Made in Dubai with Spencer Lodge

In 1981, a young Emirati woman convinced her father to let her travel to America to study. On her very first exam in a class of 75 Americans, she came first. That woman is now Vice Chancellor of the University of Sharjah. Dr. Amina Al Marzouqi's story is one of the most inspiring journeys Spencer has covered on this show. After graduating in the US, she came home and was made deputy director of the UAE's entire primary healthcare system. She did her master's degree and went on to help build 106 primary healthcare centres that earned WHO recognition. Twenty four years in education later, she leads one of the UAE's most respected universities. This conversation is full of wisdom. Dr. Amina talks about what university is really for, why a great teacher matters more than a famous institution, and why she believes students need less lecturing and more genuine interaction. She shares what it was like chairing her university's Covid response committee and supporting thousands of students through lockdown. She reflects on running a campus during the missile attacks, why students felt safer on university grounds than anywhere else, and the quiet strength the UAE revealed when it mattered most. Timestamps: 0:00 How hard is it to be a student today with AI, mental health pressure and a region in conflict 1:30 Chairing the Covid response committee and what students needed most during lockdown 8:02 What university is really for: independence, critical thinking and self discipline 12:22 The teacher makes the subject: why a great lecturer matters more than a great university 18:13 Arriving in America in 1981, defying her father, and her first mixed classroom 22:24 The professor who saw her potential and the exam that changed everything 27:40 No management training, one year to get a master's, and building the UAE's healthcare system from scratch 31:48 AI as a tool not a threat and the careers students are not talking about yet 37:47 How the missile crisis made students more thoughtful and more mature 48:58 From mandatory cousin marriages to confronting a queue jumper: how UAE culture has shifted 51:31 The UAE's defence strength that nobody knew existed until it mattered 58:52 Defining success as impact and why she hates exams and textbooks 1:04:26 Quickfire Questions Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Media https://www.instagram.com/madeindubaipodcast/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586194260076 https://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/ Follow Dr. Amina Al Marzouqi on Social Media https://www.linkedin.com/in/amina-al-marzouqi-7b286b151/ https://www.linkedin.com/school/university-of-sharjah/

Most people arrive in Dubai thinking the opportunities will find them. Jason Grundy has spent 25 years watching that assumption play out badly. As Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa at Robert Walters, Jason has seen every side of the hiring market. The candidates who oversell themselves. The companies that leave great people waiting a month for feedback and wonder why they lost them. The businesses generating AI written job descriptions that have nothing to do with the actual role. And the expats who land in Dubai assuming opportunities will fall into their lap, only to find one of the most competitive job markets on earth. This episode covers what is really happening in the UAE job market right now, which industries are hiring, which have gone quiet, and when the bounce back comes. Plus the honest truth about Emiratisation, why culture retains talent more than salary, and why the best candidates are never on a job board. If you are hiring, being hired, or just trying to understand where Dubai is heading, this one is worth your time. Timestamps: 1:30 How Jason fell into recruitment and why one snap decision defined his entire career 6:40 How to choose the right recruiter, why trust matters, and what makes Robert Walters different 13:15 The Middle East versus Africa and the miracle of what this region has built in 50 years 17:30 Emiratisation: the honest answer, the real challenge, and the only playbook that works 23:50 What is hiring and what has gone quiet after the regional conflict 27:00 Jason's honest forecast: when Dubai will bounce back and what it will look like 31:54 Why badly trained interviewers are losing great candidates and how to fix it 36:32 AI in recruitment: what is actually happening, the quiet tap no bot can replace, and the one line that says it all 45:34 Why a third of candidates are hesitating and why two thirds are still saying yes to Dubai 53:40 Culture is the only real difference between companies that keep people and those that always hire 57:00 How to stand out as a candidate, what your LinkedIn is doing wrong, and why the CV is just the door 1:02:30 Degrees: do they still matter and what Jason told his own kids 1:07:00 Quickfire: red flags, overpaid professions, secretly dying careers, and Dubai versus Abu Dhabi Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/madeindubaipodcast/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586194260076 https://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/ Follow Jason Grundy on Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasongrundy/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/robert-walters/posts/?feedView=all https://www.instagram.com/robertwalterslife/?hl=en

