Moe Kittaneh is the Co-Founder of Amerisleep and the Co-Founder & CEO of Herbal Dynamics Beauty. Moe grew up in Dubai, UAE, but has called Scottsdale home for the last 12 years. Moe has learned a lot through building two businesses and takes pride in providing products that customers love. Learn more about Moe Kittaneh….
First job: I started my first business at age 19. I saw an opportunity for a local salon in the city I was living in and gave it a go even though I had little experience in the industry. It taught me a lot about business operations, management, and finance, much more than any business classes in college.
Favorite AZ restaurant: There are so many good restaurants around Phoenix so it’s hard to choose, but one I end up at often is Flower Child. Hard to beat the healthy proteins and fresh sides for lunch or a quick bite.
Person who has impacted your life the most: The person who has had the biggest impact on my life is my father. He came from a modest background, moved to a new country, and worked his way into successful positions in government, real estate and other ventures. I always loved seeing him work when I was a kid. The lessons I learned from him on the value of hard work, entrepreneurship, and the importance of being ethical both in business and personal life paved the way for my own success and helped me overcome adversities and stay motivated to achieve success.
Your biggest accomplishment in your eyes: The most satisfying part of running a business is seeing it flourish. Amerisleep’s sustained and rapid growth over the past few years is immensely satisfying and gives me the drive to keep setting the bar higher. For Herbal Dynamics Beauty, starting in a new industry and seeing its rapid growth in the indie beauty space has been incredible.
In both businesses, reading reviews from satisfied customers also feels rewarding, as a mattress and skincare are products that people use every single day and ones that can have a big impact on their life. Knowing that customers find our creations as great as we do makes it all worth it.
The biggest obstacle you have overcome: I would say one of the biggest obstacles, when I was just getting started, was not planning and strategizing enough or as effectively as I could have. In my first businesses, I had an idea of what I wanted to accomplish, and I knew I wanted to be successful. But I didn’t really have a clear path for managing the growth or what moving forward would look like.
I learned that, without a plan or objectives in mind, it’s easy to lose focus on your purpose, get sidetracked, let things fall by the wayside, miss opportunities, and perhaps most importantly, waste time and money. Ultimately, a lack of defined goals and well thought out strategies will create a brick wall.
Through trial and error, I’ve learned a valuable lesson, and I make sure to take time out to develop a clear strategy, set specific goals, and monitor my progress towards them. Having a crystallized idea of where you want your business to be and by when, what you want to accomplish, how you want to do it and why, are all important things to think through and to have answers for. I find that doing so really helps things fall into place easier and supports long-term growth.
Someone who inspires you:In terms of business, I think Richard Branson is one of the most inspirational entrepreneurs. He owns many companies in diverse industries, maintains a strong sense of ethics, and isn’t afraid to take risks. Branson’s path is compelling to me because I also thrive on diversity in my businesses, and love gaining knowledge and figuring out new industries.
Favorite quote: My favorite saying is that, “You don’t fail until you quit,” or like Albert Einstein put it, “you don’t fail until you stop trying.” Basically, as long as you’re motivated and persistent and trying, you’re not failing even if you have a temporary setback because you’re growing and learning. There are always new opportunities for those ready to embrace them.
Advice to someone pursuing a career path in what you do: One of the best pieces of advice for pursuing any career path is not to let your ego or shyness get in the way of asking for advice from people more experienced in your industry or a field you want to be in. I would say that almost every successful business person has had a mentor at some point, whether it’s a boss, family member, or even a successful person they admire and look to for examples of how to achieve success. I’ve done this quite a bit over the years and found most people are genuinely happy to help another individual on their path to success as well.
From reading books and social media feeds to sending a thoughtful question on LinkedIn or shaking hands at conferences, making time to network and being open to hearing others’ wisdom can make a powerful difference in business. Ask questions, ask for advice, ask them to share their challenges and their habits. A little effort and being open to listening can teach you things you would never think of yourself.
What you think makes someone fabulous: To me, someone who exudes kindness and has passion for life and what they do are fabulous. It doesn’t matter on what level of success or career or life you find yourself on today, it’s the attitude of finding a source of passion about how you are spending that time and being kind to others while you do it that makes some people stand out. The attitude we choose to present to the world says volumes.
