#92 Entrepreneurship in MENA-GCC, Social Dynamics, Fundraising, Tech Ecosystems, Building Relationships with Walid Mansour

Rona Conn, founder of Otherdots, is transforming Pacific agriculture and trade by connecting Indigenous producers to global markets.Rona’s story is deeply personal. She comes from a legacy of agricultural and community empowerment in Papua New Guinea, and she’s carried that forward—building sustainable businesses, focusing on trade-led economic growth over traditional aid.She’s bridging food security and economic gaps, joined by alliance partners creating a win-win for all, which means community-driven solutions to empower thousands of families. A solution that can be scaled which is the next step. She built all this with no investment, no debt and almost no tech.Live episode on youtubeContact Rhona:Rhona on LinkedinOtherdots websiteMariaLinkedin: https://go.ggutt.com/maria-linkedinTikTok: go.ggutt.com/tiktokYouTube: http://go.ggutt.com/videosTakeaways:* Rhona Conn's journey is rooted in her legacy of agriculture and community empowerment.* Milne Bay Organics was created to utilize unused fertile land in Papua New Guinea.* The importance of educating farmers about the value of their resources.* Community collaboration is essential for economic growth and sustainability.* The shift from aid to trade requires a change in mindset among local communities.* Building alliances among local producers can lead to shared success.* Technology can play a crucial role in enhancing agricultural practices.* The need for traceability in food production to ensure fair pricing.* Rhona's approach emphasizes the importance of community trust and relationships.* The journey of transforming local economies is a long-term commitment. Cultural understanding is crucial for business success.* Growth can lead to bottlenecks that need addressing.* Connecting markets to farmers is essential for sustainability.* Technology can bridge gaps in supply chains.* There is significant demand for agricultural products globally.* Infrastructure challenges hinder supply chain efficiency.* Empowering local communities leads to better outcomes.* Building trust takes time and effort.* The journey of establishing a business is often fraught with challenges.* External partnerships are necessary for scaling operations. Creating strong alliances is crucial for overcoming competition.* Evolving towards a profitable business model ensures sustainability.* Data collection is essential for guiding development efforts.* Local knowledge is vital for effective policy-making.* Quality control is key to maintaining market trust.* Balancing profit and purpose is necessary for long-term success.* Experience in the field leads to better business decisions.* Economic opportunities can significantly reduce crime rates.* Empowering local communities fosters independence and self-sufficiency.* Technology can enhance supply chain efficiency and scalability. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ggutt.substack.com

Maria discusses the importance of AI for small businesses and how they can adopt it effectively. She emphasizes the need for a mindset shift towards curiosity, personalization, and upskilling. Thanks for reading gguttalks! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.* Spotify: https://go.ggutt.com/gguttalks-spotify* Apple: https://go.ggutt.com/gguttalks-apple* Youtube: https://go.ggutt.com/videos* Talks: gguttalks.xyz* Let's work together: ggutt.com* Newsletter: mariamatloub.com00:00 Introduction to AI for Small Businesses03:03 Mindset Shifts for AI Adoption07:05 Practical Applications of AI in Business10:00 Overcoming Challenges in AI Implementation This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ggutt.substack.com

