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The Talks with T Podcast was born of a desire to drive an impact with the next generation & highlight entrepreneurship as a real possibility for anybody. We cover the highs, lows and everything in between in the life of entrepreneurs in MENA. Between 2020 and 2040, about 127 million young people will enter the labour force in MENA, potentially creating an unemployment rate of 23 per cent (amongst the highest in the world). We hope we can create the belief that anybody with the right mindset, persistence and big idea can become an entrepreneur. As a result, these entrepreneurs will create jobs and do their part at chipping away at one of highest youth unemployment rates in the world. Fasten your seatbelts & join the ride!
32 Episodes
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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 versed across various disciplines (engineering, economics, psychology). He shares his insights about discipline, the different types of pain we all face and the factors that make an entrepreneur successful. Abdulmajeed reads alot (books, investor shareholder reports and more), and this leads to a great conversation on the stage at SEF about how he runs his personal and professional life. I heard Abdulmajeed say:Work hard, work smart and get lucky (timing is everything)Believe you are lucky - you will attract and manifest itDon’t have a plan B because you will default to itAn entrepreneur must have a high threshold for painBe disciplined across all the areas of your life - it's a superpower! #podcast #ceotalks #pod #entrepreneurlife #entrepreneurship #middleeastentrepreneurs #mena #startupstories #menaentrepreneurs #menastartups #menastories #businesspodcast #businesspodcasts #CEOwisdom #founderwisdom #founderpodcasts #founderstories
Nicki 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 constantly brings creative ideas when it comes to her business and employee engagement. Nicki has an infectiously positive outlook on life and isn’t afraid to swim against the tide as a result. We also discuss a few big bets she took that have paid off and turned her firm into a multi-million dollar business. I heard Nicki say:All you need to build a company is hustle and gritSometimes you have to go opposite conventional thought & trust your gutBe creative with incentivesNurture the kid in your team, and everybody has a kid inside of them!#podcast #ceotalks #pod #entrepreneurlife #entrepreneurship #middleeastentrepreneurs #mena #startupstories #menaentrepreneurs #menastartups #menastories #businesspodcast #businesspodcasts #CEOwisdom #founderwisdom #founderpodcasts #founderstories
Kunal 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 continuously solve them. He has an eye for detail and 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 wisdom across soundbites. I heard Kunal say:To build a business you need to understand product, have a deep understanding of your customer and technologyThink of what’s possible always, as opposed to what’s not possibleUse iterative questioning with customers to build a world class customer experienceFind people within your team who buy into your ideas to ensure they get executedThe tough periods teach you how to lead in the next wave of the company’s growth#podcast #ceotalks #pod #entrepreneurlife #entrepreneurship #middleeastentrepreneurs #mena #startupstories #menaentrepreneurs #menastartups #menastories #businesspodcast #businesspodcasts #CEOwisdom #founderwisdom #founderpodcasts #founderstories
Hattem 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 life that I found invaluable. I heard Hattem say:When you find your calling, step into itIts our obligation as humans to find our radio station if we want to live life fullyEverything is personal, so be personable We make a choice as to how we prioritize our mental, physical and time bandwidthTake baby steps in moments of crises Don’t be a consumer, be an observer#podcast #ceotalks #pod #entrepreneurlife #entrepreneurship #middleeastentrepreneurs #mena #startupstories #menaentrepreneurs #menastartups #menastories #businesspodcast #businesspodcasts #CEOwisdom #founderwisdom #founderpodcasts #founderstories
Malik 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 hinder the progress of the company. I heard Malik say:You learn your limits once they get tested, then you can break through themBelieve in yourself blindly that you will succeed, then you will succeedBalance passion and the financial figuresAssess resources & opportunity size as a framework to prioritize#podcast #ceotalks #pod #entrepreneurlife #entrepreneurship #middleeastentrepreneurs #mena #startupstories #menaentrepreneurs #menastartups #menastories #businesspodcast #businesspodcasts #CEOwisdom #founderwisdom #founderpodcasts #founderstories
Jen 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 to use your intuition, and cultivate thatTo master something, you need consistencySlow down to speed upFocus on solving problems for your customers#podcast #ceotalks #pod #entrepreneurlife #entrepreneurship #middleeastentrepreneurs #mena #startupstories #menaentrepreneurs #menastartups #menastories #businesspodcast #businesspodcasts #CEOwisdom #founderwisdom #founderpodcasts #founderstories
Rabea 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 businessBe disciplined by committing upfront to the investment you're willing to put into a new ideaFocus on being focused before pursuing new opportunitiesUse the manager 360 as the leading indicator a team's sustainability or businessCEO / Founders need to find inspiration in different areas and bring that back to the business
Philip 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 decisions and builds his content marketing strategy. .I heard Philip say:Before you build, killData is the underlying source for making decisionsAppreciate that some tough things are just part of the processUse content to drive your brand awareness#podcast #ceotalks #pod #entrepreneurlife #entrepreneurship #middleeastentrepreneurs #mena #startupstories #menaentrepreneurs #menastartups #menastories #businesspodcast #businesspodcasts #CEOwisdom #founderwisdom #founderpodcasts #founderstories
