We first featured Amir Kamel in 2014, as he was confidently hitting his 10-year stride as the owner of Princess, a San Antonio beauty supply distributor. 

Kamel was born, raised, and educated in Cairo, Egypt, obtained a degree in accounting, and worked his way up to CFO before immigrating to the U.S. By 1988, he had moved to the San Antonio area and was hired as an accountant with Princess. After seven years, he embraced the opportunity to purchase and grow the company.  

Successes were counterbalanced by challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, providing an interesting symmetry to his years of business ownership. 

“Despite the inherent challenges like balancing work with personal life, getting customers to buy what we’re selling, and trying to hire the right people, business was good,” he reflected. 

As the years passed, it was time for Kamel to consider his exit plan. 

“The decision to exit my business was a profound contemplation of personal priorities and the tolerance for future challenges, economic downturn or crisis, or the possibility that the business could start to go backward,” he said. 

Kamel acted before those worrying scenarios could set in.  

“Some owners consider selling the business when it is not profitable, which can make it harder to attract buyers,” he said. “Designing an exit strategy is no different from crafting a business strategy; they both require improving financial records and business structure and making the business more profitable.” 

He had already established a strong relationship with the Steven Bankler CPA, Ltd. team, which he considers a vital part of his early business ownership journey. 

“The Bankler team’s guidance and support were instrumental in laying the groundwork for improvements in financial records and the overall structure of the business. Little did I know then that these foundational steps would become instrumental in the eventual decision to sell,” he told us. 

One year after the sale, as Kamel enjoys more time with his family and the fruits of his labor, we can’t help but reflect on what he once told us: “Everything good takes time.” That includes a successful business exit.