Adel Sajan

That wasn't the last. That was the second last. Okay. The last was when I was supposed to study in the US. I had very good grades. Of course, we had the money by then. But then my dad's like, look, I think you should study over here in Dubai. So you can work and study at the same time. And we had just started our retail business. So at the age of 19, I became a buyer.

That wasn't the last. That was the second last. Okay. The last was when I was supposed to study in the US. I had very good grades. Of course, we had the money by then. But then my dad's like, look, I think you should study over here in Dubai. So you can work and study at the same time. And we had just started our retail business. So at the age of 19, I became a buyer.

By buyer means like a department head. So, you know, he's like, okay, I want you to go and start a chandelier division. I'm like, Chandler, what? And he's like, how do you even start a division? You're 19. I have no idea. He's like, no, it's okay. You'll figure it out. And he didn't tell me anything. So he's like, here's a million dollars. Go and start the Chandler division.

By buyer means like a department head. So, you know, he's like, okay, I want you to go and start a chandelier division. I'm like, Chandler, what? And he's like, how do you even start a division? You're 19. I have no idea. He's like, no, it's okay. You'll figure it out. And he didn't tell me anything. So he's like, here's a million dollars. Go and start the Chandler division.

By buyer means like a department head. So, you know, he's like, okay, I want you to go and start a chandelier division. I'm like, Chandler, what? And he's like, how do you even start a division? You're 19. I have no idea. He's like, no, it's okay. You'll figure it out. And he didn't tell me anything. So he's like, here's a million dollars. Go and start the Chandler division.

It's not a bag of million dollars, but like a buying budget of million dollars. Bag would be good. So I go to China and there's a city called Guizhen. And this is known as the city of light. It's 90 minutes away from Guangzhou. And literally, Chris, it's unbelievable. You have a city with 7,000 shops of chandeliers and 10,000 factories.

It's not a bag of million dollars, but like a buying budget of million dollars. Bag would be good. So I go to China and there's a city called Guizhen. And this is known as the city of light. It's 90 minutes away from Guangzhou. And literally, Chris, it's unbelievable. You have a city with 7,000 shops of chandeliers and 10,000 factories.

It's not a bag of million dollars, but like a buying budget of million dollars. Bag would be good. So I go to China and there's a city called Guizhen. And this is known as the city of light. It's 90 minutes away from Guangzhou. And literally, Chris, it's unbelievable. You have a city with 7,000 shops of chandeliers and 10,000 factories.

of chandeliers and lighting in something maybe smaller than Manhattan. That's all there is. There's only chandelier shops, restaurants, and hotels. There's nothing else.

of chandeliers and lighting in something maybe smaller than Manhattan. That's all there is. There's only chandelier shops, restaurants, and hotels. There's nothing else.

of chandeliers and lighting in something maybe smaller than Manhattan. That's all there is. There's only chandelier shops, restaurants, and hotels. There's nothing else.

Like, dude, literally cities dedicated to one product. So that's smart. The way they've designed it makes it very easy for buyers. And I walk in, you know, 19 years old. There's this new translator. She's three months old in the company. And we're like, okay, let's figure this out. So, you know, made some Excel file, try to make some sense of it. And we just went door to door.

Like, dude, literally cities dedicated to one product. So that's smart. The way they've designed it makes it very easy for buyers. And I walk in, you know, 19 years old. There's this new translator. She's three months old in the company. And we're like, okay, let's figure this out. So, you know, made some Excel file, try to make some sense of it. And we just went door to door.

Like, dude, literally cities dedicated to one product. So that's smart. The way they've designed it makes it very easy for buyers. And I walk in, you know, 19 years old. There's this new translator. She's three months old in the company. And we're like, okay, let's figure this out. So, you know, made some Excel file, try to make some sense of it. And we just went door to door.

Hey, we're from Dubai, very big company, but this is our order because there's a new division. And it was fun, you know, it was really fun. But the good thing, I mean, the bad thing at that point was I had no idea about MOQs, minimum order quantities. I had no idea about packaging. I had no idea about freight. I had no idea about tax and duties. I had no idea about anything.

Hey, we're from Dubai, very big company, but this is our order because there's a new division. And it was fun, you know, it was really fun. But the good thing, I mean, the bad thing at that point was I had no idea about MOQs, minimum order quantities. I had no idea about packaging. I had no idea about freight. I had no idea about tax and duties. I had no idea about anything.

Hey, we're from Dubai, very big company, but this is our order because there's a new division. And it was fun, you know, it was really fun. But the good thing, I mean, the bad thing at that point was I had no idea about MOQs, minimum order quantities. I had no idea about packaging. I had no idea about freight. I had no idea about tax and duties. I had no idea about anything.

You just had to figure it out. I just had to figure it out. So it's like you throw a kid in the pool, he just figured it out. So that's what it was. And of course, my dad could have given me like some understanding, but he didn't intentionally. Of course, now I've been to like China 40 times. I travel 100 days a year for my work. It's a very different story now. But that's how I started.

You just had to figure it out. I just had to figure it out. So it's like you throw a kid in the pool, he just figured it out. So that's what it was. And of course, my dad could have given me like some understanding, but he didn't intentionally. Of course, now I've been to like China 40 times. I travel 100 days a year for my work. It's a very different story now. But that's how I started.

You just had to figure it out. I just had to figure it out. So it's like you throw a kid in the pool, he just figured it out. So that's what it was. And of course, my dad could have given me like some understanding, but he didn't intentionally. Of course, now I've been to like China 40 times. I travel 100 days a year for my work. It's a very different story now. But that's how I started.