"The Doctor Is Not Always Right" Hein Van Eck is a healthcare actuary by training, a breed of thinker who sits at the intersection of data, ethics, and human behavior. He started in insurance in South Africa, was handed his career-defining job after answering a single ethical question correctly, and has spent the last 20 years on the provider side watching an industry transform in real time. He moved to Dubai in 2014 and hasn't stood still since. As CEO of Mediclinic Middle East, Hein oversees six hospitals, 27 clinics, 4,000 babies born annually, and a workforce of doctors recruited from around the world not by headhunters, but by hospital directors who fly to the UK in winter specifically to sit across a candidate and ask: would I feel comfortable if this person treated my family? That detail tells you everything about how he leads. This conversation goes places most healthcare interviews don't. Hein talks honestly about the agency problem at the heart of modern medicine doctor has the knowledge, patient consumes, insurer pays and what happens when that system breaks down. He explains why Ozempic and Mounjaro might genuinely extend lives, not just shrink waistlines. He reveals an AI model that predicts, with 95% accuracy, which patient won't show up to their appointment. And he shares his vision of what a hospital looks like in ten years: a theatre complex, an ICU, and almost everything else happening at home. If you think Dubai healthcare is second-tier, this conversation will change your mind. Timestamps: 0:00 - 20 years at one company in Dubai: why Hein never needed to leave 2:00 - From actuary to hospitals: the agency problem at the heart of healthcare 5:00 - Post-Covid consumerism: why visits per person have doubled from four to eight a year 9:00 - Peptides, Ozempic, and the traffic light system: green, amber, and outright quackery 14:00 - Insurance, self-pay, and the moral dilemmas that arise every single day 21:00 - Collaborative management without consensus: how he leads 4 million patient interactions 25:00 - The mentor, the one ethical question, and how Hein got the job 28:00 - Payment cycles: 20 days in South Africa, 100+ days in the UAE and the hidden cash flow crisis 34:00 - How Mediclinic recruits doctors: hospital directors on planes, not recruiters on LinkedIn 40:00 - Spencer's spinal fusion story and the one doctor who made it human 47:00 - Hospitals as healthcare malls and why the big scary hospital is disappearing 52:00 - AI that predicts no-shows with 95% accuracy and ambient AI that frees doctors to look up 56:00 - In ten years, a hospital will be a theatre and an ICU and everything else happens at home 1:02:00 - The blue chair in every boardroom: every decision tested against what's best for the patient 1:07:00 - Quickfire: the biggest lie in healthcare, what scares him about AI, and the hardest truth about technology adoption Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/madeindubaipodcast/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586194260076 https://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/ Follow Hein Van Eck on Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hein-van-eck-a632881a/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/mediclinic-middle-east/ https://www.instagram.com/mediclinicme/?hl=en

Ossama El Samadoni leads GBM, one of the most respected technology organisations in the region, with over 300 employees, triple-digit million dirham revenue, and clients across the Middle East, Africa, Turkey and Russia. The disappointment that derailed his dream is exactly what built him. But this isn't a story about career pivots. It's a conversation that should make every business leader in this city sit up straight. Ossama has spent decades at the intersection of global technology and human vulnerability working with Dell, Oracle, HP, and IBM before taking the helm at GBM. He's seen cyber attacks quadruple during regional conflict. He's watched AI agents invent their own secret language when they detected they were being supervised. He's tracked state actors who wiped entire company systems without issuing a single delete command. And he's deeply worried that most leaders still don't understand what's already here. This is a rare conversation Ossama's first podcast and he gives everything. No corporate script. No polished PR lines. Just a trench fighter who trusts primary information over secondary noise, believes technology should serve human welfare not just profit, and will tell you plainly: it's not if you'll be attacked, it's when. Whether you're a founder, a CEO, or just someone trying to understand what AI is actually doing to our world this one will stay with you. Timestamps: 0:00 – "A podcast virgin" Osama's first ever appearance 0:09 – Employees feeding company data into ChatGPT: the risk nobody talks about 2:11 – How generative AI actually works and why bias is already baked in 5:38 – The moment two AI agents invented their own secret language to hide from their supervisor 13:34 – Cyber-attacks quadrupled during regional conflict and why every company is a target 19:21 – How a demo system became a state actor's entry point 22:21 – The KPMG case: an entire system wiped with zero delete commands 25:56 – Password hygiene, the 14-day rule, and why you must never open junk mail in Outlook 28:39 – How to spot AI snake oil salesmen and the two questions that cut through the noise 30:13 – Deepfakes are already here and why trust will return to the room 47:10 – Made in Egypt, polished in UAE and why Dubai is harder than it looks 57:32 – If he started again at 21: invest in human welfare, not hype 59:35 – Leading from the trenches and the multiplier effect of great leadership 1:04:50 – Quickfire: rogue AI, the one question every CEO should ask, and more Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/madeindubaipodcast/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586194260076 https://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/ Follow Ossama El Samadoni on Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ossamae/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/gbm/ https://www.instagram.com/gbmmiddleeast/

