In this conversation, Faisal Fallatah speaks with Sean Kiernan, CEO of GreenGage, about the evolving landscape of digital finance, particularly focusing on the intersection of traditional banking and cryptocurrency. Sean shares his journey in the banking sector, the challenges faced by businesses in accessing credit, and how GreenGage aims to bridge these gaps through innovative solutions. The discussion also delves into the importance of security in digital finance, the future prospects for GreenGage, and valuable lessons learned from Sean's entrepreneurial journey.
Takeaways
Sean Kernan's journey from traditional banking to crypto finance.
The need for innovative solutions in digital finance.
Bridging the gap between traditional banking and crypto.
The importance of decentralized systems in reducing risk.
GreenGage's unique approach to crypto-backed lending.
The role of technology in enhancing financial services.
Future prospects for GreenGage in the UAE and UK.
The significance of having a strong team in startups.
Lessons learned from the founder's journey.
The evolving landscape of private credit and digital finance.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to GreenGage and Digital Finance
01:40 Sean Kiernan's Journey and Vision
03:24 Bridging Traditional Banking and Crypto
04:48 Understanding GreenGage's Unique Lending Model
07:56 Innovations in Crypto-Backed Lending
11:44 Exploring Adjacent Lending Opportunities
13:31 The Role of Blockchain in Lending
15:54 Future Milestones for GreenGage
17:46 Expansion into the UAE Market
25:06 Lessons from the Founder’s Journey
In this conversation, Faisal Fallatah interviews Behnam Bastani, founder of OpenInfer, discussing the company's vision for AI and technology. They explore the evolution of assistant-based platforms, industry applications, and the importance of data privacy. Behnam shares insights on how enterprises can leverage AI solutions, the future of AI in daily operations, and the company's plans for market expansion. The discussion also touches on the ease of adoption for businesses integrating AI and concludes with lighthearted questions about personal insights and experiences.
Takeaways:
OpenInfer focuses on building asset-based operating systems that prioritize user data privacy.
The evolution of AI is leading to more assistant-based platforms that will change daily interactions with technology.
AI assistants will be integrated into various devices, enhancing user experience and decision-making.
Enterprises can leverage AI solutions to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
Customization and ease of adoption are key factors for businesses integrating AI.
OpenInfer aims to create a collaborative ecosystem for AI assistants.
The future of AI involves more personalized and context-aware interactions.
Market expansion is a priority for OpenInfer, with plans to enter international markets.
The company is focused on solving existing pain points for enterprise partners.
AI will play a significant role in daily operations, enhancing productivity and collaboration.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to OpenMFIR and AI Vision
00:09 The Journey of Building Assistant-Based Operating Systems
03:25 Transforming Interaction with Technology
06:03 Industries Leveraging Assistant-Based Platforms
09:12 Real-World Applications in Enterprises
14:03 Ease of Adoption in AI Solutions
16:19 Milestones in Open Inference's Journey
19:23 Expanding Internationally
19:59 Future Vision for AI Assistance
21:31 Goals for the Next 12-18 Months
22:40 Integrating AI into Business
24:21 Lighthearted Questions and Personal Insights
Most companies are dead—they just don't know it yet. Inthis episode, we sit down with Walid Zayed, CEO of Rubicon with 20+ years transforming Middle East businesses, explains why thinking like you did 6 months ago makes you irrelevant in 12 months.
You'll discover:
Bottom line: Stop asking for more money, more people, more time. You need a mindset shift—think like an operator, move like an owner, build like you're selling tomorrow.
For founders, CEOs, and anyone who refuses to become obsolete.
Timestamps:1:05 - Banking to turnarounds8:08 - Operating Partner in a Box13:59 - The 4 layers of value creation22:18 - Real-time decisions: the new CEO mandate23:45 - Blockchain's instant liquidity advantage31:18 - Agentic AI replacing workflows42:12 - Change your mindset now
#BusinessStrategy #AI #ValueCreation #Blockchain #DigitalTransformation
What does it take to turn family land entangled in decades of litigation into a global wealth platform that helps clients diversify across continents? Dr. Rajanya Ravasia has done just that.
