Winning Stroke: Interview with HODA ABOU-JAMRA, Co-Founder, TVM Capital Healthcare Partners

If not in the current Profession, You would be?

I love what I am doing. Being in the healthcare sector is so rewarding. Helping people, building companies, believing in teams, building value. It is a very exciting profession, and I never stop learning.

One tune you always hum?

Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World.” When I am happy, it makes me happier. WhenI am sad, it gives me a happy boost. It is always important to remember how good our life is.Sometimes we get lost in what is not going well and forget to appreciate all of the blessings we have in our lives.

One Book to read when you want to motivate yourselves?

I like to read “The Alchemist”, Paolo Coelho, when I want to motivate myself. A story about the wisdom of listening to our hearts and, above all, following our dreams. We often struggle in life, the secret is learning from the situation and still get back up every time, believing in yourself and pursue your dreams in order to make them come true.

One Dialogue of a movie that motivates you or you like the most?

I don’t take time to watch many movies, but I like Forrest Gump - “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.”

Read A Winning Stroke: Interview with Sandipan Mitra, Co-Founder and CEO, HungerBox

The Place you never been to and always want to go?

I have been fortunate to have travelled to many great places in this world and lived in many beautiful cities like Paris, Boston, Montreal and now Dubai and have been fortunate to have visited gorgeous places like St. Bart, St Tropez, Florence, and Venice. There are many places I look forward to discover in Southeast Asia, as we are scouting for new investment opportunities. But, because I travel so much for business, the place I enjoy most is home. I love our place in Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, where we live, and adore to spend time in our home in peaceful Altaussee, a beautiful small village in the Austrian mountains. Being there makes me happy and helps me to recharge.

An animal that signifies you & why?

The lion, symbolizing strength, courage and leadership; values that I admire, try to live and get better in. Also lions stand for the ability to control and master emotions in challenging situations and be a rational decision maker when it is needed most.

A Movie Character you most resemble or resonate with? 

I don’t watch many movies, but if I have to choose, maybe wonder Woman? Having super powers might actually be helpful – and Wonder Woman can make people speak the truth. Not the worst ability in business situations.

Choose one from each below:

a) Marvel or DC: Marvel

b) Batman or Superman: Wonder Woman

c) Tom or Jerry: Jerry

If your life was to be turned into a movie who would you like to play your part?

Quite frankly, this is not one of the questions that keeps me awake at night. I think I will deal with this should it ever happen.

Luck or Hard Work, What do you think weighs more in defining a successful Person?

Luck comes when you believe in something and you work very hard and with passion to get it. Hard work + passion + persistence = luck.

One best decision you ever made?

I always knew that I would meet my soul mate at some point in my life, and when I did, I recognized and married him.

A strategy that you always use to take your decisions in Personal or Professional life?

I learned to trust to my initial instinct, then I start fact finding and weighing them to make sure that I take a decision that is based on a holistic view. I also seek advice of people I trust or are specialized in that specific topic. The whole idea is to put ego and insecurities aside, as they can cloud decision making.

Whose advice you seek when in dilemma?

I like to follow my gut feeling, but I trust the advice of my closes family, they love me unconditionally and will always advise me best. I am also lucky to have some good business mentors that I consult when needed.

What has been your biggest achievement?

Believing in building our healthcare investment business in Dubai to bring best practice in healthcare to regions where this is not necessarily a given - during the toughest days of the worst recent economic crisis. Many people thought we were crazy, and that I should leave Dubai and go back to Boston, but I am happy that we stuck to our idea and built five amazing healthcare companies that make huge impact in the lives of the patients. With this we were able to create real value for all our stakeholders, including our investors. That experience proves that indeed “there is always light at the end of each tunnel”, sometimes you just need to be a little persistent.

One thing that you want to change in yourself?

I would really appreciate a better work / life balance. I love my work and feel fulfilled, and believe in our mission to bring best quality and ethical healthcare to fast growing economies like India, however, building centers of healthcare excellence is somewhat time consuming. I feel that I don’t give enough time to my friends and family who I love and miss sometimes.

A line said by your close one that you never forget?

When I was young and going through a challenge my mum always told me that “What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger “. Choosing a less travelled road not always is easy and the ride might turn out to be a little bumpier than expected, but is usually much more rewarding and inspiring. So when I find myself in a tough situation I try to always remember that and keep going, and this attitude has always made me stronger.