Who Run the World (Reyzin Media)

Last month Netflix’s Arabic movie Perfect Strangers quickly became the number 1 streamed movie across the Middle East. So just like everyone else, we recently watched the Arabic adaptation. The movie is set in Lebanon, and the plot revolves around a group of friends who decide to read every message they receive on their phones over the course of a dinner. Suffice it to say: chaos ensues. In this episode of Who Run the Time, we discuss the different plot points, and whether we would take part in a similar game with our friends and partners (oh hell no). We also take a look at the significance of this movie in regards to the Arab content landscape (we celebrate more genre films) as well as take a deeper look into the backlash the film faced (team Mona Zaki over here).

Did you watch Perfect Strangers? What did you think of the plot? What about the backlash the movie faced in Egypt and elsewhere? We’d love to hear from you! You can write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com as well as on instagram: @whoruntheworldpod . 

As always, we would love it for you to find it in your hearts to donate to one of these causes in Lebanon, as the country is going through a crippling economic crisis.
Every little bit counts. 

• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie.

Who Run the World turns three years old this week! In honor of our podcast’s birthday, we answer questions from you, our audience, about the podcast, about our friendship, our creative partnership and so much more. In this episode you’ll get a sneak peek into the behind scenes of Who Run the World, you’ll find out about the different areas of conflict we have to deal with, whether there are any topics that are off limits to us (spoiler alert: there are not), and we give you a timeline for when we plan on achieving world domination: 2025. 

We’d like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for tuning in to our podcast. It means the world to us to have you as a part of our conversation. We’d love to hear from you, what has been your favorite episode so far? What would you like to hear more of? Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworld.com or on Instagram @whoruntheworldpod. 

Finally and as always, if you have a few bucks to spare, we’d love it if you would consider donating to one of the Lebanese charities below. Lebanon is going through a crippling economic crisis, and people are struggling to get their basic necessities. Every little bit counts. 

• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie

On this episode we welcome for the second time on the podcast Tala Odeh, who just like Marilyn, is expecting a little girl later this year. We talk about the different (and ridiculous) old wives tales about pregnancy. After doing some research on the internet, we found that the majority of old wives are around guessing the gender of the baby, and a whole lot of old wives tales are extremely sexist. We spend the episode debunking the old wives tales (Marilyn had a great time using Google as her weapon) and even inventing our own old wives tales.

If we missed any old wives tales, don’t hesitate to send them to us on our email sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com or on our instagram @whoruntheworldpod.

Finally and as always, if you have a few bucks to spare, we’d love it if you would consider donating to one of the Lebanese charities below. Lebanon is going through a crippling economic crisis, and people are struggling to get their basic necessities. Every little bit counts. 

• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie

Over the break, We both binged watched Netflix’s Emily in Paris, and we have a lot of things to say about. In this episode we discuss plot twists of season 2, what we think of Emily’s fashion and take a look at how the show adequately describes the French Labor Law. We also break down the two love triangles at the center of the show, and stake our claims on who we would date (Marilyn is team Gabriel and Rhea is team Alfie).. We also try to make sense why the French people talk to each other in English, even when Emily is not in the room. 

Have you seen Emily in Paris? Do you have any recommendations on what we should watch next? Let us know by writing to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com on Instagram @whoruntheworldpod. 

As always, we would love it for you to find it in your hearts to donate to one of these causes in Lebanon, as the country is going through a crippling economic crisis.
Every little bit counts. 

• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie.

After months of being apart, Rhea spent one month staying at Marilyn’s in Dubai. In this case, absence did not make the heart grow fonder, but it did make the brain notice weird quirks in your best friend. So in this edition of Who Run the Time, Rhea and Marilyn point out each other’s quirks and oddities. The two finally talk about each other’s weird eating habits, Marilyn’s hyper focus abilities, Rhea’s underwear and how much they crack themselves up. 

What are some of the quirks you’ve noticed in your best friend? Do you have any funny stories? We’d love to hear your stories! Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com or on Instagram @whoruntheworldpod. 

As always, we would love it for you to find it in your hearts to donate to one of these causes in Lebanon, as the country is going through a crippling economic crisis. Every little bit counts. 

• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie.

A few episodes ago we announced that Marilyn was expecting! This week, she openly discusses the different range of emotions as she navigates through this new chapter of her life. Marilyn candidly shares about the feelings of power pregnancy has given her, but also how she is navigating becoming a mother while running her company. Finally, Rhea and Marilyn have an open discussion about identity, how to deal with change and how to show up for your friend as they go through various life changes and transitions. 