Johanna Lundqvist is a nurse and researcher, an artist and jewelry creating works that blur the lines between nature and fantasy and speaker, to say the least, who is not afraid to explore the transitions of life - including the ones most people shy away from, from a western society perspective.A registered nurse from Sweden, she’s worked in elderly care, geropsychiatry, and specialized hospice care.She has been by the side of many individuals and their families through the most profound moments of life - dying and death.Her passion lies in human connection and easing the fears surrounding death.In this episode, she brings these topics to life, sharing her experiences and perspectives to help people understand what the dying process really looks like. She believes that by talking about death, we can learn to embrace life more fully.Thanks for reading gguttalks! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.Contact Johana:Linkedin: https://de.linkedin.com/in/johanna-lundqvist-lawrenceJewelry Studio: Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/evajohanna.arts.craftsTakeaways:* Death and dying can be less terrifying than perceived.* Cultural perspectives significantly shape our understanding of death.* Communication is crucial in end-of-life care.* Avoiding discussions about death leads to unpreparedness.* The dying process varies greatly among individuals.* Emotional responses to death include relief, grief, and regret.* Hospice care focuses on comfort and symptom management.* Religious beliefs can provide comfort or fear regarding death.* Education about death can reduce anxiety and fear.* Talking about death can help embrace life more fully. Dying can look similar regardless of the cause.* Media often desensitizes us to individual tragedies.* Empathy is crucial in understanding grief.* A good death is characterized by comfort and presence of loved ones.* Listening is more important than talking when supporting the grieving.* Anger is a common reaction to grief.* Many myths about death, such as timing, are not true.* Planning for end-of-life wishes is essential.* Quality of life should be prioritized over longevity.* Caregiver burnout can manifest in various emotional signs.* "Death and dying doesn't have to be terrifying."* "People are scared; we want to control our lives."* "The consequences of avoiding death are profound."* "The dying process is different for everyone."* "It's important to talk about death and dying."* "It's a monumental thing for a person to be gone."* "We need to de-dramatize death and dying."* "We get desensitized to huge numbers."* "A good death is without pain and anxiety."* "Listen, listen, listen to the grieving person."* "People grieve ahead of time, of course."* "People die more often at night is a myth."* "Write everything you want down for your funeral."* "I believe in quality more than quantity."* "Caregivers should have enough support. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ggutt.substack.com

Dr. Stella Lee is the founder of Paradox Learning, where she offers practical advice and strategy on AI. She's also a speaker, startup advisor, and columnist.Thanks for listening! Subscribe for FREE to receive new posts and support my work.She has over 20 years of international experience in consulting digital learning initiatives with higher education, government, NGOs, and the private sectors. We talk about her background and journey, blending design, arts, and computer science, AI literacy and learning, as well as her framework.Where to find Dr. Stella Lee.Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stellal/Paradox Learning: https://paradoxlearning.com/about/MariaLinkedin: https://go.ggutt.com/maria-linkedinTikTok: go.ggutt.com/tiktokYouTube: http://go.ggutt.com/videosTIMESTAMPS00:00.0 Intro to the show and to Stella02:45.0 How she got into art and tech04:5.0 Fear of AI?09:02.0 Getting around the comfort zone, and the crystal ball14:26.5 Design thinking15:36.3 Understanding AI Framework20:02.5 Improving the framework24:46.0 L&D & B2B27:00.5.0 Workshops and sessions, company culture32:59.1.0 Learn to teach, teach to learn35:01.09 AI Bubble?41.01.8 Striving to be average48.04.5 Shaping the future53.24.4 How she teaches55:26.5 Navigating through little answers58.34.1 Advice1.02.12.9 What got her into AI, and ggutt feelings This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ggutt.substack.com

Charles - Louis de Maere transitioned from being a Technical lead and agile coach to facilitator. He helps teams work and communicate better, doing invisible and visual faciliation. We talk about the impact of his work, understanding culture and being a process expert.Where to find Charles-Louis* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleslouisdemaere* Projects: www.exploration-labs.com Maria* Linkedin: https://go.ggutt.com/maria-linkedin* TikTok: go.ggutt.com/tiktok* YouTube: http://go.ggutt.com/videosTimestamps00:00 Introduction01:48 Charles’ product building lesson03:58 Why is it important to have good communication?12:13 What is facilitation?18:56 What is coaching?21:22 The key to facilitation is the invitation22:35 Being present and keeping people engaged25:07 Invisible facilitation32:51 Knowing where to focus on36:09 Visual facilitation39:38 Matching energy levels with participants45:02 Measuring the impact of work47:41 Charles’ relationship with his GGUTT48:57 How Charles got into facilitation50:53 Working with organizations from Indonesia and the Philippines54:35 Advice for those who want to get into facilitation This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ggutt.substack.com

