User:Treed tabnei/sandbox

Biography
My commitment now and all along in all honesty has not changed. Being bi-racial (half Arab, half African), I grew up in a very diverse household. I learned about my roots from both sides, and I grew up with friends from all over the world. I have always taken the time to learn from my friends, about their values, types of foods and just the ins and outs about who they are. I was brought up to see people for who they are not what they are.

As a kid I experienced all sorts of racism and many times it bothered me. At times I was ashamed of where I came from. As I got older I embraced my origins more. I realized that all those people who were racist were just insecure or ignorant.

Being in the position I am in today, working with kids, youth and young adults, one of my goals is just educate them about what’s going on. I take time to preach that we are all equal. Your color, height, or size never give you the right to talk down anyone. Playing overseas was an amazing experience and more so an eye-opener. It showed me the game of basketball in a different light and a different style. Not only by the way it was played, but also by the way it was taught. The experience I was able to gain throughout my time there from playing against top players internationally allowed me to see such tremendous skillsets firsthand. It allowed me to also pick the brain of a lot of these players as I became friends with many of them. From there, I was able to bring a lot of what I learned from them, from playing, and from listening back here and implement some of that stuff in my teachings. I also was able to learn how professional basketball works, and the biggest thing for me was the networking aspect of things. Being a coach now I have many questions, and at any time I can pick up the phone and make a call to ask a question and find an answer. This has helped me tremendously as a new coach as I am able to get and give direct information, feedback and answers to my questions so I can answer my athlete’s questions as well

Early Life
Jamil Abiad is an ex-professional basketball player who, after a successful career both in Canada and overseas, is now focused on helping others reach their goals as an athlete. On this front, Jamil does more than just train young athletes in the physical skills they need for success, he is an expert when it comes to training a player’s mindset as well as promoting them to get noticed by coaches.

Through his business Next Level Media, Jamil leverages the video production and editing skills he taught himself in college when he needed to promote himself as a player. As his first business, Jamil has gone through a lot of trial and error to get to the level of success he enjoys today, and this has taught him many important lessons that he can pass on to others through his motivational speaking engagements. Jamil did not only face challenges in his business – he has faced challenges all throughout his basketball career. Because he did not allow these challenges to defeat him, Jamil has a wealth of valuable experience to draw from when it comes to speaking on motivation.

Continuing to dedicate yourself to a sport with a lot of adversity is something that requires a strong mindset. As a basketball player, Jamil was forced to develop a strong mindset and mental focus that allowed him to push through the adversity he faced and ultimately become successful as a professional athlete.

Jamil’s experiences both in the sport and business world have caused him to develop a winner’s mindset that allows him to work through challenges that might thwart others and cause them to give up. Without a doubt, talking about the development of this mindset is a huge part of Jamil’s effectiveness as a motivational speaker.

Through his motivational speaking engagements, Jamil speaks about sport and entrepreneurship and how he drove his own success in both. Being an athlete and entrepreneur requires different skills, but they overlap in the sense that you need to be prepared for setbacks and have a vision for yourself that you can believe in despite what others may say.

Those who have had the chance to hear Jamil’s story get to benefit from listening to someone who is not just regurgitating self-help advice from a book – he’s someone who has lived and learned. His success as a basketball player and as an entrepreneur speaks for itself, and there are undoubtedly many young people who can benefit from hearing what he has to say about his story and the lessons he has learnt.

Now with 3 businesses under his belt, Jamil Abiad has a plenty of experience to draw from when it comes to speaking on entrepreneurship. Those who get to hear him speak are going to walk away having gained valuable insight into the challenges of establishing a business, growing it, and dealing with the inevitable setbacks that will come their way.