Ramesh 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 succeedDeliver what you promiseHave a problem-solver mentality when it comes to working with clientsImplement process improvement at scaleLook at a balanced life like spokes in a wheel - each spoke is required to keep the wheel moving#podcast #ceotalks #pod #entrepreneurlife #entrepreneurship #middleeastentrepreneurs #mena #startupstories #menaentrepreneurs #menastartups #menastories #businesspodcast #businesspodcasts #CEOwisdom #founderwisdom #founderpodcasts #founderstories
Hazel 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 and train teams to drive sustainable growth. She is a voracious reader and shares how several books have shaped how she's building her business.I heard Hazel say:The importance of purpose in driving myselfTrust your gutRead veraciouslyBe a leader that amplifies those around youShoot bullets before you fire cannonballsWhen you trust people they will deliver#podcast #ceotalks #pod #entrepreneurlife #entrepreneurship #middleeastentrepreneurs #mena #startupstories #menaentrepreneurs #menastartups #menastories #businesspodcast #businesspodcasts #CEOwisdom #founderwisdom #founderpodcasts #founderstories
Richard 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 Richard is an extremely deep thinker and has an interesting perspective on many topics that we discuss on the show (emotional intelligence, managing conflict, balancing speed & expectations and much, much more). We debated the merits of being in the details as opposed to delegating, and whether or not they’re mutually exclusive.I heard Richard say:Knowledge & learning compoundShowing up matters, even when you’re not feeling your bestBe in the business & the weeds, even as the company scalesFind mentors and coaches at the right time, as and when you need themAlways be aggressive in mindset but just be rationale about the expectations#podcast #ceotalks #pod #entrepreneurlife #entrepreneurship #middleeastentrepreneurs #mena #startupstories #menaentrepreneurs #menastartups #menastories #businesspodcast
Tambi 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 wisdom across soundbites. I heard Tambi say:You need to have product intuition, and that develops with time, experimentation and conscious observation of products all around youDeliver value to a specific customerChoose one or two things, invest deep in making it a success before you call it quits You can’t be a perfectionist all the time. Have pride that you won’t put something that looks like crap, but push out a product that solves the things you want to validate#podcast #ceotalks #pod #entrepreneurlife #entrepreneurship #middleeastentrepreneurs #mena #startupstories #menaentrepreneurs #menastartups #menastories #businesspodcast #businesspodcasts #CEOwisdom #founderwisdom #founderpodcasts #founderstories
Muhammed 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!I heard Muhammad say:Being a nerdy person at heart builds a learner’s mindsetIn the early days, bring on anchor brands that help you win other clientsDeveloping depth in a topic allows one to winBootstrapping is about making smart investments#podcast #ceotalks #pod #entrepreneurlife #entrepreneurship #middleeastentrepreneurs #mena #startupstories #menaentrepreneurs #menastartups #menastories #businesspodcast #businesspodcasts #CEOwisdom #founderwisdom #founderpodcasts #founderstories
Jeremy 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 Be agile and a good listener in your fundraising processWeave in happy moments into the work you doEvery year strive to hire people you couldn’t the year before#podcast #ceotalks #pod #entrepreneurlife #entrepreneurship #middleeastentrepreneurs #mena #startupstories #menaentrepreneurs #menastartups #menastories #businesspodcast #businesspodcasts #CEOwisdom #founderwisdom #founderpodcasts #founderstories
Mark 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 your wastaFocus on the next milestoneBe confident that you know your spaceLeverage your customer support team to define your product roadmap#podcast #ceotalks #pod #entrepreneurlife #entrepreneurship #middleeastentrepreneurs #mena #startupstories #menaentrepreneurs #menastartups #menastories #businesspodcast #businesspodcasts #CEOwisdom #founderwisdom #founderpodcasts #founderstories
Hussein 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 people they will deliverYou create a budget for what mattersIts required to have confidence to stay positiveCommunicate purpose by actionBy being loud you’re being seen, and by being seen people will approach you#podcast #ceotalks #pod #entrepreneurlife #entrepreneurship #middleeastentrepreneurs #mena #startupstories #menaentrepreneurs #menastartups #menastories #businesspodcast #businesspodcasts #CEOwisdom #founderwisdom #founderpodcasts #founderstories
Bilal 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 capital you manage the business to surviveUnderstanding the legal side of business helps you avoid trouble in the future - they should teach this at school!Think about what the world will look like in 5 years & work backwards to understand how the "new world" impacts your businessBet small & be agile to scale the business
Ihsan 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 it for the right reasonsFounders have to find the right balance between listening / humility and stubbornness / persistenceTake as much capital as you can, when you canFinding inner peace is the ultimate successHaving a mentor is a great tool to develop and grow yourself
Ghizlan 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.
Ramy 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.
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