Your Onion

A star is born but not into acting or the modeling world as initially thought but into the medical insurance world. Amber Musson-Thorpe found her calling when she stepped onto the stage of medical insurance and hasn't looked back since.  

One of my all-time favorite tracks was by a band called Madness, and the track was Driving In My Car. It reminds me of my teenage years, when I first got my driving license, and the freedom to escape the little village we lived in. I passed my test the first time. I was very thankful, I had ridden a motorbike the year before, just to get a true sense of what being on the road was all about and to get professional training also. Over the years, I have experienced driving situations that have shaken me up and which I have never experienced before, from having a burst tire on a motorway to having a child run out in front of my car to crashing into the back of another after being distracted by my kids in the back seat. These experiences really shake you up, and you handle the moment the best you can. Now think about your driving training before you took the test. Not much goes into what obstacles or situations might happen on the road, you just get tested on how well you can drive and maneuver a car. My next guest, Raffat Zriek, CEO & Founder of Gamyra, took this issue on board and created a driving simulation experience of dealing with difficult situations on the road. From there, he has created a business of virtual experiences to power the future of immersive and interactive digital realities.

Many of my guests go to University following their parent's wishes. They qualify and then move into employment.  After a while, they follow their heart or true calling and move into something they are genuinely passionate about. My next guest, Zewde Zewde, didn't follow the same rule book and started his side hustle while still studying. Taking him on a different path than his qualification would have done.  

My next guest is an ex-professional basketball player from Romania who joined his mum in Qatar 10 years ago. While waiting to sign up for a local basketball team, Serban Spirea fell into Real Estate, initially working for a company, then setting up his own. Join me as we follow his journey from landing on Qatar shores to seeing the Real Estate industry as it was and realizing he could make a difference based on his values in life.

A regular guest to Ginger Camel and its podcasts, from ThinkBigQatar to Doha Heat to finally being on Your Onion Podcast. Elsbeth Blekkenhorst-Tammes reinvents herself as often as she has been on our podcasts. A fantastic lady driven by her love for life and freedom, she runs her business to help professional women in Qatar succeed. Enjoy her story

A man who stands out from the blue-eyed blonde hair Swedish diplomatic service, Gautum Battacharyya brings his fabulous personality and holistic views on life, business, and politics to his role as Swedish Ambassador to Qatar and this podcast.

Tim Newnham, an ex-pat brat, plugged into electromuscular stimulation bringing great results in his own fitness for his clients and Doha Rugby Club.

I met my next guest Shefa Ali three years ago at a TEDxYouth talk at DPSMIS that she and I were presenting. There I was, nervous with my cue cards, and here was a confident lady standing tall, presenting about love and how she saw the world for future generations. Join me as I learn more about how and what makes this lady tick.

Saif Qazi is the Co-Founder & CEO of an MBA project that started eight years ago. You might have come across it. It's called Urban Point,  Join me as we join Saif on his journey from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia to America to Germany, finally landing here in Qatar.

Some of us love the written word, and all that word can reveal in a sentence or paragraph is to inform, excite, to educate the reader. My next guest Sarmad Qazi went on that memorizing journey of the word. Join me as we explore his world of PR and communication.

My next guest loves the glitz and the glamour of the fashion industry and has the energy and fun to embrace that world. Please join me as we explore the world of Harriet Gyamfuah. You won't be disappointed.

My next guest is a prolific entrepreneur who, over 30 years or more, has built an empire that takes care of the society in Qatar. Abdurahman EP is the founder and Chairman of Care n Cure group of companies. An active and well-dynamic person, he also is the president of the Qatar Indian Association, a sports organization that aims at spreading sporting values to the Indian community here in Qatar. He was also my first guest on Doha Heat podcast way back in 2014, after he successfully launched the first BNI chapter here in Qatar.

When you meet people through business networking, you are generally only introduced to the person in the suit or dress representing this company and their position. What fascinates me is the real person behind all that, who has a passion that fills their spare time to the max. My next guest is Julia George, a Country Manager for a retail outlet by day and a bikini sculptor by night.

My next guest showed up in my world around 2011. He showed me an art world made up of precious stones and emeralds. Patric Rozario is an inspirational artist, always looking for ways to wow his audience to appreciate his art and introduce art in all areas of our lives.

