A Chronic Entrepreneur: Ramy Al-Kadhi
Ramy Al-Kadhi shares a slightly different story – while he doesn’t live with a chronic illness, he lives with permanent damage to his brain. In Sri Lanka in 2016, he was involved in a dangeous moped crash where he came off the bike and landed on his head. He was lucky to survive and the accident left him with frontal lobe brain damage. The frontal lobe in the brain controls important cognitive skills that impact our sense and expression of personality – including emotional expression, memory, problem solving, libido, mood and language. In Ramy’s words, he has had to learn his personality again. Ramy has always been an entrepreneur in the sense of looking for opportunities in whatever space he’s been in. Now, Ramy is the co-founder of Calio – a digital platform that operates in the calendar space. Read Ramy’s story below.
What’s your Chronic?
Rather than a chronic illness, I suffered a traumatic injury. In March 2016 I had a moped crash in Sri Lanka and landed straight on my head. This caused frontal lobe brain damage. The days around the event were very traumatic, consisting of concussions, seizures and a general blurriness.
Luckily, I’ve recovered from the worst of it but the cuts to the brain are permanent. The frontal lobe controls filters in thought, emotion, mood, libido, memory and general temperament.
Since the injury, my thought patterns aren’t normal anymore and difficult to control. It’s almost like I am self-learning a personality again which represents a challenge, especially when I look fine from the outside (apart from my beautiful Harry Potter scar).
Where/when were you diagnosed?
The accident happened in March 2016.
What does being an entrepreneur mean to you?
Self-expression. I have ideas about products that I think people will love, and rather than sing to the tune of someone else’s ideas, I want to see if people will sing along to mine.
What came first, the chronic or the entrepreneurism?
I’ve always been an entrepreneur, creating apps, pushing boundaries at the workplace and even selling revision notes at university. The accident gave me the push to go out and start seeking investment; the stratosphere seemed a lot closer after the accident so I want to touch it.
How did this path come to you?
I’m restless and I rush everything. The entrepreneurial path comes with risk and very large potential gains, both monetary and soul-filling. I don’t see another option. Even at the workplace, I was always looking for ways to aid business goals and work with the leaders of the company straight away.
The idea of stability has always scared me. As opposed to this path coming to me, I suppose I actively go after it.
Did you go through any sort of 12-stages of grief with the diagnosis or take it in its stride? How did the process manifest itself? Did you immediately reassess your life?
I certainly had an immediate ‘lucky to be alive’ glow about me. This also helped me quit my job and go and raise the funds for Calio with my business partner, who has always been rock solid support at my side (Latif Baluch).
The weird part has been the ‘after it all settled down’ period. The day-to-day living has brought about the stark realities of a frontal lobe brain injury, especially the difficulty of controlling thoughts. This last year, coming back to London from Dubai has been the toughest of my life, running a high-paced startup while getting a grip with my mind order again.
Did you seek out or join organisations representing your chronic for support or did you find comfort and answers elsewhere? What would you recommend in hindsight?
I have recently applied to brain trauma organisations in the U.K. so that I can join communities and speak to people about my experience.
How have you changed, if at all, in your relationships, decisions and values?
In so many ways, some for the better and some that have to be improved on.
The biggest has been in relationships. I pay very close attention to who I hang out with. I’ve had to let go of toxic people, those that didn’t serve or support me. On the other side of this, I’ve actively drawn in personalities who I find inspiring.
In terms of my decisions, this is where I’ve struggled. I explained above the issues with a frontal lobe trauma, and that has made me more sensitive and prone to making a rash decision.
What is your life philosophy and has this changed?
This deserves a book, not an answer to a question : ) All in all I have to say I’m still figuring it out, but my ambition is at an all-time high. I want to manifest/create wonderful businesses, friendships, romances and experiences.
What do you wish you’d known before?
I think what I would say to myself before the accident is to not rush and people please. I still have some of these traits but less so. The accident seemed like a culmination of me always wanting to be somewhere, all the time and pleasing my friends, instead of just relaxing at the moment.
Are you on any treatments? Why/why not?
I was on Keppra to avoid seizures. I’m now off it.
What advice do you have for others starting out on this journey?
There isn’t any moment to start and try not to ask for too much advice. Just go, start and watch it unfold. It’s easy to sit for hours, that turn into years, where you mentally out-think yourself. Try not to convince yourself that you’re not capable, instead back yourself, ignore what people think and work hard.
What is a ‘bad day’ for you?
When I wake up late, my day is usually not good. I have a morning routine (including meditations and affirmations) and when I wake up late, flustered, in a rush, I become clenched for the whole day. This leads me to have fractions with people close to me.
My bad days happen internally where physically I don’t feel right. My body feels tight and I feel angry. On these days, I tend to drink too much and smoke too many cigarettes.
What do you do on a ‘bad day’?
Work out. Luckily my head injury hasn’t affected my ability to play sports. I try to go to the gym and box or go to a Bikram yoga class. When I sweat it out, I feel a lot better. I also try to call people I like and have a good chat with them.
How do you deal with stress?
Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. As per the above, I like to work out.
What do you struggle with the most?
Not being able to control my thoughts and knowing that, biologically now, it’s more difficult for me to do so.
What are you most proud of?
I’m a go-getter, whether I win or lose, I know that I’m going into things ‘risk loving’. I’m not settling for a life where I know that I haven’t properly gone for my dreams.
Who are your back up dancers?
My business partner is always there for me. He was especially crucial and understanding in dealing with my temper and moodiness. He wasn’t judgemental and helped me come through it.
Best bits of being a Chronic Entrepreneur?
Just knowing that you’ve had something mega happen to you and that you’re going for it anyway. In my case, since I survived a traumatic head injury, I’m just happy to be alive.
Worst bits of being a Chronic Entrepreneur?
The biological effects; fatigue, moodiness and inability to sometimes control my emotions.
Are you a 5-year planner or are you winging it?
I’m a macro-planner. I have a list of goals I read to myself every day, but I let these manifest in the short term naturally.
Dream weekend plans and have these changed?
Being on the beach with a few mates and playing beach football and volleyball, followed by eating lobster tail. Or partying at a festival.
Ultimate dinner party guests?
I’ll choose three: Arsene Wenger, Ricky Gervais & Jordan B. Peterson.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Don’t want the deal too much, try and relax and let it come naturally. I’ve always been 100 miles an hour and have had many metaphorical and literal car crashes.
What’s next?
Keep my head down and focus on making my business a success. We’re throwing a massive art exhibition in Dubai in December, so I need to focus on that.
How can people find you?
@ramy_alkadhi
Let us know what you think below and share your story with us on Instagram tagging @achronicentrepreneur and using the hashtag #achronicentrepreneur.
