Interview with Mohamed

Refaat, owner and

founder of DFA
Group 3

Interview with Mohamed Refaat, owner and founder of DFA

 What is DFA?
DFA is considered now the second biggest education German institution in
Egypt.

Interview with Mohamed Refaat, owner and founder of DFA

What is the story behind the business?

 I was passionate about the language (German language) since I was 13 years old.
I kept learning it for 3 years till I decided later on to join the German section at faculty of languages
(Al-Alsun) and study the German linguistics.
 I figured out that the more I study the language, the bigger my passion and my love towards it
become.
 I made up my mind already in the third faculty year to teach it and started with small group of
students that were in the first year at the faculty.
 I loved teaching German and at this moment my decision to establish my own educational center
was made.
 I graduated in 2007 but the dream came first true end of 2012 as some financial issues, lack of
experience to manage such a business and choosing the right moment to launch it were my
constrains.

Interview with Mohamed Refaat, owner and founder of DFA

What is the story behind the business?
(cont’d)
 I worked for Travco at 2007 in Luxor, then I returned back to Cairo to work as a teaching assistant at
6 of October University where I worked there for one year with very low salary but with great
experience
 I used to go from Nasr City to 6 of October every day to reach my work which bothered me a lot due
to crowdedness of the streets . Then I got a great offer with triple my salary at Orange which is 10
mins from home.
 I didn’t give up on my dream of establishing my own educational center.
 2012 only one year after the revolution I made up my mind to start it off and accept the new
challenges and big risk. (26 years old)
 I started with the thing that I mastered throughout my time at orange (Customer service courses)
that is delivered in German for the first time in Egypt.
 That helped my company name to boom in a short time and we got many call centers interested
that serve German customers..
 I managed to have my first deal with Vodafone after few months of launching DFA.
Interview with Mohamed Refaat, owner and founder of DFA
What is the story behind the business?
(cont’d)
 I didn’t leave orange for 3 years and I had to take this calculated risk of not giving all
my time and effort to DFA and at same time perform on a good level that keeps me
wanted within my company.
 I even got prompted to a customer service manager after 2 years of launching my
business.
 It was a big hassle and I had a lot of work to do but seeing my baby growing up with my
motive .
 Hitting the financial target for 6 months in row was the time I choose to dedicate all
my time and effort to DFA.
 I felt a kind of stability and saw a great potentiality so I made up my mind to fully
dedicate myself to the project.
 In two years we have managed to open up three branches and enlarged the business.

Interview with Mohamed Refaat, owner and founder of DFA

How well does the entrepreneur fit the
entrepreneur profile ?
 Desire for responsibility .

 Confidence in their ability to succeed

 Risk eliminators

 High level of energy

 Future orientation

Interview with Mohamed Refaat, owner and founder of DFA

Advantages in owing a business
 Applying my own thoughts, ideas and vision.
Getting exposed to different business-related
accounts and skills apart from the one you
started your business for.

 In my case my passion about teaching the

language was my motive to start off all things
but now I got to know many tools and
techniques about the operation sides,
marketing, HR, managing communities,
franchises, stakeholders management, etc.

 Seeing your baby grow up and accomplishing

achievements is a very good feeling that leaves
you proud and having a high self-esteem.
-’’Loving what you do’’ could be finally a fact.
Or may be getting the chance (like this one) to
share my story with you ;)

Interview with Mohamed Refaat, owner and founder of DFA

Disadvantages in owing a business
 You never disconnect.
 Coping with the changes (the
political and economic ones) is a
nightmare.
 Finding those kind of employees that
are crazy enough to go for a lower
package because they believe in you
and your project.
Those who will scarify and share with
you the hardest moments to grow
together and write a good success
story.
 Forgetting to develop yourself
sometimes on a personal level as you
always focus on your employees.
 Giving up on the stability that is
somehow guaranteed in many
corporates.

Interview with Mohamed Refaat, owner and founder of DFA

 Don’t be a follower
You must offer Believe in yourself
but at same time
something new and Listen! and in your own

My advice to
don’t reinvent the
unique! capabilities.
wheel.

those who
Write down your
Always get a mentor Don’t partner up Learning by doing is mistakes and get a
but don’t follow with someone you the most efficient lesson learned tool
blindly. don’t know well. technique. and don’t repeat

considering
them.

Be patient and be Don’t delay and

launching
Reward yourself! sure that success Family comes first. postpone (Just
happens over night. start).

the business! Be always humble

and thankful to God

Interview with Mohamed Refaat, owner and founder of DFA

What is the impact of your project on
the community
 The institute has helped more than *1000*
students to travel to German in order
either to study or work there.
 The organization is sharing now 5% of it’s
net profit with the charity‘s organizations,
hospitals and youth developing campaign.
 With 3 branches in Cairo and Mansoura
and almost 45 employees they serve 400
new clients per month.
 DFA has also initiated an educational
online project to spread the language
called DFA tv.
 The project has produced more 20
educational programs that are easy to find
on their FB page that is networking more
120.000 fan.

Interview with Mohamed Refaat, owner and founder of DFA

Interview with Mohamed Refaat, owner and founder of DFA