From Zero to the Summit – “That Voice on the Radio... Changed My Life”

In my final year of secondary school, a modest newspaper
advertisement—brought to me by my physics teacher, Ms
Yüksel Tezcan—quietly altered the course of my life. One
evening, as I drifted between wakefulness and dreams, I
heard the name Kemal Şahin spoken on TRT radio. In that
instant, a long-held hope was realised. I was filled with joy,
and a decisive turning point was set in motion.
The land I was born in, the Toros Mountains, taught me
perseverance, resilience, and the courage to set sail towards
distant horizons. After completing my engineering studies in
Germany, I was refused a work permit. I did not retreat;
instead, I started trading with a small shop. My 5,000
Deutsche Marks at the time were not my true capital. My real
wealth lay education, trustworthiness, and integrity.
We are first shaped by our families, our teachers, and our
friends. Professional life refines us. Books, inspiring
individuals, competitors, and even our mistakes give us
strength. This is how one progresses—step by step—towards
the summit. Some see only the mountain before them; others
fix their gaze on the star beyond it. As goals are reached,
momentum gathers.
Your destination is not merely where you arrive—
it is the path you choose to take.