The
Ahmed Abusharbain Story
“Most people aren’t lazy, they’re just buried in the wrong work Once you fix the system, the business finally works for you.”
1970
Born in Saudi. Raised in Dubai. Built Different. Ahmed was born in Saudi Arabia but raised in Dubai. He’s one of nine siblings in a hard-working family. His mom was a teacher. His dad was his hero, a man who taught him:
“Either do it right—or don’t do it at all.”
1990
Moves to the U.S. with Nothing But Fire At just 20 years old, Ahmed landed in America hungry to build something. He started flipping T-shirts, working every angle. In 1994, he found out the best shirts were in New York. So he sold his sports car, bought a van, and drove from St. Louis to Brooklyn—solo, no GPS, no hotel.
“I didn’t even know you could ship things. I just knew how to get things done.”
1994
The Accidental Entry Into Wireless
A friend asked if he wanted to sell pagers. He said yes. Next came Motorola brick phones, bag phones, no SIM cards, no apps—just hustle. He learned fast, sold faster, and earned everything the hard way.
“No internet. No text. Just conversations and closing.”
1995
Retail Kingpin: 1,300 Activations/Month
Ahmed opened retail stores and scaled them like a machine. No chairs. No waiting. The team stood on their feet, greeted every customer, and sold with heart. He gave away water, coffee, air fresheners because service sells. Some months they hit 1,300 activations. If they dipped below 900, it was a bad month.
“We didn’t sell phones. We built trust.”
1998
Launches Unlimited Prepay Distribution (UPD) Tired of slow vendors, Ahmed built UPD to support store owners like himself. He knew the grind. He knew what they needed. Over 27 years later, 6,500+ dealers trust UPD for reliable, profitable prepaid solutions.
“I didn’t want a vendor. I wanted a partner. So I built one.”
2019
Co-Founds UPPLUCKAhmed joins forces with a like-minded co-founder to launch UPPLUCK, a business built to help brands grow through smarter strategy and creative execution. Here, Ahmed took everything he learned and scaled it for the digital world
“We built UPPLUCK to help the underdog out-market the giant.”
2024
The Video School (TVS) Ahmed launched TVS to help business owners grow with a powerful mix of CRM, digital marketing, AI automation, and a 24/7 AI employee that handles conversations, appointments, and follow-ups so they can scale without burning out
“You don’t need a big team. You need the right systems.”
The Backstory of a Self-Made Man
Ahmed never planned to be in business. He didn’t grow up dreaming about retail stores or marketing. In 1994, he was just a 24-year-old trying to figure it out. He was in St. Louis, selling T-shirts from a local supplier. One day, he asked the guy, “Where do you get these from?”
The answer? New York. That was all he needed
The First Sale That Changed Everything
A few months later, a friend told him about pagers. “Come sell with us,” they said. Ahmed didn’t hesitate. He picked up the product, learned the pitch, and started selling. It came naturally, he was good with people. From pagers to big Motorola phones to suitcase-sized “bag phones” he sold them all.
No internet. No text messages. No fancy CRM tools. Just grit, conversation, and showing up every day.
Ahmed sold his sports car
Bought a van, and drove straight to Brooklyn. No GPS. No hotel. No sleep. He bought the shirts, shook hands, turned around, and drove back. Just to make sure he had the product in his own hands. He didn’t even know about FedEx. He didn’t know you could wire money.
But he knew how to move. And he knew how to bet on himself.
The Backstory of a Self-Made Man
Ahmed never planned to be in business. He didn’t grow up dreaming about retail stores or marketing. In 1994, he was just a 24-year-old trying to figure it out. He was in St. Louis, selling T-shirts from a local supplier. One day, he asked the guy, “Where do you get these from?”
The answer? New York. That was all he needed
The First Sale That Changed Everything
A few months later, a friend told him about pagers. “Come sell with us,” they said. Ahmed didn’t hesitate. He picked up the product, learned the pitch, and started selling. It came naturally, he was good with people. From pagers to big Motorola phones to suitcase-sized “bag phones” he sold them all.
No internet. No text messages. No fancy CRM tools. Just grit, conversation, and showing up every day.
Ahmed sold his sports car
Bought a van, and drove straight to Brooklyn. No GPS. No hotel. No sleep. He bought the shirts, shook hands, turned around, and drove back. Just to make sure he had the product in his own hands. He didn’t even know about FedEx. He didn’t know you could wire money.
But he knew how to move. And he knew how to bet on himself.
Standing Room Only
By the mid-2000s, Ahmed owned a retail store doing over 1,000 activations a month, some months even 1,300.
There were no chairs in the store. That wasn’t an accident.
He wanted everyone standing, greeting, engaging. He believed if someone walked into his store, they deserved attention. He gave out water, coffee, even air fresheners not because it was “branding,” but because it made people feel seen.
And that? That closed deals.
They didn’t have instant commissions or residuals. Just 10–15% on phones and activation fees. But Ahmed made it work, because he knew how to create volume. He didn’t wait for traffic. He built it.
Standing Room Only
By the mid-2000s, Ahmed owned a retail store doing over 1,000 activations a month, some months even 1,300.
There were no chairs in the store. That wasn’t an accident.
He wanted everyone standing, greeting, engaging. He believed if someone walked into his store, they deserved attention. He gave out water, coffee, even air fresheners not because it was “branding,” but because it made people feel seen.
And that? That closed deals.
They didn’t have instant commissions or residuals. Just 10–15% on phones and activation fees. But Ahmed made it work, because he knew how to create volume. He didn’t wait for traffic. He built it.
Built in Dubai. Sharpened in St. Louis. Grounded in Family.
No Excuses. Just Growth.
He trains, he builds, he leads.
He believes in hard work, honesty, and constant learning. He leads from the front, not the office.
He knows what it feels like to have nothing. He knows what it takes to build something from zero. And he knows how to teach others to do the same.
Ahmed was born in Saudi Arabia, but he doesn’t remember it.
He was just a baby when his parents moved to Dubai. He grew up there one of nine kids in a tight-knit home.
His mom was a schoolteacher. His dad worked hard and led with discipline.
Ahmed remembers his father’s words like they were carved in stone:
“Either do it right—or don’t do it at all.”
That became a code. A compass. A way of life.
Ahmed’s Story Isn’t About Success. It’s About Relentlessness.
No shortcuts. No silver spoon. Just long hours, early mornings, and a promise to never stay stuck. From T-shirts to Teletechs. From standing in retail stores to standing up as a leader. Ahmed didn’t follow a path. He made his own.