SEF Backstage Pass

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 philoso...

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....

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 تت...

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, wh...

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...

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...

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 makes the UAE one of the best places in the world to start and scale a business? In this episode, Greg Pearce, Senior Vice President at du, shares his perspective on entrepreneurship, SMEs, customer experience, technology adoption, and the role public-private partnerships play in helping businesses thrive. From the UAE's vision for economic diversification to the rise of AI-powered busine...

ماذا يعني أن تبني مشروعاً أكبر من مجرد شركة أو مطعم؟في هذه الحلقة، تروي الشيف مريم المنصوري رحلتها من هندسة البترول إلى أن أصبحت واحدة من أبرز الشيفات ورائدات الأعمال في دولة الإمارات. تتحدث عن العائلة، والإرث، والهوية الإماراتية، وأهمية الحفاظ على التراث من خلال الطعام، وكيف يمكن للشغف والرؤية الواضحة أن يصنعا أثراً يمتد لأجيال.الفصول00:00 - الوعد الذي قطعته على نفسها منذ الطفولة01:01 - التعريف ب...

تنضم إلينا في هذه الحلقة صاحبة السمو الدكتورة بسمة آل سعيد، إحدى أبرز الشخصيات الرائدة في مجال الصحة النفسية في المنطقة ومؤسسة عيادة همسات السكينة وحملة "نحن معك".في حوار ثري ومُلهم، تتحدث سموها عن رحلتها الممتدة لأكثر من 26 عاماً في مجال الصحة النفسية، وكيف تحوّل شغفها بعلم النفس إلى رسالة تهدف إلى نشر الوعي وكسر الوصمة المرتبطة بالصحة النفسية في العالم العربي.كما تناقش أهمية فهم المصطل...

After experiencing divorce, fertility struggles, miscarriages, and heartbreak, Elizabeth found herself questioning everything she thought she knew about success. Those experiences ultimately inspired her to launch How To Fail, a podcast that has become a global phenomenon. In this episode, she shares why failure makes us more human, how our relationship with mistakes evolves over time, the differe...

Hamad Al Hajri, Founder and CEO of Snoonu, joins the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast to share the journey behind building Qatar's first unicorn and one of the region's fastest-growing technology companies. From failing twice before launching Snoonu to building a purpose-driven company valued at over one billion Qatari Riyals, Hamad shares his lessons on entrepreneurship, leadership, hiring, company cul...

هل يمكن أن يؤثر ما يحدث داخل المنزل على أداء الشركات والاقتصاد؟ في هذه الحلقة، يشارك كريم إسماعيل رؤية مختلفة حول العلاقة بين الأسرة، والصحة النفسية، والإنتاجية، والنجاح المهني. كما يناقش الاحتراق النفسي، وتأثير وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي على الوعي النفسي، وأهمية التحقق من المعلومات، وكيفية التعامل مع ضغوط الحياة والعمل في عالم لا يتوقف. الفصول: 00:00 - كيف يؤثر البيت على الصحة النفسية وأداء الشركات...

Barbara O'Neill joins the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast to share the personal story that led her into the world of natural health, nutrition, and holistic wellness. What began with her young daughter's recurring earaches turned into a lifelong journey of research, teaching, and helping people better understand their bodies and overall wellbeing. In this episode, Barbara discusses natural heal...

John Sullivan, Chief Marketing Officer at WHOOP, joins the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast to discuss how WHOOP evolved from a niche performance tracker into a global health and performance platform used in more than 50 countries. In this episode, John shares why the UAE has become one of WHOOP's fastest-growing and most influential markets, how WHOOP approaches localization and community-building...

Amna Al Qubaisi has spent years breaking barriers in motorsport, but one of her biggest challenges wasn't on the racetrack. As the first female Emirati racing driver, Amna faced stereotypes, assumptions, and criticism that attempted to diminish the work, sacrifice, and dedication behind her achievements. In this episode of the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast, she opens up about the misconceptions s...

What happens when the pursuit of success begins to impact your health? In this episode of the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast, Souad Al Serkal, Founder & CEO of CommCation, shares her journey through burnout, leadership, communication, and the life-changing moment that forced her to rethink her priorities. From agency life and corporate leadership to building her own consultancy, Souad reflects on...

Four-time Formula 1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel joins the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast for a thoughtful conversation on success, pressure, purpose, sustainability, and life after racing. From winning four consecutive Formula 1 World Championships to championing sustainability, environmental action, and greater opportunities for women in motorsport, Vettel reflects on the lessons that shaped his...

Rania Masri El Khatib, CEO of The Giving Movement, joins the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast to discuss creativity, leadership, career transitions, and the journey of building homegrown brands with global impact. From organizing fashion shows in high school and building a career in luxury retail, to taking a life-changing career break and leading one of the region's most recognizable homegrown bra...

Undefeated former UFC Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov joins the SEF Backstage Pass Podcast for an honest conversation on pressure, discipline, entrepreneurship, and life after retirement. From handling the pressure of an undefeated career to building businesses, coaching, and navigating the transition from fighter to businessman — Khabib shares lessons on leadership, learning, faith, teamwork, and st...

في هذه الحلقة، يشارك عبدالله الجسمي — رئيس مجلس الأعمال الإماراتي البوسني، ورائد أعمال متسلسل، وباحث استراتيجي — رؤيته حول المعنى الحقيقي لريادة الأعمال، والفجوات التي يواجهها الشباب اليوم، وأهمية تحويل صناعة المحتوى إلى تأثير حقيقي بدلاً من مجرد إعلانات. ويتحدث أيضًا عن رحلته في ترك الوظيفة الحكومية للتفرغ لريادة الأعمال، ولماذا يعتبر أن الشفافية، والإرشاد، والتفكير طويل الأمد هي عناصر أساسية لتم...

Charlie Wright, founder of Humantra, shares his journey from starting a hydration brand in the UAE to building a global business. From the myths around bottled water to the science of electrolytes, Charlie breaks down why hydration matters for everyone — not just athletes — and how Humantra is setting a new standard in wellness. Watch the full episode here now and subscribe for more stories from v...

Patrick Abdo, creator of The Drum Path, shares his inspiring journey from engineering to building one of the most recognized drumming platforms in the region. From turning a viral Mr. Bean video into a global drumming sensation, to opening music schools, scaling online courses, and navigating Lebanon’s challenges before expanding to Dubai — Patrick’s story is all about following passion over conve...

For over 23 years, Yasir Khan, founder of TYB (Transform Your Body), has been at the forefront of holistic wellness in the UAE. From mindset coaching to habit-building and fitness, Yasir has created one of the country’s largest transformation facilities — helping CEOs, parents, and everyday people rewire their lives for lasting change. In this episode, he shares why transformation goes beyond weig...

For Emirati designer and artist Hessa Al Zarooni, that story is deeply connected to Sharjah’s heritage. From her graduation project Mazdan — inspired by traditional gypsum patterns in old Sharjah — to designing the Made in Sharjah pavilion at SEF, Hessa shows how creativity can bridge past and present. In this episode, she shares her journey of turning passion into purpose, the role of community s...