IBBY TELLS ‘I SUPPORT MY FAMILY’
He has been labelled a “liar” and a “cheat” for hiding the fact he owns a number of successful Sydney cafes and restaurants, but there’s more to Ibby and his career than meets the eye.
Originally from Lebanon, the 30-year-old fled to Australia to build a better life. But, all the while, Ibby was sending money home to his mum and brother to help them stay financially afloat. “I support them, yeah,” Ibby says. “It’s part of our culture. I have to support my mum and my brother. I mean, they supported me to come here as well. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be in Australia, so it’s kind of a payback.”
Ibby credits his strong work ethic and passion to his family, and says he is so focused on his business because they’re always in the back of his mind.
“I never relied on my success with my family, to be honest,” he says.
“Everything I’ve done, I’ve done on my own and hopefully my mum can come here one day and see it. She was here when I graduated at uni but she hasn’t been since, so she doesn’t actually really know what I do.”
Ibby’s businesses are so important to him, leaving them was his biggest concern about entering MKR.
“I had a meeting with my business partner and my staff,” he recalls.
“I said to them, ‘It’s not my decision to make. It’s everybody’s decision because it’s going to affect all of you. I need to make sure that you guys are making the decision, just the same way I am. I need your support because I’m not going to be around. You guys may have to do extra hours here and there.’ I didn’t make the decision, it was a team decision. They did amazing.”