Shows
Talks with T#34- Kamil Najjar (Founder & CEO of Kids First Group) on why innovation doesn't have to be expensiveKamil Najjar is a trailblazing business leader with a massively successful career spanning beauty, media and education. His career culminated with him starting Kids First Group in 2011 and is today the leading early education platform across the GCC. Kamil shares the importance of innovation as a means to sustain a competitive edge. He does show by sharing interesting examples of why innovation isn’t just a buzzword, and how it can be implemented in low cost yet effective ways. We discuss the importance of attitude in team members and how it takes precedence over other qualifications, and so...
2024-06-0633 min
Talks with T#33- Amir Farha (Founder & CEO of COTU Ventures) on finding & living your valuesAmir Farha has started two venture capital firms, Beco as a co-founder and COTU Ventures as CEO and Founder. He’s one of the most passionate and empathetic leaders in the VC space when it comes to dealing with people and entrepreneurs. His firm, COTU, literally stands for “Champion of the Underdogs” and Amir truly lives that value. We discuss Amir’s journey founding his latest VC firm and the journey to finding what matters to him most personally and professionally. Amir discusses how he used tough times as an inflection point to become more curious about himself...
2024-05-0739 min
Talks with T#32- Abdulmajeed Al Sukhan (Co-Founder & CEO of Tamara) on why building companies is tougher than fighting cancer This episode was recorded live at the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival (SEF). Our first live show!Abdulmajeed is a serial entrepreneur in the true sense of the word. He is co-founder of Nana (the largest grocery delivery platform in KSA) and currently co-founder and CEO of Tamara ( a leading Buy Now Pay Later startup in MENA). Abdulmajeed walks us through his journey to entrepreneurship and how his first startup failed before leading him to co-found Nana. He also discusses his lessons from fighting cancer at a young age.Abdulmajeed is a deep thinker and is well...
2024-04-1642 min
Talks with T#31- Nicki Wilson - Founder & MD of Genie Recruitment on building culture using unconventional wisdomNicki Wilson is the Founder & MD of Genie Recruitment, a leading specialist recruitment company covering the Consumer industries. She’s been a lifelong entrepreneur and tried her luck at various endeavors before finally starting her own recruitment firm. Her firm has become well-known for its extremely vibrant culture and unconventional approach to rewarding, engaging and retaining team members. It's the first time I’ve heard of a sales team that earns commissions but doesn’t have targets … and it works!Nicki genuinely cares about her team at an individual level, and prioritizes joy in her professional life. She cons...
2024-04-1539 min
Talks with T#30- Kunal Kapoor - Founder & CEO of Luxury Closet on curiosity as a foundation to building great productsKunal Kapoor is the Founder of Luxury Closet, the second largest luxury marketplace globally. Kunal started with the ambition of working for a large technology company early on, but decided to join his father’s shoemaking business and went on to become a shoemaker. After working for Louis Vuitton, he saw an opportunity to turn the closets of customers into a marketplace.Kunal is an extremely clear thinker who synthesizes complex ideas into easy to understand concepts. It’s clear that he has constantly focused on the highest priority challenges and has built a strong organization to cont...
2024-03-2044 min
Talks with T#29- Richard Fitzgerald - Founder & CEO Augustus Media (Lovin’ Dubai & more) on having an aggressive mindset with realistic expectationsRichard Fitzgerald is the Founder & CEO of Augustus Media that has brands like Lovin’ Dubai, Lovin’ Saudi, Smashi TV and more. His company is on mission to become the preferred modern media company in the Arab world, by consistently delivering innovative and groundbreaking media. Richard is innovating the way information and media is shared and what it really means to be a “media company” in this day and age. He’s navigating unchartered territory in the Arab world!Richard is an extremely hard worker and he discusses how he manages his stamina on the show. It's also clear that...
2024-03-0646 min
Talks with T#28- Tambi Jalouqa (MD at Propeller Inc) on building products with passionTambi Jalouqa is truly a serial entrepreneur. After a few failed startups, or “learning experiences” as he calls them, he went on to co-found POSRocket which was eventually sold to Foodics. The path led him to co-found Propeller, a VC based in Jordan that invests in truly disruptive ideas with global implications.Tambi is a lateral thinker that questions conventional wisdom. He is passionate about building and it's clear he is a lifelong learner. He leverages his curiosity and interest to go deep into topics to advise builders tackling challenging problems. This episode is action packed with wisd...
