The Marketing Genius That Got Us Out of a Refugee Camp

It was hot that day.

I remember the plastic chairs stuck to our skin.

I remember the sound of my mom’s quiet breath and the look on my dad’s face, calm but serious.

We had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

In April of 1994, my family sat across from the refugee resettlement support team in Rafha, Saudi Arabia.

We had lived in that refugee camp for four years. Four long, uncertain years.

But we weren’t just waiting.

My father was working.

Not for money. Not for fame. But for a chance.

You see, my father was an artist. A painter. He had a gift in his hands, and in that camp, he used it every single day.

He painted for the soldiers. Landscapes. Calligraphy. Portraits. Flags.

Whatever they asked for, he painted.

Most people thought he was just being friendly. But he was planting seeds.

He knew that even though we had nothing, no money, no passport, no home, we still had something to offer.

My Dad Painting a Commission In the Refugee Camp

And one day, one of the highest-ranking men in the camp came to visit us. He had heard about my dad’s work. He wanted to meet the man who was painting for everyone.

He commissioned my dad for a huge painting, something beautiful, something symbolic. My father worked on it for months. He poured his soul into it.

Six months later, we were on a plane to the United States.

That is the power of marketing, be so damn good at what you do it ultimately changes your life and everyone else around you.

From a refugee tent to a whole new life.

I wrote about all of this in my first book The Art of Resilience, The Refugee State of Mind.

This Wasn’t Luck. It Was Legacy

Some people might call that luck. But I’ve lived long enough to know it wasn’t luck.

It was a gift used with intention. It was a skill offered in service to others. It was a door that opened because my father was willing to keep showing up, even when it felt pointless.

That story has shaped how I see the world, how I show up in my business, and especially how I help authors.

Because let me tell you something that might change how you think about your book,

Your book is like my father’s painting.

But if it stays in your drawer, or sits quietly on a dusty shelf, no one will ever know what you’re capable of.

You Can Build Momentum in 6 Months. Here’s How

You can change your audience in 6 months. You can grow your platform. You can create something meaningful that gets you in the room.

But you have to do something that most authors don’t.

You have to use what you already have.

Step One: Don’t Sit On Your Book

Use your book to serve someone. This week, send your book to three people. Not your best friend. Not your cousin. Send it to someone who has access.

If this brings up some sort of fear.

GOOOD, that's a sign to lean into it. That's your compass pointing at the next action.

Use it.

Someone who might host a podcast. Someone who organizes an event. Someone who leads a community or runs a business that aligns with your message.

But don’t just send it like you’re throwing spaghetti at the wall. Wrap it with care. Include a handwritten note. Tell them why your message matters and who it could help.

Not in a salesy way. In a real way.

You're not asking for a favor. You're offering a window into something meaningful.

When my dad painted, he didn’t ask for favors. He gave people something they didn’t expect. And they remembered him because of it.

Step Two: Stop Hiding and Start Showing Up

Share your message consistently. Most authors post once and then disappear. Or they spend all their time planning and never actually publishing.

Pick one platform, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, your newsletter. Doesn’t matter. Just pick one.

Then show up once a day and take action for a week. Every week.

Wear down that voice in your head telling you not to do xyz.

Not with fluff. Not with what you think people want to hear. Show up with real stories, real lessons, and real questions.

What’s a moment from your book that changed you?

What’s something you’ve learned from helping a reader?

What’s a belief you used to have, and now don’t?

When you show up like that, you stop being just another author. You become someone worth following.

Step Three: Get Over the Fear of Tech

Use technology. Learn AI. If you’re afraid of AI, I get it. It’s new. It’s fast. It feels overwhelming.

There are people out there right now vehemently against it, especially in the writing world.

But let me say this with love,

If you’re not learning it, you’re choosing to be left behind.

I chose not to learn YouTube, SEO, and how to use Social Media when it all first started. Also, I was young and just not very techy.

That will never happen again. I spend at least thirty minutes a day learning something new in tech to help me be the best marketing expert I can be.

I use AI almost every day now.

To outline posts. To brainstorm headlines. To write first drafts of things I’ve been putting off. To organize content. To repurpose podcast episodes.

