The Transit Lounge with Mohamad Zaoud

LaunchGood has become the biggest Muslim-specific crowdfunding platform across the globe. Whilst many comfortably use the platform, they are unaware of the story behind its inception. Co-Founder Omar Hamid's journey started in late high school, as he kicked off his design career by starting his own agency - that’s right - during high school. The design agency turned out to be a stunning success, and all was well and good, until Omar got his most engaging project yet - the LaunchGood website. He would soon realise that this project drew him in like none other before and lit a passion deep inside. Eventually, Omar went all in as a Co-Founder and began his journey to develop the Muslim World's largest crowd funding platform Visit toledosociety.com for more info

Magid Magid may have lived the most unconventional journey to politics there is. After leaving Somalia as a refugee, he arrived at Britain at the tender age of 5. After schooling and working long shifts at factories for cash, Magid eventually enrolled into university to study Aquatic Zoology. Apart from an exotic degree, Magid got a lot out of his time at university. He found a voice to speak out for things he believed in passionately, and eventually got elected as the President of the University Union. A strong believer in principle over politics, Magid joined the Greens party and quickly became an active member. Before he knew it, he would be elected as the youngest Lord Mayor of Sheffield (with quite a fancy inauguration). We trace Magid's journey and the challenges he's faced as a proud Muslim in politics. The Transit Lounge chronicles the journeys of people who’ve had a considerable impact on the Muslim world. In season 1, we hear from successful entrepreneurs, academics, scholars and politicians. Hosted by Mohamad Zaoud, each episode explores the highs and lows of our guests, and tackles the question of our time - what does it take to find balance when living a contemporary Muslim life. Mohamad Zaoud is a brand enthusiast and consults businesses and NGOs on brand & growth strategies. He’s currently the Manager of Digital Growth – EMEA, and formerly Head of Marketing MENA, at Al Jazeera Media Network where he’s worked on flagship brands including Al Jazeera and AJ+. Visit toledosociety.com for more info.

Arguably the forerunner in Islamic related design across the world, Peter Gould's journey is fascinating on both a personal and business level. By the time Peter hit university, he discovered two crucial things that would inform his work to come; his passion for design and his belief in Islam. Instead of working at a corporate firm to channel his design talents, Peter took the road less travelled by and started his own design agency from scratch. From here on, Peter worked with some of the biggest brands in and out of the Muslim World - from icons like Sami Yusuf to brands like Emirates Park Zoo and Colgate. Alongside servicing major clients, Peter is now working on some projects of his own. In the episode, Peter walks us through the journey that finally culminated in his most recent project, Zileej - a design agency creating the next generation of meaningful toys, games and creative experiences for the Muslim World. The Transit Lounge chronicles the journeys of people who’ve had a considerable impact on the Muslim world. In season 1, we hear from successful entrepreneurs, academics, scholars and politicians. Hosted by Mohamad Zaoud, each episode explores the highs and lows of our guests, and tackles the question of our time - what does it take to find balance when living a contemporary Muslim life. Mohamad Zaoud is a brand enthusiast and consults businesses and NGOs on brand & growth strategies. He’s currently the Manager of Digital Growth – EMEA, and formerly Head of Marketing MENA, at Al Jazeera Media Network where he’s worked on flagship brands including Al Jazeera and AJ+. Visit toledosociety.com for more info.

If there is anyone who has walked the world through his career, its Shahed Amanullah. He's worked at several major engineer firms, at the World Bank, in real estate development and a in the US State Department. But these jobs have only been in between what Shahed is truly passionate about - creating, leading and supporting impactful start-ups. A Silicon Valley native, he founded Zabihah.com - a Yelp for Muslims (before Yelp was a thing), Zakatify - an app changing the way we do Zakat and is currently the founder and CTO of Affinis Labs. We cover all bases with Shahed - from Muslims in Silicon Valley, to what makes a successful start-up and how Muslims should approach business today. The Transit Lounge chronicles the journeys of people who’ve had a considerable impact on the Muslim world. In season 1, we hear from successful entrepreneurs, academics, scholars and politicians. Hosted by Mohamad Zaoud, each episode explores the highs and lows of our guests, and tackles the question of our time - what does it take to find balance when living a contemporary Muslim life. Mohamad Zaoud is a brand enthusiast and consults businesses and NGOs on brand & growth strategies. He’s currently the Manager of Digital Growth – EMEA, and formerly Head of Marketing MENA, at Al Jazeera Media Network where he’s worked on flagship brands including Al Jazeera and AJ+. Visit ToledoSociety.com for more info.

