Rethinking Growth, Risk and Purpose at AKSOB
A conversation with Em Sherif’s CEO challenges students to reconsider how businesses are built, scaled and sustained.
On March 26, 2026, the Department of Management Studies at LAU’s Adnan Kassar School of Business (AKSOB) brought students into a candid online conversation as part of its Entrepreneurship Series, examining what it takes to build and sustain a business. Moderated by AKSOB Dean Dima Jamali, the session drew on the experience of Em Sherif CEO and Co-founder Dany Chaccour, who reflected on the journey of a Lebanese brand that expanded into an international name.
From the start, Dr. Jamali steered the discussion toward the tensions founders must navigate, balancing vision with execution, growth with control and intuition with structure.
A defining takeaway was the reframing of failure. Reflecting on his own path, Chaccour noted, “Failure is rarely final. It is often the moment that pushes you to rethink and move forward differently.” Rather than something to avoid, failure emerged as a necessary part of progress, challenging the expectation of certainty that often shapes early career thinking.
He also addressed a question many students quietly carry: whether one must know early in life that they will pursue this path. “At 10, you do not know you are going to be an entrepreneur,” he said. “What matters is exposure. When you see it, you start to realize this is something you can grow into.” The message was clear: direction is often shaped over time, not decided from the outset.
The discussion naturally extended to education, where Chaccour distinguished between knowledge and capability. “University is not only about what you study,” he said. “What stays with you is how you think, how you solve problems and how you connect things later in life.” He reframed the academic experience as a foundation for long-term adaptability.
Technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), became a defining part of the discussion. Chaccour emphasized a focused approach grounded in purpose rather than trend. “We do not use AI because it is fashionable. We use it to solve real problems.” From analyzing thousands of dish presentations across locations to maintaining consistent quality standards, AI was presented as a tool that strengthens operations while preserving the human experience at the core of the brand.
As students engaged directly with questions about growth and franchising, the conversation deepened. In discussing expansion, Chaccour highlighted the importance of discipline and alignment. “The biggest risk is not growth. The biggest risk is losing your identity while growing.” Maintaining control, even when scaling internationally, emerged as a critical lesson.
Leadership, he noted, shifts as organizations grow. “When you grow, you cannot lead the same way,” he said, underscoring the need to adapt and balance structure with flexibility, offering students a clearer understanding of leadership as a dynamic and evolving practice.
When asked for final advice, Chaccour returned to fundamentals. “Start small. Dream big. Move fast. Do not wait for the perfect time, because it does not exist.” His message encouraged students to approach uncertainty with intention and to view challenges, particularly in Lebanon, as opportunities to create value and build meaningful impact.
By the end of the session, students walked away with more than insight into how businesses grow. They gained a clearer understanding of the mindset required to build one, grounded in resilience, discipline and purpose. More importantly, the conversation underscored a lasting idea: meaningful ventures do not begin with certainty, but with the decision to start and the willingness to keep going.