Dean Hachem’s story is one among progress, adaptation, and persistence. He grew up in Lebanon, and finally moved out to Kuwait.
Whereas in Kuwait, he was blessed with a chance to immigrate to the US the place he pursued an engineering diploma on the College of Michigan. Whereas many engineers follow their area, Dean took a special path. His ardour for meals led him to the restaurant enterprise. His engineering diploma helped him within the restaurant enterprise as he used it whereas planning and constructing many eating places. Later, he transitioned into the airport trade, the place he labored for over twenty years.
“I never planned on being in the restaurant or airport business,” Dean says. “But life takes you places you don’t expect, and you learn as you go.”
The Sheik Restaurant: A Neighborhood Staple
Within the Nineteen Nineties and early 2000s, Dean owned The Sheik Restaurant in West Bloomfield, Michigan. It turned identified for its high-quality dishes and welcoming ambiance. For Dean, working a restaurant wasn’t nearly enterprise—it was about creating experiences. The expertise at The Sheik led to 2-3 hour waits on the weekends and lots of rushes all through the day.
“I always loved food,” he says. “Cooking is more than just making something to eat. It’s about bringing people together. The restaurant was a place where families and friends connected.”
Proudly owning a restaurant got here with challenges. Lengthy hours, unpredictable buyer visitors, and rising prices made it a troublesome enterprise. However Dean stayed dedicated. He discovered how one can handle folks, management bills, and adapt to altering tastes.
“You can’t get stuck in one way of thinking,” he explains. “Trends change, people’s preferences change. You have to be willing to listen and adjust.”
A Shift to the Airport Trade
In 2001, Dean and his staff, together with his spouse, transitioned into the airport trade, a transfer that formed the following twenty years of his profession. The work was completely different from working a restaurant, however lots of the similar ideas utilized—customer support, effectivity, and flexibility.
“The airport industry is about meeting people’s needs in a fast-paced environment,” he says. “Travelers are looking for convenience and quality, and you have to deliver both.”
From 2001 to 2023, Dean constructed a powerful presence within the airport enterprise. His capability to adapt helped him navigate the complexities of working in such a regulated and aggressive area.
“In business, you have to keep learning,” he says. “If you stop learning, you stop growing. The industry changed a lot over the years, and we had to change with it.”
The Position of Training in Enterprise
Although Dean didn’t observe a standard engineering profession path, he credit his schooling for shaping his enterprise mindset.
“Engineering teaches you how to solve problems,” he says. “You learn how to think logically and approach challenges with a step-by-step process. That applies to any industry.”
Dean believes that schooling is extra than simply getting a level. It’s about gaining expertise that assist you in several areas of life.
“Formal education gives you a foundation, but real learning happens when you apply it to the real world,” he provides. “You have to stay curious and open-minded.”
Household and Entrepreneurship
For Dean, household has all the time been a guiding power, they’re the explanation he works as arduous as his does, to offer them the most effective life. He believes that the identical values that strengthen household relationships—endurance, belief, and communication—are important in enterprise.
“Running a business is a lot like managing a family,” he says. “You have to take care of people, make smart decisions, and always think about the future.”
Balancing work and household hasn’t all the time been simple, however Dean was in a position to determine the right work-life stability.
“You have to put in the time and effort,” he says. “Whether it’s with your business or your family, you get out what you put in.”
The Ardour for Meals By no means Fades
Even after shifting on from the restaurant trade, Dean’s love for meals has by no means light. Cooking stays one among his favourite hobbies, and he enjoys experimenting with new recipes.
“Cooking is relaxing for me,” he says. “It’s one of those things that never feels like work. It’s just pure enjoyment.”
He additionally believes that meals has a particular means of connecting folks.
“Some of the best conversations happen over a meal,” he says. “Food brings people together, no matter where they come from.”
Trying Forward
After over 20 years within the airport trade, Dean has stepped away from the enterprise. However that doesn’t imply he’s accomplished studying or rising. He stays keen about schooling, entrepreneurship, and spending time together with his household.
“I don’t think I’ll ever stop being an entrepreneur in some way,” he says. “Once you have that mindset, it’s hard to turn it off.”
Dean’s story is a reminder that success doesn’t observe a straight path. Typically, the most effective alternatives come from sudden locations. His capability to adapt, keep curious, and continue to learn has been the important thing to his journey.
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that you have to stay open to change,” he says. “You never know where it might take you.”
