I Was the Customer. I Knew It Would Win - Mona Ataya

Mona Ataya is one of the Arab world’s most influential entrepreneurs, the founder of Mom’s World, the region’s most trusted mother and baby platform with over 2.5 million customers. In this episode, Mona shares the unfiltered story of building a purpose-driven e-commerce giant from scratch — using her savings, her own car for deliveries, and grit to compete with Amazon and win.Subscribe to my newsletter:https://www.mahmoudkhodor.comShe reveals:- How she found product-market fit on day one- Why she rejected investors whose values didn’t align- How she built a powerful brand community for moms- The hardest decision of her life: stepping down after 14 years- Whether you're a founder, operator, mother, or dreamer, this story will light a fire in you.📍 CHAPTERS00:00 Intro & Why Mom’s World Would Win 00:37 Episode Highlights & Key Takeaways 00:55 Reflecting on Dubai’s Evolution (25 Years) 01:53 Early Digital Ecosystem & Talent Influx 02:23 Identifying Unmet Needs & Inspiration for Mom’s World 03:55 Building a Business She Personally Needed 05:30 Niche Positioning & Competing with Amazon 06:41 Launch Timeline: Plan to First Customer 07:06 Scrappy Delivery Tactics (Using Personal Vehicles) 08:43 Curiosity & Hard Work as Success Drivers 09:22 Challenges of Early E-commerce in MENA 10:11 Fundraising Hurdles as a Woman Founder 12:02 Creative Supply-Chain Solutions 14:03 Building & Retaining Women Leaders 16:10 Essential Traits: Problem-Solving & Grit 18:02 Regional Expansion Strategy Across MENA 20:02 Choosing Investors Aligned with Your Mission 22:01 Recognizing Product-Market Fit Day One 23:22 Balancing Growth, Capital & Operations 25:14 Focus on Unit Economics & Fundamentals 26:45 Bilingual Launch & Cross-Border Strategy 28:18 Differentiation: Vertical vs. Horizontal Model 30:00 Building Brand Trust & Community 31:02 Empowering Women: Leadership & Mentorship 32:37 Cultural Nuances in Consumer Behavior 33:39 E-commerce Ecosystem: Then vs. Now 34:56 Acquisition by Tamkeen Group & Emotional Journey 37:14 Transition & Future Endeavors 40:02 Overcoming Gender Bias in Leadership 43:42 Intentional Inclusion of Women in Culture 46:09 Supporting Aspiring Women Entrepreneurs 49:00 Time Management & Shifting Priorities 51:01 Teaching Grit & Resilience to Children 53:05 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs in MENA 54:23 Connect with Muna Ataya & Closing 📲 Follow Mona Atayahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/monaataya/Mumz worldhttps://www.mumzworld.com/#MonaAtaya #MomsWorld #WomenEntrepreneurs #StartupsMENA #ProductMarketFit #EcommerceSuccess #WomenInBusiness #MiddleEastTech #FounderStory

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