He arrived in Abu Dhabi in 1981 when roads turned to soft sand and ceilings collapsed because villas were built with saltwater cement. He came for six months. He never left. Forty-five years later, he just took his company public at a $1.5 billion valuation and he's 71 years old with zero plans to stop. In this episode, Spencer sits down with Fayez Ibbini, founder of Alpha Data, one of the UAE's most enduring technology companies. From coding assembly language for the Kuwait Stock Exchange on 16-hour days, to pivoting from IBM mini-computers to PCs, to riding every wave from networking and the internet to cloud, mobile, big data, IoT and now AI. Fayez has been at the frontier of technology in this region for nearly half a century. But this isn't just a business story. It's a story about passion over comfort, about the cost of obsession, about what it really means to build something that outlasts you. He'll tell you that if you haven't started a business by 40, don't bother. That retirement was invented to push you out. That AI is not another wave - it's a tsunami. And that the most expensive lessons in business are almost always about people. Whether you're an entrepreneur at the start of your journey, a leader navigating the AI revolution, or someone who wonders what it looks like to still be curious and hungry at 71. This conversation will challenge everything you think you know about success, technology, and time. Timestamps: 00:00 – "A golden cage": why Fayez came for six months and stayed 45 years 01:28 – Abu Dhabi vs. Dubai and the mind-boggling speed of UAE transformation 06:34 – From electrical engineering to poultry imports to farming — finding what actually excites him 11:20 – Coding the Kuwait Stock Exchange in assembly language and the moment he realized talent has value 12:29 – His first client in the UAE: a video rental library, a 2,000-dirham cheque, and why he never cashed it 15:54 – Seeing every stand at CeBIT with a PC and making a decision that changed everything 17:17 – The seven waves of technology: mainframes to AI — and why AI is the tsunami, not the wave 21:36 – Why Alpha Data's greatest asset isn't talent — it's 2,200 relationships built on trust 23:00 – Life only makes sense in the rearview mirror: navigating the fog of action 26:00 – The three ingredients for success: passion, innate ability, and demand 28:00 – His controversial take: if you haven't started a business by 40, don't bother 29:24 – Why Fayez took Alpha Data public after 44 years — and the succession problem that forced his hand 34:00 – Deliberately leaving money on the table at IPO and why that was the smartest move 38:00 – The stock market chief's warning: "The sleepless nights start after the birth" 41:40 – Alpha Data's three core values: care for people, no red tape, and speed 45:15 – Overcoming introversion, shaking knees, and the demon in your brain that tries to protect you 50:00 – On giving back: why his model is teaching people to fish, not handing them fish 57:00 – AI compared to electricity: we are at the very start of it invading every aspect of our lives 1:00:25 – What AI can never replace: trust, the handshake, and the look in someone's eyes 1:02:40 – Quickfire: what money really means, the hardest decision he ever made, and a belief he's completely abandoned 1:04:24 – Why most people fail and his single biggest leadership lesson 1:09:11 – Why retirement is an invention of the industrial age — and what he's learning right now at 71 Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Media https://www.instagram.com/madeindubaipodcast/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586194260076 https://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/ Follow Fayez Ibbini on Social Media https://www.linkedin.com/in/fayez-ibbini-28382717/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/alpha-data_2/ https://www.instagram.com/alphadatauae/

