How Self-Acceptance Led this Entrepreneur to His Number One Success



entrepreneur to his number one success

From the small business owners I have met, I have heard many stories of resilience and success. But my interview this week on The Small Business Radio Show is different. Rarely have I heard someone that overcame so many cultural, physical and financial obstacles for success.

Harma Hartouni is a self-made entrepreneur who owns a real estate company employing hundreds of residential and commercial real estate agents in Southern California, and runs the #1 ranked real estate business in his region. His memoir, “Getting Back Up: A Story of Resilience, Self-Acceptance and Success”, tells the story of his life growing up in Iran with a father “who did not know how to love” and where he suffered from bullying and abuse as a teenager. Then, Harma almost died during a horrific car accident and was told that he would never walk again. He came to America as an outcast: gay Middle Eastern man and built the life of his dreams.




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Interview with Harma Hartouni

Harma was going to be dentist here, but he was broke and had to get a real job to support his family. He begged a real estate agent for an assistant position. His first year, Harma sold 21 homes and his career took off. He proudly purchased the company 5 years later (and quit dental school).

He believes that as the CEO,  you should not be the sole focus of your business; “Helping the people around you grow and thrive inspires dedication and ownership especially during the pandemic.”

Harma says that the question you must ask yourself before choosing a business partner is: “If I am about to die on a canoe and I am with my son , who will I hand my son to take care of him?  If the answer is not that person, they can’t be my business partner.”

He believes that every business leader needs a glass of “shut the F* up water” on their desk to become a better listener. “Whenever you are going to talk with someone in your office, drink (the stale water) instead. It forces you not to talk, stay quiet and listen. “


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Listen to the entire journey on The Small Business Radio Show.

Image: Harma Hartouni Comment ▼



Small Business Radio Show As a small business expert, Barry Moltz gets owners growing again by unlocking their long forgotten potential. With decades of entrepreneurial experience in his own business ventures as well as consulting countless other entrepreneurs, Barry has discovered the formula to get stuck business owners unstuck and marching forward. As a small business expert, Barry applies simple, strategic steps to facilitate change.

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