Commerce Couch

Sohail Sayed
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  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated weekly

Commerce Couch is where the Middle East’s DTC and eCommerce founders share how their brands are actually built. Hosted by Sohail Sayed, each episode goes inside the decisions behind consumer brands: growth, marketing, product, pricing, branding, retention, retail, mistakes and the messy parts nobody posts about. Built for founders, operators and anyone trying to understand what it really takes to grow a brand in the UAE, GCC and Middle East.

Episodes

  1. 1 day ago

    What If Your First Sale Doesn't Matter?

    What does it actually take to build a consumer brand that survives beyond launch? Abdulkader(AK) Lamaa, founder of Oneshot, believes launching a brand is the easy part. The real challenge begins when you have to earn repeat customers, build trust, secure distribution, and create a brand people come back to. After spending 15 years in management consulting, AK spotted a massive shift towards healthier lifestyles and local brands across the Middle East. That insight led him to build Oneshot, a hydration brand designed specifically for the region. In this episode, he breaks down the research, product strategy, community-first marketing, and customer obsession behind building a modern consumer brand. In this episode, you'll learn: ✓ Why retention matters more than first-time sales for any consumer brand ✓ How to identify untapped opportunities before entering a crowded market ✓ The framework Oneshot used to build a product people actually stick with ✓ Why community beats advertising when you're competing with bigger brands ✓ How to validate product ideas using customer feedback instead of assumptions ✓ The biggest mistake founders make after launching a physical product ✓ How to evaluate sponsorships and events using measurable ROI ✓ Why speed and rapid iteration beat perfection in the early stages Chapters: 02:04 – Finding White Space in a Crowded Market 06:43 – Inside the R&D Process Behind a Consumer Brand 15:33 – Why Most Consumer Brands Die After Launch 19:05 – The Marketing Strategy That Beat Bigger Competitors 22:44 – Why Community Beats Paid Marketing Every Time 26:05 – How to Know If Your Sponsorships Are Actually Making Money 33:16 – The Number That Decides If Your Business Lives or Dies 44:35 – Choosing the Right Co-Founder Could Save Your Company Follow Commerce Couch Instagram Linkedin #commercecouch #consumerbrands #hydrationbrand #cpgmarketing #communitymarketing #retentionmarketing #productstrategy #brandbuilding #founderjourney #middleeaststartups #d2cbrand #fmcg

    What If Your First Sale Doesn't Matter?

  2. 7 Jul

    How Waggish Got Subway and Cinnabon to Ask for Their Design Style | Shark Tank Dubai

    Every Waggish product starts with something people already know: a saying, a dialect, a food memory, a joke, or a feeling they grew up with. Raghad Murad is the founder of Waggish, a design-led brand turning Arab culture, humor, and everyday references into products people collect, gift, and proudly identify with. In this episode, we explore how she built a creative brand with a distinct visual identity, organic growth, major brand collaborations, and a community that feels deeply connected to the work. In this episode, we talk about: ✓ A simple framework for turning cultural insights into products people actually want ✓ Why consistency matters more than chasing the next big idea ✓ The real business model behind running a profitable creative brand ✓ How Waggish grows through organic content instead of paid marketing ✓ Building products people want to collect, gift, and share. ✓ Small changes that increased average order value without increasing prices ✓ Creating a community that feels emotionally invested in your brand ✓ Practical advice for creatives looking to turn their ideas into a business Chapters 03:20 – Why Palestine Produces So Many Great Designers 05:57 – The Framework Behind Every Waggish Product 08:06 – The Product That Went Viral (And Got Death Threats) 11:09 – The First Year of Building Waggish 12:53 – How Subway & Cinnabon Found Waggish 19:23 – Turning Creativity Into a Business 30:30 – Why Waggish Launches New Products Every Week 33:14 – The Instagram Strategy Behind Waggish 35:24 – The Secret Behind Building a Cult Brand Follow Commerce Couch Instagram Linkedin #commercecouch #waggish #creativeentrepreneur #organicmarketing #contentstrategy #founderstory #arabdesign #arabculture #middleeastbusiness #uaestartups #dubaifounders #creativebusiness

    How Waggish Got Subway and Cinnabon to Ask for Their Design Style | Shark Tank Dubai

