From Google to guiding startups across the MENA region, Majd Alayli joins Founder’s Voice to unpack the real startup process—beyond the pitch decks and hype. In this episode, we talk about what founders keep getting wrong, how to validate fast (without wasting years), and why “vibe coding” isn’t your silver bullet. Oh, and how building a Reddit-Medium hybrid brought a million Arabic speakers together. Come for the insights, stay for the founder rambles.

Topics:

• The startup trap: too much to do, too little impact

• Why your assumptions about your audience are probably wrong

• What Majd learned building a platform with 1M monthly users

• Vibe coding, prototyping, and the danger of AI hype

• From animator dreams to Google and beyond

• The double-edged sword of founder passion

⸻

Founders’ Voice

Hosted by Dan Mellins from AraGeek, Founders’ Voice brings you raw, honest conversations with the entrepreneurs and dreamers reshaping the MENA region. From bootstrapping in tough times to building businesses that make a real impact—these are stories of grit, hope, and community. No jargon. No fluff. Just real voices making it happen.

Listen Now:

• Website: https://en.arageek.com

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AOiMKhmwUSBjElxrWP6No?si=yP0CtF2dTDmfZocUNZ_HWw

• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/475543d2-24b4-4de1-b247-27ceb584436c/founders’-voice-from-arageek-com

Follow AraGeek:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Arageek_en

• LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/company/arageek-com

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arageek.english/

• AraGeek TV: https://en.arageek.com/tv