It has been 8 years since we have started IMAN.
It has been 5 years I have been telling stories of IMAN until they able to memorize every single of it. The challenge that I have is to continue share about our story, our vision, our mission and our core values to the new and current team members.
Often I heard the advice from other founders to keep share and tell the story of the core values and vision until we get sick of it. I know what matters the most is not just knowing where to go, but how to get there. But the company need also constant reminder about where we are heading and why we have to get there.
” Sometimes I think you spoke about getting to RM 1b very casually. You need to be able to talk about it, internalise it, make the team feel emotionally connected to the vision so they able to feel it . Our retreat company should be internal marketing to our team member.” What I hate about my partner is she right almost all the time. Often I felt sense of failure when discussing with her. Why she always need to be right? But having her in my life in driving iMAN is such a blessing. Without her as someone who I can bounce my ideas and make the vision crystal clear, perhaps I would not reflects much on the way I present the vision again to the team.
She is more deep, senstive, have sense of meaning in everything she does. I often see the big picture, and unable to look at the details in front of me. She always make me feel grounded, reminded me to be inclusive, and speak the language so for other to see. Every company need co-leaders because the complimentary skills and competencies are very much needed.
“Perhaps, you started iMAN. And all your life is about iMAN. But might not be the same with others. They might not feel so much of iMAN like you.”
I reflected a lot on what she said. To be honest, I started iMAN because I want to help my friends getting jobs. I remember not getting any salary from iMAN, and the first salary we have is after 2nd year of iMAN – and only RM 500 a month. But I have to fork out RM 50k for iMAN during the time of growth. Some of the money burn along the way.
I reflected why I continue the journey with iMAN. I found the way on how to do dakwah through business. And iMAN core purpose is to spread dakwah through books and contents. But why I want to grow it big? Why we have to aim to be really successful and really rich?
What motivates me to wake up in the morning so I can exercise in the morning so I would have the energy to go through the work from 8 am to 9pm working in hospital in the morning and for IMAN in evening and night almost daily basis? Because I know I have to grow iMAN so the people in iMAN would continually grow and progress. I want to grow iMAN so many talented and great people can work together under one roof to spread the dakwah through great contents. I want to create the environment, biah solehah condition so everyone feel safe, emotionally, mentally and physically in iMAN. iMAN is safe haven for us. In iMAN our very own iman will be protected too. Being with the pious and soleh person will make us pious. The angles will always pray for those who always reminded each other for the sake of Allah.
In iMAN we created our own world, so we can contribute best in this dunya for the benefit of akhirah.
I guess thats the real story of iMAN. I created it for all of us, to bring the best out of us. I hope it can continually to do so. Ameen.
Muharikah 