Forty, and Still Just Getting Started

It isn’t easy to fit forty years into a single piece of writing. If I tried to tell all my stories, I would probably fill at least ten volumes. But today, I want to reflect on what I have carried with me along the way.

My family’s roots stretch across Crete, Albania, Thessaloniki, and Yozgat. On my father’s side, my grandfather’s family came from Yozgat, with generations who gave their lives for our country. Sons of fallen fathers, generation after generation… When I think about my connection to my homeland, I feel the weight and responsibility of being descended from people who sacrificed their lives for it.

I like to attribute some of my stubbornness to my Albanian roots. I imagine Thessaloniki plays a part in my deep affection for Atatürk. I cannot say exactly where my curiosity about science and research comes from, but asking questions, learning, and trying to understand have always been part of who I am.

Because of my father’s profession, I spent years living in places including the United States, Austria, Switzerland, Lebanon, and Northern Cyprus. Different cultures left a lasting mark on me. Perhaps that is one reason I love this world and its people so much.

Ever since childhood, I have loved listening to stories and telling them. At times, my own life has unfolded like a film; countless memories still play in my mind, scene by scene. I believe my love of cinema carries a little of all those experiences.

I have had the opportunity to live in many parts of the world. Yet I can explain why I chose Istanbul in a single sentence:

Anatolia, home to so many ancient civilizations, still has so many stories to tell.

What I enjoy about advertising is becoming a companion to people as they build the brands they have worked so hard to grow. Being able to contribute to someone’s dream, effort, and courage means a great deal to me.

At twenty-three, I founded my company in my rented apartment in Istanbul, using an ironing board as my desk. Today, I am proud that we serve clients in more than twenty countries.

Neither reaching forty nor building this company over sixteen years came easily. Even so, I often feel just as I did standing at that ironing board. There is still so much to learn, so much work to do, and so much I hope to achieve.

Today, I am writing these words from Paris.

Paris holds a special place in my memory. It is one of the cities where I collected the most memories during our family trips through Europe when I was a child. Disneyland Paris was, of course, something else entirely. But looking back now, I understand more deeply how precious it was simply to get in the car together and set off on a long journey.

My father’s efforts to make us happy… The intention he and my mother shared to leave us with beautiful memories…

Today, when I think of wealth, those are the things that come to mind first.

Now I am here in Paris with my beloved wife, Niloo Aslan. This is our third visit together. In a city that holds so many old memories, we are making new ones.

I enter my forties with my beloved wife, our two cats, and our dog. My late father is always in my heart. My mother’s prayers and my brother’s advice continue to give me strength.

And then there are the countless people who have touched my life. People I have worked with, learned from, received support from, or simply crossed paths with along the way… I am grateful to every one of them.

At this age, above all else, I thank God for the life I have been given and for every breath I take. I feel grateful to the universe and to life itself. I hope that, along the way, I have done some good for myself, for others, and for the world.

I have always tried to share what I earn. Over the years, I have worked with tens of thousands of people; our paths have crossed through work and the things we have created together. God is the provider; we are the means through which those blessings reach one another.

To me, one of life’s greatest forms of wealth is having the opportunity to share that provision. I believe sharing brings happiness and abundance.

Those who know me will know this: I can sometimes be overprotective, and sometimes too persistent. There have been times when my efforts to support others were misunderstood. I am still learning how to express myself better. Seeing someone else happy, growing stronger, or taking a step forward makes me happy too.

My wish for the years ahead is for people to have greater financial freedom, more success in their work, and more peace with their families. Through my work, my efforts, and whatever I can share, I hope to contribute to that.

Happy Humanity, Happy World.

I send you all my heartfelt greetings. Thank you for touching my life and for sharing the joy of my fortieth birthday with me.

Uluç Yemen Aslan