The Lighthouse Conversations with Hashem Montasser The Lighthouse
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- Society & Culture
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Hashem Montasser, Founder of the The Lighthouse Restaurant & Concept Store in the UAE, is a raconteur who avidly follows the work of arts, culture, technology and, of course, food. In a series of conversations aimed at introducing its audience to the Middle East’s entrepreneurial landscape, Hashem asks his guests about their life journeys, inspirations, successes and failures and everything in-between.
New episodes available every second Thursday.
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Teaser: Hamed Al Awar
Catch our brand new episode this Thursday with Hamad Al Awar, the founder of the beloved home-grown burger brand 'High Joint'.
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"Dubai is like a millefeuille. There are layers and layers." Mohamed Maktabi on the rich history of his family’s business 'Iwan Maktabi' and his passion for storytelling through the intricate artistry of carpets
Hashem catches up with Mohamed Maktabi, the CEO of Iwan Maktabi, the go-to address for rare carpets and textile art in the MENA region. They go back in time as Mohamed reveals the captivating tale of his family's heritage: from his grandfather's migration from Iran to Lebanon, fueled by a passion for collecting the most exquisite carpets, to the present-day business in Beirut and Dubai. Mohamed shares his passion for storytelling through the intricate artistry of carpets and how the business came to be named ‘Iwan Maktabi’ (spoiler alert: it’s not a family member!).
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Teaser: Mohamed Maktabi
We're back this week with a brand new episode with Mohamed Maktabi, the man behind the carpet dynasty, Iwan Maktabi. Find it in your podcast player this Thursday.
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2023: (It Goes Like) Naaaaaah
In our 2023 review episode, our producer Chirag Desai catches up with Hashem to discuss the milestones from this past year such as coping with fear of failure, the allure of leaving a legacy behind and the loneliness of being an entrepreneur. Plus, Hashem talks about his soft spot for the late Queen Elizabeth – and we finally find out why!
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Episode #79 Teaser: 2023 - (It Goes Like) Naaaaaah
Hashem and his producer Chirag look back on 2023, sharing who makes a good podcast host, why fear of failure keeps popping up, and how to make a business outlast its founder. Catch the new episode, out this Friday!
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2023 Throwback: Ayman Fakoussa on launching The Qode, balancing friendship with business, and why he can’t let go of Excel
In this throwback episode from 2023: Our conversation with Ayman Fakkousa, co-founder of The Qode. Hashem and Ayman chat about his experience growing up in Saudi Arabia before eventually moving to Dubai and embarking on a multi-faceted career that culminated in launching his own communications firm at the young age of 30 (with partner Dipesh Depala).
Hashem and Ayman also discuss the entrepreneurial energy of Dubai, navigating the pandemic, why The Qode decided to enter the Saudi market, Ayman’s dedication to philanthropy, and…the ubiquity of proverbial buses!
We’ll be back with new episodes in a couple of weeks.
Links:
Cordoba Advisory’s Rami Sarafa on demystifying the art of investing and the importance of psychology in wealth management