Advertise on podcast: Builders

What makes a smart, experienced trader lose $6 million on a single trade?In this episode of Builders, I sit down with Tarik Chebib, CEO of Capital.com, to explore the psychology of trading, and why greed, fear, leverage and loss aversion can destroy even highly experienced traders.We discuss what separates successful traders from people who simply get lucky, why the best traders focus on hundreds of trades rather than one big win, how to manage risk and emotions, and why having a trading plan matters more than trying to predict the market.We also dive into AI and investing, including whether you should trust AI with your money, how AI can help investors find opportunities, and why there may never be a “holy grail” trading system.In this episode:• How a trader went from $1.5M in profit to a $6M loss• Why smart people can become terrible traders• The psychology of greed, fear and loss aversion• Why traders should pre-plan their trades• How leverage can amplify both gains and losses• The difference between trading, investing and gambling• Why revenge trading destroys accounts• What makes a consistently successful trader• The hidden risks of prop firms and trading challenges• Why human psychology is often the weakest link• How AI can help with investment research• Whether AI could eventually trade your money• Why there is no “holy grail” trading strategy• What beginners should learn before they start tradingChapters00:00 — The $6M Trading Loss00:48 — Why Traders Lose Control02:58 — What Successful Traders Do Differently04:27 — How to Control Your Emotions07:47 — Greed, Loss Aversion & Revenge Trading10:44 — Trading vs. Investing vs. Gambling13:17 — When Luck Looks Like Skill16:42 — The Dangers of Leverage18:52 — The $6M Brexit Trade25:00 — How Brokers Make Money27:04 — The Prop Firm Business29:01 — Why Smart People Become Bad Traders38:24 — Trading Is Psychology42:29 — Can AI Beat the Market?48:42 — What Beginners Should LearnIf you enjoy conversations about trading, investing, entrepreneurship, AI, financial markets and human psychology, subscribe to Builders for more conversations with people building and shaping the future.#Trading #TradingPsychology #Investing #StockMarket #AI #Finance #RiskManagement #Entrepreneurship #Builders #TradingStrategy

What if the best dating app is the one designed to get you off it?Shahzad Yunas, founder and CEO of Muzz, joins me to unpack how dating apps really work—and why Muzz was deliberately built differently.We talk about the incentives behind dating apps, why Muzz adds friction instead of removing it, turning down Match Group, banning over 1 million accounts, what millions of users have taught him about relationships, and how AI could completely change matchmaking.Chapters:00:00 AI, matchmaking & authenticity00:17 The dating app designed to lose customers02:01 What traditional dating apps get wrong10:24 Why Muzz makes dating harder14:03 Why Muzz banned 1 million accounts23:12 Why he turned down Match Group36:16 The future of dating & AI#DatingApps #Muzz #AI #Matchmaking #ShahzadYunas

