Meet Jihad Abdallah | Owner & head mechanic

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jihad Abdallah and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jihad, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
For years I’d worked as a mechanic for another company and had always felt I was undervalued and mistreated by the management team there.

I have always believed in myself and when the opportunity to start my own business presented itself I did not hesitate to take it.

I’ve always wanted to be my own boss so that I could shape my own destiny and give my family the life that they deserve.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
As an employee in my last company, I did not feel that our values were aligned with one another. Customers were charged too much for the services we offered and staff were undervalued and always feared for their jobs.

When I started my own business, I wanted to make sure that customers felt we offered the best value for money on the market and did not inflate prices unnecessarily, particularly in a country where economic instability is part of day to day life. It was also important to me that my employees felt valued and that they could progress here with us at Rovers. Many of them are not only employees but have also become friends.

We recognise that brands are built on their reputations so from the very beginning we sought to treat our customers and employees in the same way we’d wish to be treated elsewhere.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Lebanon is an amazing country. Did you know that you can actually go to the beach and skiing in the same day? That’s exactly what I would do. I would take my friend to Raouche and have some lunch on the seafront before whisking them off to Faraya in the mountains for an afternoon of skiing.

Later in the week we’d go to Baalbek to see the ancient Roman ruins, to the wazane river in the south where we can eat lunch while actually sitting in the river surrounded by mountains either side. We’ll then finish our evenings sitting on the beach with a cup of tea watching the sun set.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My father has been instrumental in my ability to start the business. When I was an employee I felt trapped and that I could not make the progress in my career that I felt I deserved. My wife was pregnant with my first child and I wasn’t sure that I could take the risk at the time.

My father recognised this and supported me both financially and through his mentorship so that I could make the bold move into opening my own garage.

He continues to be a positive influence on me to this day as I continue learning how to be the best version of myself to grow the business even more.

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