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Dalia Sadiq is a neurodiversity advocate and founder of Parent Pathways, a peer-to-peer support community for parents of neurodivergent children. Built from her own experience navigating her son's autism diagnosis at nine, Parent Pathways exists to break the stigma surrounding neurodiversity and create a safe space where parents can sit down, talk, share and learn from one another. In this episode we talk about the early signs and why getting answers took so long, what the diagnosis felt like when it finally came, how to help a child own their identity with pride and why the most important thing any of us can do is approach with curiosity rather than judgment. Last Message: "Have stubborn joy & keep going" 0:00 Intro 4:03 Dalia's Background 5:48 Autism Diagnosis 11:52 The Social Challenge and Beauty of Defining Autism 13:57 Patterns and Systemization 15:48 Getting the Right Help 22:08 Challenges With Schools 30:58 Challenges for the Parents 36:41 Neurodivergence Makes Us Better People 44:03 Adjusting Parenting 48:13 Jujitsu Helped a Lot 50:48 Regulated vs Dysregulated 56:38 Be Kind to Yourself 59:03 Arab Judgment — What Will People Say? 1:02:48 What Does Success Look Like for Him? 1:05:33 Parent Pathways 1:12:15 The Rise of Communities 1:15:08 Proud 1:17:06 Last Message Follow Dalia: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dalia-sadiq-37414211/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parentpathwaysbydalia/ Follow Hope It Helps: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaled-abuljebain/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeithelpspod/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hopeithelpspod Website: www.hopeithelps.net Ready to stand out? Let’s launch your podcast NOW!: https://calendly.com/hopeithelps/podcast-launch

Philip Wride is a Dubai-based entrepreneur, AI implementation specialist, and Creator of The Optional Founder & 12 Chains Framework, a business built around one idea: that your company should be able to run without you. With a background spanning e-sports, Disney, operations, and digital systems, He now helps business owners build AI-powered systems that create freedom rather than dependency. In this episode we get into where and when AI actually belongs in your business, whether AI is making us lazy, how to avoid getting left behind without chasing every shiny new tool, the reality of building AI agents and how to choose the right platform and model for your specific needs. 0:00 Into 4:07 When & Where You Should Use AI 10:51 Does Using AI Make You Lazy? 13:58 How AI Can Save You Time 17:38 How to Keep Up in the Age of AI 26:50 The AI Context Problem 35:41 How to Set the Right Expectations When Using AI 41:28 AI Agents: What They Are & How to Build Them 51:58 Understanding the AI Learning Curve 56:03 How to Choose the Right AI Platform & Model 1:09:30 AI Legislation & the Future of Regulation 1:11:53 Proud 1:16:44 Final Message Follow Philip: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipwride/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipwride/ Website: http://www.theoptionalfounder.com/ Website: http://www.philipwride.com/ Follow Hope It Helps: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaled-abuljebain/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeithelpspod/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hopeithelpspod Website: www.hopeithelps.net Ready to stand out? Let’s launch your podcast NOW!: https://calendly.com/hopeithelps/podcast-launch

Saif Khan is a Google Ads specialist and founder of Lead Ember who focuses on helping companies turn ad spend into predictable revenue. He works exclusively with B2B businesses and has spent years watching founders make the same expensive mistakes with their marketing budgets. In this episode we get into why running ads on a broken business speeds up its death, the difference between Google Ads and every other ad platform, why most B2B businesses run ads at the wrong stage, and why you sometimes need to waste money before you can make it. 0:00 Intro 3:29 Who is Saif? 4:57 Ads are only an amplifier 13:21 B2C vs B2B 19:17 Understanding google search (google is like a blind man) 28:05 How much budget do I need to run ads? 37:38 Shifting from video production to build a google ads agency? 45:33 Managing client expectations 47:48 Positioning your business 53:14 AI vs Humans in ads industry 59:18 Regional conflict & impact on generating demand 1:06:20 Proud 1:10:53 Last message Follow Saif: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saif-al-jabbar-khan/ Website: https://www.leadember.com/ Follow Hope It Helps: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaled-abuljebain/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeithelpspod/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hopeithelpspod Website: www.hopeithelps.net Ready to stand out? Let’s launch your podcast NOW!: https://calendly.com/hopeithelps/podcast-launch