It doesn’t replace my voice. It helps me get to my voice faster and more refined.

You don’t need to be a tech genius. You need to be curious enough to try.

Because the authors are using AI and have a deep message? They’re going to win.

You Don’t Need Fame. You Need a System

Let me say it plainly, You don’t need a giant audience.

You don’t need a fancy PR campaign.

You just need a strategy. A system. And a commitment to use what you’ve already created.

That book in your hands? It’s more than a product.

It’s a doorway.

But no one’s going to walk through it if you don’t open it first.

Author X - LAB: Thinking of Hosting Something Special

I’ve been thinking about doing a live, private workshop for authors who want to get unstuck. Not a course. Not a webinar. Just a real, working session.

Where we talk about,

Clarifying your author brand

Building a consistent content strategy

Using your book to create momentum

LinkedIn, outreach, and audience growth

AI tools and how to use them as a content multiplier

A two-hour deep dive and Q&A

This will cost around $150 to attend

Only five spots available, so I can give you my full attention, and I will add a 30-minute 1:1 Call tailored to you.

If this sounds like something you'd want to attend, just comment or message me and let me know. If enough of you raise your hands, I’ll make it happen.

What the Flat Tire Taught Me

Last month, I tried to head to Phoenix to interview my friend, Dr. Pete. The tire blew out. I had to cancel the trip.

It was a few newsletters ago that I wrote about it.

The RAE-VAN is old and things happen.

I waited. I got the van fixed. Then I made the drive again, this time with more intention.

We finally sat down for our interview. Inside the van. Just two guys talking about what it means to live on purpose.

Dr. Pete Patterson is someone I deeply admire. He’s a two-time author. A doctor. A teacher. A mentor.

And when he speaks, it’s like listening to someone who’s really lived. He doesn’t just talk about health. He talks about wholeness. Mind. Body. Spirit.

His new book Living a Whole Life is a reminder that we don’t just need to feel better, we need to live better.

If you’re looking for something meaningful to read, pick it up.

And if you want to hear the full conversation, watch the episode here.

Dr Pete Patterson Doing the Podcast Show in the RAE VAN

Last Word from the Refugee’s Son

My father never had a platform. He never had a website. Never had LinkedIn.

He just had his art. His story. And a deep sense of purpose.

And with that, he changed our lives forever.

You, on the other hand, have so much more at your fingertips.

A book. A voice. A mission. A message. Tools. Technology. And the freedom to speak to the world any time you want.

Use it.

And remember, 6 months can change everything.

It did for us. It can for you too.

My father painted, did galleries all over the US, and went back home to Iraq and continued to do it until he passed away in 2016.

He worked hard every day; he showed up to the canvas no matter what. He did what he loved all the way to the end.

He continued to win awards and use his art to bring attention to our culture, social issues, and use the money he made to donate to kids and people in poverty in Iraq. He gave away more than 50% of money he earned from paintings to people in need.

I can't make this up. He was my gift.

I literally tear up every time I get to think about his spirit.

I've missed him dearly these past few weeks, not sure why, but I merely miss him, and I'm reminded of how incredibly lucky I am to be his son and have these memories and his art and the seed of his gift within me.

My Father Winning Awards and Grant Money in Iraq

My father and the Chief of Police in Asamwah, Iraq. This man loved my Dad and still has two paintings in His office

He left me with exactly 100 paintings after he passed, and I hope to one day display them for him in a gallery called Like Father, Like Son

This is his last unfinished work. I can't be sure, but I believe he was working on a Mary & Jesus painting.

Here's a Painting I did of him back in 2020 when I just simply needed to see his smile during some hard times.

Whenever you're ready, here are three ways I can support your author journey:

1. Clarify and systemize your Author offer so your message lands and people instantly get what you do.

2. Build an author website that works, not just pretty—designed to attract leads and open doors.

3. Create a content and video strategy that builds your brand. Show up with purpose. Grow your authority. Use video to make your message unforgettable.

If you’re serious about leveling up your author brand, shoot me a message here in Linkedin

Practice Patience & Gratitude.

Hussein