2024-02-2052 min
Talks with T#27- Muhammed Mekki (Founding Partner at AstroLabs) on business building being a talent gameMuhammed Mekki is a Founding Partner at Astrolabs, the leading startup ecosystem building in MENA. Prior to starting Astrolabs, Muhammed was a co-founder at Namshi which went on to sell to EMAAR for roughly $300MM. Muhammed started his career in consulting before joining Delivery Hero and making his foray into startups. Along with his co-founder, Muhammed has bootstrapped Astrolabs to become the most well-known startup builders in the region. Muhammed is passionate about building ecosystems, supporting entrepreneurs and is an avid learner. We delve into his learnings around building teams, cofounder dynamics and takeaways from what the best founders do...
2023-07-1453 min
Talks with T#26- Raja AlMazrouie (CEO of UAE Etihad Credit Insurance) on fear being an illusionRaja AlMazrouie is currently the CEO of UAE Etihad Credit Insurance. Prior to this, Raja was one of the founding leaders of the DIFC Fintech Hive, the MENA region's first fintech-focused startup enabler, at a time when fintech wasn't yet "sexy."Raja has repeatedly challenged the status quo in her career and we discuss many example of this, including being one of a handful of females majoring in the IT space during university in Abu Dhabi. Raja is drawn to opportunities that she feels will challenge and push her, and she believes this is a fundamental attitude to driver her...
2023-06-2338 min
Talks with T#25- Hattem Mattar (World’s 1st Arab BBQ Pitmaster) on finding your radio frequencyHattem Mattar is the World’s first Arab BBQ Pitmaster and the king of BBQ in the UAE. He was nominated the culinary ambassador to the UAE Embassy in the United States, cooking for seventeen thousand people across 62 US cities over 100 days. Hattem shares stories of personal sacrifice building his culinary dream while juggling his high-paying corporate day job and cooking 40 hours a week. He talks about hitting rock bottom after parting with his first investors, and picking up the pieces of the puzzle to rebuild his conviction. Hattem is charismatic, funny and openly shares stories and lessons from his li...
2023-06-071h 07
Talks with T#24- Jeremy Crane (Founder & CEO of Yellow Door Energy) on multiplying your time as a leaderJeremy Crane is the Founder and CEO of Yellow Door Energy, the largest online beauty platform in MENA. Jeremy started and sold a couple of companies as an entrepreneur, has extensive experience fundraising and is passionate about sustainable energy solutions. Jeremy talks about finding meaning and happy moments in the work he does, managing companies as they scale, building a prioritization framework and multiplying his time as a leader. Jeremy is an extremely clear thinker that has adapted his leadership style as his companies have grown. I heard Jeremy say:Be intentional and conscious about how you influence at scale...
2023-05-2440 min
Talks with T#23- Malik Shehab (Co-Founder & CEO of Golden Scent) on patiently growing your businessMalik Shehab is the Co-founder and CEO of Golden Scent, the largest online beauty platform in MENA. Prior to starting the company, Malik worked in financial services in Germany where he had pursued his university degree. Malik talks about wanting to give up on living in Germany, without speaking the language, in the early days and how that built his resilience. We also discuss fundraising in 2014 and how that has shaped Malik’s perspective on VCs overall and how to rightsize your funding round. Malik believes it takes time to build a lasting business, and lots of money can actually hi...
2023-05-101h 01
Talks with T#22- Mark Chahwan (Co-Founder & CEO of Sarwa) on enjoying challengesMark Chahwan is the Co-founder and CEO of Sarwa, the leading MENA financial platform that lets customers easily trade stocks, ETFs, cryptocurrencies and invest money passively all in one place. Mark started Sarwa in 2017, having previously spent time in consulting and investment management.Mark talks about finding a personal purpose in challenges, building confidence as a young entrepreneur and more. We discuss what it was like being one of the first startups working with the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC) to pass regulations that enable fintechs to thrive and what he learned along the way. I heard Mark say:Find...