  3. 6 Jul

    What Luxury Buyers Really Want Every Founder to Understand | Magana

    In this episode of Commerce Couch, we sit down with Omar Chaoui, Founder of Magana, an independent watch brand born in Dubai with Moroccan roots. Omar shares how Magana is building around a bigger idea than watches: time. We explore luxury psychology, brand positioning, the modern Middle Eastern consumer, solo-founder challenges, customer experience, and what it takes to build meaning in a category dominated by heritage and craftsmanship. If you're a founder, marketer, or brand builder, this episode offers practical lessons on differentiation, trust, and building a consumer brand with a clear point of view. In this episode, you'll learn: ✓ Why your brand needs a clear point of view before the product ✓ How to stand out in a category where everyone sounds the same ✓ What luxury buyers are really looking for beyond price and status ✓ Why the Middle Eastern consumer has more depth than many brands assume ✓ How strong after-sales service builds trust and retention ✓ What solo-founder loneliness really looks like behind the scenes ✓ Why conviction matters before the numbers catch up ✓ How Magana connects time, culture, community, and mindfulness Chapters 01:04 – Corporate career, setbacks, and becoming an entrepreneur 08:07 – What watches represent psychologically 10:11 – Why Magana talks about time instead of craftsmanship 15:48 – Community, belonging, and emotional brands 19:24 – Culture, togetherness, and mindfulness 28:48 – Solo-founder loneliness, bootstrapping, and consistency 33:20 – The modern Middle Eastern luxury consumer and customer experience Follow Commerce Couch Instagram Linkedin #commercecouch #luxurywatches #brandbuilding #consumerpsychology #entrepreneurship #founderjourney #dubai #middleeast

    What Luxury Buyers Really Want Every Founder to Understand | Magana

  4. 30 Jun

    When Raising Prices Increased Demand I Omer Elrayah I Founder at RemoBrush

    In this episode of Commerce Couch, I sit down with Omer Elrayah, founder of RemoBrush, a dentist-turned-founder building a modern oral care brand inspired by the centuries-old miswak. Omer shares how he took an idea from his dental practice and turned it into a product, the challenges of manufacturing and patenting, why customer feedback convinced him to increase his prices, and how selling toothbrushes at AI events became one of his most effective growth channels. We also discuss customer retention, organic content, sustainability, community-driven growth, and what it takes to build a physical product brand from scratch. 📌 What You'll Learn • How to validate a product idea by solving a problem you've seen firsthand • Why educating customers can be your biggest advantage when introducing a new category • How early customer feedback can shape product development and pricing • Why selling in person is one of the fastest ways to learn and acquire customers • How exhibiting at AI and community events helped RemoBrush stand out and drive sales • What type of organic content actually converts viewers into customers • How to improve retention through product expansion, bundles, and subscriptions • Why sustainability became the strongest purchase driver for RemoBrush customers ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Introduction & The Story Behind RemoBrush 06:58 How a Dentist Turned Miswak Into a Modern Product 10:29 Manufacturing, Patents & Early Challenges 11:48 Launching RemoBrush & Getting the First Customers 14:24 Getting the Product Into the Hands of Influencers 17:43 Why Selling Toothbrushes at AI Events Works 20:20 The Organic Content Strategy Behind Early Growth 25:01 Retention, New Products & Repeat Purchases 33:34 Advice for First-Time Founders #CommerceCouch #DTC #Ecommerce #Entrepreneurship #BrandBuilding

    When Raising Prices Increased Demand I Omer Elrayah I Founder at RemoBrush

  5. 30 Jun

    The Launch Strategy That Sold 500 Games in an Hour I Patrick Saber I Co-Founder at Panic Zones