Angela Shen-Hsieh is an entrepreneur, technologist, architect, and designer who worked in the corporate world and startup world. She loves to think about the future and build things. She led teams to create new innovations with AI, big data and collaborate. She’s currently the founder and CEO of Alcōv, a home styling and shopping app. Where to find Angela* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelashenhsieh/* X: https://twitter.com/angelashenhsieh* Alcōv: https://alcov.co/Maria* X: https://go.ggutt.com/x* Linkedin: https://go.ggutt.com/maria-linkedin* TikTok: go.ggutt.com/tiktok* YouTube: http://go.ggutt.com/videosTimestamps* 00:00 Introduction* 02:18 Being intuition led and GGUTT feeling* 03:14 Failure in collaboration* 07:40 How designers lead collaborative processes* 13:16 Bridging design and business* 16:00 Design as a problem-solving discipline* 20:50 Rethinking innovation in design* 24:08 The UX of AI* 30:56 How AI and human creativity intersect* 36:41 Design insights from EU AI policies* 43:31 The role of design in policy development* 46:49 Angela on designing Alcōv* 58:55 Advice for designing your life This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ggutt.substack.com

Walid Mansour is the Co-founder and Co-CEO of MEVP. He’s been deeply involved in the VC & Technology ecosystem in the MENA region for over 20 years from setup, to scale up and exits. He serves as a board member and advisor to many technology companies regionally and globally. Follow Walid on Linkedin and XFollow Maria on Substack or LinkedinWatch the episode on YoutubeTimestamps:0.00.00 - Introduction5.42.00 - MENA, GG, today and tomorrow19.25.00 - The Entrepreneurial Appetite26.51.00 - Venture Capital34.15.5 - Misconception around raising capital35.04.6 - Pitch decks and attracting investors39.23.5 - How do VC’s look for entrepreneurs48.28.3 - Money52.55.8 - Managing risk internally within a fund53.59.3 - What should new funds look for55.52.9 - Accelerators & Incubators57.10.5 - Frustrations01.00.36.6 - AdviceThank you for listening to gguttalks. This post is public so feel free to share it.Note 🙏: We encountered some technical audio issues in some parts, but releasing the episode regardless is worth it. GGUTT is a media and education platform. Fostering creativity, critical thinking and co-creation to stay relevant for the future of work [with and without AI] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ggutt.substack.com

Thoughts on belief.Peace, Love and Having an Open Mind.It all comes down to critical and analytical thinking.Socials:* X: https://go.ggutt.com/x* Linkedin: https://go.ggutt.com/maria-linkedin* YouTube: http://go.ggutt.com/videos* TikTok: https://go.ggutt.com/tiktok This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ggutt.substack.com

Silia Abou Arbid is an architect, designer and educator. A unique individual in the way she thinks and does things. She taught over 8000 to date. She’s been an influential figure in my personal growth as a designer, teacher and professional. We go through her backstory at the very end.Where to find Silia:* Email: https://sard.lau.edu.lb/about/people/silia-abou-arbid.php* Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/silia-abou-arbid-turf-c-94ba9120/Maria:* X: https://go.ggutt.com/x* Linkedin: https://go.ggutt.com/maria-linkedin* YouTube: http://go.ggutt.com/videos* TikTok: https://go.ggutt.com/tiktokTimestamps:* 00:00:00 Intro* 00.27.4 Welcome and setting the scene* 02.10.9 Getting started * 04.28.9 What to expect from this episode* 05.02.9 Going back to the roots. Origin 0.* 07.32.4 What makes design exciting* 09.03.3 Ideas* 13.00.4 Why design is essential in business * 17.50.6 Drawing the line between the ideals of design and the market out there*  25.33.1 Origin 0* 30.33.5 Head, heart, hand* 33.35.0 Touch* 38.03.8 Relationship between designers and engineers* 43.39.9 Foundation studies in design* 53.15.8 Creativity* 01.00.25.5 Bending reality - AI today * 01.11.06.9 What keeps her going* 01.11.34.4 What she is proud of* 01.13.58.8 Getting humans to go beyond their wildest dreams* 01.19.54.3 The Apple story* 1.27.30.8 Oneness of things* 1.28.39.1 The oxymoron* 1.33.44.3 Jonny Ive * 1.37.01.2 Relationship with her ggutt* 1.41.25.3 Silia’s backstory: a keen interest in design since childhood This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ggutt.substack.com

Thoughts on AI and Creativity. Embarking on an exciting journey of discovery. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ggutt.substack.com