Have you been pregnant before? How did you deal with the changes in your life? Alternatively, have you gone through a major life change recently? How have you navigated through the range of emotions that came with that transition? We would love to hear from you! Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com or on Instagram: @whoruntheworldpod 

On a final note, we’ve been overwhelmed by the latest world events, particularly what’s been happening in our home country Lebanon. We do hope you can take some time out in your day to donate to these worthy causes: 

• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie

Marilyn has been going through a little witch obsession, and she got Rhea to watch her latest TV binge that has witches at the center of it all: Wheel of Time. On this episode, we discuss what we liked and disliked about this Amazon Prime Video original: from the acting to the plot to the fun names of the characters. Marilyn finishes off this episode by sharing which witch TV shows to watch and which ones to avoid (stay away from Netflix’s the Witcher people). 

Have you seen Wheel of Time? Are there other shows you’d like us to watch and review? Let us know by writing to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com or on our Instagram: @whoruntheworldpod .   

Check out our other episodes where we review shows:

• Al Rawabi School for Girls
• Perfect Strangers
• Emily in Paris
• Bridgerton Season 1

On a final note, we’ve been overwhelmed by the latest world events, particularly what’s been happening in our home country Lebanon. We do hope you can take some time out in your day to donate to these worthy causes: 

• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie

• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie

Something that many Arab women have faced in their lifetime is single shaming. In this episode we dive deep into single shaming: how it shows up, how to respond to single shaming and Marilyn even hits us with some stats (since the pandemic single shaming has been on the rise). We even try to understand how single people and people and relationships can broach the topic of dating and relationships. This resulted with our first ever on microphone argument. 

We’d love to hear from you! Have you been single shamed? How do you talk about dating with your single or non single friends? Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com or on instagram @whoruntheworldpod 

Also, make sure to check out our previous episode where we talk about Rhea’s online dating:The Bumble edit - We’re Swiping Left, We’re Swiping Right.

On a final note, we’ve been overwhelmed by the latest world events, particularly what’s been happening in our home country Lebanon. We do hope you can take some time out in your day to donate to these worthy causes: 

• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie

This episode is all about the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy as Marilyn shares everything she has experienced in the last 6 months. She tells Rhea about all the ways her body has changed, and how her little girl has been sucking the energy out of her (we love you Gaby!). She also talks about the importance of her tribe, friends and family showing up for her, and how that has made her feel more ready to take on labor and motherhood. Finally she talks about how equipping herself with the right information and data has helped be more prepared for the unknown.  

Have you been pregnant before? How did you deal with the changes in your life? Alternatively, have you gone through a major life change recently? How have you navigated through the range of emotions that came with that transition? We would love to hear from you! Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com or on Instagram: @whoruntheworldpod 

On a final note, we’ve been overwhelmed by the latest world events, particularly what’s been happening in our home country Lebanon. We do hope you can take some time out in your day to donate to these worthy causes: 

• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie

We start this episode off with a very special announcement: Rhea has moved back (or forward - depends how you look at it) to Dubai! She has started a brand new job at Spotify, and on this episode she breaks down her decision making process that got her there. We also talk about growth (it’s no secret that Rhea’s mental health struggled this last year), and how to carry that growth and feeling grounded wherever you live. 

We’d love to hear from you! How do you make your decisions? Have you ever moved cities/countries/Jobs? What was that experience like? Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com or on instagram @whoruntheworldpod 

Also, make sure to check out our previous episode about different decision making frameworks: Time For Decisions | Who Run the Time

On a final note, we’ve been overwhelmed by the latest world events, particularly what’s been happening in our home country Lebanon. We do hope you can take some time out in your day to donate to these worthy causes: 

• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie

Marilyn is inching closer to her due date, and that means she has a few key decisions to make around her labor. Epidural or no epidural? Constant monitoring of the baby’s heartbeat or sporadic monitoring? Where to give birth and which care provider to have? Vaginal or cesarean? Do you want to induce the birth or not? Which interventions will you allow? Do you want Pitocin to help you birth your placenta? Do you want to play Beyonce in the deliver room? Marilyn takes us through her thought process in making these decisions, showing that you can only go through pregnancy as yourself. 

Are you pregnant? Are you preparing for your labor? How are you making your decisions? Did you already give birth? Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com or on instagram @whoruntheworldpod 

 Also, make sure to check out our previous episodes where Marilyn talks about her pregnancy journey: 

• Final Stretch of Pregnancy: Body, Tribe and Data
• Feelings and Thoughts on Pregnancy
• Announcing Our Third Co-Host

On a final note, we’ve been overwhelmed by the latest world events, particularly what’s been happening in our home country Lebanon. We do hope you can take some time out in your day to donate to these worthy causes: 

• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie

We are back in Dubai and kicking things off with Marilyn telling us all about her birth story: how contractions felt, how she got through the pain, the role of her support system, including her husband Hadi, her doula Valerie, her mom and her brother. 

