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Real Talk by MAX Business
An Honest Evening With Houston’s Muslim Business Owners
Every business has a highlight reel. Real Talk is about the rest of the story.
Ask how many Muslim-owned businesses there are in Houston and no one can give you a clear answer. We don’t know the count, who’s building what, or who has already solved the problem you’re stuck on right now.
What we do know is that we’re building all over the city, from Hillcroft to Sugar Land to Katy, and mostly on our own. Some of the most useful business advice in our community gets shared in private group chats and one-on-one coffees. If you weren’t part of that conversation, you probably learned the lesson the hard way.
Real Talk is MAX Business’s first step toward changing that.
What to expect
Houston business owners will talk openly about how they started, the decisions and setbacks that nearly broke them, and what it took to grow. There won’t be pitch decks or polished success stories. The evening focuses on the parts that usually get left out:
- What they got wrong in year one
- When they came closest to walking away
- What growth cost them that no one warned them about
- What they’d tell themselves on day one
You’ll also have time to meet other people who are building in Houston.
Who it’s for
This evening is for you whether you have an idea with no roadmap, launched recently and are figuring it out as you go, or run an established business that has stopped growing. If you’ve been building alone, you’ll find good company here.
Event details
Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2026
Time: 6:30–9:00 PM
Location: PwC Offices, Downtown Houston
Tickets: $15 early bird
Know someone who’s building something? Send this their way.
Who you’ll hear from
Zain Maredia
Zain is a Columbia Law School graduate who now leads the expansion of the family business with a strategic approach. In summer 2026, sixteen years after his family took over the restaurant, Zain, his family, and their team opened a second Aga’s location in Katy, Texas. His goal is to keep growing Aga’s sustainably, create opportunities for team members to grow with the business, and serve as a leader in the Houston community.
Zain Maredia
At Yemex, Rawan and Efrain have built a brand that brings together the rich cultures and flavors of Yemen and Mexico. Through handcrafted pastries and specialty coffee, they’ve created a space centered on community in Houston.
Hassan Syed
Over the years, Hassan has run an Amazon FBA business and launched Galactic Prep Services, a fulfillment and logistics venture supporting Amazon sellers. He also developed Talverage, a talent solutions concept focused on helping businesses leverage remote talent.
His most notable venture is Manual Driving Academy, which he co-founded around a simple idea: making manual transmission driving lessons accessible to anyone. What started in Houston has grown into a nationwide platform in more than 60 U.S. cities, connecting aspiring manual drivers with local instructors.
Hassan continues to explore new business opportunities while balancing his entrepreneurial work with a professional career in fleet operations. He believes entrepreneurship is about recognizing opportunities, being willing to take risks, and having the drive to turn an idea into something bigger.
Zona Sharukh
As a mother, a daughter, and the person in charge of deciding what her family eats, Zona started her business out of personal necessity. When she had her kids, she became much more aware of what went into their food and wanted to keep seed oils and synthetic food dyes out of their diet.
Every time she bought a muffin with her morning coffee, it was nearly impossible to know what ingredients were inside, let alone find halal to-go options at local coffee shops. Honey & Salt grew from that gap.