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Mahmoud Khodor
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In-depth conversations with top product leaders and entrepreneurs uncovering practical insights, strategies, and real-world experiences to help you build better products and businesses.

  1. 12/10/2025

    Shazam-for-Cars To Dealer AI: The Pivot - Andrew Kabrit

    What happens when your AI chatbot accidentally tries to buy a car for $0?In this episode, I sit down with Andrew Kabrit, co-founder of Seez.co , the startup once known as the “Shazam for Cars.”From scraping car data to building an AI platform used by major dealerships across Europe and the Middle East, Andrew shares how a single pivot turned Seez from a consumer app into a thriving B2B automotive SaaS company.Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.mahmoudkhodor.comAndrew's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-kabritSeez's website https://seez.coWe dive deep into:🚗 How Seez built early AI models before ChatGPT existed💡 The “bot that bought a car for zero”, and what it taught the team📈 Pivoting from millions of users to a few key enterprise clients🏠 Building a startup from a bare Dubai penthouse with no AC or furniture🤖 Creating Caesar, the AI sales assistant transforming car dealerships💥 The mindset that helped Seez get acquired and scale globallyIf you’re into startup stories, AI, product pivots, or building in the Middle East, this one’s for you.🕒 Chapters / Timeline00:00 – Intro: From Shazam for Cars to Dealer AI01:00 – The $0 car offer: When AI went rogue03:00 – Building Seez in a Dubai penthouse with no AC05:00 – Early days of AI: scraping data & training image models08:00 – Launching the “Shazam for Cars” app11:00 – The B2C challenge: millions of users, no revenue13:00 – The pandemic pivot: from app to dealership SaaS16:00 – Selling cars online before Tesla made it cool20:00 – Understanding dealer pain points24:00 – Why scrappiness beats perfection26:00 – Finding your first B2B customers30:00 – How to sell to enterprise clients33:00 – The power of GTEX and first major deals37:00 – Convincing the team and investors to pivot40:00 – Building the Caesar AI assistant45:00 – Differentiating in the AI chatbot market49:00 – Domain expertise and deep dealership integrations53:00 – What’s next after Seez’s acquisition by Pinewood56:00 – Andrew’s biggest lessons for founders58:00 – Closing thoughts and where to find Andrew

    58 min

  2. 11/19/2025

    From Idea to Live App in One Canvas — David Kossnick

    Can AI truly become your third teammate in design?In this episode, David Kossnick, Head of AI Products at Figma, joins Mahmoud Khodor to explore how Figma Make is transforming the way product managers, designers, and engineers co-create.You’ll learn how Figma is integrating AI beyond the gimmick, from “prompt-to-app” workflows to multiplayer prototyping where humans and AI build side by side. David also shares how AI is lowering the floor and raising the ceiling of what’s possible in product design — and why the future may belong to one-person, billion-dollar builders.If you’re a product manager, designer, or founder curious about AI tools, Figma AI, design collaboration, or the future of creativity, this episode is a must-watch.Newsletter: https://www.mahmoudkhodor.comDavid's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkossnick/Figma website https://www.figma.com/🧠 What You’ll Learn- How AI is becoming a true design collaborator- The playbook to avoid the “AI novelty trap”- How Figma Make changes prototyping forever- Why design will matter more than ever in the AI era- What the “one-person billion-dollar startup” future looks like⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Design as the new differentiator00:21 – Guest intro: David Gossnick, Head of AI at Figma00:48 – What “AI at Figma” really means03:17 – How Figma decides which AI features to build06:36 – Balancing speed and responsibility in AI08:44 – Biggest challenges of building AI at scale11:05 – AI lowering the floor & raising the ceiling13:20 – Will AI replace designers?15:02 – The rise of one-person billion-dollar builders20:45 – Avoiding the AI novelty trap30:01 – How Figma keeps innovating32:04 – The future of design with AI

