Mahmood Al- Ansari, Digital Artist and Calligrapher
Tell is a little more about yourself, your background, studies, knowledge, and how you decided to become an ‘Entrepreneur’.
I was born in 1984 and have always been interested in art since a very young age. I am a Son, Husband, Father, Marketeer, Digital Artist and Calligrapher. After I finished high-school, I went on to study a Bachelor’s degree in Multimedia Technology at the Leeds Metropolitan University where I discovered my passion for Digital Art and Mixed Media. I also hold a Master’s Degree in Marketing & Communications.
After graduating I worked in a number of different fields notably Education, Telecoms & Banking, where I developed my knowledge of the relationship between Visual Art and Communications. Whilst I was employed I worked on My own ideas and developed them as I was trying to be original. Presently, I am a full-time Corporate Communication A. Manager at Kuwait Finance House – Bahrain.
Since as far back as I can remember, I have always been passionate about art, in particular Arabic Calligraphy and Digital Art. This draws my work to combining the old and the new and therefore I often incorporate elements of hand craft with digital art.
Tell us a little about your business idea, and experience. Tell us more about the moment if inspiration
My main inspiration was my desire to raise awareness of “Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis” (ALS) disease after my father was diagnosed with it 2 years ago. It had a major impact on my paintings and it boosted my drive to get my work out there as a vehicle to kick start discussion about the disease. I have partnered with various organizations to show my artwork and I am hoping to build more bridges through exhibitions and referrals. With globalization and social media, I feel it is a great time to be an artist as you can reach out to so many more people and share perspectives and experiences. The world really has become one very large village.
What are your business values? How do you aspire to implement them on your daily operations?
I think honesty has to be the most important value, with yourself and with others. From the moment we wake up, going to work, interacting with people, raising a family. Honesty brings knowledge which in turn brings understanding. In this way a person keeps learning from every single aspect to have a better tomorrow and keep rising in life, so never stop learning.
What is your biggest learning experience?
I think seeing my father cope with the things that life has thrown at him has been both an experience and a guidance – patience and fortitude coupled with a sense of divine hope has taught me that there is a higher power and that we are all beholden to him.
In addition to that, working in many different sectors in the Advertising and communication industry, I’ve learned that visual art is the easiest language that can be used to communicate with everybody at any level.
Most entrepreneurs have mentors, or ‘idols’; do you have any mentors/idols (if so share with us who and why) and how important do you believe is mentorship when it comes to entrepreneurship?
Mentorship is particularly important in entrepreneurs’ life especially as there is often no accurate formula for business success. A mentor can help you explore your options and help you do things more efficiently. I have a number of mentors in life, every one of them has had their inputs that impacted my personality.
What do you believe are the key elements for success and growth of entrepreneurship?
The key element to success is to love, enjoy and savor what you are doing and be passionate about it. The willingness to be lonely most of the time, as more time an efforts are required to establish any type of business. Last but not least, in every situation there is a lesson to be learned, so try to get the maximum of out your day.
When you look back to when you first started being an entrepreneur there anything that you know now that you would have done differently? If yes,
please tell us more. If no, why not?
I think I should have had the courage to start my own business much earlier as it has had a such a positive effect on my life and has helped me grow as a person.
Most entrepreneur programs and investors always talk about the importance of the
team. Tell us you thoughts on the value of a team in a startup and how relevant is to the criteria you look for in your business
I believe in being surrounded by a great team. Nothing is actually achieved alone – there are those that help directly and those that subtly influence. But it all counts. My Family is my team.
Tell us a little about your hobbies; how do you like to spend your free time?
My Startup is my hobby, which I spend most of my spare time doing. In addition, I love swimming, cause it helps me to improve my self/individual goals setting. Every time when I am in the water there is nothing else in the lane except the finish line. Every time I go swimming I’m competing with “myself”and it’s an ongoing competition.
Anything you would like to share with our Rowad readers – advice, favorite quotes, etc.
Starting up an idea, should be something that you love to do and passionate about and should be a reflection of your personality, so that it will motivate you to build it and grow it no matter what it takes. For example, solving a personal problem, sharing an interest or even in creasing awareness.
Please let our readers know how to get to know you and your business, for example: Website, Email, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc.
Currently I am working on my new personal brand that will be launched in my upcoming Art Exhibition on August 2017 with the title of “12 months with ALS Patient”. Also it will be having a donation section, where visitors are welcomed to donate for the researches and studies that related to ALS diseases.
I’m using my personal contact detail in the meanwhile. Soon my new website will be live, with a section for online gallery that will help the visitors to purchase their artworks, and it will be delivered to their doorsteps.