What Anis Abdul Latif, the founder of Hash Include, remembers today is neither big government contracts nor complex technology projects; rather, it is a phone call with his mother in 2014.

He was just 350 dirhams short to purchase a government tender document. Without that document, his company was not even allowed to enter the competition. Right then, he called his family, and his mother sent him the amount; a sum that seems small today, but was crucial at that time.

He later said: that very 350 dirhams might have been his mother's best investment in her life.

But his journey had started long before this. Anis had lived in the UAE with his family during his childhood, and at that time, the image of 'returning' formed in his mind. He later returned to Dubai in 2008, this time with a clear goal: to build the future.

The start was not easy. He had no network, no financial backing. Like many immigrants, he started from scratch; as a software developer.

During these years, he learned an important lesson from the working environment in the UAE: in this country, the idea is important, but 'execution' is what matters. He recounts that in a project related to the Abu Dhabi Tourism Organization, he was forced to deliver a complete event platform in less than a week; a place where, according to him, 'there is no room for excuses.'

Over time, the main challenge was not just technology; it was building trust. He and his small team had to compete against large companies and learn to explain the value of their work correctly.

Gradually, his path transformed from a technical employee to a founder; a journey built not by a leap, but by years of persistence.

Today, he focuses more on 'people' than on technology. He says his most significant successes have been when he has been able to help others see their capabilities. For this reason, he spends part of his time mentoring and supporting young people and entrepreneurs; quietly and completely off the media radar.

For him, the story does not end with money or a company. Everything goes back to that point: a phone call, a 'yes' from a mother, and a country that provided the opportunity to build.

Source: Gulf News