#19 Letting Go of “The Plan” & Living on Purpose

Andrew Ibrahim didn’t follow a blueprint—he broke one. Born in Bristol, PA to Egyptian immigrant parents, Andrew grew up under the pressure of expectation and the shadow of a phrase that never left him: “Without money, you’re nothing.” At just 12, he was already chasing financial security, shoveling driveways and grinding through landscaping jobs—fueled by fear, not freedom.

But life had other lessons in store.

In this raw, honest episode, Andrew opens up about the cultural weight of being first-gen, the heartbreak of being told his dreams weren’t valid, and how hitting rock bottom—even facing homelessness—showed him what real love and real resilience actually look like. From family estrangement to finding his way back, from wanting to be an artist to finding success on his own terms, Andrew’s story is both sobering and wildly inspiring.

We talk Forrest Gump (yep), building belief through community, and why showing up—even when the boat is empty—is sometimes the most powerful move you can make.

Andrew also shares how he turned a past full of “regular jobs”—retail, management, real estate, financial advising—into AI Himself, a real estate consulting and creative financing business designed to help others do the same: break cycles, build solutions, and bet on themselves.

If you’re rebuilding from the bottom, questioning your path, or quietly sitting on a dream—this episode is for you.

🔗 Work with Andrew at WorkWithAiHimself.com