Some people say success is about strategy, timing, or luck. Akbar Sheikh disagrees. For him, the true currency of success is mindset—and refusing to quit.
Once living in an electrical closet with no shower, no hot water, and no windows, Sheikh clawed his way from homelessness to millionaire entrepreneur. His company, Make More Give More, now helps business owners worldwide build ethical companies designed to fuel both profits and purpose.
Winning by Refusing to Give Up
Sheikh admits his first decade in business was marked by setbacks. But he sees those years differently.
“I don’t think you can fail in business—I think you can only give up,” he says. “For a decade all I did was give up. The moment I became a millionaire was the moment I decided I REFUSE TO GIVE UP.”
That mental shift, he explains, was the true inflection point. Once quitting was no longer an option, progress became inevitable.
Purpose Over Profit
While revenue matters, Sheikh insists the bigger lever is service. “When you shift your intentions to giving, you can’t lose,” he explains. “If we look at everyone like a number, it’s going to be hard to win. But if we look at everyone’s pain and use our God-given gifts to heal it—that’s where the magic starts.”
This philosophy now drives Make More Give More’s mission: to help entrepreneurs make more so they can give more—impacting families, communities, and charities worldwide.
The Fast Lane to Results
His advice to those just starting out? Go faster. “Success loves speed,” he says. “The difference between the ones who make it and the ones who don’t is the size of the action they take and the speed of implementation.”
Sheikh’s prescription is simple: get a mentor, get a proven blueprint, and remove distractions—especially phones—so you can execute.
Success Without Sacrifice
Though Sheikh built wealth at breakneck speed, he never sacrificed balance. “Even when I was homeless, I didn’t work 40 hours a week—and I still don’t,” he notes. “Your family has a right over you. It’s always God first, family second, business third.”
For him, that balance isn’t optional—it’s the only sustainable way to win.
Scaling Impact Through Stories
Sheikh once considered retiring, until a client named Michelle changed his mind. She used his marketing strategies to help nonverbal autistic children go from silence to speech—even song.
“When I heard that, I thought, ‘Okay, I can’t retire. I’ve got to build more stories like this,’” he recalls. “This is what I’m meant to do.”
Learn more at www.akbarsheikh.com