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

"If you’re explaining, you’re losing." In this episode, we sit down with legendary FBI hostage negotiator and author of Never Split the Difference, Chris Voss. He reveals why your "elevator pitch" is likely failing, how to use the power of "No" to get what you want, and the neuroscience-backed secrets to winning any business deal or fixing any relationship.Chris shares his "Accusations Audit" technique and explains why emotional intelligence—not logic—is the true key to human persuasion. If you've ever felt like you were "vomiting words" in a high-pressure meeting, this conversation is your antidote.Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.mahmoudkhodor.com Chris Voss is a former FBI lead kidnapping negotiator, bestselling author of Never Split The Difference, and founder and CEO of The Black Swan Group; a negotiation, training, coaching, and consulting organization that teaches people how to achieve better outcomes in high-stakes conversations.Recognized globally as a leading authority on negotiation, Chris developed his approach through decades of experience in crisis negotiation. Today, he and The Black Swan Group apply those principles to business, sales, leadership, difficult conversations, and high-stakes communication through The Black Swan Method® and Tactical Empathy®.Never Split The Difference has introduced millions of readers around the world to Chris's negotiation methodology. Through The Black Swan Group, Chris and his team help people go beyond understanding the concepts in the book and develop negotiation as a practical, repeatable performance skill through training, coaching, practice, and live experiences.The Black Swan Group offers in-person negotiation training, live and self-paced online negotiation training, coaching, keynote speaking, and advanced negotiation experiences for business owners, leaders, sales professionals, and other professionals who want to become more effective dealmakers.Learn from Chris Voss and The Black Swan Group:Negotiation training and resources: https://www.blackswanltd.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=builderspodcastIn-person and live training: https://www.blackswanltd.com/live-events?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=builderspodcastOnline negotiation training: https://www.blackswanltd.com/online-negotiation-classes?utm_source=youtube&utm=social&utm_campaign=builderspodcast 🕒 Episode Chapters00:00 – The 6-Second Rule: Why Explaining is Losing 01:24 – The Sequencing Secret: Listening vs. Explaining 02:41 – The Power of "That’s Right" and Being Corrected 03:52 – Logic vs. Emotion: What Actually Drives Decisions? 05:51 – The Academic Trap: Why Being "Eloquent" Fails 06:30 – How to Fix Your Elevator Pitch (The Accusations Audit) 07:43 – The Inoculation Effect: Warning People of "Harsh" News 10:19 – How Chris Voss Disarmed Kevin O’Leary at a Staircase 13:00 – Lessons from the Philippines: The "Team" on the Other Side 16:34 – The Power of the Obvious Question 18:52 – Why You Should Start with "No" (The Autonomy Principle) 21:23 – Case Study: Using "No" to Save an FBI Career 23:37 – What Emotions Are People Most Blind To? 25:20 – 3 Steps to Becoming a Better Negotiator Tomorrow 28:14 – Weaponizing Your Name: The "I'm Chris" Technique 30:06 – Labeling: The Neuroscience of Diminishing Fear 34:02 – Influence vs. Manipulation: What’s the Difference? 35:20 – When to Walk Away: Identifying "H.A.L.F." Clients 38:58 – How Negotiation Skills Can Take You to Private Jets

In this episode, I sit down with Philip Bahoshy, founder & CEO of Magnitt, to break down what’s really happening to venture capital in MENA amid rising geopolitical tensions.We’re recording this at a critical moment, and the big question is:Are we on the verge of losing an entire generation of startups?Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.mahmoudkhodor.comGet reports from https://magnitt.com/Follow Philip for more insights on MENA VC https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipbahoshy/We go deep into:- Why late-stage funding gets hit first in every crisis- The hidden cracks in the MENA startup ecosystem- What founders should do in the next 30–90 days- Where the real opportunities are (AI, infrastructure, defense, and more)- Whether sovereign funds can replace international capitalIf you’re a founder, investor, or operator in MENA, this is essential listening.00:00 Are we entering a funding freeze?02:30 What actually breaks during a crisis06:10 Why late-stage funding collapses first07:20 What founders should do now09:20 The risk of losing a generation of startups21:20 Where the real opportunities are (AI & infrastructure)24:20 Why exits and liquidity will slow down30:20 Can sovereign capital save MENA VC?

In this episode, I sit down with Alain Bejjani, former Group CEO of Majid Al Futtaim, one of the largest conglomerates in the Middle East operating multi-billion dollar businesses across retail, real estate, and entertainment.We break down what actually happens when companies scale — and why most leaders unknowingly become the biggest bottleneck in their own organization.This is not theory. This is how leadership, decision-making, culture, and power really work inside a $10B+ company.We cover: Why founders and executives become bottlenecksThe real role of leadership vs governanceCentralization vs decentralization (and when each fails)Why office politics are unavoidableHow great CEOs think about talent, performance, and potentialWhat actually destroys large companiesIf you're a founder, product leader, or operator — this will change how you think about leadership.⏱️ Chapters00:00 – Intro: Leading at $10B scale01:00 – Startups vs conglomerates: what really changes04:30 – The leadership bottleneck problem07:30 – “Your business is not your baby”10:30 – Incentives: salary vs equity13:15 – The reality of office politics15:10 – Centralization vs empowerment20:20 – How CEOs allocate capital29:20 – Hiring, promotion & CEO judgment32:45 – What destroys companies

