Entrepreneur and content creator Matthew Kerolos joined Basmah on Brain Busters on NileFM, where he opened up about building meaningful relationships, creating content with purpose, and why persistence, not talent, is often the biggest factor behind success.
Known for traveling across Egypt to spotlight entrepreneurs, founders, and small business owners, Kerolos has used storytelling to showcase the people behind emerging businesses while giving them a platform to share their journeys.
Throughout the interview, he explored the episode's central theme, "persisting until it hardens into fact," sharing the mindset that has helped him build meaningful connections, overcome rejection, and create opportunities through consistent effort.
Persistence Without Burning Bridges For Kerolos, persistence is one of the most valuable qualities anyone can develop, but only when it's done with respect. "I never try to be pushy in a negative way because the world is small," he explained. Whether he's trying to secure a guest or build a new business relationship, he believes persistence should never damage future opportunities. "If it's somebody I really admire and want to work with, I'll find another way to reach them. If someone is ignoring you, get to the point where they can't avoid you, but do it respectfully." Why Sending the First Message Doesn't Scare Him Unlike many people who hesitate before reaching out to someone successful, Kerolos says fear has never stopped him. "I never get scared of reaching out to anybody because there will always be another person." To him, rejection is simply part of the process rather than something to avoid. The Biggest Mistake Young People Make According to Kerolos, one of the biggest mistakes he sees is approaching opportunities with a sense of entitlement. "A lot of people ask for opportunities expecting to get something immediately," he said. While he's happy to help others, he believes opportunities must be matched by effort. "People who feel entitled rarely put in the work. Entitlement at a young age is a recipe for disaster." He added that many experienced entrepreneurs avoid working with people who believe success should simply be handed to them. Convincing High-Profile Guests to Say Yes One of the questions Kerolos receives most often is how he convinces influential entrepreneurs to appear in his videos. His answer is surprisingly simple. Many of the successful people he interviews aren't interested in publicity at all. "I actually love interviewing people who don't like publicity." Instead of focusing on exposure, he approaches them by explaining how their stories can provide value to others, support charitable initiatives, or inspire future entrepreneurs. "It's never about making them famous. They don't need that." Confidence Comes From Repetition For Kerolos, confidence isn't something people are born with, it develops through repetition. "I believe in reps." Before creating content, he spent years working with hospitality business owners in the United States, an experience that taught him how to deal with rejection. "They were probably the most ruthless when it came to saying no." By the time he began filming content in South Africa, approaching strangers felt far less intimidating. However, he believes confidence and repetition work together. "You have to believe in yourself enough to start, and then the reps build the confidence." The Biggest Myths About Successful People Kerolos believes people often misunderstand what success looks like. Many assume successful people possess extraordinary abilities, when in reality they're often ordinary people who have simply spent years mastering their craft. "They just have more experience than you." He also challenged another common misconception, that wealthy people are inherently selfish. "A lot of successful people genuinely want to provide value because they're passionate about what they do." Whether building businesses, creating television, or developing real estate, he believes many successful entrepreneurs simply turned the passions they had as children into lifelong careers. The Craziest Way He Landed a Collaboration Persistence paid off in one unforgettable experience while filming in South Africa. After being rejected five separate times by a potential guest, Kerolos came up with an unconventional solution. He convinced people around the executive to schedule what appeared to be a professional meeting, giving him the opportunity to finally speak with the businessman face-to-face. After a 30-minute conversation, the executive agreed to meet him again the following morning. The experience reinforced Kerolos' belief that persistence often succeeds when paired with creativity and respect. The One Person He'd Love to Meet If given the opportunity to interview anyone, Kerolos doesn't hesitate. "The Lebanese singer Fairuz." Calling her a legend, he says she's someone he's admired for years. Advice to His Younger Self Looking back, Kerolos wishes he had started even earlier. "Make the mistakes early." He believes the teenage years are the perfect time to experiment, fail, and gain experience before adulthood brings greater responsibilities. "Don't wait until you graduate. Start while you're still in school." He also encourages young people to surround themselves with individuals from different generations rather than only looking at people who have already achieved success. "The people who have already made it are living a completely different life from the people who are still building theirs." For Kerolos, success isn't built overnight. It's the result of taking action early, learning from failure, putting in countless repetitions, and remaining persistent long after most people would have given up.
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