Every issue we highlight 1 sensational Jeddahwy person, 1 Jeddahwy life aspect, and 1 Jeddahwy hot topic…

Ali Assi: Renowned DJ & Entrepreneur

This month’s Sensational Jeddahwy Ali Assi, DJ Loush, is a phenomenal DJ and a successful entrepreneur…

Ali Assi took Jeddah’s music scene by storm and rose to become a most renowned and sought-after DJ. Ali is, and has always been, a seasoned entrepreneur, having started and managed several successful businesses, all with the star qualities of creativity and discipline.

Jeddahwy got to talking to Ali about his sensational journey as a DJ:

Tell us about your fascinating career as a renowned DJ; what got you into it, and how it developed?
Love of music. I used to get screamed at when I was 12 for listening to music while studying! Then, it just developed; I wanted to use that love of music to share the love with people and make them happy. And when I was studying in London, I had a DJ friend who had a DJ set and practiced on it. It picked up bit by bit, and here I am, opening the Big Beast stage for Eminem and Linkin Park on the 12th of December, two big headliners!

What challenges and support did you face on this journey?
Back then, the challenges were way, way more than now because we didn’t have social media or YouTube to learn; it was all improvisation and friends giving each other tips here and there. It was all about self-taught skills. Plus, there were no digital DJ applications like Virtual DJ to practice on, so you either had the money to buy DJ gear or you didn't, so you couldn’t do it, full stop. Now, you can learn and practice with just your phone.

What helped was that I had a bunch of friends who had DJ sets, and there were those discotheque shops that sold CDs, tapes, and music equipment. You could go there to practice on the gear, and the employees would also show you a couple of moves.

How do creativity and technology figure in this field?
Technology changed a lot, and it helped people to be more creative. Mixers now have a lot of effects that you could use to spice up your set. I always say that DJing is like cooking; we all have access to the same ingredients, but our spin on a dish is what makes it different from the others. This is where the new technology has helped. The bad side of the new technology is that it made everyone think they’re a DJ because there are buttons that facilitate the whole mixing process.

As for creativity, that’s where a DJ shines. It's not just how you mix or select the songs; it's the whole, adding something here or an effect there, lowering the volume at parts, and having a buildup at others to hype up the crowd. I always say I can teach anybody to technically mix songs, but there is one thing I cannot teach anybody, which is understanding the crowd. You either look at them and understand what they want, or you don't.

On our first day at the university where I studied advertising, our dean said, “Many of you will graduate as designers because we can teach you to design. Some will graduate as Art Directors because we can teach you to direct art. But very few will graduate as Creative Directors because we can never teach people to be creative.”

Is there a gender bias in DJing?
No, not at all. Look at Cosmicat, she played in Tomorrowland, and she's Saudi. Very few will look at you when you're DJing for your looks or whatever you are. A good DJ is a good DJ regardless of anything else.

What advice would you give someone starting up in DJing?
One, don't go and buy a DJ set, even if you have the money. Try the apps and online things, because you might not like it. Buy the smallest controller you can find; there are controllers from Pioneer that are for 1,500 SR; download a free app like Virtual DJ or Tractor, and play a little bit, see if you like it. You might love music and enjoy going to parties, but once you start doing it, you might not enjoy it. Two, take advantage of the information at your fingertips. Go on YouTube and watch videos and tutorials. Three, once you've done all this, practice, practice, practice.

Jeddahwy then asked about his inspirational entrepreneurship experience:

Tell us about your entrepreneurship journey; what businesses did you set up and what made you do it?
I set up and ran various businesses, magazine, events, advertising, until I finally settled on one for the past eight years. I own an agency where 10% of the business is advertising, and 90% is building stuff. We built the F1 fan zones and the premium hospitality and paddock zones, the stage at the F1, a 28-meter wide and 30-meter high stage, and we’ve been doing this for the past four years with the Formula One. We did The Juniors World Fencing Championship and The Nine Ball World Championship. This is my baby.

What did you learn from entrepreneurship? Is it for everyone?
That you work way more than nine to five! Don't follow that advice of not working on someone else’s dream and do your own if you’re not prepared to work your bottom off!

I learned that you have to be a very disciplined person. It’s easy to fall into the trap of skipping work for the day or traveling for a few days, but that’s just time that your business isn’t accomplishing anything. Most entrepreneurs, and definitely myself, wake up at 7 am and are at the office before the staff even arrive. As an entrepreneur, you’re responsible for all those who work for you and the others in your life who depend on your income, so if you lose business by not showing up, it’s on you alone. So, until you’re mature enough to be disciplined, don't open your own business.

You might hire the best people in the business, but if you're not there running it, these people will realize that there’s no leader and will eventually leave and do it for themselves. And, in the beginning, no entrepreneur starts with loads of money; you start small. So, expect yourself to be the client servicing, the creative, the production manager, the secretary, and the teaboy until you can afford to have some people working for you. If you don’t have the discipline to show up and be all those things every day, you just won’t make it.

