'Be so sure of yourself that your confidence convinces others too'

Rami Shaar, the co-founder & CEO of Washmen, says his work is all about becoming redundant. Find out why

Describe your work at Washmen in a sentence.
My work is all about how to become redundant. It might seem a bit shocking to say this but, as a CEO, I am constantly training the team to make sure they can become autonomous as fast as possible and avoid becoming a bottleneck in the decision-making process. The idea is to focus on some areas of the business, understand them inside out, then find people that are more specialised than I am in that specific area, train them for this specific business and then let them run and take decisions, while I start focusing on other areas. 
What time does your day start and end?
To be honest, I do not have a specific schedule. Most days, I wake up early to go through my emails or messages and instruct my team to make sure everyone is clear on what to prioritise. I would generally get the most operational tasks out of the way and, by mid-day, get to the office to work closely with the team. People who know me feel I work all the time, but taking care of a business is like taking care of a baby. It needs constant care - and you don't have nannies for that. So, very often, I do end up working very late and, of course, working from home is part of the process.
How do you make the most of your day?
I start my day by focusing on what is most likely to have a bigger impact on the business - and then I work like a bull! I don't stop. At some point, I'm so exhausted that I crash for 30 minutes - and then I run like a bull again, until it's time to go to bed. Maybe the right answer is that prioritising is key to making the most out of the day, but every time I've tried, I've ended up somewhere else entirely. I think entrepreneurship is like boxing - and as Mike Tyson once said: "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." My days feel exactly like this sometimes. My response? I punch back all day long.
What is one important skill you think every professional should have?
The ability to learn is the most important one. If you are able to soak in information like a sponge and understand the key aspects of a subject, then you can easily tackle anything in your professional life. That's why, before getting anyone on board, I ask them if they like to read books - because, if they do, it means they are curious. And curiosity is the basic desire that underpins the ability to learn. 
Your role model as the perfect professional?
Roberto Baggio - not only because of his incredible talent that has me hooked to soccer for life, but also his outstanding resilience after that missed penalty in the 1994 World Cup final shootout, that dragged him into severe depression. The way he made his comeback is truly inspiring. There's also Mark Zuckerberg for being such a visionary, and Barack Obama for being what I consider the perfect human being. If I were in a room with him and disagreed on anything, he'd probably be able to convince me and align my views with his own after a few minutes.
If you had one free hour in the day to relieve stress, how would you use it?
I play soccer. Running and focusing on the ball clears my mind. When I stop, stress crawls back hard on me.
The most challenging part of your job?
Keeping stress under control. Being an entrepreneur means hustling through challenges and it can become draining at some point. During difficult times, I take on more of the worry than the team, and sometimes I can't reveal that. It is important to keep the team focused and do what is necessary to help them achieve their goals.
Any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?
Believe in yourself - no one will ever do it for you. When you are an entrepreneur, you're on your own. You need to be so sure about yourself and your ideas that your confidence convinces others too. And it's a constant process, because most humans want to see you fail, so they can tell other scared humans they shouldn't stray off the beaten path. Well, entrepreneurs - by definition - don't follow the herd and, yes, there are points when you'll freak out - but most of the journey is pure excitement. So if you have an idea, just believe in it and don't let anyone bring it down. 
- Staff reporter