Ahmed Al Muhaysini (LinkedIn) began his entrepreneurial journey at just 15, when financial hardship pushed him to work in an auto shop to help repair his family’s car. What started as a necessity became an early lesson in understanding customers, solving problems, and reading the market — principles that would later shape more than two decades of entrepreneurship.

In our My Morning Routine interview this week, Al Muhaysini reflects on the experiences that shaped his entrepreneurial philosophy, the changing dynamics of Saudi Arabia’s real estate and investment markets, and the prospects emerging across technology, infrastructure, tourism, logistics, and specialized services. He also discusses the company’s investment program, its approach to financing and expansion, the future of the Ezhalha super app for car services, and his ambition to build an institutional Saudi business ecosystem that can grow beyond its founder.

EnterpriseAM: How did your entrepreneurial journey begin, what were the biggest obstacles you faced, and how did you overcome them?

Ahmed Al Muhaysini (AA): My story began when I was 15 years old, when the family car was involved in an accident and we couldn’t afford the cost of repairing it. My father had passed away, and I didn’t receive any family or financial support from anyone in my early years. So I worked at a workshop in exchange for reducing the cost of the repair. That was when I began learning the trade, understanding customers’ needs, and reading the market from the inside.

Over time, I discovered that every problem can be a chance if you know how to find the right solution. The beginning was simple, funding was limited, and experience was scarce, but I learned that true capital isn’t just money. It is learning, hard work, the ability to execute, and perseverance.

I believe that, ultimately, success and good fortune come from God alone, followed by hard work, dedication, and making the most of chances. One of the greatest fortunes I am proud of is that I was born in the Kingdom, as it opens the doors to prospects and gives ambition plenty of room to grow and succeed.

In 2019, I received the award for Best Self-Made Entrepreneurial Personality in Saudi Arabia. It is an honor I am proud of because it represents the story of starting from scratch and building through hard work, before the companies and the broader business ecosystem took shape.

Today, when I look back on the journey, I find that the greatest thing we have built isn’t just companies and projects, but a team of talented professionals who have become true partners in every achievement we accomplish.

E: When did you first become involved in the real estate sector? How do you assess the current phase of the Saudi market, and where do you see the biggest potential chances?

AA: I entered the real estate sector in 2009. From the beginning, my interest went beyond buying and selling to include property management, marketing, and providing integrated services around assets.

The Saudi real estate market today is going through a different phase, in terms of regulation, growth, and opportunities. It has become more mature and professional. Chances are no longer limited to development and sales, but also lie in asset management, property management, operations, specialized real estate services, and proptech.

I believe the future belongs to those who can build an integrated real estate ecosystem that brings together real estate, technology, and operations while creating real value for owners, investors, and end users.

E: Tell us about the investment program launched by the company. Where did the idea come from?

AA: The idea came from over 20 years of experience in building businesses, and from the conviction that a chance alone isn’t enough. What matters more is choosing the right one, studying the market, and building a model capable of sustaining itself. That is why we want our role to go beyond financing. We bring expertise, management, technology, marketing, relationships, and access to the market.

We look for businesses that address a genuine problem, have a clear market, and are led by a team capable of execution.

E: Which sectors do you believe offer the greatest growth opportunities in Saudi Arabia over the coming years?

AA: I see significant chances in real estate, real estate services, technology, infrastructure, tourism, hospitality, logistics, industries, and specialized services.

But more important than choosing the sector is choosing the problem we want to solve. The Saudi market is full of possibilities, and success will belong to those who can provide a better, faster, or more efficient service and turn it into a scalable model. So, the biggest chances will be in companies that can combine specialization, technology, and actual operational capabilities.

E: After over 20 years in entrepreneurship, what has changed in the cost of establishing, financing, and growing companies? Has competition become tougher?

AA: Establishing companies today is much easier than it was in the past, thanks to the development of regulations, technology, financing, and the broader ecosystem supporting entrepreneurship.

But competition has become stronger, and that is a positive development. The market today doesn’t reward simply having a company. Customers are more sophisticated, investors are more discerning, and companies are required to prove their ability to deliver real results. The next phase, I believe, will see a shift from simply establishing companies to building Saudi companies capable of competing regionally and globally.

E: To what extent do you rely on self-financing for expansion, and are you considering bringing in investors, strategic partners, or taking the company public?

AA: Self-financing has been a fundamental part of my experience from the beginning, and many projects were financed through the returns generated by other ventures. As the group has expanded, we have adopted a more institutional approach to financing and are not closing the door on investors or strategic partners.

However, any partner must add real value, whether through capital, expertise, technology, or access to markets. As for going public, that is a strategic decision linked to the company’s readiness, governance, and growth, rather than an objective in itself. What matters to us is that the organization is ready for this type of partnership and that the decision serves the long-term interests of the company and its shareholders.

E: The Ezhalha app was a major starting point in your experience in technology and services. How do you view its future amid increasing competition?

AA: For me, Ezhalha is an experience that has demonstrated that when technology is connected to a real problem, it can transform the way a service is delivered.

Competition is greater today, and that is natural. I see it as a catalyst for development rather than an obstacle. The future will belong to platforms that offer a strong customer experience, a genuine operational network, effective technology, and a team capable of continuously innovating and improving.

E: What are your ambitions for the coming years?

AA: After delivering over 10 mn services to customers across different sectors, my ambition is no longer simply to own a larger number of companies. I aspire to build an institutional and sustainable Saudi business ecosystem that can continue and grow without being tied to the founder as an individual. I want the group to have a genuine economic impact through investment, job creation, empowering talent, and developing services.

E: Is there anything you would have done differently if you could go back in time?

AA: Absolutely. I would have focused on governance and building institutional systems much earlier. In the early stages, entrepreneurs are focused on sales, growth, and solving day-to-day problems. But as you expand, you discover that systems are more important than individuals, and that the team, governance, and processes are the foundation of sustainability.

I still don’t regret the mistakes because they were part of the real learning process. Much of what I learned came from the market and from the decisions that succeeded as well as those that did not.

E: How do you start your day, and what habits do you maintain to stay focused and productive?

AA: Waking up early, because a calm start to the day helps organize my thoughts and set my priorities before the pressure of work begins.

ALSO- I rely heavily on the Pareto 80/20 Principle. I focus on the things that generate the greatest results and delegate any task that someone else can perform efficiently. I believe a leader’s role is to build a team capable of accomplishing a great amount without them.

This is one of the things I learned as the group grew. The more successful you are at building stronger leaders and giving them the trust and space they need, the more you can focus on bigger decisions and future prospects.

A piece of advice that stuck: Never be ashamed of starting again. But this time, don’t start from zero. Start from experience. Start with everything you learned and every loss in which you didn’t lose yourself. Return more aware, less impulsive, knowing what you want — and, more importantly, knowing what you do not want.

What he’s reading: I enjoy books that change the way you think. Some of the books I have benefited from include Good to Great, Start with Why, and Zero to One.