Malik Shehab is the Co-founder and CEO of Golden Scent, the largest online beauty platform in MENA. Prior to starting the company, Malik worked in financial services in Germany where he had pursued his university degree. Malik talks about wanting to give up on living in Germany, without speaking the language, in the early days and how that built his resilience. We also discuss fundraising in 2014 and how that has shaped Malik’s perspective on VCs overall and how to rightsize your funding round. Malik believes it takes time to build a lasting business, and lots of money can actually hinder the progress of the company. I heard Malik say:

• You learn your limits once they get tested, then you can break through them
• Believe in yourself blindly that you will succeed, then you will succeed
• Balance passion and the fin ...