2023-04-261h 05
Talks with T#21 - Jen Blandos (Founder of Female Fusion) on standing in your powerJen Blandos has been a serial entrepreneur for over 20 years, having founded a successful multi-national PR agency before starting Female Fusion, a global community for women entrepreneurs. Jen talks about traveling the world doing various jobs before eventually ending up in Dubai. We chat about Human Design, how Jen overcame breast cancer while juggling personal and professional commitments and principles that have helped her stay true to herself throughout her journey. Jen is a passionate entrepreneur that has found purpose in helping serve others. Her story is inspiring on many levels!I heard Jen say:Learn how...
2023-04-1251 min
Talks with T#20 - Imad Ghandour (Co-Founder of Cedar Bridge Capital) on being an optimist while also adaptingImad Ghandour is Co-Founder & CEO of Cedar Bridge Capital, a boutique private equity firm that's been investing across MENA and Europe since 2011. Imad and his team have deployed capital across industries and navigated several challenging political and economic times in MENA to return a strong IRR for their investors. Imad discusses the need to be an optimist when building businesses in emerging markets, while also being flexible and adaptable when unforeseen circumstances arise (e.g. currency devaluations, political revolutions). Imad talks about what he looks for in entrepreneurs, how he measures the impact of a cofounder and more. I heard...
2023-03-2849 min
Talks with T#19 - Rabea Ataya (Co-founder & CEO of Bayt.com) on making smart business investmentsRabea Ataya is one of the forefathers of the MENA tech space. Prior to co-founding Bayt.com in 2000, he started and sold InfoFort. He is passionate about starting companies that have a lasting impact and align with a bigger purpose.Rabea is generous with his thoughts and learnings. This episode is action packed with insights for any business leaders.I heard Rabea say:Find complimentary talentCommit to never fundraise again at a certain point in your journeyKnow your big "WHY" when you're starting a business...
2023-03-141h 09
Talks with T#18- Philip Bahoshy (Founder of Magnitt) on using data to drive your decisions & marketing approachPhilip Bahosh is ex-consultant turned entrepreneur. He’s the Founder of Magnitt, the leading startup and investment data insights platform. Over the course of building Magnitt, Philip has had to continuously listen to customers using data to evolve and grow his product offering.Philip is a founder who has continuously operated lean with a focus on delivering customer value without fundraising aggressively. He’s cracked the world of branding as he’s led Magnitt to become the leading authority on venture and startups, without spending any marketing dollars. Data is at the core of how he makes decisi...
2023-02-2747 min
Talks with T#17 - Ramesh Ramakrishnan (Founder & Chairman of Transworld Group) on using problem solving as a mantraRamesh Ramakrishnan is the Founder of Transworld before exiting a part of his business to DP World. He took over the business from his father when it had humble beginnings, and grew it to one of the largest MENA and Asia shipping companies.Ramesh believes in building businesses patiently and sustainably. He’s used problem solving as the foundation to understanding customer problems and building services accordingly. Ramesh has driven culture and change at scale through process excellence.I heard Ramesh say:You need to have passion, persistence & perseverance to succeedDe...
2023-02-141h 06
Talks with T#16- Hazel Jackson (Founder of BizGroup) on being a multiplier leaderHazel Jackson is Founder & CEO of BizGroup, a leading provider of coaching solutions in Dubai & the Middle East. She moved to Dubai on a whim with minimal cash and has spent the past 30 years building her business through multiple economic cycles.Hazel is a visionary and has a knack for seeing the future before it happens. Multiple times, she has rolled-out services that transformed the market and has a curiosity to learn about products that will change the future. Hazel has a deep understanding of how to get the best out of people, how to coach organizations...
2023-01-3147 min
Talks with T#15- Hussein Wehbe (Founder of PlugMena) on empathy & leading by exampleHussein Wehbe is Founder of PlugMena, a consultancy offering practical & results-oriented support to companies and startups. Hussein is an Aramex veteran who has spent time in the government sector and a leading regional startup.Throughout his various roles, Hussein's unrelenting positivity has shaped his views on leadership, managing tough situations and every day life. He's passionate about sharing his wisdom and actively does so across social channels and mentorship networks. Hussein shares his lessons around empathy, the importance of treating people right and leading by example.I heard Hussein say:When you trust...
