Smudges by Faisal Nejaim

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Some of the world’s biggest sneaker entrepreneurs came to Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, Sneakers Con 2025—but they left with more than just business deals. They found a brotherhood.

Through their journey, we explore the differences in lifestyle between the East and West, the struggles of entrepreneurship, and the mental resilience it takes to stay in the game.

 Meet the Hustlers:

 Big A – Known as the “Mentor” of the sneaker world, Big A transforms used designer items into custom accessories. Despite pushback from major brands, his love for the hustle keeps him going.
@bigacustoms982  

James – Coming from a tough neighborhood, James turned his love for business into a sneaker empire, proving that passion can lead to success.
 @RUNTHEBLOCK813  

Aaron – A West London native who left the UK moving to California and built a foundation for his family through sneakers and his desire to win no matter the situation…. His message? If your environment doesn’t suit your dreams—change it.
 @vibrantkickztv6658  

Twin – Two brothers who reached the top of the sneaker game, only to lose everything when their entire stock was stolen in 2019. Their journey back is a true test of heart, resilience, and mental strength.
 @Twin_soles  

This documentary dives deep into the mental health impact of the hustle, showing that even the most successful entrepreneurs face challenges.

Watch their journey. Learn their struggles. Feel their passion

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You may know him by Coach Kaiser, though his Islamic name is Abdulrahman Kaiser. He is an Australian, born and raised in Melbourne and the Northern Territory Outback. Kaiser is 26 years old. He loves making people laugh with his comedic personality and humor. He fell in love with Arab and Middle Eastern culture as a whole, wearing thobes and traditional Arab clothing. He also became a part of the Islamic community and religion, already having the same beliefs long before making his reversion to Islam.

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Saif & Maryam: From Viral Fame to Giving Back

In this episode of Smudges, Saif and Maryam break their silence for the first time to discuss the whirlwind aftermath of their viral video during XP in December 2023. This duo became the center of attention overnight, facing public praise and intense backlash.

In a heartfelt and raw conversation, they share how the sudden exposure impacted their personal lives and mental health, leading them to step away from social media entirely for six months—at one point even considering never returning.
Get to know the real Saif and Maryam—their struggles, resilience, and unwavering dedication to spreading joy. This conversation is full of laughs, reflections, and inspiration that you won’t want to miss. 

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Wanted to take this time to thank everyone who were patient with me on my releasing schedule. It took a while , However I am back and ready to post more frequently this time around. All love to everyone, shout out to Annati_1 for her cooking show. Rakan, the audio quality is for you on this episode. Hope you guys learn something new and this helps you. This wont be the last time you hear from Mo Islam we will have more episodes to come in the foreseeable future.

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It was an honor to sit down and have a conversation with Professor Stefan Zoll. In most people's eyes in Jeddah and Saudi Arabia as the pioneer and face of Jiu-Jitsu. The episode is filled with inspirational stories and advice through the experience of Jiu-Jitsu. This episode can apply some lessons outside of the world of Jiu-Jitsu.

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Im sorry for the long wait for posting this episode. I really wanted to keep it short for now and start posting more often. thank you guys for sticking around I really appreciate it. There is so much to come in the near future.

Focus app link:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/focus-time-management/id975017240

What is paddle tennis video link:
https://youtu.be/UovbktzFZwk

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First of all I'm sorry i have been MIA for a month been busy with work. Hopefully i will be able to post weekly with great guests lined up. But recording this episode with Zaid Ahmed was a pleasure and an honor for such a special individuals I hope this episode can make up for the the month I missed. Happy Eid take care everyone. 

Seeking discomfort challenge schedule for the following 14 days. 

 Day 1.) quit an addiction you have for 14 days. 

Day 2.)  exercise outdoors for 20 minutes

Day 3.) go to a restaurant alone 

Day 4.) compliment a stranger

Day 5.) go out in public with a mix matched (weird) outfit 

Day 6.) have a abnormal photoshoot and post it on your social media 

Day 7.) don't touch your phone for 24 hours

Day 8.) talk to someone you haven't spoken to in years

Day 9.) Stay home for a day (extroverts) / have a full day out ( introverts)

Day 10.)  Fist bump 10 strangers 

Day 11.)  give back to the community in anyway that fits best

Day 12.) Buy 5 flowers and hand it out to strangers 

Day 13.)  try a food that you don't like 

Day 14.) Make a presentation of your past two weeks and present it to a group of 15 people.

bonus challenge dm me on instagram.

Shoutout to Yestheory , TMS, and moobinlee

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Would like to thank everyone supporting my podcast. Thank you all for the kind messages it helped me continue putting out content. I would like Thank Jad for this episode it was great finally having free time in both our schedules to do this episode. Humble and honest guy we all miss you in Jeddah all proud of your achievements and what you are doing in Stanford. It was a great conversation hopefully more to come. Next episode will be posted next week and hopefully with Kal Rajab we'll be talking about wellness. Take care my smudgers.

Welcome back my Smudgers, I had a great time recording this episode with Mrs. Sunshine  herself Haya AlSawaf. We talked about what it takes to be happy and the approach for life to have a happy life. We live in a fast pace world so it good to have a moment to slow down and take everything in and breathe for a moment and be present. Also we mentioned how to be content with yourself and your surroundings but also seeking happiness alone. There are times to be serious and times to let go and be yourself and that's the game of life, all about balance. We had some serious moments as well as some entertaining moments. Thank you Haya for appear on Smudges hopefully we will have you for more episodes to come in the near future. Thank you Smudger's for listening.

New episode will be out on Tuesday 

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Hello my Smudgers, todays episode is featuring a special guest Maha AlSaggaf an inspiring fashion designer. We had an interesting conversation about life and expressing ones self in the pursuit of happiness. Standing out from the crowd and keep loved ones closed. I enjoyed making this episode and I hope you can enjoy the banter in this episode. It was great having our first guest on the show and hopefully many more to come. Thank you Maha for being my first guest on the show hopefully she will join us again on the show. Stay tuned for the next episode coming this Friday!