Builders

In this episode, positioning legend April Dunford breaks down why “product-market fit” is a myth, how founders should think about positioning, and what separates products that grow from those that disappear.We talk about April’s early days turning a failing database product into a billion-dollar success, why most startups get positioning completely wrong, and how to make customers finally get what you do in 30 seconds.If you’re a founder, product manager, or marketer, this episode will completely change how you think about your product story, differentiation, and growth.Subscribe to my newsletterhttps://www.mahmoudkhodor.comConnect with April on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/Visit her website: https://www.aprildunford.com/Buy her book: https://www.amazon.ae/Ambient-Press-Obviously-Awesome-Positioning/dp/1999023005⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Intro | Who is April Dunford?03:00 – The database that failed – and then didn’t08:00 – How positioning saved the product15:00 – Why “Product-Market Fit” is a myth22:00 – Positioning vs Branding vs Messaging28:00 – The real sign you’ve found your market34:00 – How to create an Actionable Segmentation42:00 – When bad positioning kills good startups51:00 – Why positioning is a team sport1:05:00 – Building KChat and testing our own positioning1:12:00 – April’s new book update + final advice

Unlock the story behind one of the Middle East’s fastest-growing modern media companies as Richard Fitzgerald, Founder & CEO of Loving Dubai (Augustus Media), shares how he built a multi-city network from scratch in 2015. In this in-depth conversation, we cover:🎙️ Most Surprising Thing in Dubai: Richard’s biggest takeaway after 13 years in the city🚀 Genesis of Loving Dubai & Augustus Media: From a side project to a $15 M+ business🔥 Growth Hacking & Publishing Strategy: Listicles, native content, real-time feeds🔒 Licensing & Regulation: Navigating UAE media rules and securing IP🔄 Acquisition of Seven Days Assets: Boosting credibility, SEO & audience reach🌍 Regional Expansion: Launching 22 city pages and 13 verticals under Smashy🤝 Localization & Hosts: Building relatable on-air talent across MENA💡 Personal Branding Advice: Why “beyond expertise” is key for lasting influenceSubscribe to newsletter:https://www.mahmoudkhodor.comAugustus Media Links:Lovin Dubai:https://lovin.co/dubai/en/https://www.instagram.com/lovindubai/?hl=enhttps://www.youtube.com/@UCwmK7lGImUYz4pb_z8XJytQ Smashi Business:https://smashi.tv/en/businesshttps://www.instagram.com/smashibusiness/https://www.youtube.com/@Smashi-BusinessRichard Fitzgerald:https://www.linkedin.com/in/fitzyrichard/https://www.instagram.com/fitzyrichard/?hl=en▶️ Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/YourChannel👍 Like this video if you learned something new about media entrepreneurship💬 Comment below with your biggest takeaway or question for Richard🔗 Connect with Richard Fitzgerald:Instagram: @richardfLoving Dubai: https://lovindubai.comSmashy Business: https://smashy.com#MediaEntrepreneurship #LovingDubai #GrowthHacking #DubaiStartups #PodcastInsights #AugustusMedia📑 Video Chapters00:00 Introduction & Content Discovery00:06 Discovery vs. Recommendations Debate02:49 Podcast Setup & Question Preview03:33 “Most Surprising Thing I Found in Dubai”05:14 How Loving Dubai Got Its Start07:00 Growth Hacking with Listicles & BuzzFeed Tactics11:02 Real-Time Publishing & “Protect the Feed”13:43 Day One: Early Challenges & Cease-and-Desist15:09 Full-Time Founder: Fundraising & First Hires18:07 Navigating UAE Regulation & Media Licensing20:01 Acquisition of Seven Days Assets23:00 Scrappy Growth Tactics & Content Repurposing26:00 Content Curation Lens: Local vs. Western Stories29:16 Localization & Host Strategy for MENA Audiences32:06 Launching Smashy Business & Regional Expansion35:03 Scaling 22 Cities & 13 Verticals: Metrics & Milestones37:26 Personal Branding Beyond Subject-Matter Expertise40:00 AI, the Future of Media & Wrap-Up(will be deleted later: Quote: we protect the feed)