    35 min

  3. 11/02/2025

    Why do brilliant products still fail with April Dunford

    In this episode, positioning legend April Dunford breaks down why “product-market fit” is a myth, how founders should think about positioning, and what separates products that grow from those that disappear.We talk about April’s early days turning a failing database product into a billion-dollar success, why most startups get positioning completely wrong, and how to make customers finally get what you do in 30 seconds.If you’re a founder, product manager, or marketer, this episode will completely change how you think about your product story, differentiation, and growth.Subscribe to my newsletterhttps://www.mahmoudkhodor.comConnect with April on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/Visit her website: https://www.aprildunford.com/Buy her book: https://www.amazon.ae/Ambient-Press-Obviously-Awesome-Positioning/dp/1999023005⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Intro | Who is April Dunford?03:00 – The database that failed – and then didn’t08:00 – How positioning saved the product15:00 – Why “Product-Market Fit” is a myth22:00 – Positioning vs Branding vs Messaging28:00 – The real sign you’ve found your market34:00 – How to create an Actionable Segmentation42:00 – When bad positioning kills good startups51:00 – Why positioning is a team sport1:05:00 – Building KChat and testing our own positioning1:12:00 – April’s new book update + final advice

    1h 19m

  4. 10/21/2025

    How Lovin Dubai Became a $15 M Media Powerhouse - Richard Fitzgerald

    Unlock the story behind one of the Middle East’s fastest-growing modern media companies as Richard Fitzgerald, Founder & CEO of Loving Dubai (Augustus Media), shares how he built a multi-city network from scratch in 2015. In this in-depth conversation, we cover:🎙️ Most Surprising Thing in Dubai: Richard’s biggest takeaway after 13 years in the city🚀 Genesis of Loving Dubai & Augustus Media: From a side project to a $15 M+ business🔥 Growth Hacking & Publishing Strategy: Listicles, native content, real-time feeds🔒 Licensing & Regulation: Navigating UAE media rules and securing IP🔄 Acquisition of Seven Days Assets: Boosting credibility, SEO & audience reach🌍 Regional Expansion: Launching 22 city pages and 13 verticals under Smashy🤝 Localization & Hosts: Building relatable on-air talent across MENA💡 Personal Branding Advice: Why “beyond expertise” is key for lasting influenceSubscribe to newsletter:https://www.mahmoudkhodor.comAugustus Media Links:Lovin Dubai:https://lovin.co/dubai/en/https://www.instagram.com/lovindubai/?hl=enhttps://www.youtube.com/@UCwmK7lGImUYz4pb_z8XJytQ Smashi Business:https://smashi.tv/en/businesshttps://www.instagram.com/smashibusiness/https://www.youtube.com/@Smashi-BusinessRichard Fitzgerald:https://www.linkedin.com/in/fitzyrichard/https://www.instagram.com/fitzyrichard/?hl=en▶️ Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/YourChannel👍 Like this video if you learned something new about media entrepreneurship💬 Comment below with your biggest takeaway or question for Richard🔗 Connect with Richard Fitzgerald:Instagram: @richardfLoving Dubai: https://lovindubai.comSmashy Business: https://smashy.com#MediaEntrepreneurship #LovingDubai #GrowthHacking #DubaiStartups #PodcastInsights #AugustusMedia📑 Video Chapters00:00 Introduction & Content Discovery00:06 Discovery vs. Recommendations Debate02:49 Podcast Setup & Question Preview03:33 “Most Surprising Thing I Found in Dubai”05:14 How Loving Dubai Got Its Start07:00 Growth Hacking with Listicles & BuzzFeed Tactics11:02 Real-Time Publishing & “Protect the Feed”13:43 Day One: Early Challenges & Cease-and-Desist15:09 Full-Time Founder: Fundraising & First Hires18:07 Navigating UAE Regulation & Media Licensing20:01 Acquisition of Seven Days Assets23:00 Scrappy Growth Tactics & Content Repurposing26:00 Content Curation Lens: Local vs. Western Stories29:16 Localization & Host Strategy for MENA Audiences32:06 Launching Smashy Business & Regional Expansion35:03 Scaling 22 Cities & 13 Verticals: Metrics & Milestones37:26 Personal Branding Beyond Subject-Matter Expertise40:00 AI, the Future of Media & Wrap-Up(will be deleted later: Quote: we protect the feed)