From his early battles in Mumbai’s real estate market to building Adventum Wealth in the UK, Dr. Ravasia shares how he transformed personal setbacks into a strategy that now manages over £250 million in assets. He explains why diversification is non-negotiable, how to leverage property cycles for double-digit returns, and why Manchester is one of today’s most overlooked opportunities for global investors.
Whether you’re a founder, fund manager, or investor looking to protect and grow wealth across borders, this episode is packed with insights on resilience, risk, and spotting opportunity where others see crisis.
Claus Gotthard has founded more than 10 companies, faced failures that nearly ended his journey, and now leads a hedge fund out of Abu Dhabi. With close to 40 years of entrepreneurial experience, Claus brings unfiltered lessons on what it really takes to build, fail, and rebuild at scale.
In this episode, Claus shares why resilience is the ultimate founder skill, how to approach risk with the discipline of both an entrepreneur and a fund manager, and why building companies requires the same grit as managing billions. He opens up about the hard truths most founders ignore and the mindset shifts that separate those who endure from those who quit.
If you want to understand the psychology of resilience, the discipline behind risk-taking, and the realities of scaling in both startups and finance, this conversation is a masterclass from one of the most battle-tested entrepreneurs in the game.
Most wealth managers are invisible online, and it’s costing them clients. In today’s digital-first world, content marketing isn’t optional anymore - it’s survival.
In this episode, Lorena Lopez, Founder & Managing Director of Civitas Post, explains why so many firms are falling behind and how to fix it. She shares how Civitas Post grew from a niche marketing agency into a full-scale media platform with The Golden Wealth Wire, The Golden Quarter Podcast, and The Golden Directory — all built to give professionals the visibility and trust they can’t get anywhere else.
Lorena also opens up about her founder journey — the highs of building momentum, the burnout that almost ended it, and the bold rebrand that brought her company back stronger. Along the way, she exposes the industry’s biggest mistakes: chasing quick wins, relying on AI-generated fluff, and ignoring the power of authentic storytelling.
For wealth managers, fund advisors, and service providers, this episode is a wake-up call — adapt now, or get left behind.
AI agents aren’t just the next big thing, they’re already transforming how companies operate. In this episode, William Lee, co-founder of ACI.dev, breaks down why AI agents are the future of work and how his open-source platform is making them accessible to developers everywhere.
William shares the story of growing ACI.dev to 5,000 developers in just 90 days, explains why most “AI agents” today are smoke and mirrors, and reveals what it really takes to build agents that do meaningful work — from scheduling meetings to powering due diligence for private equity firms.
He also unpacks VibeOps, ACI.dev’s bold experiment to help non-technical creators ship live products with AI, and why the founders who embrace AI agents now will be the ones who define the next generation of startups.
If you’re a founder, operator, or developer, this episode is your roadmap to staying ahead in the AI revolution.
Discover how global investors are building lasting wealth in Dubai. Join Leonarda Loewenhardt, CEO of Loewenhardt & Partners, as she shares the 3-bucket strategy for winning in luxury real estate, why villas beat apartments, and how tokenised property and crypto deals are reshaping the UAE market. If you want risk-aware, high-return strategies in one of the world’s hottest property hubs, this episode is your shortcut.
What if you could turn your startup idea into a working product in 90 days—without writing a single line of code?
In this episode, Ferenc and Mate, co-founders of Very Creative, share how they’ve helped more than 70 non-technical entrepreneurs launch SaaS products that gain traction and sustain growth for years.
You’ll learn:
The 4-step framework that takes founders from idea to MVP to paying users
Why most MVPs fail and how to avoid the most expensive early mistakes
The truth about AI prototypes and why they can’t replace proper product builds
How to bootstrap smart before talking to investors to protect your equity
The secret to building products that last 4+ years with loyal customers
If you’re a founder with a big idea but no technical background, this episode is your roadmap to launching faster, spending smarter, and building products customers love.
Listen now and learn how to turn your idea into a startup that wins.
Finding the perfect place to eat in Dubai shouldn’t take hours—or five different apps. With over 12,000 restaurants in the city, discovery is a challenge for both foodies and visitors.
In this episode, Walid Abou Ali, co-founder of Places UAE, reveals how his team built a hyperlocal, lightning-fast search engine that helps users find the right restaurant in under 700 milliseconds.