From a London living room startup to powering some of the biggest e-commerce brands in the Middle East, this is the incredible journey of Basel Kusa, co-founder & CEO of Quiqup (QuickUp).Subscribe my newsletter: https://www.mahmoudkhodor.comBassel Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bassel-el-koussa-37576652/Quiqup Website: https://www.quiqup.com/In this episode, Bassel shares:- How he and his co-founders launched a same-day delivery app before “quick commerce” was a thing.- The wild story of delivering an entire garden to a customer in London.- Surviving with only six weeks of cash runway for four years straight.- The toughest day of his life: standing in front of 105 employees to announce a pivot.- Why he moved the company to Dubai, and how QuickUp became a B2B e-commerce powerhouse serving brands like Sephora, Boots, and H&M.- The lessons he learned about resilience, leadership, and building customer-obsessed culture.This is a raw and practical look into startup life, the highs, the pivots, the near-death moments, and what it takes to keep going when everything says you should stop.👉 If you’re a founder, operator, or aspiring entrepreneur, this episode is packed with insights you won’t find in textbooks.00:00 – Intro & Basel’s startup journey 01:08 – Building Quiqup in London: the early days 06:14 – The wild story: delivering an entire garden 09:49 – Finding product–market fit & early growth 14:22 – Pivot day: telling 105 employees it’s over 15:35 – Moving to Dubai & landing Sephora, Boots, H&M 23:50 – Customer obsession & building company culture 28:09 – How Quiqup tech powers e-commerce in MENA 33:06 – Surviving with only six weeks of cash for years 37:12 – Leadership lessons, resilience & the future of logistics 42:28 – Advice for founders in the Middle East

Mona Ataya is one of the Arab world’s most influential entrepreneurs, the founder of Mom’s World, the region’s most trusted mother and baby platform with over 2.5 million customers. In this episode, Mona shares the unfiltered story of building a purpose-driven e-commerce giant from scratch — using her savings, her own car for deliveries, and grit to compete with Amazon and win.Subscribe to my newsletter:https://www.mahmoudkhodor.comShe reveals:- How she found product-market fit on day one- Why she rejected investors whose values didn’t align- How she built a powerful brand community for moms- The hardest decision of her life: stepping down after 14 years- Whether you're a founder, operator, mother, or dreamer, this story will light a fire in you.📍 CHAPTERS00:00 Intro & Why Mom’s World Would Win 00:37 Episode Highlights & Key Takeaways 00:55 Reflecting on Dubai’s Evolution (25 Years) 01:53 Early Digital Ecosystem & Talent Influx 02:23 Identifying Unmet Needs & Inspiration for Mom’s World 03:55 Building a Business She Personally Needed 05:30 Niche Positioning & Competing with Amazon 06:41 Launch Timeline: Plan to First Customer 07:06 Scrappy Delivery Tactics (Using Personal Vehicles) 08:43 Curiosity & Hard Work as Success Drivers 09:22 Challenges of Early E-commerce in MENA 10:11 Fundraising Hurdles as a Woman Founder 12:02 Creative Supply-Chain Solutions 14:03 Building & Retaining Women Leaders 16:10 Essential Traits: Problem-Solving & Grit 18:02 Regional Expansion Strategy Across MENA 20:02 Choosing Investors Aligned with Your Mission 22:01 Recognizing Product-Market Fit Day One 23:22 Balancing Growth, Capital & Operations 25:14 Focus on Unit Economics & Fundamentals 26:45 Bilingual Launch & Cross-Border Strategy 28:18 Differentiation: Vertical vs. Horizontal Model 30:00 Building Brand Trust & Community 31:02 Empowering Women: Leadership & Mentorship 32:37 Cultural Nuances in Consumer Behavior 33:39 E-commerce Ecosystem: Then vs. Now 34:56 Acquisition by Tamkeen Group & Emotional Journey 37:14 Transition & Future Endeavors 40:02 Overcoming Gender Bias in Leadership 43:42 Intentional Inclusion of Women in Culture 46:09 Supporting Aspiring Women Entrepreneurs 49:00 Time Management & Shifting Priorities 51:01 Teaching Grit & Resilience to Children 53:05 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs in MENA 54:23 Connect with Muna Ataya & Closing 📲 Follow Mona Atayahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/monaataya/Mumz worldhttps://www.mumzworld.com/#MonaAtaya #MomsWorld #WomenEntrepreneurs #StartupsMENA #ProductMarketFit #EcommerceSuccess #WomenInBusiness #MiddleEastTech #FounderStory

