The Truth About Leaving Your 9–5 | Harith Al Midfa

When is the right time to leave your corporate career and become an entrepreneur?In this episode of the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast, Ann Marie McQueen sits down with Harith Al Midfa, Managing Partner of Recovery Island and Founder of Kayan Textile Manufacturing, to discuss the realities of entrepreneurship, leaving corporate life, building purpose-driven businesses, and creating long-term impact.Harith shares the story behind leaving a stable career, the philosophy of "burn the ships," balancing profit with purpose, building strong teams, overcoming uncertainty, and why entrepreneurs should focus on systems rather than doing everything themselves.Whether you're starting your first business or scaling an existing one, this conversation offers valuable lessons on leadership, resilience, and sustainable growth.Chapters00:00 Burn the ships: Taking the leap into entrepreneurship01:09 Meet Harith Al Midfa01:22 Why he left corporate life03:08 The moment everything changed04:25 Recovery Island and creating social impact06:17 Why Harith founded Kayan Textile Manufacturing07:52 Building businesses with purpose09:43 Balancing profit and purpose10:05 Building systems that scale11:40 Standing out from the competition13:10 The value of strategic partnerships15:07 Lessons from building multiple businesses17:02 Why founders must learn to delegate18:35 Choosing the right people19:48 The biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make21:09 Why founders need passive income21:37 Dealing with uncertainty22:35 Entrepreneurship in Sharjah23:15 Final advice for entrepreneurs24:08 Closing remarksSubscribe for more conversations with entrepreneurs, innovators and changemakers on the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast.This episode was created in collaboration with Poddster.Follow SEF:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharjahefTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sharjahefLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sharjah-entrepreneurship-festivalWebsite: https://sharjahef.com