Who Is Joe Chbat?
Joe Chbat is a creator, strategist, and believer in possibility. Raised in Lebanon, he learned resilience early and chose to build despite chaos rather than wait for perfect conditions. A moment of curiosity on a tram abroad sparked the idea that became AdOnTrack, a platform that empowers drivers, supports families, and gives brands a new way to move with their audience. Seen as part of Lebanon’s next generation of leaders, Joe is grounded, forward-thinking, and committed to creating opportunity where others see limitation. He lives by a simple truth: transformation begins with the courage to act.
The Moment on the Tram
The idea did not arrive in a boardroom, during a pitch, or in the middle of a formal strategy session. It emerged on a crowded tram in Turkey, ordinary and noisy, filled with people moving through their day. As the tram rolled through the city, Joe Chbat noticed wrapped buses gliding between lanes with a presence that commanded attention. These ads were not waiting passively to be seen. They were moving, living, and integrating into the city’s rhythm. Most people saw transportation. Joe saw a revolution.
That seemingly simple moment became the spark behind a bold vision: transforming Lebanon’s chaotic streets into a powerful, data-driven, street-level advertising network. Years later, that idea became AdOnTrack, a company built not simply to place ads, but to own the streets through innovation, movement, and measurable impact.
Built From Pressure, Not Privilege
Joe’s story begins in Lebanon, but not with the sentimental childhood memories often highlighted in founder narratives. He does not recall carefree days or youthful innocence. He remembers pressure, an early sense of responsibility, and a habit of observing the world closely. While other children played outside, Joe studied how things worked and imagined how they could work better. He often says he “removed joy from his system early,” not as emotional withdrawal, but as a survival strategy. Joy was not abundant in his environment. Discipline was. Drive was. Resilience was. That mindset, formed in childhood, wired him to build, endure, and see possibility where others saw limitation.
His academic journey led him to begin a BTech in Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Balamand, but he left during his second year, recognizing that the traditional university path did not align with his aspirations. Stepping away allowed him to pursue a direction more in tune with his ambitions, vision, and drive to build beyond conventional limits.
From Grit to Vision
Before AdOnTrack existed, Joe was already experimenting, testing ideas, and building. In 2020, he launched AutoSouk, a startup that quickly gained momentum and won first place and a 16,000-dollar grant from the Tripoli Entrepreneurs Club, providing early validation that he was not just dreaming but executing. He later co-founded MAKE REAL, gaining deeper experience in operations, leadership, and product development, expanding his understanding of how ideas move from concept to execution.
Yet the defining moment remained the one he experienced on the tram years earlier. When he returned to Lebanon, he returned with purpose. The country was facing one of the toughest economic periods in its history. Entrepreneurs were leaving, businesses were collapsing, and most founders would have waited for stability before building something ambitious. Joe chose the opposite path. He moved forward. Where others saw chaos, he saw potential. Where others saw traffic, he saw attention. Where others saw a broken system, he saw an unfinished infrastructure waiting to be reimagined.
The Birth of Adontrack: Turning Movement Into a Media Empire
AdOnTrack began with one core belief: brands should not wait to be seen; they should move with the people. Lebanon, with its dense mobility patterns and constant vehicle flow, offered the ideal environment for a new kind of outdoor advertising. Joe transformed everyday vehicles, including cars, taxis, vans, and buses, into measurable advertising units supported by GPS tracking, real-time impression analytics, demographic insights, and performance dashboards. Advertisers gained the ability to select routes, choose vehicle types, define neighborhoods, and track campaign results with precision, eliminating middlemen, guesswork, and outdated methods.
At the same time, drivers and fleet owners were empowered through a passive income model that required no additional effort. Their daily routes became revenue opportunities, providing stability during Lebanon’s economic crisis. What Joe built was not just advertising. It was adtech. It was mobility innovation. It was a new kind of infrastructure that Lebanon had never seen before.
Changing Lives, Shaping Streets, Redefining an Industry
Today, AdOnTrack is recognized as one of Lebanon’s most progressive outdoor advertising companies because of the depth of its influence. Joe’s model introduced brands to the power of movement, supported by insights and measurable outcomes that were previously unavailable in the local market. Advertisers now understand not only where their ads are seen, but how often, by whom, and with what impact. Drivers and fleet owners found in AdOnTrack a meaningful source of supplemental income during a period when financial stability was becoming increasingly difficult, creating new earning opportunities without requiring changes to their daily routines.
Lebanon’s streets themselves transformed. Through collaborations with major transportation fleets such as ATCT and Connexion, public vehicles evolved from simple transportation units into dynamic advertising assets. The streets became a media network, alive, mobile, and full of possibility. Joe’s commitment to talent building also reshaped the landscape. His recruitment initiatives, including the development of Street Sales Commanders and field agents, fostered a new ecosystem of individuals dedicated to the future of outdoor media. Young people seeking growth found in AdOnTrack a place to learn, contribute, and build careers. Beyond the operational impact, Joe’s personal journey became a source of inspiration for founders across Lebanon, reinforcing the message to build even when it is difficult, create even when the environment is unstable, and move forward even when the path is unclear.
The Mindset Behind The Mission
Joe’s leadership is anchored by principles that guided him through every stage of his journey. The first book he ever read taught him the line “Believe it is possible, and your mind will find a way,” a truth that became central to his thinking. A mentor introduced him to the bamboo analogy, explaining how bamboo grows invisibly underground for years before rising rapidly and unstoppably, and Joe saw his own journey reflected in that story. He reminds himself often “We are here for a reason, not for a season,” a belief that reflects his long-term vision and his willingness to sacrifice comfort for purpose.
His approach is shaped by Lebanon, which he calls his “hard trainer,” a place that pushes, pressures, and prepares those strong enough to endure it. The country forged in him the resilience required to turn ideas into systems and challenges into breakthroughs.
Where Movement Meets the Future
Joe is not interested in temporary achievements. His vision for AdOnTrack extends far beyond its current form. He is building a nationwide moving media network, a platform that merges physical visibility with digital intelligence, and a driver empowerment model capable of scaling beyond Lebanon’s borders. His mission is to prove that world-class innovation can originate in challenging environments and that Lebanon, despite its struggles, remains a birthplace for groundbreaking ideas. For Joe, the path ahead is clear. Movement is power. Data is direction. Innovation is survival. And AdOnTrack is still at the very beginning of its evolution.
A Founder Built From Movement
Joe Chbat never waited for perfect conditions. He did not wait for certainty or permission. He built through instability, created opportunity where none existed, and transformed everyday movement into measurable momentum. He became the founder who saw possibility in chaos and turned it into a nationwide advertising revolution. AdOnTrack is not just changing advertising in Lebanon. It is changing lives, reshaping streets, and proving that even in the toughest environments, vision still wins.
