SEF Backstage Pass

What does it really mean to be a man today?

In this episode of the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast, Ali Ilyas, Clinical Psychologist at Monarch Health Centers, explores modern masculinity, grief, emotional resilience, relationships, and the importance of building healthier conversations around men's mental health.

Drawing from both his personal experiences and years of clinical practice, Ali shares why vulnerability is not weakness, how childhood experiences shape adulthood, and why meaningful human connection is essential for long-term wellbeing.

Whether you're navigating relationships, leadership, or personal growth, this conversation offers valuable insights into emotional health and what it means to thrive in today's world.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

00:50 Meet Ali Ilyas

01:10 How losing his father shaped his life and career

03:02 What people get wrong about modern masculinity

05:30 Why are young men drawn to Andrew Tate?

06:15 The mental health crisis facing men

08:00 Why men struggle to open up emotionally

10:34 Anger, emotions, and mental health at work

12:18 What are men really carrying?

13:25 How to support the men in your life

15:00 One simple question that builds better conversations

16:10 The everyday pressures men face

18:05 Why a man's worth is more than what he provides

20:20 How Ali protects his own mental health

22:00 Practical techniques for reducing stress and anxiety

24:00 The most rewarding part of working with men

25:05 Social media's impact on men and mental health

26:00 Final thoughts

Subscribe for more conversations with entrepreneurs, innovators, and changemakers on the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast.

This episode was produced in partnership with Poddster.

Follow SEF:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharjahef

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sharjahef

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sharjah-entrepreneurship-festival

Website: https://sharjahef.com

What if your body has been trying to tell you something all along?In this episode of the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast, Natasha Rudatsenko, Founder & CEO of Health Nag, shares the personal health journey that transformed her life and inspired her to build one of the UAE's fastest-growing wellness brands.From overcoming chronic health challenges to rethinking nutrition, stress, entrepreneurship, and personal responsibility, Natasha explains why lasting health starts with understanding your body—not simply treating symptoms.Whether you're building a business, pursuing better health, or looking for practical ways to improve your wellbeing, this conversation offers valuable lessons on resilience, discipline, and creating lasting change.Chapters00:00 Introduction00:24 Natasha's health diagnosis at 2101:24 Meet Natasha Rudatsenko & Health Nag02:22 How her health journey began04:14 Taking responsibility for your health06:02 Can the body heal itself?08:15 The biggest misconceptions about wellness09:54 Functional medicine explained11:45 Building Health Nag from personal experience14:18 From entrepreneurship to Shark Tank15:48 Why entrepreneurship is never easy18:00 Building brands with purpose20:18 The future of health and wellness22:02 Final advice and closing remarksSubscribe for more conversations with entrepreneurs, innovators, and changemakers on the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast.This episode was produced in partnership with Poddster.Follow SEF:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharjahefTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sharjahefLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sharjah-entrepreneurship-festivalWebsite: https://sharjahef.com

How do you build a robotics ecosystem from the ground up?In this episode of the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast, Mohammed Saeed Al Mazrouei, Founder of Maztech Robotics, shares how a passion for robotics competitions evolved into a UAE-based company empowering the next generation of engineers.From transforming a global robot football concept into a locally built educational experience, to developing open-source robotics and building a long-term vision for innovation in the UAE, Mohammed discusses what it takes to create technology with lasting impact.Whether you're passionate about robotics, engineering, education, or entrepreneurship, this conversation offers valuable insights into building products, ecosystems, and future talent.Chapters00:00 Introduction00:56 Meet Mohammed Saeed Al Mazrouei & Maztech Robotics01:28 How Maztech Robotics began03:29 Why robotics, electronics & 3D printing work together04:29 The story behind Robot Football05:37 Teaching robotics through hands-on learning06:42 Why plug-and-play robotics isn't enough07:02 Maztech's long-term vision for robotics education07:39 "Investors don't like us" – building an ecosystem first09:03 The future of robotics in the UAE10:02 One piece of advice for young founders10:54 Mohammed's SEF experience11:48 Closing remarksSubscribe for more conversations with entrepreneurs, innovators, and changemakers on the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast.This episode was produced in partnership with Poddster.Follow SEF:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharjahefTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sharjahefLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sharjah-entrepreneurship-festivalWebsite: https://sharjahef.com