Join me on this episode of Future Money as I sit down with Gaurav Dhar, Group CEO of Marshall Fintech Partners and early backer of Tabby—MENA’s first fintech unicorn. We dive into how he transformed a 40-year family payments business into a regional tech powerhouse across 18 countries, why Dubai’s rise to global fintech hub has also made it a target for fraud, and his bold predictions on AI “cannibalizing” entire industries. Whether you’re a founder, investor, or tech enthusiast, you’ll walk away with actionable insights on building unfair advantages, spotting emerging trends 6-12 months early, and navigating the next wave of disruption.🔑 Key Takeaways & SEO Keywords:- Fintech ecosystem in MENA- Family business transformation- AI disruption in finance- Angel investing & Tabby insights- Dubai as a global tech hub👍 Enjoyed this deep dive?• Smash that Like button• Subscribe for weekly expert interviews• Drop your questions in the Comments• Connect with Gaurav on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaurav-dhar00:00 Intro & Welcome 01:05 Who Is Gaurav Dhar & His Fintech Journey 04:20 Origins: Marshall Fintech Partners in the ’80s 08:15 Transforming a Legacy Family Business 12:30 Scaling Across 18 Countries 16:10 Dubai’s Evolution into a Global Fintech Hub 19:45 Why Fraud Is Now a Major Threat 23:20 Angel Investing 600+ Startups 27:50 Early Lessons from Tabby’s Unicorn Path 32:10 How to Spot 6-Month Market Leads 35:30 Predictions: M&A Trends Next 3–5 Years 38:45 The Future of Fintech Layers by Industry 42:10 AI Cannibalizing Entire Industries 45:50 Building an Unfair Advantage in Fintech 49:05 How to Get Involved with Angel Spark & Mina Fintech 52:15 Closing Thoughts & Next Steps

In this episode, I sit down with Samer ElSahn, a product and scaling leader who has worked inside some of the region’s most influential companies: Souq, Careem, Nana, and Floward.Samer shares hard-earned lessons from scaling startups across the Middle East — and why many companies don’t fail… they simply stall.Subscribe my newsletter: https://www.mahmoudkhodor.comSamer ElSahn's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samerelsahn/We discuss:• Why scaling startups in MENA is harder than it looks• The hidden difference between product-market fit and scale• Why growth suddenly disappears after early traction• The one core problem behind most startup struggles• Why founders often solve symptoms instead of root causes• How companies like Careem and Souq scaled operationally• Why most teams that build a startup can’t scale itIf you're a founder, product leader, or operator, this conversation will change how you think about growth, teams, and scaling companies.Chapters0:00 Intro1:00 Why Most Startups Never Truly Scale3:00 Early Adopters vs Mass Market6:00 The Real Reason Startup Growth Disappears10:30 Lessons from Scaling Careem16:30 How Souq Built the E-commerce Playbook25:00 The Theory of Constraints for Startups33:30 Builder vs Scaler Mindset41:40 Why Process Makes Teams Faster52:30 Why MENA Startups Struggle to Scale57:30 The One Thing Founders Must Fix Before Scaling

Very few people on the planet have built products used by 2+ billion people. Today’s guest is Uri Levine — co-founder of Waze (acquired by Google) and early founder of Moovit (acquired for $1B+), and the author of “Fall in Love with the Problem, Not the Solution.”In this episode, Uri breaks down the real mechanics behind breakout products—starting with the problem, not the tech. We go deep on:- The real “Eureka moment” that led to Waze (and why traffic was only the trigger)-Why certainty (ETA accuracy) beat “saving time” as the true value prop- How to validate a problem properly (including the “talk to 100 people” rule)- Why retention is the only real metric of product-market fit- The leadership decisions that separate companies that scale from those that stall- - Why simplicity wins—and how great products become “embarrassingly simple”Quick note: you may notice my voice is a bit hoarse in this episode—I was losing my voice that day, but I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to sit down with Uri. Thank you for bearing with me.If you’re a founder, product manager, or builder, this conversation is a masterclass.Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.mahmoudkhodor.comUri's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/uri-levine/Uri's book: https://urilevine.com/book/Concise Chapters / Timeline00:00 – The traffic moment that sparked Waze01:25 – Why founders start: emotional problems, not ideas03:00 – From idea to company: how Waze really began05:00 – Crowdsourcing as a moat (and how trust was built)07:30 – The real value of Waze: certainty over speed09:00 – How to validate a problem before building12:00 – “Fall in love with the problem, not the solution”18:00 – Startups are a journey of failure (and iteration)23:30 – Leadership lessons: hiring, firing, and hard decisions31:45 – Product-market fit explained: retention is the metric44:00 – Simplicity wins: why fewer features beat better tech58:45 – When startups die: scaling before the product is ready01:09:20 – Acquisition lessons: what success actually feels like01:12:10 – Final principles: good enough, problem-first, simplicity

