CLEVELAND — The first ever Forbes Under 30 Summit in Cleveland is coming at the beginning of October, and as part of the event, Forbes released a local 30 Under 30 list featuring some of our region’s ambitious young leaders.

What You Need To Know

  • The first ever Forbes Under 30 Summit in Cleveland is coming at the beginning of October

  • Local magician and entrepreneur, 23-year-old Elie Haoui is on the list

  • A barista by day, magician by night and around-the-clock content creator, Haoui said his family and mentors are what drive his success

The Cleveland summit, which will be held Oct. 8 to Oct. 11 at Cleveland Public Auditorium includes a private concert, talks from A-list celebrities like Bad Bunny and Kendall Jenner, networking opportunities and more. 

One entrepreneur featured on the local 30 Under 30 list is 23-year-old Elie Haoui, a coffee shop owner by day, magician by night and an around-the-clock influencer. 

“Somehow, magic led me to the coffee industry, which is pretty cool,” Haoui said.

Haoui said he started doing magic at just 4 years old. 

By 13, he said, he found a way to monetize his performances. 

He first got connected to Milk and Honey’s founder, Anisa Rrapaj, to partner for an Instagram giveaway, and they quickly became friends.

Rrapaj invited Haoui on as an owner of the business while he was a student at Cleveland State University. 

“I decided to drop out with less than a year left to pursue this business and to just grow it with my business partner,” Haoui said. 

Haoui said his dad, a Lebanese immigrant, came to the United States with very little, hoping to provide his children with a chance at success. 

So, making a risky decision like dropping out of college wasn’t something he took lightly. 

“I always have this thing in the back of my mind, like ‘Dad, you didn’t do this for no reason,'" he said. "I’m gonna make you proud. I love you. I love all the lessons you’ve taught me, and none of the traveling to the U.S., the struggles, the hardship went to waste, and I’m here to prove it.'"

To Haoui, being a part of Cleveland’s first Forbes 30 Under 30 is an honor, and he said he couldn’t have done it without the support of his mentors and family. 

“If any of my accomplishments look cool, or like, oh he’s successful, I can credit all that to people who have helped me,” he said. “So, I did not do it alone.”

But Haoui’s drive has also played a role in his success. 

He said after seeing the work his parents put into building him a strong foundation, he can’t imagine slowing down. 

“I’m going to make sure that wasn’t wasteful,” he said. “And I can hopefully show my future kids that working hard is never a waste.”