Hashem catches up with Hamad Al Awar, the founder of the home-grown burger brand, High Joint, a police officer and a creative artist. Having met at a shawarma place in a very interesting coincidence, Hashem decided to bring their conversation to The Lighthouse Podcast room and explore the man with multiple hats. Hamad walks us through how he is able to balan ... Show More
Feb 16
Nicolas Bellavance-Lecompte on the Soul of Space and Collectible Design
“I really wanted to slow things down… to create an experience where people take their time, build relationships, and connect with design in a more human way.” Nicolas Bellavance-Lecompte has spent fifteen years living out of a suitcase, experiencing the quiet palazzos of Venice ... Show More
50m 46s
Jan 12
“Going into a new market requires humility. You don’t know the market well, and you have to accept that.”
In this year-in-review episode, Hashem looks back on 2025 and what it actually took to open two restaurants in Riyadh in one year. It’s a conversation about going up the learning curve fast, staying humble, and why consistency always outlasts hype. Chapters: 0:00 Coming up... ... Show More
44m 43s
Oct 2025
“The day I stopped being a ‘Googler in Dubai’ and started being ‘Lynn, who happens to work at Google,’ everything changed.”
Lynn Hazim, founder of Middle Child and creator of popular food blog @nosoupforyou, shares her journey from corporate life at Google to building her own restaurant in Dubai. The episode explores her early love for food, the roots of her inspiration, and her bold pivot to entrepre ... Show More
42m 47s
May 2020
E5: Samer Hamadeh on building F&B brands that people love
My guest Samer Hamadeh is a serial entrepreneur in the entertainment and Food & Beverage space having built some great concepts such as Republique, Stereo Arcade, Akiba Dori and more. I met Samer way before his food and beverage days when he was at Impact BBDO, where 7 months in, ... Show More
46m 2s
Mar 2024
Fahad Al Obaidly on Fashion, Art, and Film
A series of conversations with Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and people who have been part of Qatar’s architecture & culture development journey.
In this episode, Her Excellency welcomes Fahad Al Obaidly, the Deputy Director of Programming and Partnerships for the De ... Show More
45m 9s