When we look back to the time when education led to full-time work and hobbies were just fun to fill our spare time. Do we sometimes wonder what if it was the other way around? Some people have been fortunate to follow their hobbies into full-time passion and work. Others went the education, full-time work route to jump to their passion/hobby, which became their dream job. Fiorella Otero did just that.

I've known my next guest for the last 11 years, a previous host on Your Onion and guest John Shanlian, Founder & Managing Partner of The Hub Group. He reveals himself as a proud Canadian / Armenian serial entrepreneur, real estate expert, and someone who hates bosses, even himself sometimes.  

This week is Qatar Sustainability Week, a National Campaign which aims to engage the community in a wide range of sustainability-oriented activities, raising awareness among the wider community and showcasing the progress Qatar has made in the areas of sustainability.  Before, when I thought about sustainability, I, like most people, thought about the environment and recycling. With my next guest Dr. Sadriya Al-Kohji that perspective changed, as you will hear in this podcast.

Born in Qatar, moved to the US, lived there until the age of ten, then moved back to Qatar. In the words of Asmaa Al-Kuwari, that was a huge culture shock !!! Join me as I discover the internal and external struggles that Asma had to deal with to fit in with her family and culture back in Qatar and how she rediscovered her true self at University and beyond.

With over 28 years of experience in a range of leadership and management roles within Further & Higher Education across the UK and the Middle East, Richard Hollywood has been driving transformational change achieving performance and sustainability improvements and growth. But this wasn't the reason for being my guest today. This man achieved what I only dreamed of as a teenager, and that was to work in a music recording studio.  I had to have him come in and tell his story.  

A wise and beautiful soul who has been on a life journey giving to others and cats, at times forgetting to look after herself. Join me as I peel away Beverley Crowther's layers of life to reveal a shining star.  

Jeffrey has been a frequent guest on the podcast, and with that in mind, I wanted to see if I could peel away a few more layers to reveal the true Jeffrey Asselstine, Managing Director & Founder of Nelson Park Property.

Boho Social Restuarant is a new social place and foodie destination housed in a circular structure on top of Katara Beach Club. Stunning bohemian chic interiors by award-winning interior designer Paul Bishop and a menu that takes you on a culinary journey into the Americas, Asia, Southern Europe, and the Middle East. The pilot that takes you on this culinary journey is none other than Daniel Toledo, General Manager.

If you have found yourself at rock bottom, tired, lacking energy, and failing to see anything positive happening in your life, don't worry this is a turning point in your life. This is the start of a new chapter, a new direction, a new beginning within yourself and the people around you. Allow me to be your shining light and show you what untapped power you have inside of you and the recurring habits holding you back. Allow me to show you the various areas in your life that have not been fulfilled and that could make a difference for you and for others. Let me be your guide, hold your hand and take one step at a time towards the dreams and goals you had before. I look forward to meeting you.

From someone who has been there, I call and reach out to anyone that is going through the same experience, who is confused, dazed, and lost.  You might have lost your job, your company, you might have been demoted or had a cut in your salary. You might feel isolated working from home or just being at home with no work to go to. I am here to help, from someone who has experienced all the above, I know what it feels like, the emotions, the feelings, the thoughts that you go through. Let me be your guide and give you the tools to get you back on track, to be the best you can be. I look forward to meeting you.

So this is a shout out to all the business owners, entrepreneurs, and even managers and CEOs that have reached the top of their game and find that it's not what they dreamed of, or maybe you are at a point where being at the top is not fulfilling anymore, it becomes a routine that doesn't get you excited and make you jump out of bed. Allow me to show you how to appreciate the position you are in and look at it in a different light, to use your time more efficiently that has a purpose, that will energize you and get you jumping out of bed each morning. To reconnect with family and friends you might have lost on the way to the top, to really be present this time around. If none of that resonates with you, then maybe it's time to climb down, base jump, fly off the mountain, and look for new mountains to climb. Allow me to be your support, as it's been some time since you tackled the climb and new skills will be needed for the journey down. I look forward to meeting you.