This episode explores the connection between mind and body, the truth about stress and illness, and why Dave believes: "You either make yourself sick… or you make yourself healthy." In this episode, Spencer sits down with Dave Catudal, a serial entrepreneur, health coach, and supplement formulator whose life has been shaped by loss, resilience, and a relentless pursuit of understanding the human body. After watching his younger brother battle leukemia for six years and losing his father to cancer at just 46, Dave's life took a destructive turn. However, those same experiences became the foundation of his mission: to understand how the body heals and why so many people fall ill in the first place. When Dave was diagnosed with cancer himself at 23, he wasn't shocked. He believed years of stress, trauma, and negative thinking had played a role in his illness. From hitting rock bottom in Los Angeles, living in a garage and sleeping on a massage table, to building multiple businesses in the health and wellness space, Dave's journey is a powerful story of transformation. In this conversation, Dave breaks down the fundamentals of health that many people overlook, including nervous system regulation, gut health, sleep, stress, and the hidden impact of modern lifestyles. Timestamps: 00:00 – How Dave believes he gave himself cancer 02:46 – His brother's leukemia, his father's death, and a family shaped by illness 05:30 – Remembering his father Pierre: the man behind the legend 08:05 – What actually causes cancer? The mind-body connection explained 09:26 – The most powerful memory of his father (a story you won't forget) 12:08 – Regret, absence, and channeling grief into becoming your best self 16:25 – What he would say to his father if he walked in today 17:12 – The manifestation trap: why fixating on outcomes holds you back 21:36 – Stress as the number one trigger of illness — the science explained 24:08 – Information overload vs. real health education 27:44 – Why belief systems can be the most powerful medicine 30:34 – The three pillars every modern human needs to get right 34:01 – Why are we living longer despite living worse? 36:26 – Sleep decoded: deep sleep vs. REM and why that extra hour changes everything 41:31 – REM Plus: the supplement built for the overstimulated modern human 44:17 – Dubai vs. LA vs. Montreal: where entrepreneurs actually thrive 48:04 – From landscaping at 19 to supplements in Dubai: the full entrepreneurial journey 52:18 – His most costly business failure and what it taught him 54:28 – For Us: the two-product system taking Dubai by storm 58:35 – How to build a brand with a vibe you cannot pay for 01:01:31 – The single most important pillar of health (and the free tool to fix it) 01:03:19 – Dave's three daily non-negotiables 01:04:17 – Rock bottom: sleeping on a massage table in West Hollywood 01:07:26 – What he wants to be remembered for 01:10:39 – Why he calls himself an entrepreneur, not a supplement guy 01:11:26 – Quickfire: the habits aging you fastest, what to ban from modern life, and more 01:15:57 – The time he spent five nights in jail 01:16:52 – Will today's kids live shorter lives? 01:20:25 – The power of tribe: why who you surround yourself with is everything 01:20:25 – Peptides explained: what they are, how they work, and when to use them 01:23:46 – The Coke Zero debate: is the dose really the poison? 01:25:37 – The meaning of life, in one word Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Media https://www.instagram.com/madeindubaipodcast/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586194260076 https://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/ Follow Dave Catudal on Social Media https://www.linkedin.com/in/davecatudal/ https://www.instagram.com/davecatudal/ https://foruslife.com/

