18 October,2021 08:38 PM IST | Mumbai | BrandMedia
Murad Islamov
From grown-ups to kids, everyone loves Bagels! They are soft, chewy, and delicious! And if they are freshly made, they simply taste heavenly!
But what exactly are bagels and how did they manage to conquer American's breakfast? The latter question is genuinely a mystery, but we can definitely tell what bagels are.
Well, bagels are basically bread products that have Jewish origins. They are traditionally shaped by hand into the form of a ring and are made up of yeasted wheat dough. They can be crunchy or crispy on the outside, but are super soft and warm on the inside.
Murad Islamov, an American businessman has mastered the art of making delicious bagels and is now a founder and CEO of Maya Bagel Express - a family-operated cafe, headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky.
Murad's entrepreneurship journey is full of adventure and learning.
He grew up in Manchester, New Hampshire, and always had a passion for creation. He was a talented soccer player and his goal-scoring abilities and exceptional gaming skills were widely recognized in the media. He always had a knack for standing out and believed in taking risks. And in order to achieve the kind of life and lifestyle he wanted, he knew that he had to do something different and bigger than usual.
He started doing jobs like fixing computers, mowing lawns, and helping operate a bagel shop from the tender age of 16.
It was in 2019 when he founded Maya Bagel Express, his first entrepreneurial project.
Maya Bagel Express was created from scratch by this young entrepreneur. It was his first entrepreneurial baby. Be it the name of the cafe or anything else, everything had a special story.
The story behind the name
The cafe is named after his grandmother, and he is the creator of the logo as well. According to him, the name resembles his grandmother's sincere love and passion for his family. Maya, in Turkish, also means bread yeast. This is a beautiful coincidence that perfectly worked for him.
The inspiration behind the cafe
He learned the art of making bagels from his parents who worked at a bagel shop in New England, and since childhood, he was quite fascinated by the art of making bagels. This combination -- influence of the family and his love for making bagels gave birth to the best New York-style bagel recipe, which is now a hit among Americans. They enjoy the unique taste of handmade bagels from the Maya Bagel Express.
His mantra to fight challenges
An entrepreneur's life is not an easy one. It's full of ups and downs. Hence, Murad shares his life's story with others. His main objective in doing so is to inspire young people and help by allowing them to draw lessons from his life experiences and shape their future in the right way.
Murad has braved many challenges in his life. From detractors to those who outrightly rejected his choices, he has gone through many testing times. But what kept him going was his firm self-confidence. He pushed through all anxieties and stayed focused on finding solutions, rather than fixating on the problem.
His love for creation is only just limited to the bagel industry. Murad is also a real estate investor, and a social media influencer. He even has plans of opening a gym called Greyhound Fitness.
If you are also looking out for some guidance and want to learn some lessons for a successful life, then follow Murad on his Instagram at @muradislamov10