Are you at that point where your business/career/life is being taken to the next level where you feel the exhilaration and the buzz but you feel the uneasy ground below you or the bitterly cold wind around you? Allow me to be your support, your shield that takes you to that next level of success in your business/career/life. I look forward to meeting you.

When I finally got the chance to run my own business, that's all I could think about. I was going to achieve this and prove to others that I could make this business work, but it would take my total concentration and dedication to make it work. I was my hardest critic, not allowing myself to rest or focus on anything else apart from making this company work. I would look after the team before looking after myself because I knew that I needed their support to make this company successful. I created a haven at the office where the outside world would not affect the creativity that happened within the company. My buzz was to hear laughter and conversations within the office, that people were enjoying what they loved to do. With that buzz came confidence within the team that we could tackle any project/client that came our way, and we did. I left my family behind at times physically there but mentally sitting in my office planning my next move. I would work all hours and then network, taking me further away from my family. Putting a lot of strain on my marriage and my relationship with my children became less and less, as they couldn't connect with me. Over the years, even though the company was getting bigger and we were achieving more success, I became more distant from family and work colleagues. Affecting me at work overtime. The more people I took on, the less I had to do, even though the company had achieved so much over eight years. I had reached the top of the mountain, but it wasn't the view I was expecting. Music By: https://www.epidemicsound.com/ Picture By: Canva.com

When I made that move from my full-time, paycheque 9 to 5 job to an entrepreneur/business owner world I felt alone and lost. This was a world I wasn't used to, so I started to reach out to groups and organizations where experienced business owners, entrepreneurs, and business people would meet on a regular basis and talk about their industry, field of expertise, experience, and their highs and lows. I initially turned up in a mish-mash of clothes with conflicting colors and long hair, I felt uncomfortable, out of place, some people laughed at me, others turned away, as I just didn't look or speak the part. The words that they spoke seemed alien to me but I just listened, laugh when others laughed, drank when others drank, and slowly felt comfortable in the new environment I was in. I slowly found my voice by joining other business groups that wanted to hear your voice and gave me the opportunity each week to present myself and my company, the more I did it the more I became confident in myself. It made me look at how I looked and how I presented myself and the company. It was a work in progress. By networking, I gained business colleagues who then introduced me to a wider network that grew and grew. So how are you turning up to the base camp and the campfire, do you feel out of place, lost for words, uncomfortable in the way you look, the way you present yourself? Allow me to greet you at base camp, show you around, introduce you to the right people and get you ready to sit around the campfire and present yourself in confidence. I look forward to meeting you. Music By: https://www.epidemicsound.com/ Picture By: Canva.com

So where are you on your journey, is there a mountain you wish to climb? Maybe you are still looking from the crest of the hill wondering what path to take, maybe you are dealing with your comfort zone, family and friends that are trying to keep you safe, maybe you've met the climbers that fell at the first ridge and have put doubts in your mind that you are not equipped to climb that mountain. I was initially equipped with the basic climbing gear, which eventually got me to the top of the mountain but now over the years, I am equipped with the latest gear which makes the climb a lot easier. I can join you anywhere you like from the crest of the hill to walking along the path to the base of the mountain, anywhere on that mountain to the very top, please reach out to me. I look forward to meeting you. Music By: https://www.epidemicsound.com/ Picture By: Canva.com

If you've gone through the last two years trying to weather the storm, I am sure you feel mentally and physically exhausted. Maybe your storm is still overhead or maybe it's passed and the clouds have broken, either way, it's time to recharge your batteries. If you would like to explore more of how you can prepare yourself for the storm or the storm you are in, take shelter from the storm, embrace the storm,  and finally prepare for your ongoing journey please reach out to me. I look forward to meeting you. Music By: https://www.epidemicsound.com/ Picture By: Canva.com

As with anything in life, if you are going to achieve anything, you have to move out of your comfort zone of daily habits and routines, familiar people you meet daily, the time you spend watching tv or scrolling on social media. It can be a lonely journey at first, but the rewards are great, and the trip will be filled with color, new experiences, steep highs and lows, and endless life lessons. Being an entrepreneur or business owner, you are stepping out of your comfort zone daily, pushing the company or idea forward, putting yourself on the line, and looking for new opportunities. A powerful skill to have and learn is visualization. Visualize your journey, goals, and dreams as if they are already happening now in the present. Music By: https://www.epidemicsound.com/ Picture By: Canva.com