Builder.ai hit a $1.5B valuation—then collapsed into insolvency. In this first long-form interview after the downfall, founder Sachin Dev Duggal joins Mahmoud Khodor to go beyond the headlines.We unpack what Builder.ai was actually building (feature “Lego blocks,” an end-to-end SDLC redesign, and the “Natasha” AI product manager), what was genuinely automated vs. human-led, and why the viral “700 engineers” narrative doesn’t match his account. Sachin also addresses the toughest questions: alleged AI-washing, revenue recognition shifts, reseller performance, lender actions, board dynamics, and what happened in the final weeks before insolvency.If you care about startups, venture-backed scale-ups, AI product truth vs. hype, and how companies break under pressure—this is the full story, with nuance.Keywords: Builder.ai, Sachin Dev Duggal, Builder AI insolvency, startup collapse, AI washing, fraud allegations, revenue recognition, venture capital, SaaS, software development automation, Natasha AI product manager, no-code vs low-code, SDLC, code generation, expert network.Chapters 0:00 Insolvency announcement: finding out via email/Bloomberg0:33 What this interview covers (beyond “fraud” headlines) + disclaimer1:17 Origin story: from photo-sharing idea to “software as features”3:31 The big insight: most apps share the same core features5:18 How Builder.ai redesigned the SDLC (feature as the atomic unit)8:36 Automation vs humans: what AI did, what people still had to do12:29 “Natasha” explained: AI PM, scoping, specs, storyboards18:30 Codegen reality: what worked, what stayed “lab-only”21:13 “700 engineers” narrative + “human-assisted AI” positioning25:49 What drove the biggest cost/time reduction (Lego + AI + run engine)32:17 Why Builder.ai didn’t fit neatly into no-code, agencies, or vibe coding41:58 What changed in 2023–2025: media narratives, board/leadership tension54:12 Inflated sales & revenue recognition: how the numbers shifted1:10:07 Lending $300K to make payroll + the pre-pack plan shock1:17:01 “What’s next?” The new thesis: a neurosymbolic “Second Brain”

We turned a “boring” laundromat idea into a $1M ARR tech brand in under a year.In this episode, I sit down with Jad Halaoui, co-founder of Washmen, to break down how they validated the idea with a scrappy Facebook ad, hit $1M ARR in year one, and then built a vertically integrated laundry operation that now processes hundreds of thousands of garments per month.We go deep into:How Jad left a safe oil & gas career to bet on himself in DubaiThe smoke test that proved people wanted app-based laundry before they wrote a single line of codeWhy next-day delivery hurt quality and how they iterated their way to product-market fitThe decision to shift from asset-light to fully owning the supply chain (and why margins improved)Crazy ops details: RFIDs, four-corner QR codes, color-sorted orders, and 99.95% on-time itemsWhy every garment is a piece of a customer’s identity, not just a piece of clothingIf you’re building a consumer brand, obsessed with operations, or thinking about betting on yourself, this one is packed with stories and lessons.Concise Timeline / ChaptersYou can paste this directly into YouTube:0:00 – QR code “innovation” and hitting $1M ARR0:57 – How the idea for Washmen was born3:05 – Leaving oil & gas to bet on himself and move to Dubai5:04 – Validating Washmen with a Facebook ad and free underwear7:33 – Incubator, seed round, and launching the first app in 201513:52 – Early ops pain: next-day delivery, quality issues, and fixing the model16:20 – Testing wash & fold, building their own facility, and Series B19:02 – Scaling to hundreds of thousands of garments with RFIDs & cameras20:23 – Early growth from Facebook/Instagram ads and viral content24:40 – From advertising-led growth to word of mouth & brand love26:28 – Why Washmen won: timing, drive, and not having a safety net32:01 – People strategy, training, and moving from firefighting to offense34:26 – Clothes as identity: emotional attachment and The Finery40:25 – Respecting the craft: tiny details, four-corner QR codes, and ops pride42:26 – Where to find Jad and learn more about Washmen