We had the good fortune of connecting with Hassan El-Saddique and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Hassan, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I believe the best businesses are born when these three things are combined. What you are good at, What you enjoy, and how you want to serve the world. My business was unexpectedly born when I was actually in the process of doing one of those things and that was what I enjoy. At the time I didn’t know that I was good at it nor did I know that this was something that could serve the world.
To put that into context I enjoyed making clothing designs and I also enjoyed to film things and that was how the business was born. I was filming a TV show that I created named SWAGG University. The concept of the show is two host would compete for who could give the best SWAGGOVER (makeover). My co host at the time was Amanda Seales. I ran out budget and I couldn’t hire her for anymore episodes so I had to improvise. I had an idea to have professional athletes as co host. The final episode I wanted to do something more than just a makeover and I had the idea to give a kid with cancer and his family a fresh start surprise. My friend at the time was a very popular NHL player for the Buffalo Sabres. I brought him to the kids house and we were able to tell the families story, take the family to a game, and give the child a bedroom renovation. After doing this I knew I had found what I was going to be doing for the rest of my life. The three things combined, I enjoyed filming people and telling stories, I was good at telling these stories, and I was serving the world because these were stories that otherwise would not be told. So along with those three things my clothing designs would be for sell as we would sell them to support these people that we tell stories of DREAMS. That is how my business started and the thought process of it.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
its a commonality of entrepreneurs that are doing their business based from purpose and the simple question of why. For me when I ask what is my why I know that no matter what, my why is bigger than myself. That goes directly into purpose and when it is your purpose to bring something into the world at all cost you will do it! Many people do things for money and money is good however if you do a business just for money you will quit as soon as the money runs low. When you are doing your business based off of purpose and making a contribution even when you are not making money you will continue. That transfers into being able to make the correct adjustments and pivot when the revenue is not coming in. But the main thing is when you are doing your business based off purpose, why, and contribution there is no quitting only adjusting. Entrepreneurship is hard it has not been easy but what a heck of a journey. The ups and downs have made me the man I am today and there is so much value in that journey! I dont even think about being separate from anyone. I just want to continue to my thing and continue to make a contribution to the world.
The main thing I would like the world to know about my brand story is there is value that doesn’t have a price tag in your DREAMS. Me as a founder I dont want a fancy car or a big house. What will I do with those things? All I want to do is tell stories of dreamers and support them with their dreams all over the world. Yes money is good! I want all the money people want to give me. I want people to purchase millions of units of our clothing, because guess what? Im just going to give all the money back to the dreamers around the world to support their dreams. That is what my life is based on and in turn that is what my brand is based on!
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
So quick story and im not even sure you will run this interview after I share this with you. I know you reached out because im a business owner in Atlanta. Well im actually not living in Atlanta anymore. I actually dont even live in the US anymore. I decided to move my brand to Cartagena, Colombia. This is all brand new. Like only a week old. I was in Atlanta for 6 years and I wanted to ficus more on impact and I could not affectively do that with my surroundings. When I say that I mean the show. If you are not apart of the show with the fancy car and the in your face this is what I do energy you get passed over. I wanted to lower my living cost so I can focus on the impact and not being recognized by what I have or what I wear or who I know. Its all about impact to me period. Where I live now I can focus on just that. If my friend would visit Cartagena I would take them to many places let just say that! Im having the time of my life building this company.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Of course, we are all a product of life experiences. The first shout out has to go to my mother as far as support she has always been there and that has helped me because I have failed so many times. Even when she sees me fail she doesn’t say it’s over. The helps me. Entrepreneurship is a lonely world and we are only humans and double creeps in so to have that support is critical. I would also say my father as well rest his soul. He instilled a discipline and structure that still has influence on me til this day. His teaching gave me a view of life that was different from the environment of Eastside Buffalo. It was a world view and I always knew it was something more in the world not just the ghetto that surrounded me. Lastly I would say the children and families in my We All Have Dreams documentary. Out of the five children four had some form of cancer and one child had cerebral palsy. To bond with them and to see how even in their situation they still had joy and hope. It made me have the attitude that I never need to complain because never did I see or hear any of these children or parents complaining. So I want to shoutout Melissa -Julio’s mother (God rest his soul), Nyta – Jordan’s mother (God rest his soul), Jarel, Tawfiq, and Jason.
Website: https://supportalldreams.org
Instagram: supportalldreams and iamhecreates
Linkedin: Hassan El-Saddique
Facebook: Hassan El-Saddique
Youtube: HE CREATES TV
Other: https://linqapp.com/hassan_elsaddique