Meet Ahmed El Rawi, founder of CALO, one of the fastest-growing food-tech startups in the Middle East.In this episode, Ahmed shares how he:- Ran a smoke test MVP that sold food before it even existed- Built a 10,000-person waitlist across Bahrain, Saudi, and the UAE- Found undeniable product-market fit and scaled without paid ads- Assembled a top-tier team and turned customer obsession into a cultural edgeWhether you're a startup founder, product builder, or investor in MENA, this is one of the most insightful growth stories you’ll hear.Subscribe for more founder stories from the Middle East, and don’t forget to like & share if this inspired you.https://www.mahmoudkhodor.comhttps://calo.appFollow Ahmed:https://www.linkedin.com/in/rawi📍 CHAPTERS00:00 – Intro00:39 – How CALO hit $20M ARR in 6 months with $0 marketing02:00 – Why Ahmed stopped building random products03:35 – Discovering the CALO idea: solving his own food problem05:00 – Smoke test MVP: fake meals, real demand07:00 – The $1,000 website that launched a food empire09:00 – Customer intent: 40 strangers ready to pay10:45 – Pitching investors before building a kitchen12:05 – Getting rejected… and finding a workaround14:10 – First customers, first renewals: signs of product-market fit16:00 – Instagram virality and waitlist growth17:50 – Why he chose an invite-only launch20:10 – Real signs of product-market fit in Bahrain and Saudi22:30 – Understanding market-by-market PMF24:00 – Why Dubai was a slow start25:30 – Scaling across GCC: Bahrain → Saudi → UAE27:00 – How fear of copycats fueled fast expansion28:10 – The real operational nightmare30:00 – Why growth made ops 10x harder31:20 – Building a team of A-players32:10 – Recruitment mindset: business is a team sport34:00 – Culture fit interviews and founder-led hiring36:15 – Final thoughts: where to follow Ahmed🎙️ Subscribe for more interviews with MENA’s top founders and builders.#Startups #MENAFounders #ProductMarketFit #AhmedElRawi #MiddleEastTech #MVP #StartupPodcast #ZeroToOne

Alok Kumar, founder of CozmoX, joins me for a raw and revealing conversation about the brutal decisions founders face — including why he had to let go of 86 people, how AI is reshaping everything from company structure to customer experience, and the emotional toll of building in public.We dive deep into:- What no one tells you about layoffs and leadership- The CozmoX origin story and vision for AI-powered commerce- How founders can build faster and leaner in the age of AI- What happens when your product vision is too earlyTry Cozmox here https://www.cozmox.ai/Whether you're a startup founder, operator, or just curious about the future of AI and business, this is a masterclass in hard truths, bold decisions, and staying human through it all.📌 Chapters:00:00 – Intro: Who is Alok Kumar?02:10 – The brutal decision to fire 86 people07:45 – How CozmoX is using AI to disrupt online shopping14:22 – What most founders get wrong about product-market fit21:50 – Why building in public can be painful — but powerful28:33 – Alok’s message to other struggling founders34:10 – The future of AI agents in commerce40:05 – Rapid-fire: personal habits, books, and startup advice🎙 Hosted by Mahmoud Khodor – founder, builder, and host of one of the Middle East’s top business podcasts.🔔 Subscribe for more no-BS conversations with real builders.