Walid shares how Places UAE:
Solves the fragmented restaurant discovery problem in Dubai
Combines custom AI and classic search tech for accurate results
Delivers a bias-free experience without paid ranking
Plans to redefine dining discovery with cashback and smart marketing tools
Whether you’re a foodie, a founder, or a fan of smart local tech, this episode is a deep dive into how technology and culture meet at the dining table.
Listen now and discover how Dubai is changing the way the world finds its next meal.
Pedro Birmann spent 17 years trading on Wall Street before realizing that the future of finance was being built in crypto. Today, as the co-founder and CEO of Quadra, he’s creating the infrastructure that allows institutions to trade, manage risk, and operate confidently in digital asset markets.
In this episode, Pedro reveals how institutional adoption is accelerating, the lessons from FTX and 2022, and why tokenization and unified trading tools are transforming the financial industry.
Listen now to understand how the future of institutional crypto is taking shape.
Many professionals earn well but never build real wealth. Why? Because income alone doesn’t equal financial freedom.
In this episode, Nabeel Anan, co-founder of Financial Freedom, shares why even high-income earners often stay broke and the habits that can turn any paycheck into lasting wealth.
You’ll learn:
The #1 financial rule that keeps you out of debt and in control
How to separate wants from needs to avoid lifestyle creep
The 10% savings habit that builds wealth without stress
Why financial literacy and consistency matter more than risky investments
Whether you’re living paycheck to paycheck or earning a high income with nothing to show for it, this episode is your blueprint to finally take control of your money and start building real financial freedom.
What if a Saudi startup could map its funding and its future listing on day one?
That’s the quiet promise behind TAM Capital, and in this episode co-founder Dr. Moussa Hawas cracks open the playbook. Drawing on two decades in equity research and private investing, he walks us through a three-phase roadmap that helps small-and-mid-sized companies raise capital without the usual cap-table pain and arrive at Saudi Arabia’s Nomu market ready, not rushed.
Inside the conversation
Rate the Unratable – A proprietary SME credit score unlocks sensible, collateral-backed debt in Year 1—long before traditional lenders will listen.
Equity on a Timer – Only after governance and revenue milestones tick green does TAM invite equity investment, protecting founders from early dilution.
Public, Practically – With audited books and phased controls already humming, the company can target a Nomu listing by Year 3, with a clear path to a full TASI upgrade.
Along the way, Moussa explains why valuation ≠ value creation, how TAM automates 80 % of the capital journey, and the governance habit that makes investors say yes faster.
If you’re an SME founder or an investor tired of vague exits, this episode hands you a step-by-step playbook—and a few surprises the market wishes you didn’t know yet.
In this episode, Abdulwahab AlZaidi ex-PwC consultant and co-founder of Bellurh shares how he turned a manual side project into a full-fledged SaaS platform that’s changing how restaurants operate in Saudi Arabia.
What started as a simple WhatsApp experiment quickly exposed a deeper issue: restaurant owners were drowning in data but starving for action. Bellurh was built to fix that. Abdulwahab walks us through how the product evolved from spreadsheet chaos to an automated engine that helps restaurants boost performance, fix campaign leaks, and eliminate refund blind spots—without needing a data team.
This episode is a must-listen for operators, product builders, and anyone tackling B2B SaaS in emerging markets.
In this episode, Abdulaziz Ahmed e-ngineer, fintech entrepreneur, and founder of Nuqwa - shares a rich, boots-on-the-ground perspective on building startups in Saudi Arabia. From navigating a pivot out of healthcare into IoT, and then fintech, Abdulaziz unpacks the hard-won lessons from launching a savings-focused B2B2C platform and the regulatory maze that nearly derailed it. He candidly explains how understanding local financial regulation is not just a compliance checkbox but a critical growth catalyst.
Abdulaziz also introduces Nuqwa, a visionary platform blending AI and digital culture to create immersive heritage art experiences. With a mission to empower Saudi artists and bring their work to a global audience, Nuqwa is part marketplace, part virtual museum—and all storytelling. This episode is a compelling listen for founders in fintech, cultural tech, and anyone curious about Saudi Arabia’s fast-growing innovation landscape.