Marilyn also updates on the cliffhanger from last episode: did she or did she not get an epidural? 

Finally, Marilyn shares what happened after her daughter was born and how she and her team (which now included baby Gabrielle) got through it all. 

This episode is dedicated to Gabrielle Nour Kabalan, born on June 25th at 8:24PM.

We believe that sharing our stories will help people feel less alone, and we’d love to hear your birth stories! Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpod.com or on Instagram @whoruntheworldpod .   

Resources we mentioned on the podcast: 

• Birth with Confidence: Savvy choices for normal birth by Rhea Dempsey
• Sirat Om | سيرة أم - a podcast by Dr. Gael Abou Ghanam about birth stories

In this episode, Rhea opens up about her struggles with body image. Rhea shares how the negative feelings she’s had about her body made her feel like she is living a half life. Later on in the episode, Marilyn and Rhea talk about how friends can support friends with negative body image, and what are some of the things we can do to improve our feeling towards ourselves and the skin we are in.   

We believe that sharing our stories will help people feel less alone, and we’d love to hear your stories if you feel like sharing! Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpod.com or on Instagram @whoruntheworldpod .  

In honor of our 100th episode, we decided to celebrate what got us here in the first place: our friendship. We discuss the different facets of female friends with the help of women of all ages from around the world. Our female friendships have been incredibly important to us in our lives. Not only have they shown up for us in times of trouble, but they have also chosen us to be with them in joyful times, have come with us to run errands and supported us in our growth. 

We dedicate this episode to our childhood friends, college friends, work friends, friends we met through other friends, friends who are no longer our friends, our moms and our sisters. 

A special thank you to all the women who agreed to share their stories with us. In order of appearance: 

• Haya Al Husry
• Caline Khoury
• Marley
• Lenny
• Randa Tohme
• Maria Baladi
• Nicole Chedid
• Leticia Feraras 
• May Chaker
• Marie Noel Gervais
• Marina Bevilacqua 
• Nadia Deghayli 
• Mia Nehme 

We’d love to hear about your epic female friendships! Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpod.com or on Instagram @whoruntheworldpod .  

Ever since Marilyn became a mom, she’s noticed an infuriating pattern: her friends started leaving her out of things. She decided to bring up her frustrations on the microphone which led to a conversation about how single and married friends with kids could bridge the gap and not lose their friendship just because they are at different stages of their lives. Marilyn explains what single friends can do to be there for their mommy friends, while also making it clear that just because she now has a family does not mean her friends are any less important to her. On the flip side, Rhea talks about what it’s like from a single person’s perspective and how sometimes our insecurities can get the best of us. 

We believe that sharing our stories will help people feel less alone, and we’d love to hear yours! Are you a parent who has felt their friends change towards them since they had children? Are you the single one in your group and find that you always have to accomodate for your parent friends? Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpod.com or on Instagram @whoruntheworldpod .   

This episode is part of a three part series we are releasing all for the holidays! Part 1 is all about the activities that we are nostalgic (and not so nostalgic for) to maybe help inspire you with activities to do this holiday season

What are some of the things you used to do and no longer do? We’d love to hear your stories! Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com or on Instagram @whoruntheworldpod. 

 As always, we would love it for you to find it in your hearts to donate to one of these causes in Lebanon, as the country is going through a crippling economic crisis. Every little bit counts. 

• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie.

This episode is part of a three part series we are releasing for the holidays! In this episode we talk all about the art of gift giving. With the holidays coming up, we wanted to share with you a framework on how to find the best gift for the people you love. We also share examples of some of the best gifts we’ve given each other and why we sometimes feel awkward receiving gifts ourselves. 

What are some of the best gifts you’ve received?  We’d love to hear your stories! Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com or on Instagram @whoruntheworldpod. 

 As always, we would love it for you to find it in your hearts to donate to one of these causes in Lebanon, as the country is going through a crippling economic crisis. We are privileged enough to buy each other gifts and would love to spread the love. Every little bit counts. 

• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie.

In the last part of our Who Run the Holidays series, we talk all about how to manage family dynamics during the holiday season - or as we like to call it: the official guide to your family offsite. Whether you are the one visiting family or if family is coming to see you, we breakdown how to manage expectations, guarantee alone time and make sure you also jump in to family holiday tradition with both feet. Rhea and Marilyn also have an episode-long debate on the term “tips and tricks.”

We’d also love to hear from you! How do you navigate your family dynamics during the holiday? What are some of your favorite holiday traditions? Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com or on Instagram @whoruntheworldpod. 

 As always, we would love it for you to find it in your hearts to donate to one of these causes in Lebanon, as the country is going through a crippling economic crisis. Every little bit counts. 

• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie.

