In this empowering episode of The Rising, Janel sits down with Maha Abouelenein, a powerhouse in strategic communications and author of the transformative book Seven Rules of Self-Reliance. From building unshakable self-confidence to creating your own opportunities instead of waiting for them, Maha shares timeless lessons that every leader, entrepreneur, and professional needs to hear. Through personal stories of navigating challenges, caring for ill parents, and reinventing herself in business, Maha reveals how self-reliance is not about going it alone but about cultivating the skills and mindset to bring value to others and thrive in any situation.

💡 In this episode, you’ll learn:
- The true meaning of self-reliance (and why it’s not about being selfish)
- How to shift from “waiting” to creating opportunities
- Building authentic relationships and protecting your reputation
- Why curiosity and continuous learning are essential for long-term success
- Overcoming fear, taking action, and growing confidence through experience
- Turning life’s hardest challenges into tools for leadership and resilience

About Maha Abouelenein:

Maha Abouelenein is a personal branding expert, CEO and founder of global communications consulting firm Digital & Savvy, and best-selling author of 7 Rules of Self-Reliance. With over three decades of experience, she has crafted strategies for global corporations, startups, sports organizations, governments, CEOs, and high-net-worth individuals. She managed communications for major tech companies in the Middle East, including Google, Netflix, Udacity, and Careem. She helped Weber Shandwick establish 18 offices in the Middle East and led the Cairo operation. She also contributed to the largest IPO and acquisition in Egypt’s history at Orascom Telecom. Raised and educated in the U.S. to Egyptian parents, Maha bridges cultures, supporting businesses navigating opportunities in the Middle East. She has been named one of the most influential women in Dubai, a Forbes Power Woman of the Middle East, a Top Woman in PR by PR News and one of Minnesota’s Leading Women in Business. She is an Advisor to LockChain.ai and Global Gaming League, sits on the Global Board of Directors of the Associated Press, contributes to Forbes, and hosts the business podcast Savvy Talk.

Links:

1. Maha's Website: https://www.mahaabouelenein.com/
2. Amazon Order Link: https://www.amazon.com/Rules-Self-Reliance-Moving-Invest-Yourself/dp/1401978665

Maha's Social Media:

• Instagram
• X (Twitter)
• LinkedIn
• TikTok
• 
  

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