170. Not Lost in Translation with Robin Ayoub
Growing up in the United States, I was fortunate to not know what it’s like to go through a day with bombs falling around me and my dad fighting in the war. For Robin Ayoub, this was his daily reality, and as he would eventually discover, getting away from it was how he found his way home.
Imagine being eleven years old and given 24 hours to learn how to operate a knitting machine because your family's survival depends on it. Then picture yourself going door-to-door every weekend, selling the sweaters you made, knowing you can't come home until every single one is sold. That’s where he learned what all good sales professionals know: the importance of making “one more call” or “one more stop on your route” before quitting time.
That was just the beginning of Robin's extraordinary journey from war-torn Lebanon to becoming a tech executive whose influence spans four continents.
Growing up as the oldest of five children, he was taught the importance of being productive and responsible. With a civil war raging around him, survivability was key. There was no time to lose.
Even with all this going on, Robin finished college and got a job as a bank teller. One day he was sent home because of a bombing raid. Long story short – listen to hear what happened – he ended up in the hospital. When he got out, he said, “that’s enough. I’m done here!” He took his younger brother and moved to Cyprus.
He found a job and from there helped his parents and four younger siblings get their immigration paperwork in order. They all moved to New Brunswick, Canada, landing in the middle of a snowstorm and not speaking English. Through luck, Robin found a Maronite priest who spoke their language in the phone book, and within a short period of time he found work sweeping a construction site – a great use of his education in computers.
But, it turns out the hotel they were expanding on that construction site needed somebody to update their billing software. Since programming languages were universal, his lack of English at the time didn’t stop him. This opportunity led Robin to more jobs in computer programming, which in turn launched him onto what has become a rich, successful entrepreneurial journey.
In Lebanon, daily bombardments were normal. The constant threat of violence became background noise. And he thought it was all fine. But as we know, Fine is a 4-Letter Word.
In a moment, when you meet Robin, you’ll discover how he looked back and realized how living with bombs falling around him showed him the importance of his family, his work, and his opportunity to inspire and lead others. You may be particularly interested in how it informed his definition of “perfect”.
And I can hardly wait for you to hear where you can find Robin and his family every single morning at 6:30, without fail.
Robin's hype song is "Daddy Cool" by Boney M.
Resources:
Robin Ayoub’s website: https://www.L10NFiresideChat.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinayoub/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robin.ayoub Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robin.ayoub/ X: https://x.com/robinayoubInvitation from Lori:
Let me ask you, if there was a simple way to reclaim your peace of mind and not feel so frazzled, would you...
FINE is a 4-Letter Word
Wasn’t it just a couple years ago you were sitting on the beach at spring break in Ft. Lauderdale – listening to the Pet Shop Boys, U2, and Def Leppard - with your entire life ahead of you? Now you’re looking back 30 plus years and wondering what the hell happened.
Not that it’s been all bad. Of course, there’ve been highs and lows. And today, everything’s fine. It’s just fine. That’s the problem. You don’t really feel like you have anything to complain about. Lots of people might envy what you have. But you’re feeling a deep undercurrent of suck. Like, there must be something more. And you don’t know what to do about it.
Welcome to Fine is a 4-Letter Word, with host Lori Saitz. Each week, you'll hear inspiring stories of self-discovery and courage from people who have said F*ck Being Fine and have transformed their lives and businesses. Plus, get practical tips and takeaways to move you from spinning in place - to forward action - so you can create a life of joy.
None of us knows how much time we have here. So we have to make the most of it. We have to do the things that light us up and bring us joy.
This show will give you hope, help you find your passion and purpose, and dare you to see the life that’s waiting for you. You’ll never hear - or say - the word “fine” in the same way again.
- No. of episodes: 245
- Latest episode: 2025-07-03
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