    What does it take to turn a simple card game into a fast-growing consumer brand? In this episode of Commerce Couch, we sit down with Patrick Saber, CEO and Co-Founder of Panic Zones, a tabletop gaming company building immersive social experiences from the Middle East for a global audience. From spending three years developing and testing a single game with over 600 people to selling 500 units in the first hour of launch, Patrick shares the behind-the-scenes journey of building Panic Zones from an idea among friends into a growing gaming brand. We talk about product development, community building, launch activations, retail distribution, DTC growth, content marketing, and why physical experiences matter more than ever in a world dominated by screens. In this episode, you'll learn: ✓ How Panic Zones spent three years and 30+ iterations building its first game ✓ Why testing with 600 people was crucial before launch ✓ How a community-led activation helped sell 500 units in the first hour ✓ What founders should know about manufacturing, certifications, and product compliance ✓ How Panic Zones approaches retail partnerships and shelf placement ✓ Why Instagram outperformed TikTok for community building and conversions ✓ How to think about DTC, Amazon, and marketplace sales together ✓ The role of branding and packaging in driving purchases ✓ Why physical games are thriving in an increasingly digital world ✓ Three key lessons for founders building consumer brands today Chapters 00:00 – Introduction 00:56 – Meet Patrick Saber and the story behind Panic Zones 03:07 – Why build a business in the gaming industry? 04:08 – What makes a game replayable? 06:00 – 30 iterations, 600 testers, and 3 years of development 06:48 – Using feedback and data to improve the product 08:14 – Turning a game into a business 08:50 – Manufacturing, certifications, and launch preparation 11:05 – The community activation that drove early sales 13:10 – Instagram vs TikTok for growth 14:08 – Breaking into retail stores 16:52 – DTC vs Amazon and marketplaces 18:24 – Positioning against established competitors 21:16 – Building retention and brand loyalty 23:18 – What customers are really buying 24:36 – Why physical games matter in a digital world 26:25 – Three lessons for founders 28:31 – Closing thoughts #commercecouch #paniczones #tabletopgames #boardgames #cardgames #consumerbrands #founderjourney #ecommerce #retail #communitybuilding #startupstories #entrepreneurship

    The Launch Strategy That Sold 500 Games in an Hour I Patrick Saber I Co-Founder at Panic Zones

  6. 30 Jun

    How This Founder Built a Fashion Brand Rooted in Old Money Elegance

    What makes a fashion brand feel rooted?In this episode of Commerce Couch, we sit down with Vanessa, founder of Sculpt Fashion, a UAE-based womenswear brand built around tailoring, modesty, slow fashion, and timeless elegance.Vanessa shares how body image, motherhood, fabric, old money, and luxury shaped the way she built Sculpt.A conversation about fashion, identity, culture, and creating clothes for women who want to feel elegant, covered, confident, and seen.In this episode, you’ll learn:✓ How Vanessa’s personal journey shaped Sculpt Fashion✓ Why sizing, fabric, and tailoring matter so much in womenswear✓ The difference between slow fashion and fast fashion✓ What luxury means beyond money and logos✓ How old money, heritage, and elegance influence the brand✓ Why Sculpt designs for real women with real lives✓ What it takes to build a fashion brand with identityChapters00:00 – Meet Vanessa and the story behind Sculpt Fashion03:06 – The personal struggle that inspired the brand08:20 – Finding a gap in women’s fashion13:18 – Why one cotton top took a year to create18:20 – Fabric sourcing, manufacturing, and product development21:26 – Private wardrobes, uniforms, and luxury clients25:15 – Motherhood, entrepreneurship, and building with purpose30:08 – Slow fashion vs fast fashion38:08 – What luxury really means43:25 – Can money buy luxury?44:56 – Defining old money, heritage, and elegance48:45 – Designing collections for modern women53:26 – The meaning of timeless elegance56:45 – Building a brand vs building for money #commercecouch #fashionbusiness #slowfashion #luxurybranding #uaefounders #founderstory #fashionfounder #brandbuilding #ecommercepodcast #womenswear

    How This Founder Built a Fashion Brand Rooted in Old Money Elegance

  7. 30 Jun

    Why This Dubai Perfume Brand Is Selling More Than Just Scent

    What does it take to build a perfume brand in Dubai’s highly competitive fragrance market?In this episode, we sit down with Wissam Serdoun, founder of Maison Serdoun, a fragrance brand built around memory, emotion, identity, and scent.From creating perfumes during a deeply personal family moment to building a brand that blends Parisian freshness with Oriental depth, Wissam shares the real journey behind Maison Serdoun.We talk about fragrance psychology, customer taste, luxury branding, events, collaborations, and what it really takes to stand out in a market full of perfume brands.In this episode, you’ll learn:✓ How Maison Serdoun started from a deeply personal family story✓ Why scent is so strongly connected to memory and emotion✓ How perfume can be positioned as therapy, not just luxury✓ What makes the GCC fragrance market different from Europe✓ How Wissam blends Parisian freshness with Oriental intensity✓ Why customer taste can challenge a founder’s own creative instinct✓ How events, collaborations, and pop-ups help fragrance brands grow✓ Why showing up as a founder matters, even when it feels uncomfortableChapters00:00 – The emotional power of scent00:51 – Meet Wissam Serdoun and the story behind Maison Serdoun04:13 – Why perfume is connected to memory and emotion07:20 – Building in a competitive fragrance market like Dubai11:02 – Hotels, airlines, and the B2B side of fragrance12:35 – Blending Parisian luxury with Oriental depth15:03 – Passion, business, and the hard parts of building24:09 – Early numbers, bestsellers, and customer behaviour #commercecouch #maisonserdoun #uaebrands #dubaistartups #fragrancebrand #perfumeindustry #dtcbrand #ecommercepodcast #founderjourney #entrepreneurship

