Michael Younessi is a successful entrepreneur whose former projects include several companies in the textile industry. For more than a decade, Michael Younessi has focused his energy on real estate development. When he was younger, he enjoyed practicing his karate skills and sparring with other students. When it comes to the martial arts, a great deal of misconception exists, including misunderstandings about the meaning of a black belt.Often, people think of the black belt as the master level for martial artists. In reality, a black belt only signals mastery of the basics of a given martial art. In fact, 10 levels of advancement exist past the black-belt stage.Before getting to the black belt, individuals complete 10 ranks of training. Thus, the black belt sits in the middle of the process. An individual with a first-degree black belt earns the title “sempai,” which means assistant teacher. The 10 levels after black belt are called “dans.” People often work for several decades to make it to the fifth level of dan. The next four levels of dan go beyond physical practice to include demonstration of humility, charity, spirit, and other tenets of the marital art. Getting to the ninth level often takes 40 years or more.People reach dan level 10 by nomination from other practitioners. This level is the highest attainable rank.
For more than three decades, Michael Younessi has been leading various companies in the United States. He began his career as the president of Cal Fabrics, Inc., and later worked for such companies as 3D Embroidery Mills. Now the owner of a private real estate company, Michael Younessi possesses a great deal of experience in working with customers.Many companies want to improve their customer satisfaction at some point. Following are three simple ways that this can be done:1. Don’t challenge customers: Every business deals with at least one upset customer at some point. When this happens, companies should not challenge that customer or invalidate their complaint. Instead, companies should listen to them, correct the problem, and follow through with the solution until the issue is fully resolved.2. Get feedback: Asking customers what they want or what problems they experience is a great way to figure out where a company is struggling. Gathering this feedback can be done in numerous ways, such as mail-back forms, telephone hotlines, focus groups, and comment cards. Any legitimate complaint or concern present through these methods should be taken into consideration and solved, if possible.3. Have realistic expectations: Companies must set realistic customer expectations early on. These expectations help customers know what they will get when they buy products or services from a business. If a company sets these expectations too high, their customers are more likely to be disappointed.
Active members of Congregation Adat Israel, a Chabad congregation in Southern California, Michael Younessi and his family find fulfillment in their Orthodox observance of the Sabbath and Jewish law and tradition. For Persian Jews such as Michael Younessi, holidays offer a rich set of traditions, some of which differ significantly from the practices of American-born Jews.The springtime holiday of Purim commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people in ancient Persia from the plots of the king’s councilor, Haman. Purim also tells the beloved story of Queen Esther and her uncle Mordechai, whose intelligence, faith, and courage foiled Haman’s scheme to destroy the Jewish people.Today, the still-extant Jewish community of Iran, the largest outside the State of Israel, celebrates Purim with pilgrimages to the city of Hamadan, site of the tomb of Esther and Mordechai. Like Jewish communities around the world, Persian Jews read the scroll of Esther (known as the Megillah) in the synagogue and share gifts with one another. Engaged couples in particular go to great lengths to offer families and friends elaborate feasts on the holiday. Families also prepare homemade sweets to give as gifts. Halvah, typically made from almond flour or brown rice mixed with spices and sugar, is particularly associated with the holiday.
The proprietor of three successful companies, Michael Younessi now spends his time navigating the real estate industry. Michael Younessi buys and develops property throughout the Southern California region. Southern California is currently experiencing a shortage of available real estate. This shortage is expected to be an ongoing issue in the foreseeable future. Los Angeles is one of the most populated cities in the country, and according to US Census Bureau statistics, roughly 4 million people live in the City of Los Angeles alone. The growing population is contributing to rising real estate prices and a housing shortage. According to the California Department of Housing and Community Development, developers need to build at least 180,000 new homes a year in California to stop the shortage. Currently, developers are only producing about 80,000 new homes a year. By the year 2025, California developers will need to have built 1.8 million new homes to account for the growing population.
A real estate professional in California, Michael Younessi came to the United States from Iran when he was very young and went on to a varied entrepreneurial career. Michael Younessi now lives in Orange County with his family, and enjoys karate, a practice he has been involved in since he was 10 years old. Practicing martial arts can be highly beneficial for children. In addition to providing physical benefits, classes usually encourage respect, organization, and discipline. Students must bow to the teacher at the beginning and end of every class, and progress is measured regularly, usually every three months or so, through the colored belt system that helps kids set goals and achieve them. Some kids with ADD or ADHD might also find that the hard physical work and concentration of martial arts practices can help them develop the skills to focus and channel their energy in a safe and productive way. Kids who bully can learn to practice peace, and kids who experience bullying can learn to defend themselves, which can help them gain self-confidence.