    55 min

  5. 10/01/2025

    The Pivot That Saved Quiqup – Bassel El Koussa

    From a London living room startup to powering some of the biggest e-commerce brands in the Middle East, this is the incredible journey of Basel Kusa, co-founder & CEO of Quiqup (QuickUp).Subscribe my newsletter: https://www.mahmoudkhodor.comBassel Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bassel-el-koussa-37576652/Quiqup Website: https://www.quiqup.com/In this episode, Bassel shares:- How he and his co-founders launched a same-day delivery app before “quick commerce” was a thing.- The wild story of delivering an entire garden to a customer in London.- Surviving with only six weeks of cash runway for four years straight.- The toughest day of his life: standing in front of 105 employees to announce a pivot.- Why he moved the company to Dubai, and how QuickUp became a B2B e-commerce powerhouse serving brands like Sephora, Boots, and H&M.- The lessons he learned about resilience, leadership, and building customer-obsessed culture.This is a raw and practical look into startup life, the highs, the pivots, the near-death moments, and what it takes to keep going when everything says you should stop.👉 If you’re a founder, operator, or aspiring entrepreneur, this episode is packed with insights you won’t find in textbooks.00:00 – Intro & Basel’s startup journey 01:08 – Building Quiqup in London: the early days 06:14 – The wild story: delivering an entire garden 09:49 – Finding product–market fit & early growth 14:22 – Pivot day: telling 105 employees it’s over 15:35 – Moving to Dubai & landing Sephora, Boots, H&M 23:50 – Customer obsession & building company culture 28:09 – How Quiqup tech powers e-commerce in MENA 33:06 – Surviving with only six weeks of cash for years 37:12 – Leadership lessons, resilience & the future of logistics 42:28 – Advice for founders in the Middle East

    42 min

  6. 10/01/2025

    I Was the Customer. I Knew It Would Win - Mona Ataya

    Mona Ataya is one of the Arab world’s most influential entrepreneurs, the founder of Mom’s World, the region’s most trusted mother and baby platform with over 2.5 million customers. In this episode, Mona shares the unfiltered story of building a purpose-driven e-commerce giant from scratch — using her savings, her own car for deliveries, and grit to compete with Amazon and win.Subscribe to my newsletter:https://www.mahmoudkhodor.comShe reveals:- How she found product-market fit on day one- Why she rejected investors whose values didn’t align- How she built a powerful brand community for moms- The hardest decision of her life: stepping down after 14 years- Whether you're a founder, operator, mother, or dreamer, this story will light a fire in you.📍 CHAPTERS00:00 Intro & Why Mom’s World Would Win 00:37 Episode Highlights & Key Takeaways 00:55 Reflecting on Dubai’s Evolution (25 Years) 01:53 Early Digital Ecosystem & Talent Influx 02:23 Identifying Unmet Needs & Inspiration for Mom’s World 03:55 Building a Business She Personally Needed 05:30 Niche Positioning & Competing with Amazon 06:41 Launch Timeline: Plan to First Customer 07:06 Scrappy Delivery Tactics (Using Personal Vehicles) 08:43 Curiosity & Hard Work as Success Drivers 09:22 Challenges of Early E-commerce in MENA 10:11 Fundraising Hurdles as a Woman Founder 12:02 Creative Supply-Chain Solutions 14:03 Building & Retaining Women Leaders 16:10 Essential Traits: Problem-Solving & Grit 18:02 Regional Expansion Strategy Across MENA 20:02 Choosing Investors Aligned with Your Mission 22:01 Recognizing Product-Market Fit Day One 23:22 Balancing Growth, Capital & Operations 25:14 Focus on Unit Economics & Fundamentals 26:45 Bilingual Launch & Cross-Border Strategy 28:18 Differentiation: Vertical vs. Horizontal Model 30:00 Building Brand Trust & Community 31:02 Empowering Women: Leadership & Mentorship 32:37 Cultural Nuances in Consumer Behavior 33:39 E-commerce Ecosystem: Then vs. Now 34:56 Acquisition by Tamkeen Group & Emotional Journey 37:14 Transition & Future Endeavors 40:02 Overcoming Gender Bias in Leadership 43:42 Intentional Inclusion of Women in Culture 46:09 Supporting Aspiring Women Entrepreneurs 49:00 Time Management & Shifting Priorities 51:01 Teaching Grit & Resilience to Children 53:05 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs in MENA 54:23 Connect with Muna Ataya & Closing 📲 Follow Mona Atayahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/monaataya/Mumz worldhttps://www.mumzworld.com/#MonaAtaya #MomsWorld #WomenEntrepreneurs #StartupsMENA #ProductMarketFit #EcommerceSuccess #WomenInBusiness #MiddleEastTech #FounderStory

