Challenger Brands
This is Challenger Brands
Where we talk about brand development, marketing, sales, entrepreneurship and a whole lot of other things to help entrepreneurs and brand custodians build competitive brands and better businesses.
Not the biggest player in your sector? Make an impact by challenging the status quo.
In each episode, we talk to inspiring industry professionals and entrepreneurs to gain useful and actionable insights for empowering challenger brands.
Challenger Brands is hosted by Illustrado - The Brand Development & Creative Agency for ambitious and audacious challenger brands.
www.illustrado.co
Episodes
27 episodes
What It Takes to Stay Relevant for 100 Years: Insights From Shuja Jashanmal | Challenger Brands
What does it take to stay relevant for over a century—without selling out or falling behind?In this episode of Challenger Brands, we go deep into the story of the Jashanmal Group—one of the Middle East’s most iconic retail and distributi...
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58:07
How Leadership Shapes Culture, Purpose, and Brand | Challenger Brands by Illustrado
What’s really costing you growth? Spoiler: It’s not your logo.In this bold and eye-opening episode of Challenger Brands, host Lalaine Chu-Benitez (Founder & MD, Illustrado) sits down with Arshie Ahmed, executive coach and founder of...
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49:19
Why UAE Real Estate Brands Sound the Same– and How to Stand Out | Challenger Brands by Illustrado
Why do so many real estate brands in the UAE blur into one another—with the same “luxury” promises, generic visuals, and forgettable campaigns?In this hard-hitting episode of Challenger Brands, we speak with powerhouse marketer Nathalie...
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44:35
The Future of Real Estate Branding in the UAE: Insights from RAK Properties CEO Sameh Muhtadi | Challenger Brands by Illustrado
Real estate in the UAE is often a story of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. But today, we’re talking about the emirate rewriting that story - Ras Al Khaimah, and the company shaping its rise: RAK Properties. And with us is the leader at the helm of this tr...
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46:34
Customer Centricity in 2025 | Challenger Brands by Illustrado
Welcome to Challenger Brands, the podcast where we explore how exceptional brands redefine customer engagement and innovation to lead in a competitive market. In this episode, we’re diving deep into customer centricity—the art of putting custom...
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37:52
Redefining Sales in 2025 | Challenger Brands by Illustrado.co
What if we told you that sales, as we know it, isn’t about closing deals? Our guest today believes that 80% of sales is actually the brand, and success is built on trust rather than just technique.Learn all about the future of sales in ...
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57:35
How to Get Your Startup Funded | Challenger Brands by Illustrado
In this episode, we dive into the high-stakes world of startup funding with Anna Arzua MacMillan, Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer at Venture FactorE. With over 15 years of global expertise and a history of guiding ventures to new height...
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1:24:42
Dubai's Viral Chocolate | Crafting Multi-Million Dollar Success Stories with Challenger Brands
Welcome to the world of Dubai's viral chocolate! In this episode, we unravel the magic behind the famous Kunafa Chocolate, a dessert that has captured hearts and taste buds alike. Join Chef Nouel Catis as he guides you through the step-by-step ...
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34:25
How To Build Brand Communities | Challenger Brands By Illustrado
Welcome back to another episode of Challenger Brands, the podcast where we delve into the stories of remarkable entrepreneurs, and even community builders who make huge impact in the market.Community-building is a must for many brands t...
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41:46
How to Build a Self-Propagating Company With Dr. Ivan Misner | Challenger Brands by Illustrado
Dr. Ivan Misner is the Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of BNI (Business Network International), the world’s largest business networking organization. With over 11,100 chapters in 76 countries, BNI generated $23.4 billion worth of business f...
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35:20
How to Take on the Industry Giants and Win | Challenger Brands by Illustrado
Ryan Ramos, the Founder and Managing Director of Cultivate UAE and The Dream Lab UAE. From humble beginnings, Ryan worked his way up from business development to general management at a leading landscaping company in the UAE. He then ventured o...
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46:25
How to Break Barriers in a Competitive Industry | Challenger Brands by Illustrado
Today, we have an amazing and inspiring guest! Joining us is Samantha Araujo, a formidable titan in the region’s competitive hospitality industry. With a passion for fine living and an extraordinary ability to craft memorable experiences,...
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41:44
Mastering the Art of Life-Career Balance | Challenger Brands
Navneet Kampani is a former banker who has been in the industry for over 30 years, now he is an entrepreneur, author, and life coach who helps individuals and top executives achieve work-life harmony and find meaning in life.Fresh from ...
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45:58
How to Master your Inner Game | Challenger Brands by Illustrado
Dhiren Harchandani is a Transformation Architect who specializes in empowering entrepreneurs to achieve 8-figure business success without compromising personal fulfillment or lifestyle. An avid learner in transformation, leadership, and mindset...
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1:01:18
How To Keep Your Brand Relevant Through The Years | Challenger Brands by Illustrado
According to Clayton Christensen, a professor at Harvard Business School, 30,000 new products are introduced each year, and 95% of them fail. In an increasingly cluttered market and noisy world, how do you keep your brand and business rel...
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45:28
How ChatGPT Can Revolutionize Your Business | Challenger Brands by Illustrado
Fahed Bizzari is an international thought leader on the professional application of ChatGPT. He has 18 years of experience in software development, over 3,000 hours in mastering ChatGPT, and extensive 2-decades of experience in entreprene...
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1:09:10
Developing Your Business for Optimal Growth & Success | Challenger Brands by Illustrado
In this episode, we will be unlocking the secrets of Business Development, delve into fundamentals, and strategies. Join us as we explore insights that can help your business flourish in the competitive marketplace.Joining us is Phil Be...
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41:36
Building On The Legacy Of Your Family Business | Challenger Brands by Illustrado
Welcome back to Challenger Brands. Today, we delve into building on the legacy of your family business with our guest, Shabana Razzak - CEO of Maison DE Ary Jewellery. Shabana is not just a successful entrepreneur; she's a trailbla...
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37:46
How to Grow Your Business through Networking | Challenger Brands by Illustrado
Networking - love it or hate it? Too hard sell? Or is it a necessary lead generation strategy? Whatever your feelings are, networking is considered an effective client acquisition strategy for millions of entrepreneurs and bus...
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46:27
How to Scale a Business | Challenger Brands by Illustrado
How do you scale your business? Where do you even start? Is scaling a business possible for all entrepreneurs? What does it take? If you’re a business owner, chances are you’ve asked these questions several times - because who doesn...
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53:58
How To Build A Fashion Business | Challenger Brands by Illustrado
Welcome to another exciting episode of the Challenger Brands. Today, we have a special guest with us, Georgina Hills. Georgina is a Luxury Fashion &Brand Strategy Change Ambassador and Coach, bringing over 20 years of ...
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42:22
How to Master the Art of Selling
Sales is more than just convincing people to buy a product or service. It involves understanding the needs and desires of potential customers, building relationships with them, and offering solutions that genuinely address their concerns, while...
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41:35
How to NOT Kill Your Business with Bad Customer Service
With Google Reviews, Trustpilot, as well as Facebook, and many other platforms that hosts reviews, positive customer feedback has become so essential to the wellbeing of a business. Bad customer reviews, stemming from poor customer servic...
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40:54