Can empathy build a successful business?In this episode of the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast, Mallek Walid sits down with Nand Kishore Chaudhary, Founder & Chairman of Jaipur Rugs, to explore how compassion, purpose, and unconditional love became the foundation of one of India's most respected social enterprises.Known as the "Gandhi of the Carpet Industry," Nand shares the philosophy behind empowering more than 40,000 artisans, why empathy creates stronger leaders, balancing family and business, hiring people based on purpose rather than resumes, and how businesses can create lasting social impact while remaining profitable.This conversation is a masterclass in leadership, entrepreneurship, culture, and building organizations that put people first.Chapters00:00 Why empathy is the foundation of leadership00:54 Meet Nand Kishore Chaudhary01:39 Why he's called the "Gandhi of the Carpet Industry"03:32 From selling shoes to building Jaipur Rugs05:07 Empowering artisans through entrepreneurship06:17 Building a family business with purpose07:41 Balancing family and business08:57 Leading with kindness without compromising standards11:12 How to handle employees who want to leave13:03 The "Search for Divine Souls" hiring philosophy15:07 Nand's advice for every entrepreneur15:56 Closing remarksSubscribe for more conversations with entrepreneurs, innovators, and changemakers on the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast.This episode was produced in partnership with Poddster.Follow SEF:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharjahefTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sharjahefLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sharjah-entrepreneurship-festivalWebsite: https://sharjahef.com

When is the right time to leave your corporate career and become an entrepreneur?

In this episode of the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast, Ann Marie McQueen sits down with Harith Al Midfa, Managing Partner of Recovery Island and Founder of Kayan Textile Manufacturing, to discuss the realities of entrepreneurship, leaving corporate life, building purpose-driven businesses, and creating long-term impact.

Harith shares the story behind leaving a stable career, the philosophy of "burn the ships," balancing profit with purpose, building strong teams, overcoming uncertainty, and why entrepreneurs should focus on systems rather than doing everything themselves.

Whether you're starting your first business or scaling an existing one, this conversation offers valuable lessons on leadership, resilience, and sustainable growth.

Chapters

00:00 Burn the ships: Taking the leap into entrepreneurship

01:09 Meet Harith Al Midfa

01:22 Why he left corporate life

03:08 The moment everything changed

04:25 Recovery Island and creating social impact

06:17 Why Harith founded Kayan Textile Manufacturing

07:52 Building businesses with purpose

09:43 Balancing profit and purpose

10:05 Building systems that scale

11:40 Standing out from the competition

13:10 The value of strategic partnerships

15:07 Lessons from building multiple businesses

17:02 Why founders must learn to delegate

18:35 Choosing the right people

19:48 The biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make

21:09 Why founders need passive income

21:37 Dealing with uncertainty

22:35 Entrepreneurship in Sharjah

23:15 Final advice for entrepreneurs

24:08 Closing remarks

Subscribe for more conversations with entrepreneurs, innovators and changemakers on the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast.

This episode was created in collaboration with Poddster.

Follow SEF:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharjahef

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sharjahef

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sharjah-entrepreneurship-festival

Website: https://sharjahef.com

كيف يحوّل رائد الأعمال فكرة إلى مشروع يستمر؟في هذه الحلقة من بودكاست SEF Backstage Pass، نستضيف شما سعيد بن لاحج، مستشارة معتمدة في ريادة الأعمال، ومؤسسة Sahab Vacation Homes وUnleash، للحديث عن رحلتها في تأسيس المشاريع، واتخاذ القرارات، والتعامل مع التحديات، وبناء مشروع قادر على الاستمرار.تشارك شما تجربتها في الانتقال من مشروع القهوة إلى تأسيس أول شركة لتشغيل بيوت العطلات في إمارة الشارقة، كما تتحدث عن أهمية وضوح الرؤية، والتعامل مع الفشل، والمخاطرة، وأبرز الأخطاء التي يقع فيها رواد الأعمال في بداية رحلتهم.إذا كنت تفكر في إطلاق مشروعك، أو تعمل على تنمية مشروع قائم، فهذه الحلقة مليئة بالدروس العملية والتجارب الواقعية.

