‘If your concept isn’t differentiated, you’re selling hot air.’ Samer Hamadeh on his mission as an F&B owner/operator and how to develop an edge.

This week we caught up with our d3 neighbor Samer Hamadeh to doubleclick on his pivot from nightlife impresario as founder of Stereo Arcade--a Dubai staple--to F&B as owner/operator of Akiba Dori, a licensed Japanese street food restaurant. Samer shared some insights he gained since launching his first venture in 2009, from how to raise capital for new projects to scaling a business beyond one venue. On his learnings over the years and the collective shock of 2020, Samer firmly believes that nothing “is the end of the world,” and recommends for those who have strong convictions to press on the gas pedal during the hunt for opportunities especially during more challenging times. Tune in to find out more about Samer Hamadeh’s journey as an “entrepreneur” and why he really dislikes being called one!