From his headquarters in sunny Los Angeles, Michael Amin oversees a group of businesses encompassing a well-established management company called Primex World Inc. that manages pistachio orchards, real estate, and private equities.
In 2002, Michael Amin established the Maximum Difference Foundation (MDF), a multi-faceted nonprofit funding charitable initiatives in the healthcare, education, environmental, and humanitarian spheres. MDF has longstanding partnerships with Amnesty International, Doctors Without Borders, Human Rights Watch, and The Innocence Project, among many others. One of MDF’s major campaigns is a series of advertisements encouraging young parents to properly educate themselves in the art and science of good parenting.
Q: How did your professional path unfold in such a way that it led you to the position you enjoy today?
MICHAEL AMIN: Mine has been a long and winding path. I graduated from Cal State Northridge with a business degree, after transferring from Pepperdine. While I was still studying, I was given the task of managing my family’s apartment complex, which I eventually converted to condos and sold. After I completed my degree, I started a one-hour photo business called QuickPix with my cousin. We wanted to franchise the company, but we saw that there were already too many similar businesses in the marketplace. However, as my first venture into entrepreneurship, it was a great learning experience. I applied what I had learned to building two other companies; Primex Talking Yellow Pages, and Top Attorneys Directory.
A few years later, I established my investment firm, Primex World Inc., and we’ve built up a robust portfolio. But I haven’t given up my pistachio farming. In many ways, the farms remain the cornerstone of my business holdings.
Q: Why pistachio farms?
MICHAEL AMIN: It’s a family business. I’m a fourth-generation pistachio farmer and grew up learning the business, working on the farms and just developing a love for it. It’s instilled a lot of important values in me and taught me how to be resilient, focused, and confident in your approach. Because you’ve done the hard work of preparation and planning.
Q: What motivated you to create the Maximum Difference Foundation?
MICHAEL AMIN: One of the main reasons I wanted to succeed in the business world is to have the means to give back, to bring relief and quality of life to the less fortunate in society. MDF is the instrument through which I try to do that. Through our many partnerships with other nonprofits, we’ve been able to do some wonderful things. We plant trees on a large scale, send aid to the world’s conflict zones, distribute toys to underprivileged children, and arrange vocational training for people experiencing homelessness. We’re always looking for new avenues to make a real difference in people’s lives.
Q: What advice would you impart to someone looking to make their mark as a leader in the business world?
MICHAEL AMIN: There are a few pieces of advice I’d give to someone who’s just starting out. The first is not to be afraid to try new things. That’s the essence of entrepreneurship, and to make a lasting mark, you have to have the courage to innovate. The second one is to lead by example. When you’re moving up through the business world, people will watch you. It’s important how you conduct yourself. Be smart, be confident, and most of all, be compassionate. The third is that, once you’re established and in a good financial position, there’s more of an imperative to give back to your community, and to society as a whole. You don’t have to set up a foundation like MDF, but you can incorporate philanthropy and charitable giving into your business practices.
