#374: Chris Hemsworth, Big Ideas & Bayut: Sahar Khan on Building an Iconic Brand
Made in Dubai with Spencer Lodge
Release Date: 12/01/2025
Made in Dubai with Spencer Lodge
This episode isn’t about motivation. It’s about perspective. Cyrus Rustom shares the moments that reshaped how he sees life — from joining the Marines at 16 to escape chaos at home, to surviving an accident he was certain he wouldn’t live through, to rebuilding everything afterward. We talk about business failures, discipline myths, opening a company one week before Covid shut the world down and why real risk isn’t danger — it’s waiting for certainty that never comes. This conversation isn’t polished or performative. It’s about identity, loss, belonging, and what changes when...
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From buying Bitcoin at $66 to tokenizing gas fields. In this episode, Sebastian Huth reveals the hidden lessons most people miss about crypto, tokenization, real estate and creator economy. Learn why leaving your crypto on exchanges is a huge risk, why infrastructure beats hype every time and how tokenization is about to change the way we own almost everything, including real estate and even energy. Don’t miss the shocking stats about creators losing millions on streaming platforms and how Air channel could be the...
info_outlineMade in Dubai with Spencer Lodge
Peter Doyle’s life proves that success isn’t a straight line and that sometimes, losing everything is the beginning of becoming who you’re meant to be. From the worlds’ top DJ booths and global stages to sleeping in the back of a Toyota Yaris in Dubai when things got really tough, Peter opens up about the highs, the lows and the moments that nearly broke him. With no passport, no money and no one coming to save him, he was forced to dig deeper than ever before. What followed...
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This episode takes a look back on 2025 and lifts the lid on Spencer’s journey so far as a long form content creator, podcaster, entrepreneur and incredible storyteller. In this episode Spencer speaks from the heart about the big names along the way and the impact of his show on his life, and the guests around him, including what doesn’t show up on the highlight reel. From nearly quitting the show (more than once), to falling asleep mid-recording, to losing a full episode...
info_outlineMade in Dubai with Spencer Lodge
info_outlineMade in Dubai with Spencer Lodge
This week's guest is Sam MCone, a lifelong Dubai resident and the visionary founder of McCone Properties. Having moved to Dubai at the age of two, Sam has a unique, ground-level perspective on the city's meteoric rise from a quiet trading post to a global powerhouse. His journey in real estate began as an agent, but his innate, level-headed resilience led him to build his own successful brokerage over the past 13 years. In this deeply personal episode, Sam opens up about the tough lessons learned from transitioning from being a tennis ace as a youth, to a top salesperson then to becoming...
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Join us on Made in Dubai as we sit down with Nico de Corato, an ultra-endurance athlete, entrepreneur who is passionate about the UAE. From ultra-marathons and mountain biking to freediving, jet skiing, and desert adventures, Nico’s story spans resilience, discipline, and pushing beyond limits. In this episode, Nico shares: How he moved from Naples to Dubai and mindset behind his training ultra marathons, 200 km races and achieving the Dubai Sports Challenge Why sports are a lifestyle, not just a hobby, and that lessons from the unseen moments alone in the desert have made him who is today...
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This week's guest is Sahar Khan, the dynamic Head of Marketing at Bayut. A foundational member of the team, Sahar joined Bayut in 2014 as one of its first sales employees and has been instrumental in building the brand into the UAE's leading property portal. With a innate passion for creative, out-of-the-box marketing since childhood, she has spearheaded some of the company's most iconic campaigns, including the landmark partnership with Chris Hemsworth. In this episode, Sahar takes us through her incredible journey from a salesperson in a small startup to leading marketing for a household...
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Sebastian Bates is a British entrepreneur, author, and martial artist best known as the founder of the Warrior Academy, a Dubai-based organisation dedicated to developing children’s confidence, focus, and resilience through martial arts. With over 25 years of experience and a background in professional martial arts and extreme sports. He is the best-selling author of The Warrior Method and Not a Victim, host of the Warrior Academy Podcast, and founder of the Bates Foundation and the “Not A Victim” anti-bullying campaign, initiatives that reflect his commitment to empowering young people...
info_outlineMade in Dubai with Spencer Lodge
This week’s guest is Danny Agg, who leads Zodiac Global with a clear vision for growth, innovation, and excellence, serves as CEO overseeing the company’s strategic direction, partnerships, and overall talent strategy. In this episode, Danny dives deep into the evolving world of talent management and influencer marketing. The conversation highlights the critical role of trust in building authentic brands and explores how creators can craft universal content that resonates across audiences and platforms. Listeners gain practical insights on how to get started as a creator and develop...
info_outlineThis week's guest is Sahar Khan, the dynamic Head of Marketing at Bayut. A foundational member of the team, Sahar joined Bayut in 2014 as one of its first sales employees and has been instrumental in building the brand into the UAE's leading property portal. With a innate passion for creative, out-of-the-box marketing since childhood, she has spearheaded some of the company's most iconic campaigns, including the landmark partnership with Chris Hemsworth.
In this episode, Sahar takes us through her incredible journey from a salesperson in a small startup to leading marketing for a household name. She shares invaluable insights on building a brand in a unique market like the UAE, the evolution of her marketing strategies, and the delicate balance between sales and marketing teams. Sahar also opens about her leadership philosophy, the importance of staying true to one's principles, and how maintaining a clear mind through fitness is crucial to her success.
2:41 - Humble Beginnings at Bayut
4:04 - A Marketer from the Start
5:55 - Marketing in the UAE: A Unique Playbook
8:45 - Sales vs. Marketing: The Eternal Friction
11:55 - From Underdog to Market Leader
13:27 – Working with Chris Hemsworth
20:00 - Solving Industry Problems: Content and Verification
30:13 - Live Events vs. Digital Marketing
Measuring the intangible impact of live events like the iconic B3 launch and the clear metrics of digital campaigns.
36:57 – Dubai’s booming real estate market
42:51 - Where Big Ideas Come From
52:15 - Giving Back: More Than Money
55:10 - A Personal Conversation on Principles and Pain
1:08:09 - Starting Over: Lessons for Bayut 2.0
Show Sponsors:
AYS Developers: A design-focused company dedicated to crafting exceptional homes, vibrant communities, and inspiring lifestyle experiences.
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