Reaching success can feel like a solo journey. You need to believe in yourself and your ideas to step onto the path to achieve it. It’s easy to become isolated when you go through this journey and believe that you don’t need anyone but yourself. Entrepreneur Kareem Hassan feels that many of us don’t realize just how formative our relationships with other people can be in reaching success.

According to Kareem Hassan, the importance of relationship-building is often overlooked when an entrepreneur is trying to establish themselves and their business. With so much focus put on securing enough money and backing to launch a successful business, the need for a strong foundation of interpersonal skills is sometimes forgotten. The truth, Kareem shares, is that no business would exist without the strong relationships between its employees and its customers. Expanding on this point, Kareem Hassan says, “To truly reach anyone, you need to connect with them. If you want your business to make a difference and give more than it takes, then you need to cultivate strong relationships with the team around you and your customer base.” Relationship-building is a skill that can help you withstand any setbacks and unexpected obstacles. According to Kareem, if you can relate to someone and communicate clearly with them, you can find solutions together.

Kareem Hassan found a way to turn his passion into his profession. A specialist in the world of collectibles from comics and trading cards to toys and rare items, Kareem shares that it was relationship-building that helped him establish himself within this vibrant industry. From understanding the needs of collectors to building solid relationships with vendors, he explains that relationship-building proved itself to be a critical and essential professional skill.

No matter how dedicated you are to reaching success, Kareem Hassan believes you need to focus on your relationship-building skills to truly reach it.