How do you go from leaving school early to leading one of Dubai's top hospitals? In this episode, Spencer sits down with Kimberly Pierce, CEO of King's College Hospital Dubai, whose journey into leadership was anything but planned. From describing herself as a "bad girl at school" who left before finishing year ten to returning to night school to earn her qualifications and pursue nursing, Kimberly's story is one of resilience, grit, and purpose. Starting as a cardiac nurse in the UK and later rebuilding her career from scratch in Australia, she was repeatedly pushed into leadership roles by mentors who saw potential she didn't yet see in herself. Today, she leads one of the region's most respected hospitals but still considers herself a nurse at heart. In this conversation, Kimberly shares her approach to people-first leadership, why culture matters more than strategy, and how genuine care for staff directly impacts patient outcomes. From navigating crises like the Dubai floods to leading complex medical innovations and building high-performing teams, her leadership style is rooted in empathy, accountability and action. Timestamps 00:00 – From leaving school early to becoming a nurse 03:10 – Starting over and building a career in healthcare 06:20 – Mentors who pushed her into leadership 09:45 – From nurse to CEO: an unexpected journey 13:30 – Leading with empathy and building strong teams 17:10 – Why culture matters more than strategy 21:05 – Handling crises and leading during the Dubai floods 25:40 – The realities of leadership and decision-making 29:15 – Innovation in healthcare: AI, robotics, and patient care 33:50 – The competitive healthcare landscape in Dubai 38:20 – Attracting top global talent 42:10 – Women in leadership vs people empowerment 46:00 – Balancing pressure, responsibility, and resilience 50:25 – The future of healthcare and medical innovation 55:10 – Inspiring the next generation of nurses and leaders 58:30 – Defining legacy and impact Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Media https://www.instagram.com/madeindubaipodcast/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586194260076 https://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/ Follow Kimberley Pierce and King's College Hospital on Social Media https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberley-pierce-56706361/ https://www.instagram.com/kingscollegehospitaldubai/ https://www.facebook.com/kingscollegehospitallondon

What should schools really be teaching the next generation? In this episode, Spencer sits down with Tomas Duckling, Headmaster of one of the most prestigious schools in the UAE, to explore the pressures shaping modern education, the role of parents in an increasingly competitive system, the impact of technology and AI on learning and why the future of education must focus on building good humans, not just high achievers. Tomas' path into education was unexpected. After travelling the world in his early twenties, he began working at a North London school supporting refugees and immigrant communities. What started as a temporary role quickly became a calling, launching an international career that took him from Brunei to Aiglon College in Switzerland, one of the world's most expensive schools. Now leading Dubai College, Tomas believes schools should focus on far more than exam results. His mission is to develop character, empathy, kindness, and leadership, preparing students not just for academic success but to become good humans who can make a meaningful impact on the world. Timestamps: 00:00 – Introducing Tomas Duckling and Dubai College 02:05 – The history of Dubai College and why it's so oversubscribed 04:15 – Removing the debenture system and creating merit-based admissions 07:12 – Tomas' unconventional journey into teaching 10:03 – From London classrooms to international schools in Brunei 13:48 – Teaching at Aiglon College in Switzerland 17:10 – How global experiences shaped his philosophy on education 21:02 – Why academic results alone are not enough 24:30 – The importance of character, kindness, and empathy in schools 27:18 – The pressures parents place on modern education 31:05 – Comparing the UK, European, and UAE education systems 34:12 – The future of learning in a world shaped by AI 38:20 – Why human skills will matter more than ever 42:45 – The Edge Curriculum: teaching empathy, design, and entrepreneurship 47:30 – Encouraging students to solve real-world problems 50:15 – Bullying, kindness, and creating positive school culture 54:40 – The role of sport, extracurriculars, and resilience 58:10 – The debate around homeschooling and social development 01:02:20 – Diversity and multicultural education in Dubai 01:05:15 – The real purpose of education in the 21st century Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/madeindubaipodcast/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586194260076 https://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/ Follow Tomas Duckling on Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomas-duckling/ https://www.instagram.com/dubaicollege/

