In this episode, we're having a chat with Sonia Weymuller, Co-Founder and General Partner of VentureSouq (VSQ), a GCC-based Venture Capital firm. Launched in 2013, VSQ is active in the MENA region with a global portfolio of 200+ companies, as well as developing rich educational content around venture investing.

Sonia is the most conscious investor in the MENA region. Arriving into the world of VC from an unconventional path, I wanted to share with you her life story and adventures that brought her to Dubai and to backing entrepreneurs in the region.

We talked about:

• Sonia's unconventional path to becoming an established VC
• How VentureSouq started as an informal gathering of interested investors
• Sonia's philosophy on conscious investing and what you need to know
• The traits you need to be a founder worth investing in

Enjoy!

Timestamps:

• 2:15 Sonia's childhood, and being an accidental outlier in everything
• 7:57 Joining Microsoft, Viacom, and Sonia's experience with headhunters
• 11:02 The number 1 skill Sonia learned with these companies
• 11:44 What prompted Sonia to move to Dubai
• 12:56 Getting confronted with mortality
• 13:42 How VentureSouq started with a birthday party
• 16:00 How a team of 4 different personalities made VentureSouq thrive
• 19:24 How The Five Languages of Love helped Sonia become a better investor
• 20:46 Conscious Collective: What it is and why it started
• 23:34 What are some misconceptions around impact?
• 26:05 The 1 trait that made Sonia a successful venture capitalist
• 31:00 The attributes to a good founder that's worth investing in
• 34:50 Sonia's relationship with imposter syndrome
• 37:19 How Sonia thinks about fundraising: Alignment is key
• 38:39 Sonia's general thoughts on the fundraising ecosystem
• 41:38 What one thing would Sonia change about this region
• 43:50 Sonia's Legacy and what she wants the next generation to strive towards
• 46:16 The book that Sonia carries everywhere with her
• 48:09 Stay motivated by being centered

Links:

• Sonia's Twitter: https://twitter.com/soniawey
• Sonia's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniaweymuller/
• About VentureSouq: https://www.venturesouq.com/
• VentureSouq's Twitter: https://twitter.com/venturesouq

About the Host

• COTU Ventures Website
• Amir's LinkedIn
• Amir's Twitter