المحاور

00:00 المقدمة

00:25 من هي شما سعيد بن لاحج؟

02:07 كيف بدأت رحلة ريادة الأعمال؟

03:13 البرامج الريادية التي ساهمت في تشكيل شخصيتها

04:12 كيف يبدأ رائد الأعمال... وكيف يستمر؟

05:12 كيف تكسب ثقة العملاء والشركاء؟

06:26 أبرز التحديات التي تواجه رواد الأعمال

07:34 كيف تتغلب على التردد قبل إطلاق المشروع؟

08:29 أهم المهارات التي يحتاجها رائد الأعمال

09:24 التعامل مع الفشل دون فقدان الثقة بالنفس

10:24 قصة تأسيس أول شركة لتشغيل بيوت العطلات في الشارقة

13:03 أهم الدروس من إدارة بيوت العطلات

14:05 المخاطرة واتخاذ القرار تحت الضغط

15:28 متى تستمر... ومتى تغيّر المسار؟

16:07 لماذا أصبحت مرشدة لرواد الأعمال؟

17:12 دور المرأة في ريادة الأعمال

18:03 ما الذي يحتاجه رائد الأعمال أكثر من التمويل؟

19:21 أهمية مهرجان الشارقة لريادة الأعمال

20:24 كيف يبني المجتمع نجاح رائد الأعمال؟

21:04 ماذا يعني النجاح بالنسبة لشمة؟

22:11 الخاتمةاشتركوا في القناة لمشاهدة المزيد من الحوارات مع رواد الأعمال وصنّاع التغيير ضمن بودكاست SEF Backstage Pass.تم إنتاج هذه الحلقة بالشراكة مع بودستر.Follow SEF:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharjahefTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sharjahefLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sharjah-entrepreneurship-festivalWebsite: https://sharjahef.com

How do you convince people to trust a startup with their life savings?In this episode of the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast, Nader Aboulhosn sits down with Nadine Mezher, Co-Founder & CEO of Nawa and Co-Founder of Sarwa, to explore what it really takes to build trust, launch a fintech startup, and create brands people genuinely connect with.Nadine shares the lessons behind Sarwa's growth, why education became its biggest marketing advantage, and how she approached branding differently in an industry built on complexity. She also discusses her transition into building Nawa, balancing creativity with business, hiring exceptional teams, leadership, resilience, and why entrepreneurs must continuously learn what they don't know.Whether you're building a startup, growing a brand, or interested in entrepreneurship, marketing, fintech, and leadership, this conversation is packed with practical insights.Chapters00:00 Introduction00:44 Welcome to the podcast01:25 From finance to fashion school03:39 Why Sarwa looked different from every fintech brand05:03 Making investing simple for everyone06:57 How Sarwa earned customer trust from day one09:10 Fintech, trust, and surviving difficult markets11:02 Lessons from COVID and entrepreneurship12:04 Motherhood, resilience & leadership15:00 Being a woman in finance16:45 Building Nawa after Sarwa19:05 Fashion, manufacturing & building resilient economies22:26 Learning what you don't know as a founder23:29 Hiring great people & building strong teams29:57 Leadership, delegation & scaling a business31:00 Final thoughtsSubscribe for more conversations with founders, innovators and changemakers from the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival.

Ashraf Ghori, Founder & CEO of Xpanse CGI, joins the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast to discuss creativity, filmmaking, entrepreneurship, AI, and the future of content creation.

An award-winning artist, filmmaker, and one of the region's pioneers in CGI filmmaking, Ashraf shares how a recession in 2008 became the catalyst for creating the Middle East's first CGI science-fiction film, why he chose to grow his business organically, and how AI is reshaping the creative industry.

He also discusses artistic integrity, intellectual property, standing out in a world of templates, and why creators should focus on producing exceptional work rather than fearing technological change.

Timestamps:

00:00 – The recession that changed everything

01:05 – Introduction to Ashraf Ghori

01:32 – Creating the region's first CGI sci-fi film

02:46 – The story behind Zero Error

04:10 – Being ahead of your time

05:16 – Why the film became a short instead of a feature

06:05 – Building a CGI production with limited resources

07:06 – Why he chose filmmaking

07:29 – Turning a recession into an opportunity

08:33 – Using downtime to create something meaningful

09:03 – Creativity and entrepreneurship

09:51 – From artist to entrepreneur

10:32 – Why he chose slow, sustainable growth

11:18 – The dangers of growing too fast

12:12 – AI and the future of creativity

13:29 – Becoming an early AI adopter

14:48 – How AI is changing content production

15:30 – His new AI venture

15:40 – Starting as a young illustrator

16:05 – How one initiative opened doors for a decade

17:42 – What creators should do differently today

18:00 – Why average work won't stand out

18:56 – The importance of giving 110%

19:32 – Why templates don't create memorable creators

19:58 – The opportunity AI creates for the next generation

20:23 – Can AI help create the next Spielberg?

