Driving Rapid Growth
Inc.|September 2023
He fled his homeland at age 8. Began school at 11. Was a tennis champ at 17. Launched a skyrocketing company at 23, and now an even more skyrocketing one at 29. Armir Harris-like the business he's built-knows only one speed: growing.
Christine Lagorio-Chafkin
Driving Rapid Growth

Armir Harris is on a bus. He's 9 years old, traveling with his mother and 12-year-old sister from the south Texas border to Boston. The trip, he's been told, will take nearly three days-but his motion sickness makes him miserable, so he tries to sleep as much as possible, clutching the three action figures he's been carrying with him for the past two years, through four countries. He tries not to worry that his mother has less than $3,000 to last them for ... how long? Long enough for him to learn English? Long enough for them to find a home? Long enough for her to find a job? He tries to shove the questions down, deep enough that he can sleep.

When he thinks back to the home his family fled in Vlorë, Albania, where the foothills of the Ceraunian Mountains meet the Adriatic Sea, Armir Harris doesn't seem particularly wistful. Yes, it was beautiful. Yes, there were beaches. Yes, they went every weekend. But when he was 7, a brutal civil war broke out. Gunshots outside of his window meant his mother kept his sister and him inside-all day, all night-for months. Then, one night, at 3 a.m., his mother hailed a cab to the airport, and they left, with what they could carry. He tells the story quickly. He's eager to move on.

The fact is, fleeing the violence began a nearly four-year stretch of Harris's life without formal education. A stretch that, at times, meant his only bed was a makeshift one, outdoors, or in an Amtrak station. Or on a bus. Twenty years later, he doesn't love to talk about it. Friends can know him for years without his telling them he's a refugee, or that much of his childhood was spent homeless, or helping his mom at any job she could get-including cleaning a restaurant at 2 a.m.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 2023 من Inc..

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 2023 من Inc..

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من INC. مشاهدة الكل
A Scientific Discovery that Unlocks Your Body's Healing Power
Inc.

A Scientific Discovery that Unlocks Your Body's Healing Power

The founder of Stemregen, a company that creates powerful supplements that stimulate the body's natural repair system, explains how a \"fringe idea\" opened up a new world of stem cell therapy.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Transformative Growth: Agency Masters the Art of Evolution
Inc.

Transformative Growth: Agency Masters the Art of Evolution

As a destination marketer, Awestruck has mapped out a journey to success by constantly developing its services and its staff.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2024
For the Love of the Restaurant Experience
Inc.

For the Love of the Restaurant Experience

The founder and CEO of DJB Hospitality shares his passion for the challenging and uniquely rewarding hospitality industry.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Custom PEO Solutions for Blue-Collar Industries
Inc.

Custom PEO Solutions for Blue-Collar Industries

COMPEO is an HR management solutions provider with a jaw-dropping five-figure growth rate.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Homebuying Was BrokenMeet the Founders Here to Fix It
Inc.

Homebuying Was BrokenMeet the Founders Here to Fix It

Cecilian Partners is a fast-growing technology firm providing end-to-end solutions for production homebuilders and land developers.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
A Focus on Complete Solutions for Regulatory Environments
Inc.

A Focus on Complete Solutions for Regulatory Environments

The Northcross Group develops sustainable processes for clients with compliance needs.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
An AI Startup That Sanctifies Time
Inc.

An AI Startup That Sanctifies Time

Created around the idea that time is sacred, Laurel helps clients reclaim it so they can make more money in less time.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
The Former Wall Street Analyst Teaching Wealth-Building to the Masses
Inc.

The Former Wall Street Analyst Teaching Wealth-Building to the Masses

Empify is a fintech startup providing financial education tools and resources for the 99 percent Wall Street often overlooks.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Delivering Care That Always Puts Patients First
Inc.

Delivering Care That Always Puts Patients First

At Cancer and Blood Specialty Clinic, a physician-led team provides patient-centered care through an agile approach prioritizing excellence.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Connecting People and Local Organizations to Solve Social Needs
Inc.

Connecting People and Local Organizations to Solve Social Needs

GroundGame.Health provides a holistic solution that scales one person at a time through human-to-human connection.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024