Cancer is not a foreign invader. It is a failure of defense. In this episode, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, surgeon, scientist, inventor and one of the most influential figures in modern medicine, lays out a radical idea: your body already knows how to defeat cancer. The question is whether we are activating it… or suppressing it. Born in apartheid South Africa and driven by what he calls a duty to fight for the underdog, Dr. Soon-Shiong went from performing complex surgeries in Los Angeles to inventing Abraxane, a breakthrough nanoparticle chemotherapy now used worldwide. But he believes chemotherapy was only chapter one, Chapter two is immunity. He breaks down the role of the 450 million year old Natural Killer cell and why it may be the missing piece in cancer prevention, then dives into IL-15, once ranked the most promising molecule to cure cancer and now approved in 33 countries, with new ground in lung cancer treatment in Saudi Arabia. Dr. Soon-Shiong also shares his warning of a coming "pandemic of cancer," the controversy around COVID vaccine development, the overlooked $10 blood test hidden inside routine labs that predicts mortality risk, and how camel nanobodies, AI and robotics may democratize treatments that once cost $1 million. If you care about longevity, cancer prevention, or the future of medicine, this episode matters. Timestamps: 00:00 – First impressions of the Middle East and the crisis of trust 08:17 – What cancer really is and the role of the Natural Killer cell 14:08 – The warning: a possible pandemic of cancer in young people 16:47 – The T-cell COVID vaccine controversy 24:40 – IL-15: ranked the #1 molecule to cure cancer 29:07 – Breaking news: approvals in 33 countries and Saudi Arabia 31:06 – Immunity, aging, and the link to longevity 37:53 – The $10 blood test hidden in plain sight for 30 years 39:28 – Why camels and sharks don't get cancer 44:32 – From apartheid South Africa to billionaire inventor 48:13 – Turning $1 million CAR-T therapy into a $25,000 robotic solution 50:33 – Why the Middle East could lead the next biotech revolution Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/madeindubaipodcast/?hl=en https://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586194260076 Follow Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong on Social Media: https://x.com/DrPatrick

Trauma changes you. For some, it becomes a weight that never lifts. For others, it becomes a catalyst. In this episode, Dr. Gian Power shares the deeply personal story that shaped his life and leadership journey. From childhood shyness and quiet ambition to navigating the devastating and unresolved murder of his father, this conversation explores how unimaginable loss can redefine purpose. Dr. Gian reflects on loyalty, trust, justice, and the emotional toll of public tragedy. He speaks candidly about grief, identity, and the difficult process of rebuilding while carrying unanswered questions. Beyond the personal story, this episode dives into the future of leadership. In a world rapidly shaped by AI and automation, Dr. Gian explains why human skills, storytelling, emotional intelligence, and authentic connection are becoming more valuable than ever. This is a powerful conversation about resilience, purpose-driven leadership, and the responsibility leaders have to build workplaces that are not just productive, but deeply human. A raw and thoughtful discussion on adversity, performance, culture, and what it truly means to lead with strength and compassion. Timestamps: 00:00 – Turning trauma into a catalyst for leadership 02:18 – Early years: childhood, identity, and ambition 10:15 – The disappearance and murder that changed everything 18:29 – Media scrutiny and the search for truth 25:30 – Processing grief and navigating unresolved trauma 30:50 – Rebuilding through purpose and community 38:00 – Storytelling as a leadership superpower 45:19 – Returning to the corporate world with a new lens 52:41 – AI, automation, and the rise of human skills 1:14:00 – Kindness, fairness, and vulnerability in leadership 1:07:42 – Building resilient, high-performance cultures 1:15:29 – The resilience mindset in an AI-driven future 1:20:20 – Final reflections: connection, purpose, and impact Show Sponsors: AYS Developers: A design-focused company dedicated to crafting exceptional homes, vibrant communities, and inspiring lifestyle experiences. https://bit.ly/AYS-Developers Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/madeindubaipodcast/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586194260076 https://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/ Follow Dr. Gian Power on Social Media: https://gianpower.com/ https://www.instagram.com/gianpower https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCp2VTK7cLAuJw8-u_PTreRw https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianpower

