Always be addicted
to bettering yourself
That's the mission. Every day is a chance to learn something new, build better systems, and become a stronger version of yourself.
In a world full of good and evil, why be evil when you can be good?
What Drives the Work
Curiosity is the engine. Self-improvement is the outcome. Every day is an opportunity to ask better questions, challenge assumptions, and push beyond comfort zones. Growth isn't passive—it requires intentional effort, disciplined habits, and an honest assessment of what's working and what isn't.
This mindset shapes how I approach business problems, personal development, and leadership. It's not about having all the answers—it's about being obsessed with finding them. Reading widely, testing ideas through action, learning from failures, and building systems that compound over time.
The addiction to bettering yourself means treating life like a laboratory: experiment, measure, adjust, repeat. It means being uncomfortable on purpose, seeking feedback that stings, and committing to the daily grind of incremental improvement.
What I Am Focused on Right Now
Updated January 2025
Jack of all trades, master of none — never the master and always the student.
- • Finishing my last semester at SDSU for my Business Administration degree
- • Building this portfolio site to document projects and thinking
- • Exploring how AI tools can enhance personal productivity and learning
- • Training consistently at the gym and improving my nutrition habits
- • Working on my car project and learning more about automotive restoration
Core Values
Reliability Over Flash
Consistency compounds. Showing up on time, delivering what's promised, and building backup systems isn't glamorous—but it's what makes operations run and teams trust your word.
People Are the System
The best processes fail if people don't buy in. Cultural sensitivity, clear communication, and conflict resolution frameworks aren't soft skills—they're operational necessities.
Execution Is Everything
Great ideas without follow-through are worthless. Checklists, time blocks, and review loops are unglamorous—but they're the difference between projects that ship and projects that stall.
Growth Through Discomfort
Learning happens at the edge of competence. Seek challenges that feel slightly out of reach, document the failures, iterate fast, and build the muscle memory that makes hard things routine.
Background
I was born in Baghdad, Iraq. My family fled due to war, first going to Syria as refugees before being sponsored to come to the United States. After about 5 to 6 years, we earned US citizenship. I have lived in El Cajon, California since I was about 4 years old.
I am Chaldean, part of an ancient community that traces back to Mesopotamian times. We speak Neo-Aramaic, a dialect related to the language Jesus spoke. Growing up between two worlds - Middle Eastern heritage at home, American culture outside - taught adaptability, cultural sensitivity, and the importance of bridging divides.
My parents had an arranged marriage. My dad was an electrical engineer. My mom restarted her education in the United States and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from SDSU after around 10 years of schooling. I am the youngest of four brothers: Alen (oldest), Andrew, Evan, and then me.
The Chaldean experience is rooted in survival and reinvention. Ancestors fled persecution, rebuilt lives in new countries, and passed down a relentless work ethic. That history shapes perspective: when your family's story involves losing everything and starting over, you learn not to take opportunities for granted.
First-generation trajectory means navigating systems that weren't built with you in mind. No family connections in corporate America, no inherited wealth, no safety net. That builds resourcefulness, self-reliance, and a deep appreciation for mentorship.
This background isn't a sob story - it's an advantage. It creates hunger, adaptability, and a refusal to settle for mediocrity. It's why the focus is on building systems that scale, documenting everything, and creating value that speaks louder than credentials.
Cognitive edge: I test in roughly the top 2 percent for pattern recognition, which helps with systems thinking and spotting connections others might miss.
Working with Kids
I work with kids in a coach and chaperone type role. This experience has shaped how I think about responsibility and communication. When you're responsible for young people, you learn to be clear, patient, and consistent. You can't fake accountability when kids are watching. It reinforces that leadership is about actions, not words.
Languages
Language is more than communication - it's access to different ways of thinking. Each language opens doors to specific communities, business contexts, and cultural nuances.
English
Speak, read, and write. Primary language for business, education, and professional communication.
Spanish
Speak, read, and write. Useful for San Diego's bilingual environment.
Arabic
Speak, read, and write. Maintains connection to heritage and Middle Eastern contexts.
Chaldean (Neo-Aramaic)
Fluent in speaking. An ancient dialect related to the language Jesus spoke.
Beyond the Resume
Curiosity doesn't stop at business. Explore the hobbies that fuel personal growth, physical discipline, and creative thinking.
View HobbiesCurrent Focus
Targeting operations management roles in high-complexity environments. Places where coordination matters, people are the constraint, and clean execution is the differentiator. Interested in industries where systems thinking scales impact.
Immediate Term
Completing General Business degree, building portfolio of documented systems, and seeking internships or entry roles in operations coordination or project management.
Long-Term Vision
Operations leadership in organizations that value process optimization, cultural diversity, and data-driven decision-making. Building teams that execute reliably under pressure.
What You Can Expect
- → Clear communication: No jargon, no fluff. Direct updates, transparent timelines, honest assessments.
- → Reliability: If it's promised, it happens. Backup systems in place, contingencies planned, follow-through consistent.
- → Documentation: Processes written down, decisions explained, knowledge transferable. No single points of failure.
- → Continuous improvement: Feedback welcomed, failures documented, systems iterated. Growth mindset applied consistently.
- → Cultural awareness: Multilingual capability, sensitivity to diverse perspectives, communication adapted to audience.
Principles I Try to Live By
Ideas I return to when making decisions or facing challenges
Make allies, not enemies
Lincoln destroyed his enemies by making them his friends. Rather than attack or alienate opponents, he converted them into allies through patience and understanding.
Why this matters to me: In every conflict I have seen, the people who win long-term are the ones who build bridges instead of burning them. It is slower, but the relationships compound.
Reserve judgment
God himself does not propose to judge a man until the end of his days. Why should we rush to judge others before we have seen their full story unfold?
Why this matters to me: Everyone is fighting battles you cannot see. When someone frustrates me, I try to remember I am only seeing one moment in their entire life.
Choose your hard
Life will never be easy. It will often be hard. But we can choose our hard. Choose wisely.
Why this matters to me: Discipline is hard. Regret is hard. Either way, something will be difficult. I would rather pick the version of hard that leads somewhere I want to go.
Let's build something
Whether it's a role, a project, or just a conversation about systems and operations—reach out.
Get in Touch
Savonie AI