Yousef ElSammaa, CEO of Falak Startups: My Morning Routine looks each week at how a successful member of the community starts their day — and then throws in a couple of random business questions just for fun. Speaking to us this week is Yousef ElSammaa, CEO of startup incubator Falak Startups.

My name is Yousef ElSammaa, I'm 30 years old and I'm the CEO of Falak Startups, a leading startup accelerator in Egypt that invests in and supports early stage startups.

Falak has been present in the market for two years, and I've been here from day one. My job is both to set the overall strategy for where we want to take Falak and positioning it so that ultimately we can reach our goal of investing in high growth startups that we hope will eventually have huge exits, as well as managing the day-to-day operations of the company.

Setting up the company essentially meant the process of establishing a startup to help startups. I then needed to build the right team to manage it, set up an efficient process to attract, filter and select the right startups to invest in, set up an investment committee of experts that could assess the right businesses to invest in, and design and execute a program that would provide them with access to knowledge, expertise and resources they would need to effectively launch and grow their business. I also get involved with supporting our startups to raise future funds from private investors and VCs, which helps take them to the next level.

When you have children, your day generally starts early. I've been married for four years to my wife, Nesma, and we have a 1.5-year-old son, Adam. My son is usually up by 6 or 7 am every day, so my day frequently starts then. I often end up waking up with my son and making him breakfast so my wife can get a bit more sleep, and she often does the same for me so I can get an extra hour of sleep.

I start my day with a cup of coffee, going through my emails and WhatsApp groups to make sure there's nothing urgent I have to attend to. I also Enterprise, skim through a few other newsletters or articles that I find interesting, and check the latest football news (since I'm a huge fan). Then I get ready and head to the office. It’s a one hour commute, since I live in Sixth of October and our office is located in the Greek Campus, Downtown. I usually try to make some personal or work calls on the way in, to make good use of the time.

I always do my best to stay on top of my emails and answer them promptly. My rule is to always make sure the ball is never in my court ― so I either make sure the right team member is copied and ready to follow up on what needs to be done, or that whatever action is needed from me is done. Then it’s a question of waiting for the other side to proceed. My day often involves back-to-back meetings with current or potential partners, team meetings, meetings with specific startups to discuss particular issues, or sometimes board meetings. I try to have my lunch between meetings, and make sure I don't leave unless I've attended to any new items that require my attention. I usually leave work by 6pm on a normal day.

Spending some time with my wife and son every day is an important priority for me. We have dinner together, and then I help my wife get my son ready for bed. Around three times a week, I then go out again to either play football or paddle tennis with some friends. If I'm staying home, I might watch a TV show or a football game.

One of the best things I’ve watched recently is the documentary Inside Bill’s Brain: Decoding Bill Gates, which I found truly moving and inspiring.

Falak Startups started under the initiative Fekretak Sherketak, spearheaded by the Investment Ministry, which is led by Minister Sahar Nasr. Shehab Marzban, who was the top economic advisor to Nasr at that point, was leading the initiative, and they had selected their first batch of startups to receive investments and go through an acceleration program. I was brought in to help build the program and the accelerator.

I believe we add a lot of value to the companies we invest in, beyond funding, by focusing on building a team of ex-entrepreneurs and skilled individuals. What these early-stage startups really need is a pathway to market entry, along with access to the right network and business resources, and we work hands on with them to be sure we offer that.

What people sometimes don't understand about our business and the industry we're in is that success is not just a question of making the right investment in the right company. What eventually defines whether or not a startup makes it is the degree of support it has received to get it there. Particularly in this region, where founders lack a lot of the skills required to get their businesses beyond the very early stage, the company will not get very far unless the right support is given ― by us or by any investor. It's not about throwing money at an early-stage business and expecting it to generate substantial returns, if there is no added input from the investor.

I believe we’re currently witnessing a virtuous cycle of growth in the sector and the region. There have been a few successful exits recently, and that creates a ripple effect in the market. We're seeing more VCs and investors becoming motivated to invest in the region, and also seeing more high-caliber, experienced business owners exiting these startups to create their own new ventures. The more we see this happening in the market, the more success there will be in the industry as a whole.

I do my best to stay organized by splitting my tasks into two lists. One list contains things that need to get done immediately (short-term) and the other is for things that need to get done later (long-term). I check these lists daily and then start working on the short-term list, moving items from long-term to short term when the time comes. This helps me stay focused on my immediate priorities, while always keeping an eye on my long-term goals and action plan.

I think the best piece of business advice I’ve ever been given is to act expecting nothing in return, and go the extra mile anyway. Eventually it all pays off ― but most of the time it’s indirectly, in unexpected ways.