What happens when an electrical engineer becomes a dot-com millionaire, loses it all, then discovers a $170 billion untapped market hiding in plain sight?
In this powerful episode of R.I.S.E., we sit down with Faisal Masood — a technology veteran with over 25 years of experience at JP Morgan Chase and Ernst & Young, who went from startup founder to corporate executive to community builder. After selling his first company for millions during the dot-com boom, Faisal experienced spectacular failures that taught him the most valuable lesson of his career: success isn't about going it alone.
In this raw and honest conversation, you'll discover:
How Faisal built and sold a $70 million company by age 30, then lost everything multiple times
Why he was told "Muslim consumers are the worst consumers" — and how he proved them wrong
The birth of the American Muslim Consumer Consortium and how one report changed everything
Why building "Muslim LinkedIn" failed, but the vision lives on through platforms like Thrive
The five key sectors where Muslim entrepreneurs are making millions (AI, fintech, media, lifestyle, and the surprising fifth one)
Why Muslims donate $4.3 billion annually but still lack their own platforms
The three-layer technology framework that scales any community initiative
"There are very few stories where one can say 'no one helped me and I did it on my own.' Very few stories."
This isn't just another entrepreneur's journey — it's a blueprint for building movements that matter. Faisal shares hard-won wisdom about the power of data-driven decision making, the generational mindset shifts required for real change, and why collaboration and communication (what he calls "CNC") are the missing ingredients in community building.
Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, community leader, or someone who's ever felt like you're building something bigger than yourself, this episode will challenge how you think about success, failure, and the networks that shape our futures.
Connect with the movement:
Learn more about the North American Muslim Market Study
Discover the Thrive platform and its five innovation tracks
Join the conversation about building sustainable community ecosystems
