Swenglanese - talking business in the UAE

On this episode of the podcast Barry had a chat with Rami Shaar who is the CEO and Co Founder of the company Washmen

Rami has had extensive experience in the corporate world - spending time in investment banking, private equity and some time at Uber as well. But had always had in the back of his mind that he wanted to start his own thing. 

On this episode of the podcast Barry had a chance to speak with a long term resident and business owner Nina Seredai-Udalova - Nina is the founder and managing director of Ninth Space. After finally getting our diaries to co-ordinate Nina shares her entrepreneurial journey from the early days of starting a business in the UAE and how things have changed drastically. 

As a female entrepreneur starting out back in the day, she had a completely unique experience of setting up her first business and moving things forwards. Just getting her first office is a story of respect and humility and shows how just asking can sometimes get you what you need. 

Involved in building and transforming brands, Nina takes her extensive experience in the region to drive companies forwards and really help them tell their story.

On this episode of the podcast, Barry had a great conversation with Debbie Nicol from Business En Motion

Debbie tells her story from her early days in business. Of looking successful but not feeling content or authentic. Debbie goes into detail of how she was blaming someone else for not growing her and how her success in a career that wasn't connected to her was destined to fail. The learning from that early message was how can you lead anyone else, if you can't lead yourself. Fascinating conversation, incredible experience conveyed in stories and a real pleasure to speak with. Debbie now helps companies around the world dig into what is actually required to initiate change, but more importantly ensure that change is permanent and the old ways aren't defaulted back to. 

In this episode Barry had the opportunity to speak with Beth Your Coach. Beth tells her story - going back to a childhood where she wasn't sure who she was. But decided to find out. Travelled, learned, and overcame obstacles along the way. All with a view to determining what her purpose was. She found it and talks about her entrepreneurial journey that lead her to setup her own thing to focus on helping young girls and women in particular to be the best they can be.

On this episode of the podcast Barry had the pleasure of speaking with Paula Jane Cox. A people development specialist, trainer, coach and all round lovely human being. PJ as she's affectionately referred to gives us an insight into her entrepreneurial journey, from the yellow pages in the UK to Ferrari World on Yas Island and beyond. 

Really up beat energy filled chat - PJ's energy levels are off the chart and sharing that with you just makes you feel better. So much to learn from her experience and her general outlook on life. Thanks PJ, was a real pleasure. 

On this episode of the podcast, Barry had the pleasure of speaking with Mayur Bommai, the co-founder and director of Laundryheap. An 'online' business that grew 300+% during COVID - Mayur talks about gaining experience in the family business before making the shift to the entrepreneurial way, scaling and growing a business and expanding into 10 countries, with more on the way.

On this episode of the podcast Barry had the opportunity to speak with Brendon Hansford. A super successful choreographer, dancer, director and creative. Brendon shares his entrepreneurial journey to date, from his choices at 16 to heading out to the UAE for his current chapter. Charged with energy and providing some entrepreneurial nuggets of wisdom, it was a real pleasure of an episode. 

On this episode of the podcast Barry got the chance to have a conversation with the fascinating Margeri Ottis. Her current business - KimonoGirl - is in a niche that no one has really explored before, but her journey to this point is enlightening with learning points of self awareness. Margeri talks about her childhood and early career journey as the pathway to finding a business that makes her and her customers happy. Pioneering the market space in the energy fashion arena, Margeri and KimonoGirl offer something truly unique. 

On this episode of the podcast Barry had an enlightening conversation with Martin Tronquit Founder and Co-CEO of Infomineo - the company that helps with brainshoring. Yep that's a new word Martin made up and it's how Infomineo can help you. Listen in to find out more about Martin's entrepreneurial journey, why Infomineo exists and why he's started another business called DataXchange. Learn how optimisation is key to running two businesses as well as being a husband and father to three children!!! Really enjoyed this conversation and the learnings from Martin's journey so far. 

On this episode of the podcast I had the real pleasure of speaking with Mike Khouri about his entrepreneurial journey so far. Our paths have crossed a few times over the years and I've really enjoyed seeing Mike take his agency - Tactical- from strength to strength. So it was really good to speak with him in more detail about his whole approach to business and life. Great conversation, easy to talk to and a very successful business builder here in the UAE. 

On this episode of the podcast we had the chance to speak with Helen Chen, the CEO and Co founder of a company called Nomad Homes. We were lucky to catch her in Dubai before she hopped onto a plane to Europe. Helen tells us a bit about her origin story, working in the world of investments before making a jump into her own thing with her business partners. Recently securing $20 million USD investment into that business, helping people remove the pain of finding a home, whether buying or renting. The decision to move and find a home is not one that she thinks should come with undue stress and frustration - enter Nomad Homes.

