Sherif Mohsen, chief strategy officer of Trukker: Each week, My Morning Routine looks 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 Sherif Mohsen (LinkedIn), chief strategy officer of Trukker.

My name is Sherif Mohsen, and I’m the chief strategy officer of Trukker. Before I joined Trukker as the chief strategy officer, I co-founded StarWallet, a startup that was focused on developing loyalty programs, and co-founded trucking startup Naqla in 2016. I left Naqla when I felt like I had achieved all the milestones I had in mind, and when the company was generating seven-figures USD in monthly revenues. I wanted to master one product and grow vertically, whereas Naqla’s investors wanted to grow horizontally; they wanted to capture the full supply chain cycle.

I was introduced to Trukker, the largest tech-enabled truck aggregator in the Middle East and Central Asia, through the International Finance Corporation. The CEO and I bonded within 10 minutes of the first meeting because we shared the same hunger for tackling real problems, vertically, on a regional scale. I joined the team as a partner and chief strategy officer.

My role as the chief strategy officer is to explore opportunities at home and abroad, align our existing projects, and generate new ideas that complement our business and the industry as a whole.

When I first joined the company, Trukker was operating in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and within six months we expanded to Egypt and started generating a lot more capital, scaled the team considerably, and opened more than six offices in different countries. We are very proud of the fact that we became the market leader locally, surpassing companies that have been in the market for years.

We are expanding aggressively, and currently have a 12K fleet of trucks in Egypt. When I joined, Trukker operated in 2 countries only, now we operate in 9 different nations, and will be launching in 4 new countries in Europe within the next 2 quarters.

My job is very challenging but is equally insightful and exhilarating: The trucking industry is connected with everything; every single thing a human being wants is transported via trucks. The industry exposes us to all kinds of commodities and the trends related to these items. I also love the fact that I get to meet people from different cultures; I get to learn something new everyday.

My morning routine depends on where I am. I’m always on the road; every week I'm in a different country. I usually wake up at 7 AM, jump in the shower, then have a cup of joe and get into meetings. Because we are operating in different markets and timezones, we work seven days a week and get calls 24/7; even when I’m on a plane I have to stay connected. The work never ends for me [laughs].

To relax and switch off from work, I like to travel and spend some quality time with my children. I’m always on the road so I cherish every second I spend with the family. A daily constant for me is calling my kids everyday.

Traveling all the time is challenging and can take a toll on you. To stay focused and centered, I like to delve into new business content. Business-related research is very calming for me, and I like to constantly learn new things, so whenever I get the chance, I like to do some research about the industries we invest in.