21:33 – The future of filmmaking with AI

22:00 – Will AI replace creators?

22:57 – Protecting your intellectual property

23:26 – Why creators shouldn't fear being copied

24:14 – The future belongs to those who adapt

🎧 Watch the full episode now on YouTube.

This episode was produced in partnership with Poddster.

Follow SEF:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharjahef

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sharjahef

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sharjah-entrepreneurship-festival

Website: https://sharjahef.com

Fatima Alloghani, the first Emirati woman solo adventure rider, joins the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast for a powerful conversation about courage, identity, mental health, self-discovery, and the journey that took her across continents on a motorcycle.

After years of professional success, Fatima found herself asking a difficult question: what happens when everything looks perfect on the outside, but you still aren't happy?

That question led her to leave behind comfort, ride thousands of kilometers alone, and embark on a journey of healing, growth, and self-discovery.In this episode, she shares lessons from the road, her battle with depression, being diagnosed with ADHD later in life, the kindness she found in strangers, and why sometimes the bravest thing you can do is take the first step.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Why she never felt like she belonged

00:55 – Meet Fatima Alloghani

01:47 – Why she didn't want anyone to know about the trip

03:01 – The pain that inspired her journey

03:43 – Leaving her job and riding to nowhere

04:43 – Why she chose to travel alone

05:32 – Feeling different her entire life

06:22 – Finding herself in solitude

07:07 – Success didn't make her happy

08:02 – Why she left everything behind

08:33 – "It was less scary than not wanting to be here anymore"

09:13 – Depression, ADHD, and mental health

10:33 – What silence taught her

11:05 – Learning to trust people again

12:18 – The country that surprised her the most

14:16 – Breaking expectations as an Emirati woman rider

15:02 – Her daughter's reaction to the journey

16:06 – Telling her family the truth

18:18 – The million-dollar question: Who are you without your achievements?

19:22 – How success can change your relationships

20:17 – The conversation that changed her relationship with her mother

21:53 – Healing old wounds

22:28 – The advice every woman needs to hear

22:33 – "You don't need a big leap. You just need the first step."

🎧 Watch the full episode now and discover the remarkable story of an Emirati woman who rode across continents to find herself.

Bin Swelah joins the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast for a candid conversation on stand-up comedy, content creation, acting, social media, and the future of entertainment in the UAE and the Arab world.From starting in theatre in 2014 to becoming one of the region's most recognizable comedians, Bin Swelah shares how he used social media to build an audience, why stand-up remains his first love, and what it takes to make people laugh while respecting cultural values.He also discusses the future of Arab cinema, the challenges of local comedy, and why creators need to think bigger than their immediate audience.Timestamps:00:00 – Why local stand-up comedy is so difficult01:08 – Meet Bin Swelah02:17 – How his comedy journey started03:03 – Why he moved from stand-up to social media03:53 – Stand-up comedian or content creator?04:23 – Why social media matters for entertainers05:49 – What Will Smith understands about social media07:02 – Can the UAE build a comedy and entertainment industry?08:17 – Carrying the future of local stand-up comedy09:24 – Why Arab comedy is different10:03 – The four topics he won't joke about11:04 – How roasting became his first form of comedy13:27 – Learning humour from his father14:04 – The moment his daughter made him laugh15:14 – The art of making people laugh16:00 – Why knowledge makes better comedians18:18 – From stand-up comedy to acting19:01 – Can the Arab world create global cinema?21:17 – Why every stand-up comedian can act22:09 – The future of filmmaking in the UAE23:32 – Creating films for a global audience24:45 – Final thoughts🎧 Watch the full episode now and discover how Bin Swelah is helping shape the future of comedy and entertainment in the UAE.This episode was produced in partnership with Poddster.Follow SEF:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharjahefTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sharjahefLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sharjah-entrepreneurship-festivalWebsite: https://sharjahef.com