Zubair, founder of MENABytes, shares his journey in the MENA startup scene.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Background
01:33 Early Days and Interest in Tech
02:02 First Dollar Online and Dropping Out of School
03:25 Building Websites and Learning SEO
04:18 Starting a Career in HR and Transitioning to Tech
06:39 Accidentally starting MENABytes
09:40 Tipping Point and Growth of MENABytes
11:35 Monetization and Challenges of Building a Business
19:06 Becoming the Go-To Source for Tech News
22:29 Dealing with Pushback and Controversies
25:49 Building a Strong Network and Learning from Others
28:41 Future Plans and the Value of Writing
31:39 Pivoting in Career and the Importance of Writing
32:08 Challenges Faced by Founders in the MENA Region
35:31 The Need for Government Support in the Startup Ecosystem
37:00 Talent Flight and Retaining Talent in the Region
39:22 The Importance of Large Companies and Technical Innovation
45:40 Building Trust and Transparency in the Startup Ecosystem
54:12 Launching Quickly and Persevering for Long-Term Success