Zubair, founder of MENABytes, shares his journey in the MENA startup scene. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Background 01:33 Early Days and Interest in Tech 02:02 First Dollar Online and Dropping Out of School 03:25 Building Websites and Learning SEO 04:18 Starting a Career in HR and Transitioning to Tech 06:39 Accidentally starting MENABytes 09:40 Tipping Point and Growth of MENABytes 11:35 Monetization and Challenges of Building a Business 19:06 Becoming the Go-To Source for Tech News 22:29 Dealing with Pushback and Controversies 25:49 Building a Strong Network and Learning from Others 28:41 Future Plans and the Value of Writing 31:39 Pivoting in Career and the Importance of Writing 32:08 Challenges Faced by Founders in the MENA Region 35:31 The Need for Government Support in the Startup Ecosystem 37:00 Talent Flight and Retaining Talent in the Region 39:22 The Importance of Large Companies and Technical Innovation 45:40 Building Trust and Transparency in the Startup Ecosystem 54:12 Launching Quickly and Persevering for Long-Term Success