Before I opened my first restaurant or managed food operations in a busy airport, I was an engineering student at the University of Michigan. I came to the U.S. with the intention of getting my degree and returning to Kuwait to build a traditional career. But life had other plans. I fell in love with this country, with its energy and possibility—and I also realized that my true passion wasn’t in machines or blueprints, but in business.
That said, I never left my engineering background behind. In fact, I brought it with me into every venture I started. What surprised me the most was how much of engineering—especially the problem-solving mindset—applied directly to entrepreneurship.
Thinking in Systems
One of the first things you learn in engineering is how to think in systems. You don’t just look at one part—you look at how all the parts work together. That’s the same mindset I used when I opened The Sheik restaurant back in the 1990s. It wasn’t just about the food. It was about how the kitchen flowed, how the service team operated, how inventory was tracked, and how customer experience could be optimized.
When something didn’t work, I didn’t panic. I took a step back and analyzed the whole system. Where was the bottleneck? What could be improved? Whether it was a broken piece of kitchen equipment or a flaw in scheduling, I approached it with a diagnostic mindset. That’s pure engineering—and it saved me time, money, and stress.
The Power of Iteration
Engineering teaches you that the first version of something isn’t the final version. You build, you test, you tweak. Business works the same way. I didn’t get everything right when I first opened The Sheik. There were menu items that didn’t sell, marketing tactics that didn’t connect, and staff dynamics that needed attention. But I didn’t treat those as failures—I treated them as feedback.
That habit of refining, adjusting, and improving is what allowed me to evolve, not just survive. When I transitioned into the airport food and beverage industry in 2001, that same approach helped me scale and succeed in a completely different environment.
Problem-Solving Under Pressure
If you’ve ever studied engineering—or worked in a restaurant, for that matter—you know there’s no such thing as a “normal” day. Problems show up without warning. A delivery doesn’t arrive. A piece of equipment breaks. A team member calls out sick during a rush.
What helped me navigate these challenges was the problem-solving muscle I built during my engineering studies. I learned how to stay calm, assess variables, consider constraints, and find the most effective solution. More importantly, I learned to solve problems with limited resources—because in both engineering and entrepreneurship, you never have unlimited time, money, or information.
Data-Driven Decisions
Another gift of engineering is the ability to work with data. In business, we often have to make quick decisions, but that doesn’t mean we should guess. Whether it’s sales numbers, customer feedback, or staffing patterns, I’ve always looked at the data before making changes.
When I managed airport operations, I used data to understand traveler habits, peak hours, menu performance, and even cleaning schedules. Numbers tell a story. And when you listen to that story, you make smarter, more strategic decisions. That’s something engineering teaches you from day one.
Designing for the User
At the heart of good engineering is user-centered design—creating solutions that serve the person using them. In business, your “user” is your customer. From the layout of a dining space to the speed of service at an airport kiosk, I’ve always asked, “How does this feel from the customer’s perspective?”
That question drives everything. Are they getting served fast enough? Is the process intuitive? Are we removing friction or adding it? This way of thinking creates better experiences—and better businesses.
Leading Like an Engineer
Running a team is another area where my engineering mindset helped. Engineers often work in groups, solving problems together. You learn how to communicate clearly, assign roles, and align toward a shared goal. That’s the same kind of leadership a business needs.
In my businesses, I’ve always encouraged clear processes and open communication. I believe in empowering staff to solve problems on their own and rewarding creative thinking. I don’t micromanage—I build systems and trust people to run them.
Lessons for New Entrepreneurs
If you’re someone with a technical or analytical background thinking about starting a business, here’s what I want you to know: your skills are more valuable than you think. You don’t need to be a “natural-born entrepreneur.” You just need to apply what you already know—system thinking, data analysis, optimization, and calm under pressure—to a new context.
Of course, you’ll still need to learn things like marketing, branding, and emotional intelligence. But those can be developed over time. What you bring to the table—logic, structure, and resilience—can be your greatest strength.
Final Thoughts
Looking back, I’m grateful I studied engineering—even though I didn’t follow a traditional path. It shaped the way I think, the way I lead, and the way I build businesses. It gave me the foundation to adapt, to grow, and to keep moving forward—whether I was serving shawarma in Michigan or managing dining operations at a busy airport.
Entrepreneurship is often painted as a leap into the unknown. But for me, it wasn’t a leap—it was a pivot. And the skills I carried with me from my engineering days made that pivot not only possible but powerful.
If you’ve got a problem-solving mind, there’s a good chance you’ve already got what it takes to succeed in business. You just have to start building.