Is there any gender bias in entrepreneurship?
No. Succeeding in whatever business is irrelevant of gender; it’s about all the other business skills you need like effective communication, networking, and doing the work. Unless it's a purely gender-specific business like a ladies’ boutique or a male barbershop that’s gender biased, business is gender neutral.

What challenges and support, advantages and disadvantages did you face in entrepreneurship, specific to KSA?
Right now, Saudi is the place to be. The country is on a powerful trajectory. If you have the will, the guts, and the legs to run, now is the time. Governmentally wise, they're helping big time by having the Golden Visa for investors and facilitating everything for foreign investment companies to open. So, if you have the will, you have the discipline, do it.

There’s a lot of demand in the market for everything, especially in Riyadh. Many suppliers are working in every sector, and there’s room for more. This applies to everywhere in Saudi Arabia, but Riyadh specifically is experiencing a different level of demand at the moment.

How does creativity fit in entrepreneurship?
Very, because you want to distinguish yourself with whatever you’re offering. There are a thousand suppliers doing the same thing, so the moment you’re more creative, your chances are much higher for selling your idea, your product, your service, and your company.

What advice would you give budding entrepreneurs?
If you come up with an idea and any of the market gurus can do it by adding a feature, don't do it. So, for example, if you thought of building an app for, say, old-school chat rooms, and you go and pour hundreds of thousands into it, and the next day Instagram decides to add it as a feature, you lose everything. So, instead, find a solution to a problem. In three words - fix a problem - your business will succeed.

And finally, we asked about the issue that plagues every sensational Jeddahwy person:

What are your most important tips for work and life balance?
Make sure you prioritize your family and don’t miss out on birthdays, holidays, or any special moments. Work will never finish. So, if you have enough and have done enough, don't push it. I mean, it's fine to be a millionaire; you don't have to be a billionaire. Enjoy what you have now while you can before it’s too late. The time left in our lives and health isn’t as much as what has passed, so travel now and spend time with loved ones now. If you have enough for a decent living, prioritize family over anything elseMake sure you prioritize your family and don’t miss out on birthdays, holidays, or any special moments. Work will never finish. So, if you have enough and have done enough, don't push it. I mean, it's fine to be a millionaire; you don't have to be a billionaire. Enjoy what you have now while you can before it’s too late. The time left in our lives and health isn’t as much as what has passed, so travel now and spend time with loved ones now. If you have enough for a decent living, prioritize family over anything else.

Find and follow Ali Assi on Instagram and through his website.

Melody Burger

For the month of November, we chose Melody Burger - Burgers & More restaurant for our Jeddahwy Life review…

True to its name and slogan, Burgers & More, Melody Burger restaurant in Stars Avenue Mall serves a scrumptious menu of juicy burgers, hotdogs, chicken, sloppy joe, and more. These delights come in various bread choices of potato, brioche, lettuce wraps, and soft and hard tacos. Their varied sides and sauce offerings are guaranteed to please every desire, be it honey mustard, spicy siracha, cheese fries, onion rings, and other fried goodies.

Find Melody Burger and their menu on Instagram, contact them at +966126595800, or order through any of the delivery apps.

On Tolerance

November 16 is International Day for Tolerance and what a wonderful thing it is to be tolerant and appreciate others just as they are, writes Reham Kreidieh…

People come in all shapes and colors. People’s opinions come in a plethora of differences. People’s wants, needs, and desires come in a multitude of ranges. Yet, many insist on their own version of opinion, of being, or of behaving. Of course, there are societal norms that we abide by publicly, like not running in the street naked - on the other hand, if you’re a nudist it’s totally your call, but you would reserve that nudity to its designated locations.

Being tolerant of others’ ways of being means accepting them as they are even if you don’t conform to their “way”. It means giving people the respect they deserve for being themselves as you also get that respect in return. Being truly tolerant means you stop judging others and realize that to each his own. If there is something or someone you don’t agree with, you could, and should, disconnect yourself from that person or their opinions. Don’t try to change them and don’t be rude about it, just let them be.

However, the line blurs when it comes to your own family and, especially, your children. In the book The Prophet, writer Khalil Gibran describes your children as not being yours but that you are simply a custodian for a while. As a parent, and as hard as this is to comprehend, my understanding of it is that when your children are still a blank slate you get to write on it whatever you want, but once they are old enough and have their own views, you must let it go and let them take their own path in life.

When they come to you with an opinion or a path you disagree with, you try to change it or guide them to a different path, reasonably without force. But, be honest with yourself and examine whether you’re opposed because it’s one of your hard limits, or because your path led you to this conclusion that doesn’t have to be theirs as well. Accept that at some point, regardless of how much you try, you can’t control them, and you just have to love them for whatever their path led them to be. That’s parenting with tolerance.

Other than with children and direct family, my top advice when it comes to tolerance with friends is that you say your opinion once, and if they disagree or have a different opinion, let them, don’t try to change them and don’t insist on your opinion or way. Be truly open-minded by hearing others and accepting them for who they are. Halt your judgments and remind yourself that everyone has their own circumstance and their own path that led them to where they are now and appreciate those differences in others.

What a lovely world and life it would be if we all practiced more tolerance towards those beautiful differences that color our world.