Where the Sun Feels Closer

A Journey into the Livestock Trade

The sun rises differently in the desert.

I remember standing at one of the highest points in Mauritania early one morning. The land stretched endlessly in every direction, quiet and vast. As the sun began to rise over the horizon it appeared closer than I had ever seen it before. Larger, brighter, almost within reach.

It was one of those moments where you pause and take in where you are.

Below us were hundreds of animals — sheep, cows, and even camels — part of the livestock trade that moves across the region. Around me were young entrepreneurs like myself, each of us there for the same reason: to learn the trade properly, from the ground.

Journeys like that are where real business education happens.

When people see sheep arrive in a market, they rarely think about where they came from. They don’t see the distance travelled, the long days under the heat, or the responsibility of managing herds across unfamiliar terrain.

But that is the reality of livestock trading.

On that journey we were moving animals in the hundreds. Managing a herd at that scale is not simple. Animals fall sick. Conditions change. Decisions must be made quickly to protect the herd and the investment.

You learn quickly that livestock trading is not just about buying animals.

It is about understanding them.

Different breeds of sheep behave differently. Some are stronger, some travel better, some are valued differently in particular markets. Traders who succeed in this business pay attention to those details. They observe, they listen, and they learn from people who have been working the land for generations.

The heat in Mauritania is relentless. The desert does not make the journey easy. But it teaches you something important.

Real business is not built in comfortable environments.

It is built in places where resilience is required. Where you must adapt quickly, work with others, and remain responsible for the outcomes of your decisions.

What I remember most about that journey was the spirit of the group I travelled with. Young entrepreneurs willing to travel across borders, endure the conditions, and learn the trade first-hand.

There is something powerful about being surrounded by people who are determined to build something.

That experience shaped the way I approach business today.

It reminded me that trade is more than transactions. It is knowledge, relationships, and the willingness to go where opportunity exists.

And sometimes opportunity is found far from comfort — under a desert sun that feels closer than you ever imagined.

Lessons from the Journey

Go to where the trade happens.
Real understanding comes from being present in the markets and environments where business takes place.

Learn from experienced traders.
The best knowledge often comes from people who have worked in the trade for many years.

Resilience is part of entrepreneurship.
Difficult conditions often shape the strongest entrepreneurs.

Build with others who share the vision.
Surrounding yourself with driven people pushes everyone forward.

Journeys like that stay with you.

Not because they were easy, but because they remind you that every real business is built through experience, persistence, and the courage to step into unfamiliar territory.

— Assan Lewis
Founder, Starline Multitrade