I could find.

In an effort to impress my classmates in middle school, I boasted about owning a desktop computer. Curious inquiries about the specifications followed, and I answered confidently until a particularly obnoxious classmate challenged me. “What system are you running on this fancy Pentium 4?”

Caught off guard, I cleverly redirected his question. “Which version of Windows is the latest?” He replied, “Windows 98, but no one in Morocco has it yet.”

Seizing the moment, I responded, “Does that clarify things for you?” His shock was palpable, as if I had unveiled a smartphone in a time before they existed. When he pressed for more details, I mentioned an article I’d seen on Yahoo about insider news from Microsoft, fully aware he had encountered the same misleading email. He fell into my trap, claiming to have installed a fictional Windows 99 upgrade.

With a smirk, I gave him the “Monkey Look,” a look that conveyed utter disdain. He felt it deeply, and in that moment, I earned some respect.

In school, respect often stemmed from excelling in math, basketball, or entrepreneurship. I never regarded entrepreneurship as an inherent talent or merely a product of hard work. To me, it was akin to artistry—dreaming, setting objectives, and battling the odds to achieve them. Through my failures, I understood that a fulfilling lifestyle is essential for influence and the ability to shape others' decisions.

Let me share how I began to believe in myself. I started challenging my peers to free throw contests in basketball, offering them three times their money if they won. My skills improved to the point where I sometimes had to intentionally miss, just to keep their spirits high and entice more bets.

By the years 2003–2004, the Moroccan landscape was saturated with movies and television. Almost every home had a VCD or DVD player. Spotting an opportunity, I leaped in without conducting any market research. With less than $10, I purchased blank CDs and began downloading movies via Kazaa, a nostalgic platform for early internet enthusiasts.

I burned CDs, approached retail shops, sold in bulk, and consistently solicited feedback on popular titles. This iterative process became my ally. As my capital increased, I upgraded my desktop and even acquired a cell phone—an impressive feat at that time. When others began to imitate my method, I knew it was time to pivot.

This narrative is not about psychology, self-help, religion, or science; it’s about finding peace within yourself. It's my reality, and it could easily become yours. The decision is yours: either bypass this or pursue it to achieve the freedom you were destined for.

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