2022-11-1344 min
Talks with TEp#14 - Bilal Ballout (Co-founder of Baklawa Made Better) on navigating uncertainty & hustling with limited capitalBilal Ballout is the Co-founder of BMB Group which has a global portfolio of confectionery and healthy food brands & was acquired by Agthia, a UAE state owned FMCG company. Bilal discusses how he hustled to build the company while using no external capital. Over and over again, he challenged the status quo in a traditional industry & leveraged technology to scale the business rapidly. Bilal's story is one of managing uncertainty and constant resilience.I heard Bilal say:The less you have in life, the less you have to loseWhen you’re constrained in...
2022-10-2454 min
Talks with TEp#13 - Ihsan Jawad (Founder of Zawya & General Partner at STV) on taking feedback & continuously growingIhsan Jawad is the founder of Zawya which was acquired by Thomson Reuters and one of the first exits in the MENA tech ecosystem. Today, Ihsan is General Partner at STV, a leading Saudi venture capital firm.Ihsan is one of the few people in MENA who has transitioned from building & scaling a tech company to now becoming a leading investor in the region.I heard Ihsan say a couple of important things in this conversation:Entrepreneurs who have a conviction to solve a problem that’s bigger than just making money are in...
2022-09-2855 min
Talks with TEp#12 - Ghizlan Guenez (Founder of The Modist) on closing her first startup & building communitiesGhizlan Guenez is Founder of The Modist, the leading online destination for luxury modest fashion, and Co-founder of Queen Mode, a mission driven and community centered utility NFT collection. After being forced to shut down her first startup, Ghizlan used that experience to find meaning in helping aspiring entrepreneurs and come back for a second act! Ghizlan's determination to keep going is infectious and her ability to build and engage purpose-driven communities is inspiring.
2022-08-3046 min
Talks with TEp#11 - Ramy Assaf (Founder & CEO of Zbooni) on seeing the future early & staying the courseRamy has spent the majority of his life being an entrepreneur and openly discusses the failures associated with each business that didn't succeed. Having spent some time as an investor at a VC, Ramy also had the benefit of studying business models and entrepreneurs from the outside before going back to start Zbooni.Ramy has a knack for seeing the future early and talks about how he has used this to his advantage.
2022-08-1555 min
Talks with TEp#10 - Mazen Nahawi (Founder & Group CEO of Carma) on building products that matterMazen is the Founder & Group CEO of Carma, a leading global company with 550 employees that delivers data-driven global media intelligence to over 1,200 clients, including Emirates, TikTok & many more.Mazen started in the news and media industry after university, eventually seeing the tech bubble burst in the nineties. He had the foresight to understand that the internet would change media forever. That led him to create his first company, News Watch, and eventually build a global powerhouse in media intelligence and insights for customers.Mazen is a visionary leader and shares insights around developing technology products...
2022-07-271h 03
Talks with TEp#9 - Martin Tronquit (Founder & Co-CEO of Infomineo) on learning life is short the hard way & building a life planMartin has always been an unconventional thinker in business & life. When his brother passed away suddenly, it put life into perspective. He pursued the road less traveled & eventually started Infomineo, a company focusing on brain-shoring. Martin talks about how trusting his gut allowed him to take leaps of faith, the importance of having a master plan on where he was going and how understanding life is short allowed him to put "risk" into perspective.
2022-06-2842 min
Talks with TEp#8 - Anis Harb (GM of Deliveroo Middle East) on letting go as a means to success & happinessAnis Harb is the GM of Deliveroo Middle East, one of the biggest food delivery startups globally. Deliveroo operates in the UAE & other GCC markets.Anis discusses the origins of how Deliveroo started in the Middle East after he left Amazon to address his startup "itch" ... spoiler alert: it was all by chance.I loved how Anis talks at length about how he focuses on what's his control as a way to manage his stress levels and the techniques he uses. He also delves into how he makes decisions & why understanding yourself is the key...
2022-06-0752 min
Talks with TEp#7 - Steve Sosebee (Founder of Palestine Children Relief Fund) on navigating moments of darknessSteve Sosebee is the Founder & President of the Palestine Children Relief Fund, an NGO focused on bringing injured and sick children to developed countries for free medical care they could not get locally.Steve discusses the early days of observing injustice and how it became his life's mission. He was drawn to the Palestinian cause at an early age and stumbled onto an opportunity to help injured children in need of medical attention. From there, the Palestine Children Relief Fund (PCRF) was born.Steve's had to navigate challenges in his personal life and humanitarian work...
