Builders

In this episode, I sit down with Hasan Haidar, Founder and Managing Partner of Plus VC, one of the Middle East's most active early-stage venture capital firms. Having invested in more than 250 startups, Hasan shares the unconventional principles that guide his investment decisions, and why he believes ideas are worthless without execution.We discuss how Plus VC backed companies like Calo and Floward, why Hasan ignores traditional startup metrics like TAM and five-year financial projections, what separates extraordinary founders from everyone else, and the future of the MENA startup ecosystem, AI, and venture capital.Whether you're a founder raising capital, an investor, or simply interested in startups and entrepreneurship, this conversation is packed with practical insights and contrarian wisdom.Plus VC Website: https://plus.vc/Topics covered:-What VCs really look for in startup founders- Why execution beats ideas every time- How Plus VC evaluates early-stage startups- The truth about TAM, pitch decks, and financial projections- AI startups, venture capital trends, and the future of MENA tech- How to build a billion-dollar company in the Middle East00:00 Intro01:00 Why Hasan Invested in Calo and Floward05:28 The Traits of Extraordinary Founders12:32 Why Most VCs Get It Wrong15:19 Why Startups Really Fail21:05 "Ideas Are Worthless"28:01 The Future of the MENA Startup Ecosystem38:00 AI, Startup Trends & What Founders Should Build45:20 Hard Lessons from 250+ Startup Investments49:18 Advice for Founders Raising Capital

In this episode, I sit down with Ahmet Bahadir, founder and CEO of Airalo, the company that pioneered the global eSIM revolution and became the world's first eSIM unicorn. We explore his extraordinary journey—from supplying groceries to cargo ships in Turkey to building a global technology company used by millions of travelers.Bahadir shares the unbelievable story of creating a fake multinational company with 60 different identities, the terrifying moment Airalo had only $36,000 left in the bank during COVID, and why he believes people are not KPIs. We also discuss startup culture, product-market fit, leadership, company culture, fundraising, AI, and why founders shouldn't treat building a business like going to war.If you're interested in startups, entrepreneurship, product management, company culture, SaaS, AI, venture capital, or building category-defining companies, this conversation is packed with timeless lessons.Topics covered: Airalo, eSIM, entrepreneurship, startup strategy, product-market fit, company culture, leadership, founder mindset, venture capital, AI startups, product management, and building billion-dollar businesses.00:00 Intro00:43 Airalo Almost Died: $36,000 Left in the Bank02:51 From Selling Groceries to Ships to Building Airalo07:00 The Birth of the Global eSIM Revolution10:10 The Hardest Part of Building a Unicorn13:28 Why Company Culture Matters More Than Growth16:37 "People Are Not KPIs"26:59 Why He Rejects Silicon Valley Hustle Culture35:03 The Biggest Founder Delusion: Product-Market Fit38:14 What Building Airalo Taught Ahmet Bahadir41:04 Outro

What if you could build a billion-dollar empire from what everyone else ignored?In this episode, Toufic Kreidieh, Founder and Executive Chairman of Brands For Less Group (BFL Group), reveals how he transformed overstock and unsold goods into one of the Middle East’s most powerful retail empires, now valued at over $1.2 billion.Toufic shares his raw lessons on building resilience, leadership through chaos, and redefining value in an industry built on perception. This conversation goes far beyond retail — it’s about vision, risk, and what it really takes to win.If you’re an entrepreneur, founder, or product leader, this episode is packed with practical insights on scaling, branding, and building enduring companies.Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.mahmoudkhodor.comConnect with Toufic on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toufic-kreidieh-1103433b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toufic.kreidiehTicktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@toufic.kreidiehBrands For Less Website: https://www.brandsforless.com🕒 Timeline00:00 – Intro & Toufic’s early drive03:45 – How Brands For Less began10:30 – Turning “unsold” into opportunity17:10 – Scaling across the Middle East23:55 – The mindset behind a billion-dollar empire31:40 – Why success can destroy you faster than failure39:20 – The TJX deal and the future of retail46:00 – Toufic’s advice to ambitious founders

In this episode, we sit down with Greg McKeown, the bestselling author of Essentialism and Effortless. Greg explains why "insecure overachievers" often fail by pushing too hard and introduces the 85% Rule to sustain peak performance. We discuss his 1-2-3 Method for daily priority setting and his new mission to train "Signalists"—people who can cut through emotional noise to build shared meaning in a polarized world.Learn more with : https://gregmckeown.com/Condensed YouTube Chapters0:00 - The Overachiever’s Mistake: Why maximum effort fails2:55 - The 85% Rule: Sustaining consistency over intensity4:55 - Low Standards, High Results: The secret to daily streaks8:20 - Survival Lessons: Why the Norwegian team beat the British to the Pole15:30 - The Effortless Equation: Why "Easy" is not "Lazy"18:20 - Warren Buffett’s Strategy: High trust and "one-foot fences"28:30 - The Power Half-Hour: The "What? So What? Now What?" protocol30:20 - The 1-2-3 Method: Defining your actual daily priority34:50 - Digital Disorientation: Managing information and emotion overload46:35 - The Rogerian Rule: An antidote to polarization and conflict54:20 - Becoming a Signalist: Solving the "Understanding Gap"1:06:10 - Leadership Insights: Satya Nadella’s symbolic move at Microsoft1:11:00 - Greg’s Essential Reading List: Books to free your mind

In this deeply moving episode, we sit down with world-renowned behavioral scientist and bestselling author Dan Ariely. While Dan is famous for his work on rational (and irrational) decision-making, our conversation takes an unexpected and profound turn into the psychology of the end of life.Dan shares his unique perspective as both a scientist and an end-of-life doula, reflecting on how our final chapters color the entirety of our existence. We discuss the "unexamined life," why we are so risk-averse in our romantic relationships, and the powerful legacy left behind by his mother. Whether you are looking to live more intentionally or seeking comfort in the face of life’s biggest questions, this episode offers a freeing look at what it means to be human.Learn more about Dan: https://danariely.com/Chapters0:00 - Emotional Opening: The difficulty of the unexamined life0:18 - Redefining Quality of Life: Palliative care and the 5-year study9:30 - The End-of-Life Doula: The 5 pillars of a "good death"11:55 - The Marriage Metaphor: Why the end colors everything16:15 - Personal Stories: Choosing dignity and stopping treatment27:50 - Legacy and Parents: Lessons from Dan’s mother42:10 - The Psychology of Risk: Why we are afraid to change46:40 - The Romantic Gap: Why we underperform in love51:45 - 4 Tools for an Examined Life: Yearly audits and artistic outlets1:00:15 - Final Thoughts and Where to Find Dan