Anyone who meets Jeff Ali, the co-founder of Snap Lending Texas – a man with an imponent voice, broad shoulders, and, at times, an irreverent sense of humor – could never imagine that, on the inside, Ali is a self-driven, rather shy individual.
“I can speak in front of a room full of people like the most confident guy on the planet, but inside, I would feel nervous, as you cannot imagine,” said Ali in an interview, followed by a contagious laugh.
Ali today is a notoriously successful investor and business owner. Over the years, this native Houstonian entrepreneur has built a thriving career investing in real estate and launching different businesses around Texas. Ali’s company, Snap Lending, has become one of the largest providers of traditional and non-traditional loans in Southeaster Texas, helping hundreds of working families across the state become first-time homeowners.
Ali’s entrepreneurial career does not fit the profile of an introverted person. The common notion of a person involved in the real estate industry is someone who talks even in his sleep.
In Ali’s early career, overcoming his self-doubts and timidity was critical to becoming a successful entrepreneur.
“On the outside, I’m a stocky guy with a rather mean-looking demeanor, but really, I am a shy tech gig who is simply a very motivated entrepreneur,” said Ali.
In a recent interview, Ali discussed some of the keys that allowed him to develop a strong mindset and overcome his insecurities.
For Ali, entrepreneurship was initially what he describes as “a fun hobby” that grew larger than he could have ever imagined.
Ali inherited this passion for business from his family. Coming from a family of Pakistani immigrants full of business owners, Ali was tapped into the world of entrepreneurship and investing from an early age.
Growing up, “my mindset was always that, at some point in time, I would create some business of my own,” narrated Ali.
This ingrained love for entrepreneurship served as a motivator for Ali to suppress his inner insecurity and pursue his dream of becoming a business owner. Ali’s philosophy is to never allow fear to prevent him from embarking on any entrepreneurial endeavor or personal project.
“I’m a big believer in ‘sink or swim,’” said Ali. “Even if you know nothing about something, if you don’t try it, you are already failing. In the end, what’s the worst that can happen?”
Over his decades-long career, Ali has found that inner doubts never wholly vanish. However, for Ali, the excitement of chasing a new business endeavor overrides any inner fear that he might feel.
“I love trying a bunch of new things career-wise, creating new opportunities for myself and others, and networking,” said Ali. “That’s the craziest thing; I’m a very shy person, but I love to network.”
Ali describes himself as the type of person who does not hesitate to jump into a new entrepreneurial project despite the uncertainty and inner doubts that might arise. Today, Ali and his team at Snap Lending are working on expanding the company to other parts of Texas and neighboring states to provide mortgages to more hard-working families.
Ali considers that learning to act despite fear and confront the unknown is one of the most critical skills for any entrepreneur. He advises other entrepreneurs desiring to reach business success to learn how to overcome fear, to achieve success.
“I love to be thrown into a room full of strangers where I can feel my insides turning,” concluded Ali, “cause I learned that, once you are in, you become twice as powerful.”
By Juan Sebastian Restrepo,
With Artistic Initiative Agency
