Well Rooted
Well Rooted is a platform dedicated to uplifting and celebrating MENA entrepreneurs, creatives, and industry leaders. Each episode dives into the journeys of inspiring individuals who are breaking barriers, building legacies, and making an impact in their fields. From artists and innovators to business visionaries, our guests share their stories, insights, and strategies for success. Whether you're seeking motivation, practical advice, or a deeper connection to the MENA community, Well Rooted Podcast is here to fuel your dreams and help you grow.
Episodes
A Palestinian horror film. A mentorship project built to break down Hollywood's gates. And a filmmaker who's done playing by anyone else's rules. Haneen sits down with Rola Selbak to talk The Visitor, Safina Filmmaker Project, and what it really takes to make it as a Palestinian in the industry.
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A solo recap episode covering the biggest SWANA moments of summer 2026: record Arab and Muslim participation in the FIFA World Cup, visa restrictions and discrimination faced by Iranian and African teams, the controversial Egypt vs. Argentina match, and a wave of pro-Palestine, anti-AIPAC political wins spearheaded by Zohran Mamdani including: Abdul El-Sayed, and Aisha Wahhab. Plus: a look back at three Well Rooted guests - comedia...
In this episode of Well Rooted, Aziza El Wanni - founder of luxury hair care brand The Potion Studio - breaks down the full arc of building a culturally-rooted beauty company from the ground up: identifying a real gap in the hair care market, the early kitchen-table formulation stage, funding and manufacturing challenges, and the behind-the-scenes story of...
This week on Well Rooted, we're revisiting our episode featuring Ebraheem Al Samadi - the breakout star of Dubai Bling and founder of Forever Rose and Forever Rose Café - for a conversation that's as candid as it is captivating. Ebraheem takes us from his Florida roots to the glittering world he's built in the UAE, sharing the story behind the empire with ...
Yasmeen co-founded Ya Albi with her mother to put Palestinian olive oil back in the hands of people who understand what it means. What she built is one of the most visually striking food brands in the diaspora: hot pink tins, Y2K aesthetics, custom bottles for a Huda Beauty event - proof that Palestinian products don't have to look like grief to be taken seriously.
We get into the truth about the global olive oil supp...
Award-winning author, publicist, and activist Jenan Matari joins Well Rooted to discuss her upcoming Palestinian children's book, Everything Grows in Jiddo's Garden, and the deeper mission behind it: raising children with a strong connection to their roots and and their land.
In this episode, Jenan...
In this episode, we're joined by Arab comedian and content creator, Abeer, for an honest conversation about dating as an Arab woman, advocacy for Palestine, and using humor to challenge cultural expectations. Abeer shares how she built her platform, what drives her creative voice, and why she believes comedy and activism belong in the same space. This episode is fo...
Most people think hiring a CPA is just about filing taxes. Sam Jarrar-with his extensive experience managing high profile clients and guiding enterpreneurs of all experience levels-is here to change that.
In this episode of Well Rooted, we sit down with Samer Jarrar, fou...
Paul Elia is a Chaldean Assyrian comedian who almost became a lawyer - until Hollywood had other plans. On this episode of Well Rooted, we sit down with Paul to talk about his brand-new stand-up special Good Son, now on YouTube, and the winding road that brought him here: from law school dreams to becoming a Hollywood regular, to finally leaning all the way into where he comes from. We get into what it really means to be Chaldean a...
What happens when art stops being decorative and starts being dangerous — in the best possible way?
Lara Salmon has spent her career asking that question. A world-renowned Irish-American performance artist and co-founder of social justice apparel brand For Your Vie...
This week we're doing a quick recap on the Oligarch Gala: who showed up, why it's embarrassing, and why money and power do not translate to cultural currency and relevence. We're also shining a light on one of our previous guests, Sylwia Nazzal, and sharing why we want to see here-plus more Arab artists-celebrated at future (hopefully less problematic) Met Gala carpets. Catch up on Sylwia's episode down below!
Marya Khalil-Otto didn't just inherit a company - she inherited a mission. As CEO of VI Peel, the first painless chemical peel formulated for all skin tones, Marya carries forward the legacy of her father, Dr. Khalil, who originally created the peel to treat her own acne.
I'm back from Coachella where I watched SWANA artists, representing Palestine to Algeria and Egypt to Pakistan unleash their incomparable energy on the festival stage. I'm sharing my thoughts on DJ Habibeats and Zainab's Coachella premiere, DJ Snake's legendary back2back trap takeover, and what I really think about Sabrina Carpenter's response following the now infamous "Zaghrootagate." Plus, I'm unpacking the ...
What does it take to build power when the system wasn't built for you?
This week, I sit down with Iraqi-American entrepreneur, startup founder, and one of the most trusted voices in entrepreneurship and career strategy on social media, Layla Shaikley. Layla's story spans architecture school, NASA, MIT, building a multi-million dollar tech startup, and even a ...
Apparenlty, we listen and we do judge! Wow, guys-our last episode featuring the talented and relatable Farah of Lesh La2 really resonated with so many of you and inspired me to share a bit of my own experience and perspective growing up as a first-gen Arab-American. I also reflect on the role judgment and scrutiny plays in our society (you know aside from uplifting the patriarchy), and I offer up some practical ways I've cultivated...
In this episode of Well Rooted, Farah, founder of Lesh La2, shares how she built a design-led creative brand rooted in Arab nostalgia, culture, and storytelling.
What started as teaching Arabic on TikTok quickly evolved into
In this episode of Well Rooted, Hani Almadhoun, founder of the Gaza Soup Kitchen and Head of Philanthropy at UNRWA USA, shares the story behind a grassroots humanitarian effort feeding thousands in Gaza. Hani reflects on the loss of his martyred brothers and the legacy they left behind through a community-led operation built by the people of Gaza to sustain the people of Gaza. We also discuss the...
This week we are revisiting last year's Eid episode featuring the mother-daughter duo behind Knafeh Queens, Fatmah and Reyhanna. I don't think I ever laughed as hard during a taping as when we recorded this fun, truly wholesome, and valuable episode. Fatmah is a testament to Palestinian resilience and community building, and through her journey with Knafeh Queens, has reclaimed Palestinian cuisine and built a brand that resonates a...
Ramadan Mubarak to all those celebrating!
We are kicking off this month of faith, intention, and realignment with a rerelease of our episode featuring manifestation coach, content creator, and host of the Limitless with Nadia podcast, Nadia Khaled. This is a great episode to dive into as we dicuss making Du'a vs manifestation, setting and executing on goals, and what it really means to live intentionally and with purpose.
Enj...
In this solo episode, we reflect on the cultural impact of the Bad Bunny Super Bowl halftime show-what it revealed about language, identity, and who gets to take up space on global stages. We also recall our recent conversation with filmmaker, Rolla Selbak and our discussion on narrative ownership, creative risk, and telling stories that push boundaries.
At its core, this episode is about why growth, per...
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