How did Talabat become the Middle East’s leading delivery platform, valued at $10B?In this episode, I sit down with Yi-Wei Ang, Chief Product Officer at Talabat, to unpack how he scaled the product and engineering org 7x, why local insights outperform global playbooks, and how Talabat continues to innovate across food, groceries, fintech, and AI.Newsletter: https://www.mahmoudkhodor.comYi-Wei's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/productwithyiwei/Yi-Wei's Linkedin: https://ae.linkedin.com/in/yiweiangSpotify Link:Itunes Link:We cover:- Building hyper-local products in MENA - Using AI for personalization and operations- Why Talabat still experiments like a startup- How product managers can drive real business impactIf you're into marketplaces, emerging markets, or product leadership at scale — this episode is a must.✅ Timestamps00:00 – What makes Talabat unbeatable in MENA02:10 – The toothbrush story: Yi-Wei’s first Dubai insight04:30 – Talabat’s evolution into a $10B tech company10:45 – How Talabat personalizes food, grocery & postpaid UX18:20 – How Talabat uses AI across ops, logistics & CX33:00 – Advice for product managers & builders in emerging markets

In this episode, I sit down with Khalil Alami, CEO of Telr, one of the oldest and most innovative fintech companies in the UAE. We dive into the bold decisions that transformed Telr into a regional payments leader, why they shut down a successful product, and how they’re tackling the #1 problem killing startups in MENA—opening a bank account.From customer-centric product strategy to building a full-stack fintech ecosystem, Khalil shares lessons on scaling, innovation, and staying humble as a leader.Whether you're a founder, product manager, or fintech enthusiast, this episode is packed with real-world insights from the frontline of payments in the Middle East.📌 Topics Covered:- How Telr became the Middle East’s PayPal- The hidden startup killer: bank account setup- Shutting down a popular product (and why)- Building for Instagram sellers, freelancers, and corporates- Open finance vs BNPL: what's hype and what's here to stay- Localization, customer obsession, and innovation at scale- UAE vs Saudi fintech ecosystems🔗 Learn more about Telr: https://telr.com📲 Connect with Khalil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khalilalami/⏱️ Chapters & Timestamps:0:00 – Intro1:05 – Why starting a business in Dubai is harder than you think3:12 – How Telr became the Middle East’s PayPal5:44 – Serving everyone: from soap makers to unicorns8:55 – Shutting down a working product10:47 – The #1 problem killing startups in MENA13:20 – Building a fintech ecosystem, not just a payment gateway15:38 – Hyperlocal product strategy (120+ languages)18:11 – UAE vs Saudi: Surprising fintech differences20:42 – Open Finance vs BNPL: What’s the real bet?23:50 – Why Telr owns its entire tech stack26:14 – Building for flexibility and scale29:02 – Risky decisions that paid off31:19 – Embedding culture and values in a fintech startup33:01 – What the future of Telr looks like34:45 – Advice for startup founders and fintech builders

