Some people measure life by milestones of success. Billy Alabsi measures it by the willingness to keep moving.
After high school in Yemen, he came to America searching for opportunity and the chance to build a better life. Since then, his journey has been shaped by reinvention: building businesses, losing everything, rebuilding, and finding the strength to begin again more than once. Through uncertainty, loss, and chapters that might have left others defeated, Billy has held onto one conviction: difficult seasons do not last forever.
Today, in San Francisco, he is building once again, holding tightly to optimism, purpose, and the belief that life can be rebuilt.
You have faced immense setbacks. Where does your determination come from?
My mother. She is a very dedicated person. Watching her work, sacrifice, and struggle shaped me into who I am. I also learned independence very young, from living alone to starting businesses. Those experiences taught me to rely on myself.
How did you hold everything together for your family during such difficult times?
You do what you have to do because the alternative is worse. You keep going. You stay creative. You refuse to give up. The most important thing is keeping your mind clear and focused on the next goal.
I have always been like this, even as a child. I understood that hard situations are temporary. They can become a launching point to rise again. I do not believe in dwelling on negativity. I believe every experience can become something useful for the future.
Billy Albasi children - Courtesy of Billy Alabsi
What was homelessness like for you, especially raising children through it? How did they cope?
I have always treated my son and daughter like a prince and a princess. I never wanted them carrying the weight of negative thoughts or images. I made sure they stayed surrounded by positivity.
I told them this was a chapter, not the whole story. A stage on the path toward something better.
At the same time, they were exposed to different people and realities. They matured very early and began to understand that the struggles I experienced before they were born were real and not simple. Life is challenging, but challenges can also strengthen you.
In the documentary you mention that you chose to parent differently from your father. Why?
My father came from an older style of parenting. He dictated everything.
With my children, I choose conversation. I meet them where they are. I try to understand their world. I do not force them into things. I talk with them and allow them to reflect.
My wife is more conservative as a parent, so together we create balance. But one thing is non-negotiable, we never use physical force with our children.
Billy Alabsi and his children - Courtesy of Billy Alabsi
What lessons do you hope your children learn from you?
I want them to watch how I work, how I live, and how I treat life. That is the lesson.
The people around you say that you love serving people. Where does that come from?
My mother. She raised ten children and adopted five more, that's Fifteen children. Service was simply part of life. That is where it began for me.
Billy Alabsi and his relative - Courtesy of Billy Alabsi
How did your upbringing shape you?
I was raised with love, compassion, care, and respect. Those values became my compass. They are the light that continue to guide me through life.
During difficult periods, did friends or longtime customers step in to support you?
I did not expect that. I see myself as self sustained. People can only do so much. I think differently from many people, and I have learned to depend on my own ability to move forward.
Billy Alabsi at his shop - Courtesy of Billy Alabsi
Looking back, what would you have done differently?
Of course there are mistakes I would correct, but I am not sorry for what happened.
I was once wealthy, and I lost everything. But I did not allow myself to become consumed by depression or anger because I knew this period was only a small chapter in my life.
Anger is dangerous, It can consume you and keep you trapped.
How did you manage to rise above anger?
My experiences taught me resilience. They taught me how to hold myself together. Anger feeds negativity, and negativity can destroy your ability to move forward.
What does resilience mean to you?
Resilience means accepting reality while believing something meaningful can still come from hardship.
I always believed I would reopen my restaurant. That belief never left me. Otherwise, I would not have carried my equipment across the country for five years.
I am also working on an AI blockchain project. And if it works, no, when it works, I believe it will improve many lives.
Outside of work and your projects, what brings you joy?
I enjoy listening to music when I get the chance, though those moments are rare. I also like keeping up with current events and following the news. I enjoy learning about what is happening in the world.
Billy Alabsi strolling by the beach - Courtesy of Billy Alabsi
What are you most grateful for?
Life. My children. And the person I have become through all my experiences.
Life has given me many challenges, but it has also given me purpose, lessons, and the opportunity to begin again.
For that, I am grateful.