Happy 2023 everyone! In our first episode of the year, Rhea and Marilyn share with each other what their word of the year is. We breakdown our thoughts about new year resolutions and intention setting.

As always, we are two kinds of people with two different approaches to goal setting and measuring (one of us loves excel sheets while the other one gets great anxiety from excel sheets). Finally, since we love a good framework, we take you through Farnam Street’s 2022 Personal Annual Report, which is a series of seven questions that will help you reflect on the past year and plan for the next. We invite you to answer the questions alongside us! 

How is your year starting out? Do you have a word for the year? How do you keep track of your goals and aspirations? We’d love to hear from you! Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com or on instagram @whoruntheworldpod. 

You can find Farnam Street’s Personal Annual Report here. 

As always, we would love it for you to find it in your hearts to donate to one of these causes in Lebanon, as the country is going through a crippling economic crisis. Every little bit counts. 

• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie.

Back by popular demand, this episode is all about Rhea’s dating life and how to survive the online world of dating. Whether it be Bumble, Hinge, Tinder, The League or any dating app, online dating can really be a slog. Do you talk to one person or to a whole bunch of people at the same time? To use marketing terms, how do you widen your top of the funnel? How do you be flirtatious and mysterious via text? What about banter? Marilyn gives Rhea a whole bunch of dating advice, as the two try to answer these questions and more. Finally, we wrap up the episode by swiping left and right on Rhea’s Bumble. 

If you’ve missed it, make sure to listen to our first Bumble instalment: The Bumble edit - We’re Swiping Left, We’re Swiping Right  for which we won Moment of Comedy Gold at the International Women’s Podcast award.

We’d also love to hear from you, what are your crazy online dating stories? Do you have any dating tips for Rhea? Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com

As always, we would love it for you to find it in your hearts to donate to one of these causes in Lebanon, as the country is going through a crippling economic crisis. Every little bit counts. 

• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie

In this special episode, our producer Rhea talks to Antoinette Tayar who has built an illustrious career as a computer engineer over the last thirty plus years. You might recognize Antoinette's name because she also the mother of our host Marilyn, who has shared a bunch of stories about Antoinette throughout the season. We figured it was time you hear Antoinette's story straight from her. 

In the last episode of the first season, host and producer, Marilyn and Rhea sit together to talk about all things podcast, career and of course feminism. They kick off  the episode by looking back at what was it like producing the first season. They then have an interesting discussion on what the word feminist means to them, and why they feel the urgency to fight for gender equality. Finally, both Marilyn and Rhea give us an update on their careers. 

On this episode, we are sad to announce… 

Just kidding! We're thrilled to be back with a story from Maria and Fidan. They take us on a journey through a friendship breakup, sharing their experience of grieving the loss of their friendship, rediscovering themselves, and ultimately finding their way back to each other. Their story highlights the significance of deep friendships in our lives, reminding us that they hold a place as important as familial and romantic relationships. Join us as we delve into their story of growth and the power of open communication.

Have you been through a friendship breakup?  We would love to hear from you! Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com

As always, we would love it for you to find it in your hearts to donate to one of these causes in Lebanon, as the country is going through a crippling economic crisis. Every little bit counts. 

• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie.

Join us in this episode as we talk to Hadi Kabalan, the First Husband of Who Run the World, about the ever-growing influence of AI in our daily lives. From organizing our travel plans to crafting the perfect emails, AI has become our ultimate brainstorm buddy. Together, we explore the exciting future implications of AI's continued expansion and its potential to foster innovation and creativity. Tune in as we delve into the captivating world of AI, examining its impact, positives, and potential negatives that lie ahead.

And yes, this description was written in collaboration with Chat GPT.

Have you been using Chat GPT or any other AI tool? Or are you nervous to use these new tools? What are the creative ways you’ve integrated in your lives? We would love to hear from you! Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com

As always, we would love it for you to find it in your hearts to donate to one of these causes in Lebanon, as the country is going through a crippling economic crisis. Every little bit counts. 

• Cosmic Centaurs Fund
• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie

In a candid conversation, Marilyn spills the beans about the remarkable changes her body has gone through since becoming a mother. From falling tampons to bigger feet and deflated boobs, Marilyn fearlessly unveils the journey her body has embarked on over the past year and a half. Join us for an unfiltered and lighthearted exploration of the raw realities of motherhood. 

Have you had a baby? How has your body changed? What do you wish you’d known or prepared for before having a baby?  We would love to hear from you! Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com

As always, we would love it for you to find it in your hearts to donate to one of these causes in Lebanon, as the country is going through a crippling economic crisis. Every little bit counts. 

• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie

During the BLC Bank and WeIntiative conference, A Step Towards Equality, we sat down with Rebecca Bou Chebel. Rebecca has over 18 years of international experience in strategic communications and public relations that spans from Iraq to Washington DC. She shared with us her views on what it will take to make Lebanon more equal between the genders. Stay tuned for her full interview in our second season. 

We talked to Ayla Ziz at the BLC Bank and WeInitiative conference A Step Towards Equality. Ayla just recently moved to Beirut as the Managing Director for Uniliver Levant and Baghdad. She talks to us about gender equality, the lessons she's learned, her female role models and her views on feminism. Stay tuned to her full story on our second season. 

We sat down with Professor Josiane Fahed Sreikh at the BLC Bank and WeInitiative conference: A Step Towards Equality. Josiane is a professor at LAU University, specializing in management and family businesses. She spoke to us about gender equality, but also what it will take to reach equality in Lebanon. She also shared with us who her role models were and the lessons she has learned throughout her career. 

We talked to Randa Bahsoun at the WeInitiative and BLC Bank conference, A Step Towards Equality. Randa is a partner at consulting company PWC in Dubai. She talked to us about gender equality in her native Lebanon, who are her female role models, and the greatest lesson she's learned throughout her career. 

We sat down with with Asmahan Zein at the BLC Bank and WeInitiative conference: A Step Towards Equality. Asmahan is the president of the LLWB (Lebanese League for Women in Business). Before that she has had a long career at Aramex. She talked to us about gender equality in Lebanon and what it's going to take to improve equality in the country. Stay tuned for our second season for her full story. 

We sat down with Aline Kamakian at the BLC Bank and WeInitiative conference A Step Towards Equality. Aline talked to us about equality in Lebanon, her role models, the most important lesson she has learned throughout her career, and how she views feminism. Aline is the owner of Armenian restaurants Mayrig and Batchig, as well as an insurance brokerage. Stay tuned for our second season to hear her full story. 

In this episode, join us as we unravel the intricate web of asking for help. Rhea and Marilyn dive deep into the diverse forms of help people can provide, shedding light on their personal journeys of battling their own internal stigmas surrounding seeking help.  We also share recent anecdotes of how people extended their helping hands, illustrating that asking for help is a way for human connection.

Have you struggled to ask for help? Do you have a story of when someone recently helped you and it felt good? Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com

Speaking of help, we would love it for you to find it in your hearts to donate to one of these causes in Lebanon, as the country is going through a crippling economic crisis. Every little bit counts. 

• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie

Rhea's Ode to Freedom and Marilyn's Yearning for Solitude. 

Get ready for a funny episode as Rhea talks all about the glorious perks of living alone, while Marilyn pines for a taste of the chaos. As a self proclaimed introvert, Rhea reveals her love for the peaceful solitude and the freedom to do whatever her heart desires, whenever she wants. From walking around in the nude to dancing like no one's watching, Rhea basks in the sheer joy of having her place to herself all day everyday. Brace yourselves as Rhea and Marilyn share hilariously disgusting stories that might leave you in stitches (PSA: this episode is not for the easily irked). 

Do you love living alone? Do you wish you lived alone? We would love to hear from you! Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com

As always, we would love it for you to find it in your hearts to donate to one of these causes in Lebanon, as the country is going through a crippling economic crisis. Every little bit counts. 

• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie.

Fall has officially arrived, yet it is still hot and sweaty in Dubai where our two best friends Rhea and Marilyn reside. And that? Is an excuse for them to tell you all about their summer adventures. In this episode of Who Run the Time, Rhea and Marilyn recap their summers, from the highest of peaks to the lowest of pits. Every summer topic you could think of, Rhea and Marilyn touch on. Summer goals? They dissect them. Vacations? They define them. Live performances? They review them. Lessons? They learn them. Rhea and Marilyn also introduce a new recurring segment to the show, “Two Kinds of People,” where each episode they will present their opposing opinions on a topic. So pack your bags, choose your aisle (or window) seat on WRTW Airlines, and enjoy this absolute vacation of an episode.

What did you do this past summer? Share with us your favorite summer memories and reflections on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

Check out Marilyn’s summer reading recommendations:

• A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross
• The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

As always, we would love it if you could find it in your hearts to donate to one of these causes in Lebanon, as the country is going through a crippling economic crisis. Every little bit counts. 

• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie

Who Run the Time is a spinoff of Who Run the World, a production of Reyzin Media. Hosted by Rhea Chedid and Marilyn Zakhour. Produced by Ahmed Ashour. Follow Who Run the World on Instagram and Tik Tok at @whoruntheworldpod.