    Why This Dubai Perfume Brand Is Selling More Than Just Scent

  8. 30 Jun

    We Lost Everything in the Dubai Floods, Here’s How We Rebuilt | Blake Stemm, Marketing Director at Booch

    In this episode of the Commerce Couch, we sit down with the marketing director of Booch, a home-grown UAE kombucha brand that is rapidly expanding across the region. From starting as a home brewer in Australia to navigating catastrophic local floods that nearly wiped out the business, our guest shares an incredibly candid look into what it really takes to build, lose, and rebuild a fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brand in Dubai. The conversation unpacks the unique realities of the GCC beverage market, exploring how Booch tackles consumer education through innovative experiential marketing, B2B partnerships, and a highly flexible direct-to-consumer subscription model. Our guest also pulls back the curtain on the humbling mistakes every founder faces from being proven wrong by your own team on flavor profiles to managing severe international supply chain disruptions. At its core, this is an episode about resilience, leaning on your team, and choosing fast-paced execution over the trap of perfectionism. Whether you are an aspiring food and beverage entrepreneur or passionate about scaling a business in the UAE, this conversation offers invaluable tactical insights. WHAT YOU WILL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE:The reality of market validation and why a founder's product assumptions are wrong nine times out of ten. How our guest transitioned from a background in creative arts and strategic marketing to launching an artisanal beverage brand in Dubai. The raw story of losing everything during the April floods and the pivotal team discussion that saved the company. Tactical approaches to consumer education, including leveraging community markets, fitness events, and custom kombucha bars. The business logic behind launching kombucha mocktails to lower the barrier to entry for hesitant consumers and children. How Booch manages its B2B distribution through wholesale kegs, taps, and bespoke recipe menus for local cafes. A breakdown of experiential ROI, tracking offline event conversions using digital QR codes and custom website discounts. The mechanics of their pressure-free subscription model that allows consumers to dynamically pause or change their monthly flavor formulas. Why perfectionism is the enemy in the fast-moving FMCG sector. The logistical challenges of international sourcing and why Booch is actively pivoting to a hyper-local GCC supply chain. CHAPTERS00:00 – The humbling reality of market validation: Why founders are usually wrong. 04:00 – Staying true to tradition: Small-batch brewing and avoiding artificial sweeteners. 08:00 – The Pineapple Chili surprise: Listening to your team and understanding consumer palettes. 10:00 – From Australia to the UAE: The accidental 16-year journey and launching Booch. 14:00 – Lowering the barrier to entry: Introducing kombucha mocktails and seasonal bars on tap. 18:00 – Inside B2B distribution: Selling by the keg and designing custom menus for local cafes. 20:00 – Overcoming the catastrophic April floods: The pivotal team decision to pack up or rebuild. 23:00 – Building a flexible, pressure-free subscription model for the modern fitness community. 25:00 – Logistical bottlenecks: The active pivot away from China to a hyper-local GCC supply chain. Follow Commerce Couch Instagram Linkedin

    We Lost Everything in the Dubai Floods, Here’s How We Rebuilt | Blake Stemm, Marketing Director at Booch

  9. 30 Jun

    These two sisters are proving you don't need a huge team to build a viral fashion brand | Malak & Aya, Founders at Maison De Hoor.