Vlad Sharuda is the co-founder and Head of Growth at Skrooge AI, a Dubai-based startup combining AI with human accountants to give SMEs the financial clarity that was previously only available to large corporations.  In this episode we get into how to spot a bad accountant before they cost you, why most founders have a broken relationship with their numbers, what the UAE's new corporate tax really means, and why they deliberately kept humans at the centre of an AI product. Last Message: "Keep going, it's a numbers game" 0:00 Intro 3:01 Vlad's Story 10:22 How to Avoid a Bad Accountant 13:04 Why Founders Struggle With Accounting  20:19 What Is Open Banking? 22:28 How to Use Accounting as a Core Business Function 27:40 What Makes a Great Accountant? 30:35 What Every Founder Needs to Know About Tax 34:13 Why Prep Work Is the Most Underrated Part of Accounting 37:58 Why Vlad Kept a Human Accountant Inside an AI Product 46:20 How Skrooge is Built Around Founder Pain Points 51:14 Accounting Challenges Between Big & Small Firms 58:00 Raising Funding in the UAE 1:04:33 Proud 1:06:26 Last Message Follow Vlad: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vladsharuda/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vsharuda/ Website: https://skrooge.ai/ Follow Hope It Helps: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaled-abuljebain/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeithelpspod/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hopeithelpspod Website: www.hopeithelps.net Ready to stand out? Let’s launch your podcast NOW!: https://calendly.com/hopeithelps/podcast-launch

Most parents blame the school system. Most schools blame the parents. My guest today says they're both right and both failing your kids. Hanan Ezzeldin is an education expert and founder of The Family Hub. She's spent over a decade building curriculums, leading workshops, and working directly with families and today she's here to tell you exactly what's going wrong, and what you can actually do about it. In this episode: -We unpack why schools aren’t keeping up with the modern world -The importance of choosing the right learning environment -Whether kids should be allowed to fail? -The real work behind building impactful education platforms that scale. 0:00 Intro 3:18 Hanan's Background 11:40 Why Schools Are Failing to Keep Up With the World 25:05 How to Find the Right School for Your Child 33:00 Why Parents Are the Worst Teachers for Their Own Kids 42:25 Should You Let Your Kids Fail? 57:25 What Running The Family Hub Taught Me About Families 1:07:35 Building Courses, Workshops and Events That Work 1:13:58 How to Build a Course 1:17:37 Do Teachers Actually Need Qualifications? 1:22:55 The Role of Values in Education 1:31:15 The Scaling Dilemma Nobody Talks About 1:38:21 The Impact of Podcasting 1:43:35 What Hanan Is Most Proud Of? 1:44:14 Last Message Follow Hanan: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanan-ezzeldin-73762521/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefamilyhub__/ Website: https://www.the-familyhub.com/ Youtube:  @TheFamilyHubPodcast   Follow Hope It Helps: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaled-abuljebain/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeithelpspod/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hopeithelpspod Website: www.hopeithelps.net Ready to stand out? Let’s launch your podcast NOW!: https://calendly.com/hopeithelps/podcast-launch

Peter Thomsen is an entrepreneur, investor, and startup coach helping founders navigate the realities of building and backing startups from both sides of the table. With experience spanning company building, venture dynamics, and storytelling, he brings a sharp, practical lens to what it actually takes to grow a business, make the right calls, and survive the inevitable challenges that come with it. In this episode, we unpack when founders should pivot, we explore first-time founder struggles, how to approach investor relationships, and the difference between building for growth vs. revenue. Last Message: "Life is too short, not to try" 0:00 Intro 3:20 Peter’s background 7:40 When is the right time to pivot? 10:40 Founder/Investor relationship 16:46 When is the right time to bring an investor? 28:41 1st time founder struggles 35:28 Growth vs Revenue business models 42:25 Founders storytelling challenges 54:53 Knowing your value as a founder 1:02:11 Do your research 1:12:07 Getting the right feedback 1:19:55 Behind the hustle podcast 1:27:12 Proud 1:30:45 Last message Follow Peter: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterthomsenx/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peterthomsenx/ Website: https://www.thomsenadvisory.com/ Youtube:  @peterthomsenx   Follow Hope It Helps: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaled-abuljebain/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeithelpspod/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hopeithelpspod Website: www.hopeithelps.net

Bilal Sabouni is a research and insights leader & Regional Managing Director at Guidepoint, operating at the intersection of data, expertise, and decision-making in today’s intelligence economy. With a career built around connecting organizations to real-world expertise, he brings a unique perspective on how research is evolving in an age shaped by AI, misinformation, and information overload. In this episode, we explore whether research is an art or a science, why AI still falls short of human judgment, and how to navigate bias, misinformation, and analysis paralysis in a world flooded with data.  0:00 Intro 2:54 Bilal’s background 4:32 Research an art or a science 6:26 AI is still inferior to humans today 8:25 AI & Research / Guidepoint 14:20 Countering data bias in AI 17:11 The social media misinformation war 20:12 How do you select experts to add to the network? 26:35 Becoming experts in a new sector 30:23 What is research? 35:05 What is a futurist? 37:35 Analysis paralysis 41:33 Staying relevant as an expert 44:51 What makes a researcher stand out? 46:53 Research misconceptions 52:25 Guidepoint & the intelligence economy 57:29 What is an expert? 1:03:20 Insight vs structure foresight 1:04:55 Compliance & liability 1:07:22 How did Bilal enter research? 1:11:00 Bilal’s legacy 1:14:17 Proud 1:18:13 Last message Follow Bilal: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bilalsabouni/ Website: https://www.guidepoint.com/ Follow Hope It Helps: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaled-abuljebain/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeithelpspod/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hopeithelpspod Website: www.hopeithelps.net

