Lifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital Rohit Malhotra

In this podcast episode, Mohammed Khachab, Senior Vice President at BNP Group. his entrepreneurial journey from Lebanon to the thriving startup scene in Dubai. He shares the story of building and selling a company for $200 million, sharing the importance of assembling a complementary team and focusing on distribution before marketing. Mohammed also discusses the supportive Dubai ecosystem and his future endeavours as an angel investor and advisor. He highlights the significance of culture, values, and mental resilience in business, offering advice to fellow entrepreneurs on hiring and scaling their ventures, and much more!
Timestamps
Starting a Business in Dubai (00:02:24)
Importance of Distribution (00:04:31)
Selling a Company for $200 Million (00:07:39)
Dubai Startup Ecosystem (00:09:39)
Lessons from Scaling a Company (00:17:18)
Finding the right team (00:17:19)
Distribution and marketing (00:18:13)
Marketplaces and own distribution channels (00:20:09)
Hiring marketing personnel (00:22:03)
Fundraising insights (00:24:19)
Biggest moment in business (00:26:30)
Key traits in hiring (00:29:10)
Values-driven leadership (00:33:48)
Cultural reflection of leadership (00:34:19)
Recruitment process (00:38:04)
Mohamad’s Links
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohamad-khachab-581533a7/
Website – https://bmbgroup.com/
Email - mokhashab@hotmail.com
My Links 
 Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes
 YouTube:  youtube.com/lifeselfmastery
 Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal
 5-day email course: www.enterprisesalesexpertise.com

In this episode, John Li, CEO of Vimcal discusses his transition from Twitter to entrepreneurship, detailing the evolution of his startup from AR technology to a fitness venture, and ultimately to a specialized calendar app. He emphasizes the critical role of executive assistants in product development, the necessity of user feedback, and the integration of AI. John also talks about the unique challenges of user acquisition, the strategic shift to a vertical SaaS model, and the company's inclusive hiring practices, and much more!
Timestamps
The journey from Twitter to Y Combinator (00:00:02)
Pivoting from AR to Fitness to Calendar (00:03:38)
Onboarding users and fundraising challenges (00:10:26)
Vimcal's focus on meetings, not just a calendar (00:13:26)
The role of AI in startups and fundraising (00:15:29)
Launching Whimsical E and serving executive assistants (00:17:15)
Speed vs Quality in Product Development (00:19:43)
Lessons in conducting effective product reviews (00:20:21)
The Harmony of Features (00:20:41)
Product Teams' Focus (00:21:53)
Challenges in User Acquisition (00:22:58)
Enterprise and PLG Approach (00:24:49)
Traits in Hiring (00:26:26)
Assessing Curiosity and Clarity of Thought (00:29:43)
Hiring Mistakes and Parting Ways (00:33:19)
John’s Links
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnli611/
Website – https://www.vimcal.com/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/jaylbird11
My Links 
 Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes
 YouTube:  youtube.com/lifeselfmastery
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal
 5-day email course: www.enterprisesalesexpertise.com

In this podcast episode, Kyle Forster, CEO of RunWhen, shares his journey from growing up in Silicon Valley to becoming a leader in product management. He discusses the nuances of product management across different customer segments, offering advice on collaboration between product and commercial teams. Kyle also explores leadership roles, the transition from SMB to enterprise clients, and the unique challenges of enterprise product development. He shares his motivation for starting RunWhen, aiming to solve enterprise technology adoption issues and much more!
Timestamps
Growing up in Silicon Valley (00:00:25)
Transition to Product Management (00:03:10)
Different Types of Product Management (00:05:09)
Friction Between Commercial and Product Teams (00:07:16)
Product Managers' Mistakes (00:10:03)
Commercial Leaders and Product Strategy (00:15:24)
Transition to Enterprise Sales (00:17:46)
Building the Product for Different Users (00:18:42)
The Role of AI in Product Design (00:20:48)
Measuring Impact and Product Discipline (00:22:34)
Emotional Experience of Selling a Company (00:26:12)
Transitioning from Startups to Big Companies (00:28:27)
Importance of Reference Checks in Hiring (00:30:52)
Mistakes in Hiring the First Product Manager (00:36:08)
Product Mistakes and Learnings (00:36:51)
Kyle’s Links
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyforster
Website – https://www.runwhen.com/
My Links 
 Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes
 YouTube:  youtube.com/lifeselfmastery
 Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal
 5-day email course: www.enterprisesalesexpertise.com