Recent times have seen massive strides in Muslim mental health awareness. The ways in which we understand wellness have shifted a great deal and it's increasingly clear that mental illness is not to be pushed under the rug. However, we often don't hear of the individuals who tirelessly work on the ground to create this awareness. One such personality is Hanan Dover: Vice President of the International Association of Muslim Psychologists and a Founder of PsychCentral. Hanan’s fight against the taboos and superstitions surrounding Muslim mental health, alongside the struggles of being an outspoken Muslim woman, mother and community leader (who's on her fifth degree and counting!), Hanan's story is nothing short of inspiring. The Transit Lounge chronicles the journeys of people who’ve had a considerable impact on the Muslim world. In season 1, we hear from successful entrepreneurs, academics, scholars and politicians. Hosted by Mohamad Zaoud, each episode explores the highs and lows of our guests, and tackles the question of our time - what does it take to find balance when living a contemporary Muslim life. Mohamad Zaoud is a brand enthusiast and consults businesses and NGOs on brand & growth strategies. He’s currently the Manager of Digital Growth – EMEA, and formerly Head of Marketing MENA, at Al Jazeera Media Network where he’s worked on flagship brands including Al Jazeera and AJ+. Visit ToledoSociety.com for more info.

Riyaad Minty grew up in a South Africa just recovering from decades of oppressive apartheid. With a keen interest in human rights in a post 9/11 world, Riyaad chose to do a Law degree at university; but only for so long. With a vision in mind and a company to build, Riyaad dropped out of university after his first year of study. Starting off in the animated greeting cards and ringtones industry (back when it was revolutionary, that is), Riyaad eventually moved to Doha to pursue an e-marketing role at Al Jazeera. Through a mixture of pure genius, a desire for impact and a deep spiritual drive, Riyaad went from the junior no one had time for to the man that would play a major role in bringing AJ+ to the world; a purely digital news outlet that has changed the way humans consume news. The Transit Lounge chronicles the journeys of people who’ve had a considerable impact on the Muslim world. In season 1, we hear from successful entrepreneurs, academics, scholars and politicians. Hosted by Mohamad Zaoud, each episode explores the highs and lows of our guests, and tackles the question of our time - what does it take to find balance when living a contemporary Muslim life. Mohamad Zaoud is a brand enthusiast and consults businesses and NGOs on brand & growth strategies. He’s currently the Manager of Digital Growth – EMEA, and formerly Head of Marketing MENA, at Al Jazeera Media Network where he’s worked on flagship brands including Al Jazeera and AJ+. Visit toledosociety.com for more info.

By any measure of the word, Mohamad Jebara is a true Math whiz. Scoring in the top 0.5 percentile in his year 12 finals, he ventured to take on the toughest Math he could find at university: actuarial studies. By his mid-20s, Mohamad's genius saw him being named senior partner of a lucrative derivatives trading firm in Sydney. But after just two months, Mohamad dropped it all. Something just wasn't right. From here on, with a relentless pursuit of value, faith and principles, Mohamad brought Mathspace to the world; a unique start-up changing the way children learn Math through reward-based digital tutoring. We trace Mohamad's journey from growing up in a Lebanese household of 8 siblings, all the way to the struggles of the start-up space and uncover some gems about practicing Islamic values in the corporate world. The Transit Lounge chronicles the journeys of people who’ve had a considerable impact on the Muslim world. In season 1, we hear from successful entrepreneurs, academics, scholars and politicians. Hosted by Mohamad Zaoud, each episode explores the highs and lows of our guests, and tackles the question of our time - what does it take to find balance when living a contemporary Muslim life. Mohamad Zaoud is a brand enthusiast and consults businesses and NGOs on brand & growth strategies. He’s currently the Manager of Digital Growth – EMEA, and formerly Head of Marketing MENA, at Al Jazeera Media Network where he’s worked on flagship brands including Al Jazeera and AJ+. Visit ToledoSociety.com for more info.

Abandoned by her father at six, Naz's family was jumping from squalor to squalor and living meal to meal. Far from a normal upbringing, she was sent to Pakistan at 12, to protect her from the man sexually exploiting her mother over a mortgage. She was forced into an abusive marriage at 15, and upon return to the UK, was beholden to her mother killing her abuser. From here on, Naz was thwarted into a life juggling between campaigning for her mother's rights, visiting solicitors, working odd jobs and raising her younger siblings. We sit with Naz and hear of the incredible set of events which took her from homeless, abused and uneducated, to eventually gaining a sweeping victory over George Galloway as the Member for Bradford West. If there is any story that embodies true perseverance, it is this one. The Transit Lounge chronicles the journeys of people who’ve had a considerable impact on the Muslim world. In season 1, we hear from successful entrepreneurs, academics, scholars and politicians. Hosted by Mohamad Zaoud, each episode explores the highs and lows of our guests, and tackles the question of our time - what does it take to find balance when living a contemporary Muslim life. Mohamad Zaoud is a brand enthusiast and consults businesses and NGOs on brand & growth strategies. He’s currently the Manager of Digital Growth – EMEA, and formerly Head of Marketing MENA, at Al Jazeera Media Network where he’s worked on flagship brands including Al Jazeera and AJ+. Visit toledosociety.com for more info

Introducing a new show from Toledo Society called 7 Stories - 7 minute stories as you drop your kids to school!