    This episode of the Commerce Couch podcast features Malak and Aya, the sister duo behind the burgeoning modest wear brand Maison De Hoor. Together, they explore the intersection of heritage, creativity, and entrepreneurship, detailing how they transformed a family passion for traditional Arabic attire into a modern, customer-centric fashion house.  Malak and Aya share the heartwarming origin story of their brand, which was heavily inspired by their mother’s love for designing abayas and tobias. They discuss their slow fashion philosophy, their dedication to sourcing high-quality fabrics, and their unique Double Exposure collection, which draws inspiration from the colors and cultures of iconic Arab cities.  At its core, this is a conversation about the power of authentic storytelling in business, the nuances of the modest fashion market, and the importance of just starting even when things aren't perfect.  WHAT YOU WILL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE• How a family tradition of designing custom clothing evolved into a professional trade license and brand.  • The inspiration behind Maison Dior and the goal of making modest wear expressive, unique, and colorful.  • The sisters' meticulous design process, including six-hour sourcing trips to fabric stores.  • Insights into the Double Exposure collection and how photography techniques inspired double-sided abayas.  • How they serve underserved markets, including modest evening wear and bridal events.  • The logistical realities of running a small team, from marketing and photography to managing tailors during holiday rushes.  • Their experience with pop-up shops in the UAE and using them for brand visibility and audience interaction.  • The Vibe-based growth strategy: why they prioritize organic resonance over rigid sales targets.  • A peek into the future, including potential expansions into kids' wear and a beach-inspired collection.  • Practical advice for UAE entrepreneurs on taking risks and supporting local businesses.  CHAPTERS• 00:00 – Meet Malak and Aya: The sisters obsessed with modern modest wear.  • 01:00 – Heritage and Identity: How Palestinian embroidery and family stories birthed the brand.  • 10:00 – Solving the Underserved Market: The struggle for fashionable, high-quality modest evening wear.  • 20:00 – Travel Wear & City Stories: Naming collections after Arab cities like Cairo and Jerusalem.  • 30:00 – Authenticity over Trends: Why the sisters pivoted from minimalism to their own maximalist gut instinct style.  • 40:00 – Just Start: Powerful advice for entrepreneurs and the supportive landscape of the UAE.

    These two sisters are proving you don't need a huge team to build a viral fashion brand | Malak & Aya, Founders at Maison De Hoor.

  10. 26 Jun

    She’s Building A UAE Kidswear Brand Before It Even Launches | Jen Gordon, Founder at Me + Mer

    What does it really take to build a brand before it even launches? In the very first UAE episode of Commerce Couch, we sit down with Jen Gordon, founder of Me + Mer, a kids’ beachwear brand inspired by the UAE’s beach culture and built completely from scratch while balancing a full-time corporate career, motherhood, and the chaos that comes with entrepreneurship. From supplier disasters and self-doubt to building a community before having a product, this episode is an honest look into the messy, exciting, obsession-driven phase of building a DTC brand before the world sees it. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Jen spotted a real market gap in UAE kids’ swimwear Why building a community before launch matters so much The difference between “good taste” and “market taste” What actually happens when suppliers fail you How to keep going when there’s no validation yet Why founder-led brands are winning today The psychology behind obsession and entrepreneurship What it really feels like building a brand in public before launch Chapters 00:00 – The reality of failure and moving forward 01:03 – Meet Jen Gordon and the story behind Me + Mer 03:15 – Spotting the gap in UAE kids’ swimwear 06:49 – Building a brand around taste and identity 09:34 – Staying consistent without instant rewards 14:21 – Building in public before launch 17:39 – Supplier failures, delays, and hard lessons 25:45 – Jen’s vision for Me + Mer and advice for founders Follow Commerce Couch Instagram Linkedin #commercecouch #uaestartups #dtcbrand #ecommercepodcast #founderjourney #uaebrands #entrepreneurship #buildinginpublic #startupstories #dtcmarketing

    She’s Building A UAE Kidswear Brand Before It Even Launches | Jen Gordon, Founder at Me + Mer

  11. 08/02/2025

    How a Hot Chocolate Experiment Landed on Shark Tank India | Anuva Kakkar - Founder, Tiggle

    We often overthink how a business will perform before even taking the first step. But the real magic happens when we start and improve along the way. In this episode, we sit down with Anuva Kakkar, the founder of Tiggle, a brand that crafts insanely delicious Hot Chocolate & Iced Chocolate blends from handpicked cocoa beans. From selling on the streets to pitching onShark Tank India, Anuva’s journey is nothing short of inspiring. She shares what it took to buildTiggle from scratch, the lessons she learned, and the mindset that helped her push forward. Hit play, plug in your headphones, and let’s dive into learning eCommerce!

    How a Hot Chocolate Experiment Landed on Shark Tank India | Anuva Kakkar - Founder, Tiggle
  • 11 Episodes

About

Commerce Couch is where the Middle East’s DTC and eCommerce founders share how their brands are actually built. Hosted by Sohail Sayed, each episode goes inside the decisions behind consumer brands: growth, marketing, product, pricing, branding, retention, retail, mistakes and the messy parts nobody posts about. Built for founders, operators and anyone trying to understand what it really takes to grow a brand in the UAE, GCC and Middle East.

Information

  • Creator
    Sohail Sayed
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    11
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Sohail Sayed
  • Show Website
    Commerce Couch