Seif El Hakim is an entrepreneur, bestselling author, Founder of The Alpha Group and host of The Alpha Talks Show, one of the region’s top podcasts. A former Mr. Olympia athlete and ex-Regional CMO at Samsung where he led a $3B business portfolio, he is now an eight-figure entrepreneur known for helping leaders and organizations unlock growth, clarity, and impact. In this episode, we explore the journey behind transformation, we dive into why many people struggle to reach their potential, the difference between corporate and entrepreneurial thinking, and the frameworks to simplify success. 0:00 Intro 2:43 Seif’s background 3:28 What impact did martial arts have on your life? 8:40 The Samsung journey 13:50 Finding clarity 23:40 Why don’t we live up to our potential? 30:42 Entrepreneur vs corporate mindset 42:35 Coaches vs mentors 49:18 Design for success 1:00:29 Personal branding 1:09:27 Alpha Traits 1:12:34 Self-belief 1:14:32 Proud 1:16:45 Last message Follow Seif: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/issam-alanqar-74912a7/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seifelhakim/ Website: https://seifelhakim.com/ Follow Hope It Helps: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaled-abuljebain/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeithelpspod/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hopeithelpspod Website: www.hopeithelps.net

*APOLOGIES TO OUR AUDIENCE FOR THE AUDIO WE RAN INTO SOME TECHNICAL ISSUES* Issam Alnaqar is a consulting veteran and is the Managing Director at Accenture. He brings over 15 years of experience as a consultant, traveling across the world and managing global teams to break down what consulting really is.  In this episode we dive into the biggest misconceptions, the skills and mindset required for a successful career in the field and how consulting shapes leaders who know how to think, adapt, and deliver. Last message: "Leave the place better than you found it" 0:00 Intro 2:50 Issam’s background 4:23 Why do consultants travel so much? 10:07 What is consulting? 19:12 Learning and development in consulting 23:12 The skills consulting teaches you 26:22 Builder vs Advisor 30:05 Consulting misconceptions 35:52 Managing client expectations 41:52 Consulting career growth 49:44 Technology is changing learning & training in organizations 1:05:47 Becoming a leader 1:14:52 Leadership 1:22:37 Leadership in business vs sports (Arsenal vs United) 1:33:47 Patience & progress 1:45:22 Proud 1:46:17 Last message Follow Issam: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/issam-alanqar-74912a7/ Follow Hope It Helps: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaled-abuljebain/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeithelpspod/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hopeithelpspod Website: www.hopeithelps.net

Westley Harnett is a serial entrepreneur, mentor, coach & Founder of Satoris. He brings over 25 years of experience scaling businesses and is now on a mission with this coaching to provide people with the direction and tools they need to find their purpose, generate more clarity and grow through consistent, persistent and positive thoughts and action. In this episode, we talk about everything from regrets and resilience, to values, fatherhood, and the cost of building a business that feels more like a prison than freedom. Last Message: "You have greatness inside you" 0:00 Intro 2:53 Westley’s background 4:17 Should we have regrets? 17:15 Values & Intentions 31:09 Stepping up 39:04 Routines 48:49 Being aligned with yourself 59:49 Balancing empathy and discipline 1:07:34 What is a family? 1:12:59 Mission to change 1 million lives 1:17:13 Proud 1:19:16 Last message Follow Westley: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/westley-harnett-59027514a/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/satoriscoaching/ Follow Hope It Helps: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaled-abuljebain/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeithelpspod/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hopeithelpspod Website: www.hopeithelps.net

Lucas Poelman is a former pro tennis player turned tech founder who’s on a mission to reinvent the web. After walking away from the court, he co-founded PeachWeb and launched its latest creation, PeachMagic, a tool that lets anyone build stunning 3D websites in minutes.  In this episode, we explore his journey from athlete to innovator, why 3D websites are the future and how his work is shaping the future of online creativity and digital expression. Last Message: "Choose your team wisely" 0:00 Intro 2:38 Lucas’s background 3:02 Early Pro Tennis Career 8:21 Tennis rankings 10:51 The athlete identity crisis / leaving tennis 13:49 Moving from Brazil to Slovenia 20:45 Launching a software/app development company 26:21 The birth of 3D Websites 30:51 Creating a 3D Website builder 40:21 The evolution of websites 47:51 Do you still need a website in 2025? 51:11 Scrollytelling 53:31 Build a 3D website in 4 steps 58:10 The team is the secret 1:06:56 Proud 1:07:57 Last message Follow Lucas: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucas-poelman-5a729583/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peachweb.io/ Website: https://peachweb.io/ Follow Hope It Helps: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaled-abuljebain/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeithelpspod/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hopeithelpspod Website: www.hopeithelps.net

