01 SYRIA
Teenage Basel sitting under a tree in southern Syria.
01 / 20 · Drawn to technology

From the south of the heart of Syria, I found myself drawn to technology.

I started by learning the Android system through online forums.

02 SYRIA
Basel at a repair bench in his first phone shop, soldering station and laptop around him.
02 / 20 · Known across the province

Not long after, I landed a job as a technician where I lived.

My name became known across the province.

03 SYRIA
The storefront sign of "Almohandes / The Engineer", Basel's first mobile-phone shop.
03 / 20 · The Engineer

Less than a year later, at the age of 19, I opened my own mobile-phone shop:

Almohandes — "The Engineer."

04 TURKEY
Basel with his mentor in Turkey.
04 / 20 · My mentor

Syria was no longer safe. I had to move.

In Turkey, I met the person who would become my mentor.

05 TURKEY
Basel at a two-monitor repair workstation in Turkey.
05 / 20 · Back into business

I went directly back into business, working in the same field I had been teaching myself from the beginning.

06 TURKEY
Basel at a desk spread with repair tools and dongles, arms open.
06 / 20 · Mastered the business

Within a year, I had mastered the business from A to Z, the systems, the tools, and all the details in between.

07 TURKEY
Basel with his team outside the shop, everyone giving a thumbs-up.
07 / 20 · Great Team and Great Achievement

Great Team and Great Achievement.

And the certainty that it was the time to take another step forward.

08 ISTANBUL
Basel in a hotel room the night he arrived in Istanbul.
08 / 20 · Two Goals

Took the Step and moved to Istanbul.

Two Goals, one on each Eye. Find a job to support myself, and build a business of my own.

09 ISTANBUL
Basel at a café with the man who helped him find his footing in Turkey.
09 / 20 · How Turkey works

Landed a job with a great man.

The one who showed me how Turkey works.

10 ISTANBUL
Basel working across three computers at once.
10 / 20 · Refused to wait

Three computers, two Hands, one Brain and a dream that refused to wait.

11 ISTANBUL
Basel building late at his home desk, over a phone and two laptops.
11 / 20 · Back to building

I could not stop.

Nine to five in the business; back home, back to building.

12 ISTANBUL
The IMEIRadiX logo.
12 / 20 · IMEIRadiX

IMEIRadiX - was Born.

13 ISTANBUL
A laptop running flashing software amid wrapped phones — the detail work of IMEIRadiX.
13 / 20 · In the details

The God was always in the details.

14 ISTANBUL
Basel on a boat at sea, arms wide, a Turkish flag beside him.
14 / 20 · Between my Hands

The World Between My Hands.

The work had grown beyond a desk. Possibility felt larger, closer, and hard work paid off.

15 ISTANBUL
IMEIRadiX business cards.
15 / 20 · Find a partner

IMEIRadiX was booming.

It was time to find a partner.

16 ISTANBUL
Basel and his business partner by the Bosphorus at night, Maiden's Tower behind them.
16 / 20 · for-real

My Partner Travels to Istanbul.

We are doing this, for-real.

17 ISTANBUL
A striped white BMW in a tuning showroom.
17 / 20 · Who Framed ME

Who Framed ME.

18 ISTANBUL
Basel driving along the water in Istanbul.
18 / 20 · More value in life

But money is only a tool.

There is more value in life, that money cannot measure.

19 ISTANBUL
Basel in front of a large black-and-white mural.
19 / 20 · Let's See Europe

Diving deep into different aspects.

Said it: Let's See Europe.

20 FRANKFURT
Basel standing arms-wide on a Frankfurt street.
20 / 20 · Hello Frankfurt

Hello Frankfurt am Main...