Ahhh, it's good to be back. It's nearly been a year since my last episode, and so much has happened. As a business owner, I celebrated ten years of running my company by taking the last few staff left, out for lunch and reminiscing about the good old days, Covid, and the vision for the future. When I look back at the events that happened in 2020 and 2021, the dark hole I ended up in, and the journey out of that hole, I am very grateful for the lessons learned, the support from family and friends, and the trust from clients. Music By: https://www.epidemicsound.com/ Picture By: Canva.com

In today’s episode with Your Onion, Jeanine Bailey & Marie Quigley are taking us through the challenges they faced creating their business partnership in the world of life-coaching and training, and how they communicated their way to create a fulfilled business.

In today’s episode with your onion, Rukhsana Khan is taking us through the challenges she faced and how she immigrated from Pakistan to Canada to start a career in writing and build a stable life.

In today’s episode with Your Onion, Tamara Hasan, the general manager of the International Medical Center and the International Physiotherapy Center is taking us through her journey as a woman building her business, and how she managed to overcome all the difficulties that came along the way as a woman and with COVID-19.

Gain some mental strength and learn to be in control of your thoughts with our guest today Kim Ades who is the President and Founder of www.frameofmindcoaching.com as we talk about her 15 years as a coach and her experiences within the profession. Come checkout #YourOnion

Today on this episode of Your Onion we have Tab Pierce the President at Caliber Security Partners on, to talk about how failure and going through those hard times can actually be used as a way to learn, and drive you to success in business.

This episode of Your Onion we have Marc Andre talking about his success through blogging and what he has achieved through his mind set of curiosity

Today on Your Onion we have Jeff Mendelson to talk about how people can use digital marketing to make there business BOOM! and how it can open opportunities for business all around the world. So check out#YourOnion!

On this episode of Your Onion we have the man that will revolutionise running with his amazing IAMRUNBOX backpacks for all occasions and jobs, learn more about him and his ideas on #YourOnion!

Nothing feels better than knowing that you are taking care of yourself. Check out #YourOnion this week with Jeanine Bailey & Marie Quigley to know the tips in finding the best versions of ourselves. LISTEN: bit.ly/YOJeanineMarie #Doha #Qatar #Business #Coach #Self

The business world is such a small place, and one should maximize the opportunity to build relevant networks while in it! If you want to know how, hear more from John Socrates on #YourOnion this week!

Every setback aims for a bigger impact!

We've all known him to be the host of @in.thegame #podcast, but on this episode of #YourOnion, let us get to know more Steve Mackie as the great businessperson he is!

Qatar is innovating every day, and we must be pro-active in making the most out of it to help our businesses grow! Catch Jeffrey Asselstine from @nelsonpark_property on #YourOnion and learn the secrets in starting or developing your business here in the country!

We have some really great activities that will get your heart-pumping and mind-racing!

This week is all about you as we have a bunch of events about involvment!

A new month and some brand new events to go along with it! Check out our #podcast covering all corners of what's going on in #Doha, from sports to business to entertainment: bit.ly/GingerAlert-17 #GingerCamel #YourOnion #DohaHeat #InTheGame #Doha #Events #QatarEvents #Sports #Business #Entertainment #Fashion #Food #networking #sportingactivities #Doha #qatarevents #Triathlon #Sportsday #Entrepreneurs #Challenges #Activities

Celebrate the last weekend of this month with some amazing new events

We know you got cliff-hanged with last week's episode of Dr. Hanan El-Basha, that's why this week, we are bringing her back on #YourOnion to talk about her early days in the business and how it all began. WATCH: bit.ly/YO-DrHanan2 LISTEN: bit.ly/YODrHanan2 #Business #Doha #Qatar #Work #Life #Balance #podcast

Running your own empire could be a little tricky, that is why it is very important to have a healthy mindset. You can only learn it from the best, Dr. Hanan El-Basha or also known as the Business Doctor on #YourOnion #Podcast! #Business #Doha #Qatar #Work #Life #Balance