In this episode I sit down with Vitalii Duk, founder and CEO of Dynamic, to explore how AI agents—from voice assistants to back-office automations—are revolutionizing businesses. Vitalii explains how Dynamic’s low-code platform enables developers and product managers to build and deploy AI agents in hours instead of months. You’ll hear real-world use cases (customer-facing chatbots 2.0, internal copilots for HR/legal, a cancer research agent, and government document verification) and learn why voice agents are the most underrated trend in AI.Whether you’re a founder, engineer, product manager, or simply curious about Gen AI, this episode delivers fast-paced, insight-packed takeaways on what’s actually working in the AI agent space.Key Topics:- AI agents, AI voice assistants, Gen AI trends- Low-code AI development, LLM, RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation)- Customer-facing chatbots, internal copilots, back-office automations- Voice vs. text-based agents, dynamic platform overview- Healthcare AI (cancer research), government efficiency (40-person ops replaced)- Avoiding LLM fine-tuning pitfalls, feature bloat, verticalized AI agentsNewsletter: https://www.mahmoudkhodor.com🔗 Connect & Learn More:Vitalii Duk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vit-d/Dynamic Platform: https://www.getdynamiq.ai/👍 Enjoyed this episode?• Subscribe for weekly insights on AI, product management, and startup strategy• Like and share to help more people discover how AI agents can transform workflowsChapters (Clear & Concise):makefileCopy00:00 Introduction & Guest Welcome 01:08 Dubai Impressions: Safety & Tech Scene 01:47 What Is Dynamic? Platform Overview 03:01 Building AI Agents in Hours, Not Months 04:36 Customer-Facing Agents & Chatbot 2.0 06:07 Internal Copilots for HR, Legal & More 07:36 Back-Office Automations & Efficiency Gains 09:04 Agent Examples: Sales, Support & Beyond 10:00 Voice vs Text: Integrations & Use Cases 15:43 RAG Explained: Ingesting Unstructured Data 30:06 Healthcare Use Case: Cancer Research Agent 34:00 Government Docs: 40-Person Ops Team Replaced 37:35 Common Misconceptions About AI Agents 41:50 Verticalization: Niche AI Agents & Market Strategy 46:08 Learning from Failed Bets: LLM Fine-Tuning 47:36 Roadmaps in a Fast-Moving AI Landscape 49:23 Underrated Trend: Why Voice Agents Matter 53:24 Closing Remarks & How to Get Started

In this deep, unfiltered conversation, we dive into the business of dating, Dubai's hidden loneliness crisis, the paradox of dating in a city full of singles, and how modern matchmaking is evolving. - Why dating apps fail 80% of people- The myths and truths of dating in Dubai- Emotional readiness vs. relationship goals- Matchmaking vs. online swiping- Financial expectations in modern love- How to build meaningful, lasting connectionsNewsletter:- https://www.mahmoudkhodor.comJay Larik - https://ae.linkedin.com/in/jaylarikNashwa Tantawy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nashwatantawy/- https://www.instagram.com/nafsologybynt/?hl=enXcris- https://www.instagram.com/xrissofficial/?hl=enAhmed Odeh- https://www.tiktok.com/@lawbyodeh?lang=en- https://www.instagram.com/ahmedodeh_/- https://ae.linkedin.com/in/ahmed-odeh-615a9740Matchify- https://www.matchify.ae/Nasfology- https://nafsology.ae/Video Chapters:00:00 - Cold open: "All women are gold diggers..."?00:30 - Intro: Why this episode is different01:00 - Jay shares his motivation for building a matchmaking startup03:00 - Why dating apps fail most people05:00 - Nashwa on how relationships are central to mental health08:00 - Why couples therapy has a low success rate10:00 - Dating in big cities: global vs. Dubai-specific issues12:30 - Dubai's fast pace and the loneliness epidemic14:00 - The transient nature of Dubai and its impact on intimacy16:00 - Why many singles come to Dubai in their 30s18:00 - Are people here looking for fun or for forever?20:00 - Matchify's approach: anti-swipe, pro-connection22:00 - Real stories: from confident women to nervous men24:00 - Why Matchify charges men but not women25:00 - Are looks overrated? What really makes relationships work27:00 - The prenup conversation and financial expectations29:00 - The return of old-school matchmaking31:00 - Intention matters: dating for companionship vs. distraction33:00 - The importance of alignment in values and goals35:00 - Premarital conversations: money, roles, children37:00 - Financial fights that mask deeper issues40:00 - Should men share financial stress with their partners?43:00 - Connection vs. communication: what partners really want45:00 - Does your partner need to be your best friend?47:00 - Why relationship skills should be taught in schools48:30 - Nashwa on why most people come to therapy too late50:00 - Where to find Matchify and Nafsology Psychology Center