Spark! with Shereen

In our latest episode, we sit down with Rasha Rady who's the co-founder and COO of Chefaa, a pharmacy platform that helps patients order, schedule, and have medicine delivered to consumers' doorsteps. Rasha is a pediatrician, by background, who got out of her comfort zone and into the entrepreneurship world to serve more patients and have a larger impact on the community.

Together we discuss:

1. Benefits of building o...

In our latest episode, we sit down with Lamya Al Shammary who's the founder and CEO of MWJ, the first marketplace to buy new and pre-loved certified luxury watches in the MENA region. Lamya is a watch and jewelry connoisseur and industry expert with over 10 years of experience. Combined with expertise in e-commerce and an understanding of the market, she delivers the best experience to shop for watches and jewelry. 

Together we...

 In our latest episode, we sit down with Myriam Awad who's the founder and CEO of PotPay (formerly Bakala), a startup on a mission to digitize offline retail data. As an organization that digitizes offline retail data, PotPay's business model is B2B2C. They work with retailers and brands with their main audience being Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCGs). Myriam has led the creation of long-term strategies, crafted marketin...

In our latest episode, we sit down with Toghrul Samad who's the founder and CEO of Buglance, a crowdsourced testing platform that utilizes the power of the people to revolutionize the software testing industry. Toghrul is a serial entrepreneur, problem solver, and Chief Executive with 15 years of experience in promoting e-commerce websites, mobile apps, and games.

Together we discuss:

1. The reasons why software bugs go unnotic...

In our latest episode, we sit down with Philip Bahoshy whose the founder and CEO of MAGNiTT, the first venture data platform serving founders and investors across emerging markets. Philip worked at Oliver Wyman in the Financial Services practice for three years, followed by nearly three years at Barclays Wealth working as Chief of Staff to the CEO, advising on strategic initiatives.

 Together we discuss:

1. How to use newsletters to...

In our latest episode, we sit down with Bedy Yang, Managing Partner at 500 Startups. Bedy oversees 500’s ecosystem development programs including investor education courses (in partnership with top institutions such as Stanford, Berkeley, and INSEAD), has helped launch strategic partnerships and accelerator programs across the globe, and leads 500’s corporate-startup innovation and consultancy.

Together we discuss:

1. Unlocking mark...

In our latest episode, we sit down with Leen Nabulsi who is a Venture Lead at Rainmaking Innovation. Leen focuses on corporate venture building, where she works on scoping, validating, building, and launching new ventures with large corporations. Leen was also the Managing Director of Dubai Smart City Accelerator (a Startupbootcamp program) and is an active member of the startup community in the UAE. 

Together we discuss:

1. The pro...

In our latest episode, we sit down with Julie Nguyen who is the founder of Crunchmoms. Crunchmoms is a community and networking platform for working moms to connect with like minded-women and boost their career ambitions. Crunchmom is now available as a web-based community. There are weekly online sessions where moms discuss all sorts of different topics, such as, job searching, self-confidence, and creating CVs.
 
Together...

In our latest episode, we sit down with Ben Safra and Mila Nehme who are co-founders of Sensate. Ben & Mila are seasoned retail and customer experience professionals with a demonstrated history of working within the international luxury goods and jewelry industry. Ben has worked with powerhouses in the industry such as LV, Burberry, D&G, Tiffany & Co, Carolina Herrera, and Selfridges, whilst Mila has worked with Burberr...

In our latest episode, we sit down with Basil Moftah to discuss the global mindset amongst entrepreneurs. Basil is an experienced venture builder and partner at Global Ventures, a growth-focused VC that invests in disruptive startups with an enterprise technology focus in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Together we discuss:

1. The importance for businesses to have a global mindset
2. Keeping guard of competitors from abroad
3. The ...

In our latest episode, we sit down with Sagi Melamed to discuss mindful investing. Sagi is the author of Mindful Fundraising as well as a resource development consultant.

 Together we discuss:

1. Applying mindfulness when fundraising
2. Benefits of being mindful when doing business
3. Measures of business impact
4. How to measure business impact

Want to read the episode instead? Access the show notes here.

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In our latest episode, we sit down with Faris Mesmar to discuss venture building. Faris is a serial entrepreneur as well as the founder and managing partner of Hatch & Boost, which is a venture builder. Hatch & Boost is all about creating value in MENA's consumer space by tackling key problems, by introducing interesting solutions.

 Together we discuss:

1. The evolving definition of venture building
2. How venture builders ...

In our latest episode, we dig deep with Marcus Smith on the topic of wearables. Marcus is an entrepreneur, motivational speaker, fitness coach, and extreme athlete. He is the founder of InnerFight and takes on "extreme challenges," such as, running 30 marathons in 30 days. 

Together we discuss:

1. The various wearables available in the market
2. How to select the best wearables for your specific fitness needs 
3. How to make use o...

In our latest episode, we had an engaging conversation with Nouf Alharthi. Nouf works for Monsha'at, which the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). She is an enabler in the ecosystem and works very closely not just with other ecosystem players but also with entrepreneurs in order to assess what they need in the market and to make sure that it is provided to them.

Together we d...

In our latest episode, we sit with Mohamed Dhaouafi to discuss how he is bringing 3D printing, VR, and gamification technologies to healthcare. More specifically, through his company CURE BIONICS, based in Tunis, he builds bionic prosthetics and therapeutic solutions using these technologies. Mohamed is a 2020 FORBES Middle East 30 Under 30, a 2020 MIT Technology Review 35 under 35 Innovator, and a 2019 Obama Foundation Africa Lead...

In this episode, we’ll be talking about how to keep your mental health intact as an entrepreneur. We had a meaningful discussion with Areije Al-Shakar, who has guided startups throughout her career in the area of funding (debt, equity, and VC), and along the way has learned about effective coaching and mentoring whilst appealing to the human side of the entrepreneurs across the table from her. Together we discuss:

1. Building a str...

In this episode, we’ll be talking about the digitization of media in the Middle East. We sit down with John Lillywhite, who has a wealth of experience in this industry having undertaken several publication-focused roles both at corporations and entrepreneurial ventures. Together we discuss:

1. Media consumption habits of Arabs in the Middle East
2. Differences between the publishing industry in the West & the Middle East
3. Machine lea...

In this episode, we’ll be talking about events and how the event management industry has changed over 2020. We sit down with is Ali Rifai, who has spent over 10 years organizing events of all scales in the Middle East whilst working for one of the largest live entertainment event management companies in the region. Together we discuss:

1. How the music and sports industries have been adapting to virtual experiences
2. Key takeaways wha...

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Majid Al Qassimi, who is a founding partner for the Middle East's only food & agricultural sustainability consulting company, SOMA MATER. We discuss the following aspects from farm to fork:

1. The importance of food security
2. The UAE’s efforts towards ensuring food security
3. Agriculture technology trends that support farming
4. Business aspects of commercial farming
5. Methods to reduce food waste
...