2022-05-241h 03
Talks with TEp#6 - Talal Bayaa (CEO of Bayzat) on living in the present moment as a founder Talal Bayaa is the Co-founder & CEO of Bayzat (www.bayzat.com), the leading HR administration & benefits platform in MENA.He's had to navigate tough times in his professional career & re-pivot Bayzat's business model a few times. He's led Bayzat to become the largest player in its space in MENA, 300+ employees and through multiple fundraises.Talal discusses his views on fundraising, philosophies about managing your own mental state as a founder & growing into bigger roles as the company evolves.
2022-05-111h 05
Talks with TEp#5 - Ayah Tabari (CEO of Mochi) on using momentum to drive progress & not taking life seriouslyAyah Tabari is a Middle Eastern fashion designer and founder of Mochi (https://allthingsmochi.com). Over the course of the past 10 years, she has gone from building her brand in her parents' house in Dubai, to building a women's clothing line that is globally unique and stocked by the largest online and physical stores in the world. Ayah talks about her experiences building the brand, motherhood, moving countries, overcoming countless obstacles and not taking life too seriously.
2022-04-1854 min
Talks with TEp#4 - Varun Khemaney (Co-founder at VKD Hospitality) on having 100% conviction & planning for failureVarun Khemaney (VK) is a co-founder at VKD Hospitality, which has launched multiple experiential dining concepts to the UAE. VK has always had a knack for F&B and entrepreneurship, but the road to success hasn't always been smooth sailing. Through his journey, he's had to navigate one restaurant failure, COVID and more ... but he's still found a way to come out on top.
2022-04-051h 01
Talks with TEp#3 - Sami Khoreibi (Partner at Incubayt Investments) on recognizing patterns early and being constantly curiousSami Khoreibi is one of the most curious people I've met.By the time he was in his mid-thirties, he had already launched and sold two energy companies. His escapades started in Canada and took him to Abu Dhabi, where he eventually exited his last venture where Masdar was a strategic partner.Sami is truly passionate about driving environmental sustainability. He's currently working on his latest venture, Wisewell, as part of a broad effort to ensure that everyone has access to clean and sustainable drinking water. I left the conversation feeling encouraged about the prospects...
2022-03-211h 08Talks with TEp#2 - Maaz Sheikh (CEO of STARZPLAY) on being hyper focused & respecting every human interactionMaaz Sheikh is the co-founder and CEO of Starzplay, a regional media streaming platform. Maaz discusses how he became a millionaire at a young age (only to lose it all), worked his way up the OSN hierarchy and follow his entrepreneurial ambitions in his forties. I heard Maaz say:- Have a purpose- Respect every interaction because everybody has a story
2022-03-0855 min
Talks with TEp#1 - Mustafa Koita (CEO of Koita Milk) on self confidence & taking advantage of opportunitiesMustafa Koita is the CEO & Founder of Koita Milk, a leading organic milk brand globally.Mustafa shares challenges he faced growing up with high expectations from his community, and how that shaped his resilience in becoming an entrepreneur.
2022-03-011h 10
Streams of ProgressEP015 - Talal & Tarek Bayaa, BayzatTalal Bayaa and Tarek Bayaa, the CEO and CCO of Bayzat. Bayzat is a technology company that empowers businesses with smart and effective insurance & HR solutions.
As CEO, Talal is responsible for providing the vision, overall leadership and strategic management for the company as well as ensuring the highest quality of the services provided. Prior to setting up his own company, Talal worked for a private equity & corporate finance firm, followed by two years at an investment bank.
Talal started Bayzat with his school friend and now co-founder Brian Habibi.
As CCO, Tarek Bayaa (Talal’s brother), is responsible for es...
2018-05-271h 02
Streams of ProgressEp015 - Talal & Tarek Bayaa, BayzatTalal Bayaa and Tarek Bayaa, the CEO and CCO of Bayzat. Bayzat is a technology company that empowers businesses with smart and effective insurance & HR solutions.As CEO, Talal is responsible for providing the vision, overall leadership and strategic management for the company as well as ensuring the highest quality of the services provided. Prior to setting up his own company, Talal worked for a private equity & corporate finance firm, followed by two years at an investment bank. Talal started Bayzat with his school friend and now co-founder Brian Habibi.As C...
2018-05-151h 02