We often think of stories as an escape. But sometimes, a story does the opposite.

It pulls us closer to ourselves.In this episode of Something to Consider, we sit with Sara Hamdan, a Palestinian American journalist-turned-novelist whose debut book, What Will People Think, explores identity, belonging, and the quiet tensions we inherit.

Sara’s life has unfolded between worlds - raised in Greece, shaped by Palestine, and now based in Dubai. Her work holds humor and grief in the same breath, excavating family histories, cultural expectation, and the private negotiations that shape who we become.

We talk about the long road to creative courage, the cost of choosing yourself, the role of joy amid intergenerational trauma, and what it means to stop running and start sustaining a life that feels aligned.

This is a conversation about writing as remembrance, storytelling as resistance, and belonging as something we may have to invent for ourselves. We hope you will find something to consider.

Filmed live at Expand North Star 2025, this episode of Something to Consider features Joel Gujral in partnership with Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy and Poddster.

What happens when the body breaks before the mind can make sense of it?

In this conversation, Joel Gujral, founder and CEO of Myndup reflects on a deeply personal journey that began with a debilitating gut condition in his mid-20s and spiraled into depression, isolation, and a confrontation with a system designed to respond only once people are already in crisis.

We talk about the gut–brain connection, the danger of toxic positivity, and the quiet signals we often ignore until they demand our attention. Joel shares how healing reshaped his approach to leadership, why prevention matters more than reaction, and what it means to empower people rather than manage them.

We also explore wellness beyond pathology, how peace can coexist with ambition, why thriving still requires support, and how asking for help is not a weakness but a turning point.

A conversation about healing, self-trust, and taking responsibility for the one thing we can truly control: how we show up.

We hope you will find something to consider.

Filmed live at Expand North Star (ENS) 2025, this Startup Spotlights episode features Osman Sultan in partnership with Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy and Poddster.

What does it mean to build something the world hasn’t imagined yet?

In this conversation, Osman Sultan the founding CEO of du and one of the region’s most influential telecom leaders reflects on a 40-year journey that reshaped how millions connect.

We talk about vision in times of uncertainty, the dream of “a mobile in every hand,” and the surprising truth about keeping massive industries human in the face of rapid change. Osman shares lessons from leading across generations, the discipline required to build inside corporate structures, and the emotional cost of a life spent at the frontier of innovation.

We also explore the urgency and discomfort of today’s AI moment — what we gain, what we risk, and why balance remains the quiet virtue behind every form of progress.

A conversation about connection, relevance, and the timeless question: Where are we running to, and at what price?

We hope you will find something to consider.

Freej didn’t just make us laugh — it rewired what was possible for Gulf storytelling. In this raw conversation, Mohammed Saeed Harib (creator of Freej) opens up about the real price of legacy: long-term burnout, the pressure of being “first,” and the quiet weight behind public success.

We trace his creative roots in Emirati oral poetry and grandmothers’ wisdom, how Freej paused for 11 years and returned to speak to a new generation, and why maintaining success is success.

We also talk male vulnerability, ADHD vs. burnout, building IP in a tough animation market, making a feature film during COVID, and the rituals that restore a creator.

Connect with the Guest:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msharib/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UC6jThnLmLU8vACoZP8ucOGA

Find us at (Instagram podcast page) https://www.instagram.com/somethingtoconsider.podcast/

Listen to us (all available platforms)

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/something-to-consider/id1674861838

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/618zDVAJO0teMngLOzyKz4?si=8bfddd1364d34fc7

Connect with the Host:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dalhanbali/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danaalhanbali

X: https://x.com/DanaAlhanbali

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@danaalhanbali

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@danaalhanbali5621/about

What if your first brain isn’t in your head?

In this episode, founder, mother, and coach Hadil shares how a high-velocity corporate life, postpartum depletion, and an “undiagnosed” health spiral pushed her to rebuild her habits around ancestral nutrition and gut health. We talk microbiome 101, the gut–brain axis, why minerals matter more than most blood tests show, and the real difference between stock and long-simmered bone broth.

We explore saying no as a growth strategy, the tension between integrity and scale, and why doing less—on purpose—can still mean doing something great. If you’ve felt unheard in conventional care, or you’re craving a more intuitive, agency-driven approach to wellness, this conversation is a reset: slow down, listen to the whispers before they become screams, and remember that food is your first form of self-care. We hope you will find something to consider.

Connect with the Guest:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healwithhadil/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hadil-alkhatib-27a91431/

Website: www.roost.ae

Find us at (Instagram podcast page) https://www.instagram.com/somethingtoconsider.podcast/

Listen to us (all available platforms)

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/something-to-consider/id1674861838

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/618zDVAJO0teMngLOzyKz4?si=8bfddd1364d34fc7

Connect with the Host:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dalhanbali/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danaalhanbali

X: https://x.com/DanaAlhanbali

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@danaalhanbali

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@danaalhanbali5621/about

What happens when the goal you’ve spent your life chasing is finally behind you?

