The Entrepreneurial Journey of Julián Slim Haddad, Carlos Slim's Father

Early Life and Arrival in Mexico

• 💡 Julián Slim Haddad arrived in Mexico from Lebanon in 1902, initially working in a market in Tampico.
• 🧠 He faced a heavy workload and a hot climate, attending school at night to learn Spanish from Arabic.
• 📌 He later moved to Mexico City with his brothers, working in prominent markets like El Volador and El Parián.

Founding "La Estrella de Oriente"

• 🚀 In 1911, Julián and his older brother established "La Estrella de Oriente," a large wholesale and semi-wholesale business.
• ✅ He intelligently maintained his retail market stall alongside the new wholesale venture, ensuring diverse sales channels.
• 📈 By 1914, Julián bought out his brother's share, tripling the initial investment in just three years, even amidst the onset of World War I and the Mexican Revolution.

Business Acumen Amidst Crisis

• 🎯 Julián was drawn to Mexico for its great freedom, particularly religious freedom, during the "golden age" of Porfirio Díaz.
• ⚠️ Demonstrating remarkable foresight, he closed his large business in August 1929, just before the stock market crash and the Great Depression.
• 📊 The Great Depression was prolonged, eventually seeing a shift with World War II and subsequent economic growth.

Legacy and Impact on Carlos Slim

• 🌱 In the 1940s, Julián opened a new store specifically to teach his three sons to work, including a young Carlos Slim.
• 👨‍👦 Carlos Slim lost his father at the age of 13, an event that profoundly shaped his development and future endeavors.