Entrepreneur Farouk Shami Shares Success Story

“Education, ethics and perseverance.” This was how entrepreneur Farouk Shami summed up his keys to success in a lecture held on December 24, 2013 at Birzeit University. In his talk, entitled: "Success is not a coincidence; it is science, diligence and a Palestinian heart,” Shami presented the challenges and obstacles he faced during his journey to being a successful businessman in the United States.

Shami also announced his plans to fund the establishment of a Hair and Beauty faculty at Birzeit University.

"I left for the United States with $71, and today my company Farouk Systems is one of the largest U.S. companies, supporting the economy and employing thousands of workers. This is in addition to my invention of 13 cosmetics products,” he told the audience.

Describing his invention of natural hair dyes, Shami said, "In 1985, I developed a sensitivity from ammonia, especially in the respiratory tract and eyes, which triggered my interest in replacing chemical products with natural products that would relieve me from such sensitivities.”

“I started to look for alternative materials that lighten the hair despite the fact that workers in this field told me that it is difficult to find a substitute for ammonia. I began to think of the sun’s effect on hair color. The sun reflects several colors, and thus lightens the hair in different colors. This brought me to the idea of using a laser and I began conducting research and studies that enabled me to discover the light that lightens the hair.”

Shami was born in the village of Beit Ur al-Tahta in 1942. His family lost three children due to occupation and displacement. Shami’s success stemmed from his people’s suffering from Israeli occupation and his talent. In 1986, Farouk started his spa and hair care products company, Farouk Systems. Over the years Farouk Systems has introduced a wide variety of spa and hair products that have continued to resonate well with the market, making him a very rich man. During his 35-year journey, Shami registered 13 patents and revolutionalized the global beauty industry in collaboration with NASA.

Information about Farouk Systems Company is available at http://www.farouk.com/.

Shami’s lecture was one of a series on “Entrepreneurship and Leadership” and was attended by Birzeit University President Khalil Hindi and many faculty, staff and students.