Today we’d like to introduce you to Sherief Elabbady
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
In 2022, I walked into a card and board game store at the mall and was struck by the variety of card games available. I had recently become obsessed with the game “Black Card Revoked” and was excited to see it among many other games that celebrated different cultures and ethnicities. However, I noticed there were no games specifically for Arabs or Arab-Americans. This observation sparked the idea to create a card game for Arabs. After conducting some research, I found nothing similar on the market.
One thing you should know about me is that I thrive on generating ideas. My experience as a Technology Innovation Manager at Land O’ Lakes involved managing a portfolio of concepts. I’ve had several great startup ideas that never came to fruition, while others have been successfully implemented by others, raising millions of dollars. With “The Arab Card Game,” I wanted to focus on actually bringing my ideas to life. I created a rough prototype that, while not visually appealing, allowed me to make the concept tangible and test it with family.
Once I received validation from my family and friends, I needed to develop the content for our First Edition game. This involved crafting 60 questions and answers, combining trivia with majority-vote responses. During an 18-hour flight from Qatar to Minnesota, I brainstormed questions and topics. Over the next two weeks, I immersed myself in Arab-American content—comedians, Netflix shows, and social media—to gather relevant material. I produced several iterations of our First Edition game, offering early supporters a limited print version.
Initially, I manufactured the game in the U.S., which was excellent but expensive. However, when I set out to create our “Meme Edition” game, I quickly realized that I couldn’t continue manufacturing in the U.S. due to the complexity of the design, which included two different card sizes and a stand for displaying the memes. Quotes from American manufacturers exceeded what would be profitable, so I made a bold decision to produce the first round of the Meme Edition in China.
Producing the game in China required a minimum order of 500 units, a significant increase from the 50-unit batches I had been ordering from American manufacturers. To make the logistics work, I also had to order 500 units of our First Edition game. This posed a challenge, as I had to invest a considerable amount of my own money to place the order, risking that the games might not sell well. I faced a crucial decision: fully commit to growing the business or consider quitting.
It has now been about eight months since I made the decision to proceed with the large order and continue expanding The Arab Card Game. While the journey has not been straightforward, I am grateful that I persevered. We still have a long way to go before realizing the full potential of our game lineup, but we are currently developing our third game, which we hope to release in 2025.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There are many obstacles! First, this isn’t my day job, and it’s not always my night job either, since my wife and I have three young children. Finding time to develop the game and grow the business often means sacrificing sleep and weekends.
Building a business alone comes with its own set of challenges. I’ve had to step out of my comfort zone and become the face of the brand on social media. My responsibilities have shifted from collaborating with various suppliers and designers to discovering creative ways to sell the game. It’s certainly difficult to wear multiple hats each day—managing social media, exploring new sales channels, fostering collaborations, improving the website, and developing the game.
The biggest challenge, however, was transitioning from a local manufacturer to an international one. I had to take a significant risk by ordering a large quantity of games, which required a hefty investment. Not only did I need to put up a substantial amount of money upfront, but I also started to doubt my ability to sell so many units. This is still something I’m working through, but I’m grateful for the experience and proud of my perseverance.
We’ve been impressed with The Arab Card Game, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The Arab Card Game is a series of social party games geared towards the Arab-American Experience. Our First Edition game is a social trivia game that tests players knowledge of Arab culture, customs and geography. Our Meme Edition is a meme-caption matching game that includes funny images and scenarios that relate to the Arab-American experience. Our games are meant to be fun & funny for the entire family. The games encourage not only laughs, but promotes cross-generational and cultural conversations. Arab culture is very diverse and the games highlight this diversity. There are also many generational experiences that don’t get talked about because they don’t naturally come up, but our games do a good job of bringing them up. We want our brand to represent the richness of the Arab-American diaspora and all the nuance that comes with it.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Although I didn’t launch the business until the Covid-19 crisis, I did pay attention to the trend that the social or party card games market was increasing. It did influence my decision to pursue starting The Arab Card Game because I saw that, although the market was growing, the representation wasn’t.
Pricing:
- The Arab Card Game First Edition – 24.99
- The Arab Card Game Meme Edition – 34.99
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thearabcardgame.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thearabcardgame
