Basma Tawakol is an entrepreneur and Founder of Dayra with over 12 years of experience working with tech startups and community service organizations. Dayra is a platform promoting ethical and sustainable fashion retailing. The startup was recognized in several mega-events in sustainability and entrepreneurship, got incubated several times, and won multiple grants. Basma was also the co-founder of Ezbet Project, a collaborative project between the University of Stuttgart in Germany and Ain...

Dr. Maliha Hashmi served as the Executive Director and Co-Head of the Health, Wellbeing and Biotech Sector at NEOM, where she also served as the Executive Director for all Strategic Partnerships. She also served as the Deputy Chair of the NEOM Covid-19 Leadership Taskforce. Maliha Hashmi, is also an esteemed delegate of the V20, where V20 is a global platform of value experts and practitioners that has come together on the sidelines of the G20 presidency to actively engage with the process of...

In this episode, Munira Almuammar dives deep into her career trajectory and fanning her entrepreneurial spirit which led her to creating Barakah with her co-founders. From working at BUPA to her creative role at MDLBEAST, she gives us an insight into her life and what it's like working as a Product Manager in MDLBEAST records, as well as managing Barakah as the CMO. She talks about her passion for discipline, her drive to do better, juggling multiple roles and helping create a more...

Dr. Maliha Hashmi served as the Executive Director and Co-Head of the Health, Wellbeing and  Biotech Sector at NEOM, where she also served as the Executive Director for all Strategic  Partnerships. She also served as the Deputy Chair of the NEOM Covid-19  Leadership Taskforce.   Maliha Hashmi, is also an esteemed delegate of the V20, where V20 is a global  platform of value experts and practitioners that has come together on the sidelines of the G20  presidency to actively engage with the...

In this episode, Danielle shares poignant stories of her life and her turning point with her career and personal life. She talks about her passion for photography, fashion and being a creative individual all on all with the hunger to make it big. She featured in the new 2022 Netflix docuseries called, The Most Hated Man on the Internet, where she tells her own horrific story of non-consensual intimate image abuse online. Green aims to use her platform as a way to provide truth in storytelling...

In this episode, Tatiana Rahal dives deep into her career trajectories and shares how she climbed the success ladder to become Talabat UAE’s first female managing director. She talks about being driven to be a good team leader while providing more value to partners and clients. She also stresses on the importance of having a strong internal and external support which is vital in helping you achieve your goals and make the impossible possible. Tatiana Rahal is the first female Managing...

In this episode, Yolanda Lee shares how Uncommon was originally conceived as an invite-only dinner series in response to a desire for conversation and connection with other women in leadership, many of whom worked in male-dominated environments. As each event grew and continued to resonate with these women, Yolanda took the leap to leave her leading role in a high growth startup to make leadership less lonely for female leaders and see more women owning and making decisions. She talks about...

In this episode, Anisa Ismail explores scaling a social impact startup and persevering through all the ups and downs in her journey. She takes us through her life story that was filled with figuring out a way to be able to be a catalyst for change for the people around her and then finding her way to becoming an entrepreneur. She shares how she brought her most loved venture The Unplugged Initiative to life then pivoting to KidsUnplugged and eventually scaling it to Playcation.  Anisa Ismail...

Sawsan Chammas Haber, has made her mark in the interior design world since 1996, first as the main designer at one of the prestigious firms in Beirut, then within Dubai based Dipiugi interior design Studio, by handling highly luxurious projects that she has designed and executed in the UAE. In this episode, she talks about her road to success and life as an entrepreneur and how she established her own furniture brand specialized in kids interiors, K-Kids. This eventually led her to securing...

Listen to this invigorating episode with beauty and wellness entrepreneur Miriam Abadi as she takes us on her inspiring journey of finding her path and owning it in the competitive beauty industry. From leveling up in a corporate space to eventually finding her true calling as an entrepreneur, Miriam shares it all. She talks about the importance of curating authentic content as a social media personality and also stresses on being in touch with your most genuine self in order to achieve...

In this episode, Fatima Al Banawi talks about donning multiple hats as a creative visionary. From an actress to director and a profound storyteller, she has done it all. She dives deep into the challenges it required to make a mark for herself as a woman from the MENA region segwaying into a space like arts and entertainment.  Fatima Al Banawi is an internationally acclaimed actress and storyteller whose starring role in the feature Barakah Meets Barakah, was foundational for Saudi cinema....

In this episode, Maha Gorton discusses her profession as an entrepreneur and brand consultant.  As a working mother, she shares how she has structured her life to be her own boss and created her own path to achieve a work - life balance. She talks about how Little Farasha was founded, an accessories brand which was born out of her own needs as a mother and all the things she desired for her children. Juggling between multiple roles, Maha aims to utilise her platform in a purposeful way by...