Ajinkya Tanpure is a mechanical engineer turned venture capitalist turned fintech founder. He is the Founder & CEO of Crossval on a mission to eliminate the pain of accounting with automation, AI, and smart financial workflows.  In this episode, we talk about his leap from engineering to finance, the realities of the founder-to-CEO journey, and why good communication, clear positioning, and tracking what matters can make or break your startup. Last Message: "Being successful is about finding balance" 0:00 Intro 3:02 AJ’s background 3:57 Switching from engineering to finance 11:04 Should you join a VC when you’re young? 15:49 The founder journey is the same 25:04 The importance of communication for founders 33:14 Positioning 35:30 Going from founder to CEO 43:39 Why is finance hard to learn? 47:59 Crossval Academy 52:15 Why we don’t like to track 1:00:22 Crossval is revolutionizing your accounting 1:10:44 Working with startups vs enterprise 1:16:20 What is Crossval? 1:18:39 Accounting pain points 1:22:45 Gov’t initiatives supporting Crossval 1:25:04 Biggest challenge launching fintech company 1:32:44 Proud 1:34:14 Last message Follow Ajinkya: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajinkyatanpure/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crossval_/ Website: https://www.crossval.com/ Follow Hope It Helps: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaled-abuljebain/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeithelpspod/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hopeithelpspod Website: www.hopeithelps.net

Samar Singh Jodha is a photographer, installation artist, mentor, speaker & publisher who, over the last 25 years, has been using photography, film and public art projects across the world to address various issues such as community development and conservation. In this episode we deep dive the world of art, creativity & discover the secret to fueling your passion. Last Message: "How will you use your privilege for good?" 0:00 Intro 3:06 Samar’s background 13:26 How would you define art? 16:21 Judgement of art 20:59 Art is about emotion 26:19 Your passion doesn’t have to be your career 32:45 Boredom is the greatest gift 42:16 How many lives can you live? 48:38 Art across different cultures 55:21 Tolerance & adaptability 1:00:00 How do you measure the success of a project? 1:06:55 Listening to wisdom of elders 1:15:23 Proud 1:18:26 Last message Follow Samar: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samarjodha/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samarjodha/ Website: https://samarsinghjodha.com/ Follow Hope It Helps: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaled-abuljebain/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeithelpspod/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hopeithelpspod Website: www.hopeithelps.net

Sami Khoury is a Mindset Coach, Sales Trainer & Founder of Mind Resilience Training, a learning experience hub, specializing in equipping teams with the science-based leadership and resilience skills for today's dynamic corporate landscape.  In this episode, we dive into the art of group learning, why unlearning is so hard, and how trust, empathy, and authenticity fuel real transformation. Last Message: "Be real, be authentic, be yourself" 0:00 Intro 3:25 Sami’s background 5:36 Workshops & Trainings 11:15 Energy levels & engagement 18:35 Group learning challenges 23:25 What is learning? 27:15 Where do people struggle most? 31:30 Internal vs external world 35:00 Sami’s passion for personal development 38:15 Empathy 41:30 Why is unlearning hard? 48:55 Theory vs Practice 53:00 Trust 1:04:32 What have you learnt about people? 1:07:48 Proud 1:09:35 Last Message  Follow Sami: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samikhoury1/ Website: https://www.mindresiliencetraining.com/ Follow Hope It Helps: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaled-abuljebain/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeithelpspod/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hopeithelpspod Website: www.hopeithelps.net

Jad Halaoui an engineer-turned-entrepreneur and the co-founder of Washmen, one of the UAE’s leading on-demand laundry and dry-cleaning platforms. After starting his career in the oil and gas sector with Schlumberger, he made the leap into the startup world, building a tech-enabled service company from the ground up.  In this episode, we dive into his founder journey, lessons from scaling a services business in the Middle East, and what it takes to innovate in traditional industries. Last Message: "Ask yourself, Am I successful because of this or in spite of this?" 0:00 Intro 2:56 Jad’s background 14:14 Joining Washmen 17:00 Shifting mindset to ask for help 25:03 The impact of having multiple coaches 34:09 Washmen’s turning point 47:42 Building trust with your customers 54:09 Failure 1:02:55 Proud 1:06:59 Last message Follow Jad: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jad-halaoui/ Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/superficialjad/ Website: https://www.washmen.com/ Follow Hope It Helps: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaled-abuljebain/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeithelpspod/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hopeithelpspod Website: www.hopeithelps.net