In this intimate and reflective episode of Something to Consider, entrepreneur Bilal Ballout — co-founder of BMB Group, the company behind some of the region’s most beloved confectionery brands — joins host Dana Alhanbali to explore the quiet after the exit: identity, integrity, and the freedom to rebuild on your own terms.

From bootstrapping with AED 500K to scaling globally and exiting in 2021, Bilal shares what most founders don’t talk about — the emotional cost of success, letting go of your “baby,” and redefining self-worth when your name is no longer on the door.

Key Takeaways:

- The 12-Month Rule of post-acquisition: why most founders should transition out within a year.

- Knowledge over capital: how deep research and local adaptation built a global baklava brand in Walmart and 30+ countries.

- Resilience over luck: how a tough childhood built the emotional muscle for entrepreneurship.

- Culture over cash: why team belief and small daily wins sustain growth.

- From performance to presence: moving beyond “fake it till you make it.”

- Financial independence = freedom of choice: how autonomy changes what success means.

- Closure is a choice: learning to let go of companies, relationships, and old selves with intention.

- Communication and respect: the two non-negotiables that make relationships (and partnerships) work.

Redefining success: purpose, sustainability, and balance over scale and ego.

If you’re a builder, creator, or founder reflecting on what comes after achievement, this episode will shift your perspective on ambition, balance, and fulfillment.

We hope you will find something to consider.

Connect with the Guest:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bilal-ballout-74192655/

Find us at (Instagram podcast page) https://www.instagram.com/somethingtoconsider.podcast/

Listen to us (all available platforms)

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/something-to-consider/id1674861838

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/618zDVAJO0teMngLOzyKz4?si=8bfddd1364d34fc7

Connect with the Host:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dalhanbali/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danaalhanbali

X: https://x.com/DanaAlhanbali

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@danaalhanbali

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@danaalhanbali5621/about

In this episode of Something to Consider, Wafa Al Obaidat — entrepreneur, speaker, and founder of Playbook, one of the fastest-growing women’s leadership and education platforms — joins Dana Alhanbali to talk about building a global movement, women in leadership, and believing in your work when the world feels uncertain.

We unpack the realities of entrepreneurship, motherhood, and purpose: from early rejection and burnout to scaling a mission-driven business and redefining success through community, financial literacy, and faith.

We hope you will find something to consider.

You’ll learn:

- What it takes to build a movement and lead with purpose

- How women can access mentorship, funding, and leadership opportunities

- The truth about burnout, balance, and boundaries

- Why believing in your work matters more than external validation

About Wafa Al Obaidat

Wafa is the founder CEO of Playbook, a digital edtech and leadership platform connecting women across 100+ countries. Her mission: help women rise, lead, and invest in each other.

If this resonates:

🌍 Share it with one woman who’s ready to scale her purpose.

🎧 Subscribe for more deep conversations on entrepreneurship, self-belief, and the strategy behind every story.

Connect with the Guest:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wafaobaidat/?hl=en

Website: https://www.get-playbook.com/en/home

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wafa-al-obaidat-8a992046/

Find us at (Instagram podcast page) https://www.instagram.com/somethingtoconsider.podcast/

Listen to us (all available platforms)

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/something-to-consider/id1674861838

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/618zDVAJO0teMngLOzyKz4?si=8bfddd1364d34fc7

Connect with the Host:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dalhanbali/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danaalhanbali

X: https://x.com/DanaAlhanbali

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@danaalhanbali

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@danaalhanbali5621/about

Entrepreneur and writer Fouad Jeryes—behind CashBasha, Amman Tech Tuesdays, and now Maqsam, an Arabic-first AI cloud contact center—joins Dana Alhanbali to talk about the side of startups you don’t see in headlines: self-doubt, burnout, heartbreak, and the clarity that sometimes follows unraveling.

We cover: tying identity to performance, coming of age in adulthood, small wins vs. “scale,” building Arabic AI for real contact-center work, and why vulnerability is a leadership advantage—especially in MENA cultures that expect men to carry silently.

Fouad also shares how his team at Maqsam funds anonymous mental-health care for employees across Jordan, KSA, Egypt, and the UAE.If you’re building in MENA tech, curious about Arabic LLMs, or renegotiating your metrics for a good life, this episode gives language, tools, and maybe permission to change.

We hope you will find something to consider.

Connect with the Guest:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fouadjeryes

X: X.com/fouadjeryes

Company Website: www.maqsam.com

Medium: https://medium.com/@fouadjeryes

Find us at (Instagram podcast page) https://www.instagram.com/somethingtoconsider.podcast/

Listen to us (all available platforms)

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/something-to-consider/id1674861838

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/618zDVAJO0teMngLOzyKz4?si=8bfddd1364d34fc7

Connect with the Host:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dalhanbali/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danaalhanbali

X: https://x.com/DanaAlhanbali

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@danaalhanbali

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@danaalhanbali5621/about