Samir Mourani was once working a six-figure job with amazing benefits, had achieved the level of work-life balance he wanted, and was living out the stereotypical definition of success. But he wasn’t feeling fulfilled. And then a talk with his wife Mila made him rethink his path.
His passion projects, Gent’s Post and Gent’s Talk, were gaining some serious traction. The first is a website that focuses on men’s interests in fashion, grooming and more, while the second is a podcast that focuses on men’s mental health. Both created what he felt were vital, often overlooked conversations, and he decided to lean in to the impact he was making. And it worked. Gent’s Talk is now broadcast on Air Canada flights and is one of the most popular podcasts of its kind in the country, and Gent’s Post attracts hundreds of thousands of unique viewers per year. And Mourani thinks that the authenticity behind his actions and his desire to be true to his values are key to his success.
“I hope to inspire others by being as honest as I possibly can be about this journey I’m on. It’s not perfect, it’s messy, it can be hard, and some days I want to quit,” he says. “Some days I feel like the king of the world, and others humble me before 8am. Regardless, I will always be honest about the journey and be willing to share that with others in some way whether through conversation or the podcast and so on. If it helps one other person to do something different in their life and they’re happy because of it, mission accomplished.”
When he himself feels down, he looks to the life he’s created – and the impact he’s made – for inspiration to keep going. “I look at the ability to chart my own path. To wake up and choose how my day will happen, where possible,” he says. “But more specifically, I’m inspired by the feedback I get from the community who reach out to tell me that the work I do in men’s health and mental health has encouraged them to change a part of their life for the better. That feedback inspires me, and I go back and read those messages whenever I’m not feeling myself.”
The journey thus far, he says, has also had a profound impact on him – it’s changed the way he thinks about success, and the way he moves through the world. “I used to define success by achievements. But as I started to hit certain milestones, I realized I didn’t even celebrate them because I was already thinking about the next measure of ‘success,’” he says. “So I’ve worked hard these last few months to recalibrate how I see success. So now, to me it’s defined by whether you are happy. Really and truly at its simplest terms, are you happy with what you’re doing and how you got there. Because if not, no amount of money, accolades or external validation will make you feel successful.”
Part of his journey is honesty, sharing a real look at entrepreneurship with his audience, and informing those who may want to follow in his footsteps of both the positive and negative aspects of the entrepreneurship journey. “Entrepreneurship is not glamorous. Don’t be fooled by what the internet ‘personalities’ tell you. It’s hard work. You’ll often be working more than before, every decision you make comes with higher stakes, and your future literally depends on the outcome,” he says. “But, with all of that being said, if you believe in what you’re doing, and you actually put in the work – which very important – even though there’s no guarantees, it makes you feel alive. You’re firmly in the driver’s seat of your life.”
