Dr. Sara Al Madani dropped out of her film directing program at 15 to run her business full-time. She says leaving school made her street smart and happier, and she questions whether a degree would have slowed her entrepreneurial progress.
Why did you drop out and what are your views on college as a necessity?
I was studying film directing and acting. But the first three years of college were like the fundamental things, which is like, you know, the math and the. All the basics, you know, we didn't go deep into. Into movie directing and acting till like, third year. So when I was there the first, second year, I was like, this is exactly the same thing I took in school, but here I'm not wearing a uniform and I have more flexibility. And then I felt like, I don't think I'm gonna use this information in my life. And I had a choice to make. To make my parents and my dad proud or to make myself proud and follow my dreams and take care of my business. Because I had a business at the age of 15 and I had employees and I had to take care of them. And at the same time, I had to be in class, I had to be in university and have a social life. I was like, I can't. I gotta make a decision. So I remember back then I had a Nokia phone, okay? So I recorded on a voice, like the voice recording on the phone. I recorded a classroom and I had another phone with me. I had a erecton, I remember, and Enoch. And I dropped university without telling my parents because I don't want to upset them. So every time they call me, I'd pick up with my ein and I'll play the Nokia. And I'm like, I'm in class and they can hear. The background is like, classroom. And I did that for four months until they called my dad and they're like, your daughter dropped out. My dad was really upset, but. But then I told my dad, look, dad, that's your dream. This is your problem to deal with. It's not mine. Do not put me through guilt because of something you want. And it's not fair for me to do that. And I decided to just, you know, live my life the way I want. Although my brother and sister, they have their masters and they're like a students and all that. They're like, textbook smart. And you got me. I'm the street smart, yet I'm the one who's going further in life and doing much more. And I feel like I am happier because I'm living, not existing.
I like that. Do you think if you had a university degree it would have slowed down your entrepreneurial journey?
It would have numbed my entrepreneurial journey.
Tell me about that.
Yeah, because I feel like the education system prepares you to, like, it's a cookie. Cookie cutter factory thing where everybody comes out thinking they need the best job, they want to be the best companies and all that. They never taught me that I should believe in my dreams and how to overcome fears and overcome failure and all that. And I felt like the best university for me at that point was life.