On this episode of the podcast Barry had a great conversation with Mohamed Al Fayed the co founder and CEO of a company called Grubtech. His illustrious career in the corporate world helping global brands digitise and explore opportunities in the retail sector positioned him to take a bold move into an industry he wasn't overly familiar with. Food and beverage, but he could see the same opportunities raising their heads just as they had done previously in the retail sector and he wanted to make a difference. Grubtech was born. Super nice guy to talk with, humble and doing some really incredible things with his business.

On this episode of the podcast Barry had a really interesting conversation with Elena Agaragimova the Managing Partner of her company called Bessern. Her entrepreneurial journey is a very interesting one that involves the world of higher education and corporate learning. The huge gap between higher education and the corporate world is something that Elena and her business partner are looking to reduce. To help individuals level up and have organisations nurture a happier more engaged workforce.

On this episode of the podcast Barry speaks with Madhav Dhar - the co founder and COO of ZaZen Properties - Madhav tells his really interesting personal journey from birth in the UAE, boarding school, corporate life and then starting his own business in a super competitive niche. All in a country where that niche also doesn't have the best reputation. Precisely because of this, he's doing it differently, to change the perception of the industry but also to deliver properties that live up to the pre sales marketing hype. 

David and Piero talk about their entrepreneurial journey so far and how it has brought them to Exirio. Helping expats take better care of their money and investments by leveraging technology.

On this episode of the podcast it was an absolute pleasure to speak with Dr Saliha Afridi, the founder of the LightHouse Arabia Centre for Wellbeing. 

Dr Saliha has had a bright and varied career to date and doesn't consider herself a business person or entrepreneur. But that aside, she is a person that has and continues to make a big impact in the region helping raise awareness around mental health, as well as treating people suffering from mental health issues. The staff at the centre are all about community and as with many of our interviews. We were left inspired and a little in awe!! 

On this episode of the podcast Barry had the opportunity to speak with Aakansha Tangri, the founder of Re:Set your everyday. A daily online news organisation that looks to shine a light on subjects such as education, mental health, well being and inclusion. Aakanksha has had a varied career to date with time spent at CNN and Vice as a journalist, before turning her skills to build a platform to dig deeper into the conversations and topics that really matter. 

On this episode of the podcast, Barry had a really interesting conversation with Natalie Banks - the founder of a not for profit organisation called Azraq. But her journey didn't start there and Natalie talks Barry through her start in journalism. Setting up an initiative to save the sharks, followed by a move to the UAE where Azraq was born. 

Motivating, inspiring and doing something she is truly passionate about. Talk about making an impact! 

This episode of Swenglanese saw Oskar and Barry catch up after Oskar's return to Sweden in the the middle of the COVID summer last June. The conversation was an update on what Oskar is doing, how the move from the UAE actually went and the changes he had to implement within his business - Strategic Tech Coaching to keep him going after 2 of his core niche markets were effectively shut down as a result of the global pandemic. 

In this episode of Swenglanese Barry had the chance to speak to Rosa Bullock about her professional journey. Where it started with an interest in fashion, studying in London, to setting up a successful PR agency here in Dubai - Sociate PR. As with most journeys into entrepreneurialism, it isn't all plain sailing. Lots of ups and downs and a lot of perseverance. 

Potential.com is an empowerment platform that has been used to help develop millions of people around the world. Coconut is the go to resource for recruiting in the hospitality industry. Meditari is the digital advisory network he helped setup, he's on the board of TiE Dubai after having been a member for many years and Wirelessly Yours is his awesome new podcast. 

On this episode of the podcast Barry got the chance to speak with Vietek Ladislaav - originally a TV presenter covering Golf he transitioned into the world of video/content creation here in Dubai in 2013 with his own video production company Square Motion. He's seen the changes taking place here in the UAE and has adapted his business and himself to stay at the forefront of the niche. Now focusing on LinkedIn and helping leverage the platform for your business, Vietek has his training sessions called BeLinkedInSmart.com and is keen to help business owners make the most of an currently under utilised platform.

On this episode of the podcast, Barry had the chance to sit down with Sebastian Bates - the founder of the Warrior Academy and the global anti bullying movement, Not A Victim. Seb gives an insight into his entrepreneurial journey, his first job as a monkey chaser, the ability to spot opportunities and leverage them and how to hone the kind of mindset that allows you to delegate and keep you in the creator/innovator zone as an entrepreneur.

On this episode we have an in depth chat with Karl Edwards who runs his own production company KE Motion Pictures. We go back to the beginning and find out how he ended up making videos and content for some of the biggest brands on the planet. 

We learn a bit about how just asking, can get you where you want to go and also how things have changed on the ground here in the UAE in the content creation business over the last 10 years or so. 

They talk about Matt's professional journey starting in the UK in the newspaper industry, into IT networking and then to his own company, all with a design lead focus. Moving to the UAE about the same time as Barry, 15 years ago, Matt eventually setup Animus Creative to help people and companies really start to see how branding and design reflected in everything they do. 

Enjoy!