Mufti Menk is arguably the most popular and renowned Mufti on the planet. Having been in the 'Top 500 Most Influential Muslims' list 6 years in a row, his name and online lectures are a staple in millions of Muslim households. To no surprise, we learn the Mufti was reading the Quran at the tender age of 3 and memorised it cover-to-cover by 11 (yes, you read those numbers right). A fast-tracked upbringing was just the beginning; after being enrolled (somewhat a surprise to him) into Madina University, Ismail Menk began on a journey of hardship, enlightenment, struggle and joy. We trace the Mufti's journey from childhood in a Christian school, to early medical career aspirations, studying abroad and a difficult divorce - all of which made the Islamic Scholar we know as Mufti Menk. The Transit Lounge chronicles the journeys of people who’ve had a considerable impact on the Muslim world. In season 1, we hear from successful entrepreneurs, academics, scholars and politicians. Hosted by Mohamad Zaoud, each episode explores the highs and lows of our guests, and tackles the question of our time - what does it take to find balance when living a contemporary Muslim life. Mohamad Zaoud is a brand enthusiast and consults businesses and NGOs on brand & growth strategies. He’s currently the Manager of Digital Growth – EMEA, and formerly Head of Marketing MENA, at Al Jazeera Media Network where he’s worked on flagship brands including Al Jazeera and AJ+.

There are few Muslims who can say they had a seat at the President's table, and Dalia Mogahed is one of those rare few. An Egyptian American at the forefront of Muslim Activism for over a decade, Dalia's journey has seen her lecturing at colleges, training law enforcement and eventually, advising the Obama Administration. We trace Dalia's life from a normal Egyptian American childhood to the banality of corporate life up until an event that radically changed the fabric of American society: 9/11. We dig deeper to uncover an inspiring mix of spirituality, hope, desperation and wisdom that drive Dalia to navigating the perplexing maze that is the life of an American Muslim. The Transit Lounge chronicles the journeys of people who’ve had a considerable impact on the Muslim world. In season 1, we hear from successful entrepreneurs, academics, scholars and politicians. Hosted by Mohamad Zaoud, each episode explores the highs and lows of our guests, and tackles the question of our time - what does it take to find balance when living a contemporary Muslim life. Mohamad Zaoud is a brand enthusiast and consults businesses and NGOs on brand & growth strategies. He’s currently the Manager of Digital Growth – EMEA, and formerly Head of Marketing MENA, at Al Jazeera Media Network where he’s worked on flagship brands including Al Jazeera and AJ+. Visit ToledoSociety.com to make a contribution and for more information.

Haroon Meer grew up in the tail end of Apartheid South Africa, but his future was far from bleak. After almost two decades in information security (and playing a lot of pool!), Haroon founded Thinkst, a start-up responsible for bringing Canary to the world, a cyber-security honeypot used by some of the biggest tech giants in the world including Slack and Etsy. In this interview we reflect on Haroon’s journey that saw him consulting NATO, sleeping on the Quantico base, and everything in between. What does it take to become an authority in one field? Haroon’s experience draws us closer to answering that question. The Transit Lounge chronicles the journeys of people who’ve had a considerable impact on the Muslim world. In season 1, we hear from successful entrepreneurs, academics, scholars and politicians. Hosted by Mohamad Zaoud, each episode explores the highs and lows of our guests, and tackles the question of our time - what does it take to find balance when living a contemporary Muslim life. Mohamad Zaoud is a brand enthusiast and consults businesses and NGOs on brand & growth strategies. He’s currently the Manager of Digital Growth – EMEA, and formerly Head of Marketing MENA, at Al Jazeera Media Network where he’s worked on flagship brands including Al Jazeera and AJ+.

To say Professor John Esposito is an accomplished academic would be an understatement. He's Professor of Islamic studies at the esteemed Georgetown University, has published 60 books (yes, within one lifetime) and is a senior member of the UN Alliance of Civilisations. To make this seem all the stranger, we discover Professor Esposito spent a decade of his life away from his family becoming a Priest (from the impressionable age of 14 no less!). From here, a web of coincidences, hard work and an ingredient we only later discover, take John Esposito from a 14-year old boy to a global authority on Islam. This interview is a bit of an emotional rollercoaster; with lots of laughter, some tears and an abundance of wisdom. Join us as we reflect on the Professor’s life and gain insights into the task ahead for the Muslims in Western contexts.

The Transit Lounge chronicles the journeys of people who’ve had a considerable impact on the Muslim world. In season 1, we hear from successful entrepreneurs, academics, scholars and politicians. Hosted by Mohamad Zaoud, each episode explores the highs and lows of our guests, and tackles the question of our time - what does it take to find balance when living a contemporary Muslim life. Mohamad Zaoud is a brand enthusiast and consults businesses and NGOs on brand & growth strategies. He’s currently the Manager of Digital Growth – EMEA, and formerly Head of Marketing MENA, at Al Jazeera Media Network where he’s worked on flagship brands including Al Jazeera and AJ+.