    55 min

  7. 08/06/2025

    How CALO Delivered 10 Million Meals Across 10+ Locations - Ahmed Al Rawi

    Meet Ahmed El Rawi, founder of CALO, one of the fastest-growing food-tech startups in the Middle East.In this episode, Ahmed shares how he:- Ran a smoke test MVP that sold food before it even existed- Built a 10,000-person waitlist across Bahrain, Saudi, and the UAE- Found undeniable product-market fit and scaled without paid ads- Assembled a top-tier team and turned customer obsession into a cultural edgeWhether you're a startup founder, product builder, or investor in MENA, this is one of the most insightful growth stories you’ll hear.Subscribe for more founder stories from the Middle East, and don’t forget to like & share if this inspired you.https://www.mahmoudkhodor.comhttps://calo.appFollow Ahmed:https://www.linkedin.com/in/rawi📍 CHAPTERS00:00 – Intro00:39 – How CALO hit $20M ARR in 6 months with $0 marketing02:00 – Why Ahmed stopped building random products03:35 – Discovering the CALO idea: solving his own food problem05:00 – Smoke test MVP: fake meals, real demand07:00 – The $1,000 website that launched a food empire09:00 – Customer intent: 40 strangers ready to pay10:45 – Pitching investors before building a kitchen12:05 – Getting rejected… and finding a workaround14:10 – First customers, first renewals: signs of product-market fit16:00 – Instagram virality and waitlist growth17:50 – Why he chose an invite-only launch20:10 – Real signs of product-market fit in Bahrain and Saudi22:30 – Understanding market-by-market PMF24:00 – Why Dubai was a slow start25:30 – Scaling across GCC: Bahrain → Saudi → UAE27:00 – How fear of copycats fueled fast expansion28:10 – The real operational nightmare30:00 – Why growth made ops 10x harder31:20 – Building a team of A-players32:10 – Recruitment mindset: business is a team sport34:00 – Culture fit interviews and founder-led hiring36:15 – Final thoughts: where to follow Ahmed🎙️ Subscribe for more interviews with MENA’s top founders and builders.#Startups #MENAFounders #ProductMarketFit #AhmedElRawi #MiddleEastTech #MVP #StartupPodcast #ZeroToOne

    39 min

  8. 07/13/2025

    Our AI Employees Are Already Managing Humans — Alok Kumar

    Alok Kumar, founder of CozmoX, joins me for a raw and revealing conversation about the brutal decisions founders face — including why he had to let go of 86 people, how AI is reshaping everything from company structure to customer experience, and the emotional toll of building in public.We dive deep into:- What no one tells you about layoffs and leadership- The CozmoX origin story and vision for AI-powered commerce- How founders can build faster and leaner in the age of AI- What happens when your product vision is too earlyTry Cozmox here https://www.cozmox.ai/Whether you're a startup founder, operator, or just curious about the future of AI and business, this is a masterclass in hard truths, bold decisions, and staying human through it all.📌 Chapters:00:00 – Intro: Who is Alok Kumar?02:10 – The brutal decision to fire 86 people07:45 – How CozmoX is using AI to disrupt online shopping14:22 – What most founders get wrong about product-market fit21:50 – Why building in public can be painful — but powerful28:33 – Alok’s message to other struggling founders34:10 – The future of AI agents in commerce40:05 – Rapid-fire: personal habits, books, and startup advice🎙 Hosted by Mahmoud Khodor – founder, builder, and host of one of the Middle East’s top business podcasts.🔔 Subscribe for more no-BS conversations with real builders.

    50 min
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In-depth conversations with top product leaders and entrepreneurs uncovering practical insights, strategies, and real-world experiences to help you build better products and businesses.

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  • Creator
    Mahmoud Khodor
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    45
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Mahmoud Khodor
  • Show Website
    Builders

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