Zaf and Adam Baker are international businessmen who are involved in a number of enterprises including property development as well as a car dealership. The two have seen a lot of success with their different endeavors and a number of entrepreneurs would be curious about how to emulate them. However, both have credited their passion as one of the reasons why they have been so successful in their endeavors. The average person, however, might be skeptical as the business world is viewed as a cutthroat universe in which passion takes the backseats to profits.
This does not have to be so, however, as sometimes passion is the reason why profit is made in the first place. Also, the two do not have to be mutually exclusive as they are many ways to incorporate your passion into your business. Take Zaf and Adam Baker, who began their business journey with a car dealership. While car dealing is a profitable business on its own, the initial spark for them was the fact that they are car enthusiasts in their own right.
This goes to show that starting a business does not have to be purely profit-based as passion plays a huge part. It means that you likely already have knowledge about the industry you intend to go into and will not likely give up when met with hurdles. Another business that the brothers are involved in is real estate and this makes sense considering their lifestyle. The brothers live between multiple countries and when they stop in any of their residences, engage in a number of activities and make use of the many amenities available.
‘Our current main residence is Dubai and has been for the last 15 years. When it comes to my family home in Dubai, it boasts an indoor gym and pool, sauna, tennis court, cinema room, entertainment areas – as I get a lot of guests from all over the world – and my personal favorite, my art and memorabilia room,” Says Zaf Baker.
Once you decide on a business that you are interested in and want to approach, it is also important that you conduct your due research as passion does not necessarily equal expertise. This is why a lot of entrepreneurs get it wrong the first time. Many assume that because they are passionate about the business that they are equipped to run it effectively. This is not always the case. Do not be shy to bring in professionals or those with more experience to guide you as you begin your business. As you begin your day to day business operations, make sure you are bringing your A-game and being as professional as possible.
There is a tendency for entrepreneurs to feel that because the passionate about what they are doing they can approach their business operations casually. Regardless of whether you’re passionate about your business or not, it must be approved with the utmost professionalism if it is going to succeed. Also, it is a good idea to incorporate your business into your everyday life and show your customers that you are passionate about the business and not merely in it for profit. Take Zaf Baker who regularly shows off his car collection on Instagram and has garnered the following as a result.
It is evidence to his customers and to the general public that cars and houses and travel are part of his lifestyle and his passion and not merely the way he makes money. While professionalism should be maintained, blurring the lines between work and play can boost your public image as well as your employees’ morale.
Finally, the passion you show within your business should not only be to the enterprise itself but your customers. This includes being courteous, respectful, and also considerate. Zaf and Adam Baker, for example, waived the rent for some of their tenants in their properties due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This sort of gesture not only increases your goodwill among customers but also benefits them in the long run.
“There are people who can’t feed themselves and can’t put roofs over their heads. We’ve seen the struggle as we own a town in South Africa with over 100 commercial and residential properties. We’ve had a lot of them who needed to be relieved of their rent simply because they needed to put food on the table for their families due to having no work, no business.
It’s been a loss that either ourselves or they had to take, and we’ve happily taken it upon ourselves,” Says Zaf Baker.