In this conversation, Lousin Mehrabi sits down with Spencer Lodge for an open and reflective discussion that goes beyond surface-level success. Through thoughtful questioning, Lousin encourages Spencer to open up about the gap between external achievement and internal fulfillment and how family expectations, particularly his relationship with his father, shaped his drive and self-perception. Spencer reflects on navigating rejection, pressure, and self-doubt, and how resilience, forgiveness, and self-awareness helped him redefine success on his own terms. The conversation also explores the impact of parenting, gratitude, and meaningful connection on personal growth. Spencer shares lessons from his journey in sales, life in Dubai, and using success as a platform for purpose through charity work and storytelling, including a documentary focused on resilience and human impact. A grounded, honest exchange about turning pressure into progress and ambition into something that truly matters. 00:00 The Illusion of Success 02:54 The Weight of Expectations 06:09 The Burden of Shame 08:59 The Struggle with Self-Perception 12:00 The Relentless Pursuit of Achievement 15:05 The Challenge of Connection 18:10 The Impact of Family Dynamics 20:57 The Journey of Forgiveness 24:05 The Role of Parenting 27:10 The Power of Resilience 30:03 The Path to Financial Success 32:57 The Fear of Rejection 45:42 The Numbers Game of Rejection 48:10 Learning the Sales Process 54:51 The Journey Through Different Countries 57:39 Life in Dubai: A Personal Perspective 01:00:13 Helping Others: The Power of Charity 01:08:30 The Documentary: A Story of Resilience 01:13:42 The Inner Struggle: Balancing Success and Responsibility Show Sponsors: AYS Developers: A design-focused company dedicated to crafting exceptional homes, vibrant communities, and inspiring lifestyle experiences. https://bit.ly/AYS-Developers Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Media https://www.instagram.com/madeindubaipodcast/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586194260076 https://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/ Follow Lousin Mehrabi on Social Media https://www.instagram.com/lousinmehrabi https://www.youtube.com/@lousinmehrabi https://www.linkedin.com/in/lousin-mehrabi

This episode isn't about motivation. It's about perspective. Cyrus Rustom shares the moments that reshaped how he sees life — from joining the Marines at 16 to escape chaos at home, to surviving an accident he was certain he wouldn't live through, to rebuilding everything afterward. We talk about business failures, discipline myths, opening a company one week before Covid shut the world down and why real risk isn't danger — it's waiting for certainty that never comes. This conversation isn't polished or performative. It's about identity, loss, belonging, and what changes when you realise time isn't guaranteed. Some decisions aren't heroic. They're survival. 3:31 – Learning What Not to Do 5:28 – The Biggest Mistakes 09:35 – The Discipline Lie 12:37 – The Start of Boxica 14:32 - Worst Timing Possible 16:12 – Making People Feel Welcome at The Gym 24:05 – Entrepreneurship 24:52 – What is Success? 36:27 - I Joined the Marines at 16 39:35 – The World of the Marines 54:44 - Crushed Between Two Vehicles 1:01:42 - Perspective Saved Me 1:05:27 - Leaving Was Lonely 1:07:42 - I Wouldn't Change What Happened Show Sponsors: AYS Developers: A design-focused company dedicated to crafting exceptional homes, vibrant communities, and inspiring lifestyle experiences. https://bit.ly/AYS-Developers Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Media https://www.instagram.com/madeindubaipodcast/?hl=en https://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/ Follow Cyrus Rustom on Social Media https://www.instagram.com/coachcyrus/ https://www.instagram.com/boxica/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyrus-rustom-350a7098/?originalSubdomain=ae

Peter Doyle's life proves that success isn't a straight line and that sometimes, losing everything is the beginning of becoming who you're meant to be. From the worlds' top DJ booths and global stages to sleeping in the back of a Toyota Yaris in Dubai when things got really tough, Peter opens up about the highs, the lows and the moments that nearly broke him. With no passport, no money and no one coming to save him, he was forced to dig deeper than ever before. What followed was a complete reinvention; one built on discipline, faith and relentless self-belief. This is a raw, honest conversation about resilience, reinvention, and why it's never too late to start again. 2:30 - 6:30 The curious kid 6:32 – 14:27 From kid DJ to global opener 14:28 – 20:40 DJ-ing or the family? 20:41 – 29:03 Started a new life at 38 29:04 – 32:35 From DJ to asset management 32:36 – 44:33 Penniless in Dubai 44:34 – 1:04:10 The turning point Show Sponsors: AYS Developers: A design-focused company dedicated to crafting exceptional homes, vibrant communities, and inspiring lifestyle experiences. https://bit.ly/AYS-Developers Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Media https://www.instagram.com/madeindubaipodcast/?hl=en https://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/ Follow Peter Doyle on Social Media https://www.instagram.com/petedoyle.co.uk https://www.tiktok.com/@consultgroupworldwide https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterdoyle-cgw/ https://www.youtube.com/@consultgroupworldwide https://www.facebook.com/consultgroupworldwide/