WRTW is back next week with its regular biweekly episode, but in the meantime, Marilyn and Rhea wanted to give you a little something extra to tide you over - Who Run the Time style. The 2023 Cosmic Conference is upon us, organized by Marilyn’s very own company Cosmic Centaurs. To mark the occasion, Rhea just had to sit down with Marilyn to get all the deets on this year’s conference and its theme: “Leading Organizations That Deliver,” or strategy execution. So many golden nuggets of organizational development knowledge are dropped in this episode, including common missteps/misunderstandings in strategy execution, elements of a good strategy, and thoughtful approaches for conference/event planning. For “Two Kinds of People,” Marilyn and Rhea debate the appropriate number of people to speak to or connect with at a conference/event. 

Fancy yourself a good strategist? Share with us your best strategy execution tips on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

The 2023 Cosmic Conference runs October 6 - November 11. Learn more by checking out the conference website. You can also learn more about Cosmic Centaurs by checking out their website or following them on LinkedIn, Instagram, or YouTube. 

More WRTW episodes featuring the work of Cosmic Centaurs:

• Conversation Starters for Teams
• Time for Decisions
• A Year of Entrepreneurship

Check out Marilyn’s event planning reading recommendations:

• The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
• The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parkar

As always, we would love it if you could find it in your hearts to donate to one of these causes in Lebanon, as the country is going through a crippling economic crisis. Every little bit counts: 

• Lebanese Red Cross
• Beit el Baraka
• Offre Joie

Who Run the Time is a spinoff of Who Run the World, a production of Reyzin Media. Hosted by Rhea Chedid and Marilyn Zakhour. Produced by Ahmed Ashour. Follow Who Run the World on Instagram and Tik Tok at @whoruntheworldpod.

In October 2020 (deep pandemic era WRTW), we released an episode titled “Let’s Talk About Our Periods” with Dr. Gaël Abou Ghannam that broached all sorts of taboo topics for Arab women, like taking the birth control pill and experiencing period pain. 3 years later, we’re back for round 2. Returning guest (and friend of the pod) Dr. Gaël helps Rhea and Marilyn understand the world of (in)fertility: the science, the myths, the social implications, and everything in between. As they exchange personal experiences and advice, they ask: how can we reduce shame around (in)fertility talk? Finally, in a more personal “2 Kinds of People,” Marilyn and Dr. Gaël tackle Rhea’s doubts and hesitation about freezing her eggs. Will she do it? To be continued…

Embarked/Embarking on your own family planning journey? Share with us any lessons you’ve learned/are learning on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

Dr. Gaël Abou Ghannam is a Lebanese OB/GYN, fertility specialist, and the co-founder of Metle Metlik, a digital education and community platform with courses on women’s reproductive and sexual health. She holds an executive masters degree in health management from the ESA Business School in Beirut.

WRTW stands in solidarity with Palestine. We would love it if you could find it in your hearts to donate to organizations providing relief and aid on the ground:

• UNRWA
• PCRF
• MedGlobal
• Anera

Who Run the World is a production of Reyzin Media. Hosted by Rhea Chedid and Marilyn Zakhour. Produced by Ahmed Ashour. Follow Who Run the World on Instagram and Tik Tok at @whoruntheworldpod.

In 2023, Rhea and Marilyn experienced loss in more ways than one. They both lost their dear friend Dounya, and Marilyn lost her beloved father-in-law Noor. On top of all that, recent events in Palestine have been weighing heavy on their minds and hearts. How can they process all of this personal and collective loss of life? How can they grieve? Siira’s Sandra Salame joins WRTW this week to discuss grief, its stages, and why grieving and accepting loss can never be selfish acts. Instead of this week’s “2 Kinds of People” segment, Rhea, Marilyn, and Sandra share how they’ve been processing the collective grief over recent events in Palestine. 

This episode is dedicated to the loving memory of Dounya Zin, Noor Kabalan, and the many lives lost over the past few weeks. 

How have you managed your own grief over a personal or collective loss? Share with us your stories on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

Sandra Salame is the founder of Siira, a mental wellbeing platform that provides free emotional support through harnessing the power of communities to overcome day-to-day struggles. Siira aims to educate and empower individuals, businesses, and governments by providing them with the tools and knowledge needed to effectively solve wellbeing challenges and achieve personal and professional goals. 

WRTW stands in solidarity with Palestine. We would love it if you could find it in your hearts to donate to organizations providing relief and aid on the ground:

• UNRWA
• PCRF
• MedGlobal
• Anera

Things My Mother Didn’t Tell Me But My Best Friend Did is a spinoff of Who Run the World, a production of Reyzin Media. Hosted by Rhea Chedid and Marilyn Zakhour. Produced by Ahmed Ashour. Follow Who Run the World on Instagram and Tik Tok at @whoruntheworldpod.