In this episode, Karen Osman shares how her passion for thrilling storytelling led her to publishing an array of bestselling crime thrillers. From her journey in writing to what it took to become a successful author, she dives deep into it all. She talks about all the diverse experiences she had from travelling extensively, teaching and working in sales & marketing space, which led her to recognize her passion for writing and publishing her novels. She is on a path to help other authors...

In this episode, we unravel Mona Khashoggi’s passion for showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the Arab world through the medium of live theater. She shares how multicultural background and upbringing has influenced her to create and produce shows with traditional musicals and costumes. She talks about how she wanted to do more that would help the young people in the west understand and love the middle eastern culture that she was promoting for more than 20 years. Believing in what she...

In this episode with Aya Ahmad, we dive into her entrepreneurial journey as a third generation diamantaire. She shares the inspiring story behind creating Fyne from scratch and everything that goes behind the scenes of designing sustainable and timeless pieces by utilizing lab grown diamonds. From being a solo Founder to investing in her brand and scaling it, she shares her creative process of crafting exquisite jewellery pieces with an aim of empowering women through her elegant and...

This episode provides a glimpse into the life of a multicultural entrepreneur whose journey is fueled with her passion for beauty and glamour. Haifa Addas, Founder and CEO of Instaglam shares her unique story from a multicultural background to working as a marketer for luxury brands, a journey that inspired the inception of Instaglam. She talks about how she envisioned Instaglam as a platform that would empower and build a community of beauty professionals truly changing the way people...

In this episode with Sara Chemma, we dive into her entrepreneurial journey as the Founder of Citron, a brand cultivated to fulfill the needs of mothers and their children. As a mompreneur she recognized the region’s need for sustainable and innovative leakproof lunch boxes that led her to switching her career path from co-heading MBC ventures to sowing the seeds for Citron. She talks about the expansion of Citron over the years and her personal  funding strategy.  Sara Chemmaa is the CEO and...

This episode with Dalal Alrayes gives you an elaborate insight into the world of fintech and scaling a fintech startup! Dalal shares her experience working in corporate and how her transition into entrepreneurship was nothing short of challenging. The idea of pursuing something different which could bring change in the region led her to sow the seeds for Spare, a financial platform which helped change the financial mindset of people. She discusses having a huge diverse team at Spare and how...

In this inspiring episode with Loulwa Bakr, we get all the scoop behind her successful career in corporate finance, investment banking and VC. Loulwa aims to be a role model for all the young women emerging out of the MENA region with big dreams to make a name for themselves in an industry that is heavily male dominated. She shares how she pivoted and trusted her gut to answer her true calling and lead a notable journey in finance and onwards to becoming a partner at Chrome Advisory. Loulwa...

In this episode, Audrey Nakad shares her passion for education space and early experiences of tutoring. She mentions how that phase made her realize she wanted to do more and make a difference in society by reshaping the education system. The need to transmit knowledge and support the development of students and help them reach their full potential led her to start an online tutoring platform Ostaz. She talks about its inception and its purpose of connecting students with tutors in the...

This episode with Fajer Al Hashel focuses on mental strength and equality among people regardless of their abilities. Fajer discusses her career shift and  experience from working in the banking industry to becoming a special education teacher. She advises parents to pay attention to the psychological aspect of children requiring specific necessities. She is on a mission to assist parents in raising and understanding children the right way.  Fajer is the founder of the Fajer Al Hashel...

This episode with Mayyan Jaffar is an ode to women who strive to channel their creativity in the work they do and scale their business to unimaginable heights. Mayyan shares her journey with Asia Jewellers as the Director and recalls all of the early experiences which enabled her to learn about the art and craft of creating exquisite jewellery and timeless pieces that she knew would define an ambitious and classy woman. She talks about having a strong intuition and emphasizing the need to...

 In this episode with Budreya Faisal, she talks about her passion for sports and finding her true calling in leading as a brand development expert and sports marketer. She discusses the idea that initially sowed the seeds for Ghost Concept and led to its inception. From creating an identity for herself in a male dominated industry to leading it with conviction, Budreya strives to change the gender dynamics in sports and help other women achieve their true calling!  Budreya Faisal is the CEO...

In this episode, we deep dive into Reem Kanj’s journey filled with discovering her innermost potential and achieving high self worth. She discusses her experience of becoming a blogger that led to launching her own talent management company Ego & East. We learn all there is to know about the ups and down of running a business, doing right by your talents and valuing the smallest of details in every aspect. Reem talks about her value for minimalism and leading a minimalist lifestyle and...