In this podcast episode, Alex Twigg, founder of Appeggio, shares his transition from the banking sector to creating a no-code SaaS platform. He discusses the evolution of his leadership style, the impact of AI on jobs, and the concept of "invisible banking." Alex emphasizes the importance of nurturing talent, the role of experience in leadership, and the challenges faced by startups in distribution and customer acquisition. He also touches on the personal toll of entrepreneurship and recommends resources for founders and much more!
Timestamps
The Humble Beginnings (00:00:34)
The evolution of the banking sector (00:01:58)
Generational work ethics (00:05:31)
Leadership journey (00:08:38)
CEO's nature vs. nurture (00:19:48)
Transition to software development (00:23:49)
The journey from banker to technologist (00:24:13)
Judo Bank's innovative approach (00:25:52)
Challenges and success of Judo Bank (00:27:00)
Experience as a service (00:31:15)
Impact of AI and new code solutions (00:34:33)
Invisible banking and customer engagement (00:43:23)
Customer acquisition and onboarding (00:42:24)
Invisible Banking (00:47:06)
Distribution is Key (00:49:22)
Choosing Distribution Channels (00:51:44)
Balancing Entrepreneurialism and Family Life (00:53:35)
Alex’s Links
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/alextwigg
Website – Appeggio.com
My Links 
 Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes
 YouTube:  youtube.com/lifeselfmastery
 Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal
 5-day email course: www.enterprisesalesexpertise.com

In this podcast episode, Boris Manhart shares his experience leading Codecheck and his journey through the fintech landscape with Numbers. He shares his expertise on team alignment, leadership, and the critical role of market needs in AI startups. Boris emphasizes the significance of product-market fit, sustainable capital use, and the evolving dynamics of seed funding. He also offers advice to young entrepreneurs, stressing the importance of passion, patience, and much more!
Timestamps
Boris's Journey (00:00:25)
Lessons from Numbers (00:03:02)
Transition to Code Check (00:05:29)
Challenges in AI Startups (00:06:47)
CEO Skills and MBA (00:09:21)
Team Alignment and Failure Conditions (00:13:06)
Product-Market Fit and Startup Funding (00:16:31)
Managing Capital and Market Changes (00:20:28)
VC Lessons for Founders (00:23:20)
Lunch with Founders (00:24:03)
Investment Priorities (00:24:26)
Entering the Startup Landscape (00:25:51)
The Lean Startup (00:27:43)
Focus on Product-Market Fit (00:28:42)
Boris’s Links
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/borismanhart/
Website - growthunltd.com
My Links 
 Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes
 YouTube:  youtube.com/lifeselfmastery
 Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal
 5-day email course: www.enterprisesalesexpertise.com

In this podcast episode, Guy Kawasaki, talks about his latest book "Think Remarkable," exploring themes such as marketing excellence, the intricacies of podcast growth, the power of a growth mindset, and the art of finding mentors. Guy shares his journey, emphasizing the importance of quality in product evangelism and the challenges of leveraging a large social media following for impact. Guy also talks about the nuances of remote work management, the value of diversity in hiring, and learning from past decisions, and much more!
Timestamps
The Golden Touch (00:01:55)
Building a Podcast (00:03:10)
Challenges of Growing Social Media Channels (00:05:15)
Writing "Think Remarkable" (00:06:39)
Growth Mindset (00:07:26)
Qualities of Remarkable People (00:09:04)
Building Skill Sets (00:10:08)
Doing Epic Shit (00:11:31)
Creating a Subcategory (00:13:31)
Finding Mentors (00:15:27)
Effective Storytelling (00:17:41)
Pitching Framework (00:18:36)
Managing in a Remote Work Environment (00:19:56)
Remote Work Management (00:21:12)
Diversity in Hiring (00:22:21)
Learning from Career Regrets (00:23:55)
Lessons from Career Choices (00:24:16)
Impact of AI on Creativity (00:25:57)
Book Writing Process (00:27:15)
Overcoming Challenges (00:28:15)
Future Book Plans (00:29:53)
Guy’s Links
Website - https://guykawasaki.com/
Book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Think-Remarkable-Paths-Transform-Difference/dp/139424522X
Email – guykawasaki@gmail.com
My Links 
 Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes
YouTube:  youtube.com/lifeselfmastery
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal
5-day email course: www.enterprisesalesexpertise.com