In this special recap episode, Rhea and Marilyn have a call where they each give updates on their career. Rhea has some excited news about her company Reyzin Media, which was selected for the Google Podcast creator program. She also talks about the stresses that come with entrepreneurship. Marilyn tells Rhea about her new job, and how she adjusts to an already existing work culture. Then they both discuss what it was like to release season 1 of Who Run the World. For more follow us on Instagram: @whoruntheworldpod.

What do we know about the history of Zionism, colonialism, and occupation in Palestine? More importantly, what do we not know? To mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Marilyn and Rhea invite Palestinian-American professor, lawyer, and writer Tamara Reem to provide listeners with an overview of significant events in Palestinian history and how they inform our understanding of the past few weeks. Tamara also uses her expertise in international law to answer two very divisive yet important questions:

Can Israel claim its response to the October 7th attacks as “self-defense?”

Should Israel’s destructive response be qualified as a genocide?

Tamara Reem is a Palestinian-American international lawyer, professor, and writer. She is the co-founder of Diaspora Heartbeat, an online platform dedicated to crafting a space where Palestinian stories flourish, uniting creativity, community and collaboration.

Who Run the World is a production of Reyzin Media. Hosted by Rhea Chedid and Marilyn Zakhour. Produced by Ahmed Ashour. Follow Who Run the World on Instagram and Tik Tok at @whoruntheworldpod.

As the Israeli occupation’s brutal operation in Palestine enters its third month, Rhea and Marilyn take a moment to take stock of how they and the people around them have processed recent events. In what ways have we felt helpless, hopeful, and activated? Rhea and Marilyn then go on to highlight concrete ways in which we can make our actions for Palestine count as individuals, communities, and organizations.

Got any tips or strategies for taking action and making your contribution towards Palestine count? Share them with us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

Some resources to check out from the episode:

• Make sure to check out our other episodes centering Palestine: How Does the Media Cover Palestine? (w/ Sara Obeidat) and Palestinian History Crash Course (w/ Tamara Reem). Our Instagram page also includes a list of recommendations for books to read/films to watch to learn more about Palestine, recommended by Tamara herself!
• Marilyn references 2 books during the episode: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari and Humankind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman.
• The Instagram post Rhea and Marilyn read from during the episode can be found on Dr. Ayesha Khan’s Instagram page @thewokescientist. 
• Marilyn’s organizational development consultancy, Cosmic Centaurs, has many helpful resources for leaders and organizations looking to take action for Palestine available on its website. Make sure to check them out here.
• Donate to the Cosmic Centaurs edSeed Fund here to support digital inclusion for women in Lebanon.

Who Run the World is a production of Reyzin Media. Hosted by Rhea Chedid and Marilyn Zakhour. Produced by Ahmed Ashour. Follow Who Run the World on Instagram and Tik Tok at @whoruntheworldpod.

Marilyn and her husband Hadi recently decided to buy a new car, a decision that turned out to be an 8-month ordeal. Making big financial decisions as a couple can be quite daunting, but that doesn’t mean that spending your money individually is a walk in the park. In this episode, Rhea and Marilyn invite Marilyn’s financial advisor Sharon Calderini to share tips with listeners for better financial planning in 2024. What are the pillars of wealth you should consider? Why should you be saving for the long term? And what are Rhea and Marilyn’s new year’s resolutions when it comes to their finances? Finally, after a bit of a hiatus, Marilyn and Rhea bring back the recurring segment “Two Kinds of People” to debate the value of spending on yourself.

Got any financial new year’s resolutions? Share them with us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

Sharon Calderini is a financial advisor with over 16 years of experience. She is a partner at St. James’s Place Wealth Management, where she is helping clients and families in the UK and the UAE reach their full potential through solid financial advice, planning, and education. She has secured Fellow Chartered status as a financial advisor, a title held by only 3% of Chartered Insurance Institute members.

Special thanks to Ciara Chown for her support with this episode.

Who Run the World is a production of Reyzin Media. Hosted by Rhea Chedid and Marilyn Zakhour. Produced by Ahmed Ashour. Follow Who Run the World on Instagram and Tik Tok at @whoruntheworldpod. 

What are the holidays if not the most magical time of the year? After a few months that lacked magic (to say the least), Rhea and Marilyn take the Hogwarts Express from Platform 9-3/4 towards Hogwarts (duh) for a bit of Christmas (and other non-secular holiday) cheer. Along for the scenic trip is their producer Ahmed Ashour, a notable HP-films-over-books advocate and sworn enemy of the dark witch named J.K. Rowling. Together, they share their favorite HP memories, discuss the 4 houses, and hand out free (yes, free!) tips for dealing with family members from different houses over the holidays (especially that one Slytherin uncle). 5 points to you, the listener, for sticking around as we wrap up 2023! We’ll be back in the new year!
What are your favorite HP/holiday/HP over the holidays memories? Share them with us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com.
Who Run the Time is a spinoff of Who Run the World, a production of Reyzin Media. Hosted by Rhea Chedid and Marilyn Zakhour. Produced by Ahmed Ashour. Follow Who Run the World on Instagram and Tik Tok at @whoruntheworldpod.

