In this episode, we chat with Ola Doudin, Founder of BitOasis, the largest and most trusted cryptocurrency platform in the MENA region. Formed in 2015, BitOasis serves as the go-to platform for first-time cryptocurrency buyers and seasoned traders alike. They are a pioneer of the cryptocurrency movement in the region.

How BitOasis came to be was unconventional, as Ola shares more about her childhood and journey to bring this opportunity for the region. Sharing her rebellious side as well as the ups and downs of running a crypto startup in the region, Ola shares lessons for founders who want to fundraise whilst overcoming very dire challenges.

I really enjoyed the insights she brought to the table, talking about the persistence you need to keep going, and the challenges of a solo founder especially in this region.

We'll talk about:

• Ola's rebellious side and how that feeds into her qualities as a proven founder
• Riding the cryptocurrency wave early and the challenges of bringing it into the MENA region
• The delusional expectations that founders have on themselves as well as those around them
• How Ola overcame the obstacles of fundraising and becoming a trusted startup until now.

Enjoy!

Timestamps:

• 2:51 What makes someone successful can become their enemy
• 6:30 Self-awareness is one of the best qualities for any founder
• 7:38 A childhood of perfectionism, and how it can be very taxing on people
• 13:50 What Ola Doudin thinks about her life choices
• 15:56 Negotiating to change schools only to get expelled
• 21:04 Turning point for Ola in studying overseas
• 27:56 The beginning of Ola's unconventional career after EY
• 31:34 Setting the foundation for BitOasis
• 37:35 Meeting with founders for BitOasis in the beginning
• 40:33 The valleys of death to cross, and founders' unreasonable expectations
• 43:18 Navigating through the challenges of crypto as a solo founder
• 45:24 How Ola Doudin fundraised for BitOasis in the Middle East
• 51:25 Invest in relationships early: advice for founders looking to get investors
• 55:00 BitOasis had the banks closed the doors on them, yet they continued
• 57:04 Ola Doudin's motivation to persevere: The Team
• 59:31 The market decides whether you win or lose
• 1:01:33 Ola Doudin's Book Recommendations
• 1:02:53 Ola Doudin's legacy is a work in progress

Links

• Ola's Twitter: https://twitter.com/odoudin
• Ola's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ola-doudin-5a026511/

About the Host

• COTU Ventures Website
• Amir's LinkedIn
• Amir's Twitter

In this episode, we talk with Rami Salman, the Co-Founder of Wrappup, a meeting-based productivity app with intelligent voice recording that helps inside sales managers make better decisions. Now, Rami is the Director of M&A, Strategy, & Partnerships at Cisco, after Wrappup's acquisition by Voicea, and concurrently by Cisco.

This was an in-depth conversation on Rami's entrepreneurial journey, from when he learned the entrepreneurial tools and mindset from childhood with his family, to Co-Founding Wrappup and raising multiple rounds for his startup, ultimately getting acquired. Now at Cisco, we talk with Rami to look back on his journey and the deep lessons he learned throughout this time. He was honest in sharing his challenges, worries, and success raising funds for Wrappup and the conversations he's had with investors, so there is plenty to unpack here if you are a founder going through the same journey.

We'll talk about:

• The frameworks and strategies Rami used to shift Wrappup in a direction to profitability and ultimately attracting investors
• What to really do once you get market validation for your product, and how to respond to it effectively
• The hardest moment of being a founder on the verge of closing down the business
• How to structure your startup so that you are fit for acquisition

Enjoy!

Timestamps

• 2:28 Intuitive, Analytical: How Rami would describe himself growing up
• 7:41 Rami's first taste of entrepreneurship through his family
• 11:11 Tinkering as a key trait of a founder
• 16:07 Starting off an experiential career after graduating
• 18:38 Working at Bain & getting the tools to tinker with business and strategy
• 19:57 How Rami's wife encouraged him to get an MBA for entrepreneurship
• 21:38 How Rami Salman learned more at a hackathon than the last 1.5 years of his career
• 26:50 "I really wanted to do something that didn't exist before" Rami Salman's ethos on Wrappup
• 28:17 Choosing the right customers for Wrappup and how to close larger rounds
• 33:57 "Impossible is was just a temporary position for them" Getting app developers for Wrappup
• 36:19 Using the matrix of use cases to figure out strategic direction
• 39:07 How Wrappup was acquired by Voia through organic connection
• 41:04 Why you should get someone to steal your idea
• 44:30 Getting market validation and 200k app downloads
• 47:20 The challenges of transitioning into getting acquired
• 50:11 The different criteria of getting acquired as a startup
• 52:39 What VCs really look for when investing in businesses
• 53:11 The hardest moment in Rami Salman's entrepreneurial journey
• 56:16 What qualities Rami Salman thinks a good investor should have
• 1:00:23 Deciding to be an entrepreneur again or not
• 1:01:50 Redefining impact now that Rami Salman is more of an investor and advisor

Links

• Rami Salman's LinkedIn: https://ae.linkedin.com/in/ramisalman

About the Host

• COTU Ventures Website
• Amir's LinkedIn
• Amir's Twitter

In this episode, we're having a chat with Sonia Weymuller, Co-Founder and General Partner of VentureSouq (VSQ), a GCC-based Venture Capital firm. Launched in 2013, VSQ is active in the MENA region with a global portfolio of 200+ companies, as well as developing rich educational content around venture investing.

Sonia is the most conscious investor in the MENA region. Arriving into the world of VC from an unconventional path, I wanted to share with you her life story and adventures that brought her to Dubai and to backing entrepreneurs in the region.

We talked about:

• Sonia's unconventional path to becoming an established VC
• How VentureSouq started as an informal gathering of interested investors
• Sonia's philosophy on conscious investing and what you need to know
• The traits you need to be a founder worth investing in

Enjoy!

Timestamps:

• 2:15 Sonia's childhood, and being an accidental outlier in everything
• 7:57 Joining Microsoft, Viacom, and Sonia's experience with headhunters
• 11:02 The number 1 skill Sonia learned with these companies
• 11:44 What prompted Sonia to move to Dubai
• 12:56 Getting confronted with mortality
• 13:42 How VentureSouq started with a birthday party
• 16:00 How a team of 4 different personalities made VentureSouq thrive
• 19:24 How The Five Languages of Love helped Sonia become a better investor
• 20:46 Conscious Collective: What it is and why it started
• 23:34 What are some misconceptions around impact?
• 26:05 The 1 trait that made Sonia a successful venture capitalist
• 31:00 The attributes to a good founder that's worth investing in
• 34:50 Sonia's relationship with imposter syndrome
• 37:19 How Sonia thinks about fundraising: Alignment is key
• 38:39 Sonia's general thoughts on the fundraising ecosystem
• 41:38 What one thing would Sonia change about this region
• 43:50 Sonia's Legacy and what she wants the next generation to strive towards
• 46:16 The book that Sonia carries everywhere with her
• 48:09 Stay motivated by being centered

Links:

• Sonia's Twitter: https://twitter.com/soniawey
• Sonia's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniaweymuller/
• About VentureSouq: https://www.venturesouq.com/
• VentureSouq's Twitter: https://twitter.com/venturesouq

About the Host

• COTU Ventures Website
• Amir's LinkedIn
• Amir's Twitter