What if solving complex tech problems started not with code, but with curiosity about people?
In this episode, Rich Sheridan, CEO of Menlo Innovations and best-selling author shares how he turned a toxic, chaotic career in software into a joyful mission to eliminate human suffering through technology. The surprising secret? High-tech anthropology.
Discover how Rich’s team designs software by studying users in their natural environments - transforming clunky systems into tools that feel effortless. From NASA missions to hospital systems, Menlo’s radically human process is rewriting the rules of innovation, collaboration, and workplace culture.
If you’ve ever been frustrated by bad tech, burnt out by toxic work, or intrigued by what it really takes to build something meaningful, this episode will shift your perspective.
What if learning felt like play, not work?
In this captivating episode, host Faisal Fallatah sits down with Mustafa Magdi, the driving force behind Phantasm—a company turning the world of education and business on its head through the power of gaming and digital innovation. Discover how a childhood passion for video games set Mustafa on a journey from freelance coder to founder, now trailblazing a space where business strategy meets authentic gaming culture.
From Gamer to Game-Changer: Learn how Mustafa’s love for games and knack for building teams led to the foundation of Phantasm, carving a new niche at the crossroads of technology, creativity, and enterprise.
Impactful Projects: Explore the creation of “The Savings Game,” a financial literacy platform designed for Sparkasse Stiftung and the German government—plus collaborations with Egypt’s Ministry of Education and major cultural initiatives across the Gulf.
Purpose-Driven Play: See how Phantasm leverages gamification not just as a buzzword, but as a genuine tool for transforming learning and engagement, making everyday education feel as fun and immersive as a video game.
Next-Level Vision: Get the scoop on two upcoming titles: “Jawalat Harouf,” the entertainment-educational party game, and “Sixes of the Mountain,” an ambitious fantasy B2C project inspired by a popular Saudi novel series.
Behind the Scenes: Hear Mustafa’s candid thoughts on balancing growth versus focus, tools and routines he swears by, and the personal motivation that keeps him daring to innovate.
If you believe the future of learning, culture, and business lies in creativity, engagement, and technology, this episode is for you. Mustafa’s story is a testament to the future of work and play—where powerful ideas and playfulness combine to redefine what’s possible.
In this episode, Antonio Velasco, founder of Veevart, shares how a side project in 2016 turned into a mission-driven SaaS platform powering digital transformation for museums and cultural institutions. We explore the challenges of bootstrapping, shifting from galleries to museums, partnering with Salesforce, building a strong team, and using data and technology to help museums increase engagement, revenue, and impact—without compromising their purpose.
Chapters
03:50 Navigating Challenges: Growth Strategies and Hurdles
06:55 Unique Value Proposition: What Museums See in Veevert
10:17 Understanding Museum Challenges: Competing for Attention
13:12 Future Milestones: Product Development and Team Growth
16:30 The Complexity of Growth: Team Dynamics and Management
18:59 Building a Strong Team
21:15 Navigating the AI Landscape
23:09 Personal Insights and Recommendations
31:29 Final Thoughts and Entrepreneurial Advice
Join host, Faisal Fallatah as he sits down with Jacob Terneus, CEO of Anchor Group, to explore how a small NetSuite consultancy scaled to become a leader in the industry. Discover the secrets behind building a strong team culture, the importance of specialization, and the leadership lessons that drive sustainable growth. Whether you’re a founder, team leader, or aspiring entrepreneur, this episode is packed with actionable insights on scaling, client relationships, and building a company that truly delights.
Most tech companies are brilliant at building products but often stumble when it comes to go-to-market (GTM) strategy. In this episode, Harald Horgen, CEO of The York Group and trusted advisor to global brands, reveals why so many tech firms struggle to scale—and how to get it right. Drawing on decades of experience, Horgen explains why a product-centric mindset can lead to costly failures, how to truly understand your ideal customer profile, and why channel partners and strategic alliances are critical for sustainable growth. He also unpacks the importance of aligning incentives, mitigating risk for partners, and leveraging the right technology such as blockchain for compliance and onboarding to transform cumbersome processes into scalable solutions. Whether you’re in compliance, product, or strategy, this episode offers actionable insights to help you avoid common GTM pitfalls and drive real business impact