This is one of those “what I’ve learned” essays. It’s not meant to sound preachy. Helping emerging entrepreneurs in their early/growth stages informs the way I advise corporate clients at every stage of development. This is about the “gestalt” of what I tell clients rather than the methodology or process. From designing, building and marketing…

Aqaba, Jordan Another narrative At a time when the dominant narrative about the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) reflects conflict and instability, it’s important to view the region from a more balanced perspective. Consider an alternative narrative — one  that hinges on the region’s technology entrepreneurs. Their story is about building products for one…

Satellite view of Dubai’s iconic shoreline Which Markets Are A Good Fit? Many of the questions that my colleagues and I often get from enterprise clients about to expand internationally concern how to evaluate which prospective market(s) to choose. Clients’ primary concerns are typically about market economics — demand and size/growth rates followed by regulatory…

Southbound Is this a good time to tap new markets in the Global South? Broadly speaking, the answer is yes. Despite slower growth in many economies including China’s, consumer markets across the Global South are, by and large, flourishing due to a confluence of advanced technology, urbanization and regulatory reforms in many countries. Greater demand…