Conversation with Nadeem Barakat – MasterMinds

Today on MasterMinds, we meet a business growth strategist whose mission is to help companies sell smarter, scale faster, and lead stronger. Nadeem Barakat has spent over a decade driving sales excellence and market expansion across the MENA region — empowering organizations, teams, and entrepreneurs to unlock their full potential.

As Regional Business Director at Chefaa, Nadeem leads strategic growth, corporate partnerships, and B2B development across regional markets. But his impact extends far beyond his executive role. Over the past 12 years, he has trained and mentored more than 25,000 learners, delivered 2,000+ hours of practical programs, and advised over 100 startups, SMEs, and scaleups — blending real-world business experience with a deep passion for education and empowerment.

From mentoring founders at AUC Venture Lab, Flat6Labs, and STC InspireU, to leading corporate training across Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Libya, Nadeem has built a legacy grounded in results, trust, and transformation. His approach unites strategy with execution — helping businesses open new markets, close complex deals, and build teams that thrive under pressure.

Driven by purpose and fueled by experience, Nadeem believes that sustainable growth begins with people — and that the right mindset, when paired with skill and structure, can turn any company into a regional success story.

My journey started back in university. I was studying Business Administration at the German University in Cairo and looking for a part-time job.

The only opportunity available at the time was as a salesperson in a retail store, so I took it. Over time, I moved through different sales roles — from retail to commission-based corporate sales. I realized that I was good at communication and persuasion, and that customers were happy with my service. That’s when I started to love the field and felt I had found my path.

In 2014, when I was 24, I decided to start my own marketing agency — but it failed due to lack of experience. I then decided to go back to employment to gain more practical knowledge. I joined a company that supplied food to corporates and factories in Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

I was responsible for developing new products and entering new markets. I studied hard on the job, achieved great results, and started to build a name in the industry. Later, I received several offers in the food sector, but I wanted a change.

Through my network, I got the chance to join Homzmart during its early days in Egypt as part of a small founding team.

That experience taught me a lot about business development. Afterward, I worked in logistics and later moved to the healthcare sector by joining Chefaa, where I discovered that my core passion always revolved around sales, numbers, and profitability.

Alongside my corporate work, I also started teaching at AUC Venture Lab. I entered the training field by coincidence when I was asked to give a talk about my work — and people liked it. That turned into paid workshops, content creation, and eventually a full business development training program that has graduated over 1,200 professionals across the region.

It all comes down to transparency. The company clearly knows what it can and cannot do — and that clarity is what builds long-term trust.

Each year, we set a new strategy for the company — and my role is to align all my efforts with it. The balance depends on the company’s current stage and priorities.

Not every pillar gets the same focus all the time. Also, having a strong local team in each market is essential. Your true success is measured by your ability to build teams that are even better than you.

The most common mistake is founders falling in love with their product instead of the numbers. But numbers are the only truth. My advice: focus on your vision, but have a clear short-term plan. Success comes from small, calculated steps, not big leaps.

Absolutely. AI will enable precise performance tracking, personalized learning, and real-time feedback. Training won’t be “one course fits all” anymore — it’ll be adaptive, interactive, and tailored to each individual’s learning curve.

I look for people who listen. If someone can’t take feedback, you can’t help them. I also prefer founders who deeply understand their industry — I can’t help someone who doesn’t grasp the basics of their own field.

The key is linking theory with real-world application. I don’t just explain concepts — I illustrate them with examples from different industries. Because I’ve worked in various sectors, I can show how each principle actually works in practice. That’s what makes training engaging and memorable.

Podcast awareness has grown significantly, but Arabic content is still limited compared to English. Podcasts don’t change your life in one episode — but they can spark ideas that lead to lasting change. We all need to contribute to growing this meaningful medium amidst the noise of superficial entertainment.

That great ideas are many, but the right ideas are few. I used to think that any good idea was worth pursuing, but I later realized that an untested or poorly researched idea has no real value.

After years in sales, I realized that success isn’t just about technical skills — it’s also about human skills like leadership and emotional intelligence. That’s why I launched Maharat, to explore the human side of professional growth. I’ve hosted inspiring guests such as Mohamed Abu El-Naga Negati and Mahmoud Mostafa, among others.

Beyond sales and negotiation skills, emotional intelligence is becoming essential — the ability to understand and connect with others builds trust. Also, problem-solving skills are key because sales, at its core, is about finding solutions to clients’ problems.

The biggest mistake is trying to copy-paste what worked in Egypt into Saudi Arabia. The markets, customers, and competition are completely different.

For example, delivery speed that’s acceptable in Egypt may be considered slow in Saudi Arabia. The challenge is to localize the experience and deeply understand customer needs. You have to live the market — talk to customers, meet competitors — because Saudi Arabia is large and diverse, and every region behaves differently.

I’m working on an educational project called “Business for Teens”, which teaches teenagers the basics of trade, budgeting, and business thinking.

We’ve already trained over 300 students aged 10 to 15, who showcase their own real products at the end of the program. My dream is to turn it into a full academy that empowers the next generation of young entrepreneurs across the Arab world.

In the episode with Yasmin El-Baz on public speaking, she said: “The most important thing isn’t how you speak, but what you say and how you organize your thoughts.”

And in the episode with Mahmoud Mostafa, he said: “You’ll never get promoted if you don’t maintain good relationships with those around you.” — a quote that truly stuck with me.

The idea was to use AI to create a realistic training experience for sales professionals. The system simulates different situations — like dealing with an angry client — then evaluates your performance and suggests ways to improve. This allows people to gain years of practical experience in a much shorter time.

In sales, the biggest mistake is focusing too much on closing deals when the real problem starts with targeting the wrong client.

If you start with the wrong customer, everything that follows will go wrong. In business development, the mistake is trying to achieve everything at once — profit, growth, and brand. You need to define your priorities for each stage. Another mistake is comparing yourself to giants like Amazon or Apple instead of focusing on realistic competitors in your own market.

The smaller the company, the broader your role becomes. In large organizations, responsibilities are more specialized. In startups, however, you need people who can wear multiple hats and adapt quickly.