WRTW is back! As the show approaches its fifth birthday (stay tuned), Marilyn and Rhea sit down to reflect on the year that was and the year to come. How did they do when it came to their 2023 words of the year? What words did they select for 2024? And how can you, our dear listener, choose your own word of the year instead of new year's resolutions? This episode was recorded in January, so you cannot argue that it’s too late to wish everyone a happy new year!
Have you selected a 2024 word of the year? Share it with us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com or on @whoruntheworldpod and let us know how and why you chose it!
Who Run the Time is a spinoff of Who Run the World, a production of Reyzin Media. Hosted by Rhea Chedid and Marilyn Zakhour. Produced by Ahmed Ashour. Follow Who Run the World on Instagram and Tik Tok at @whoruntheworldpod.

In the wake of the International Court of Justice's ruling on January 26th, 2024 stating that Israel must do all it can to prevent genocide, Marilyn and Rhea sit down with the Israel and Palestine Director at Human Rights Watch Omar Shakir to understand the dimensions of South Africa’s landmark case. What are the provisional measures that the world’s highest court ruled on? What does the ruling mean for the international community grappling with the efficacy of international law, especially given the senseless violence we are still witnessing? And, most importantly, what does the ruling mean for Palestinians?
Omar Shakir is the Israel and Palestine Director at Human Rights Watch, where he investigates human rights abuses in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. He has authored several major reports, including a 2021 report comprehensively documenting how Israeli authorities are committing the crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution against millions of Palestinians. He’s also investigated other human rights violations both regionally and globally.
Who Run the World is a production of Reyzin Media. Hosted by Rhea Chedid and Marilyn Zakhour. Produced by Ahmed Ashour. Follow Who Run the World on Instagram and Tik Tok at @whoruntheworldpod.

On Valentine’s Day 2019, a little show by the name Who Run the World was released into the world. 5 years later, that little show is thriving! Who would’ve thought? Marilyn and Rhea certainly did. In this 5th anniversary special, Marilyn and Rhea look back at the show and its (humble) beginnings, before sharing their favorite episodes. But what about Valentine’s Day? No worries, our girls got you. In classic WRTW fashion, our best friends completely dismantle the capitalist celebration that is Valentine’s Day, then naturally indulge in a conversation about their romantic types, ideal dates, and thoughts on love. Get your heart-shaped box of chocolates and your bev of choice so we can celebrate WRTW’s birthday together!
Got a favorite WRTW episode? Share it with us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com or on @whoruntheworldpod! You can also just wish us a happy birthday. We’ll appreciate it.
Here’s a list of episodes Rhea and Marilyn mention in the episode. Copy them into your podcast search bae and listen now:

• It’s Labor to Labor
• Marilyn's Birth Story
• Struggling with the Skin You Are In
• Feelings and Thoughts of Loneliness
• The Bumble edit - We’re Swiping Left, We’re Swiping Right | Who Run The Time 
• Online Dating & How to Be Flirty and Mysterious | Who Run the Time
• Dealing with our Anxiety & Mental Health with Dr. Saliha Afridi | Things My Mother Didn’t Tell Me

Who Run the Time is a spinoff of Who Run the World, a production of Reyzin Media. Hosted by Rhea Chedid and Marilyn Zakhour. Produced by Ahmed Ashour. Follow Who Run the World on Instagram and Tik Tok at @whoruntheworldpod.

Choosing to pursue a career as an actor and media personality is hard. Choosing to pursue such a career as someone of South Asian or SWANA descent is hard. Becoming a mother is…you guessed it, also hard. Doing all three? That’s just awe-inspiring. In this episode, Marilyn and Rhea sit down with Dubai-based Pakistani actor and media personality Rabab Hashim. Rabab shares how she fell in love with the stage and screen at a young age, her experience navigating motherhood in the entertainment industry, and how her partner and community have supported her in this chapter of her life. Rabab also reflects on Pakistani/global south representation in the media, and what her next career moves are.

Rabab Hashim is a Dubai-based Pakistani actor and media personality who has appeared on stage, television, web series, and many other media formats. Her major credits include Ishqaway (2015), Enaaya (2019), and Tinkay Ka Sahara (2022).

Who Run the World is a production of Reyzin Media. Hosted by Rhea Chedid and Marilyn Zakhour. Produced by Ahmed Ashour. Follow Who Run the World on Instagram and Tik Tok at @whoruntheworldpod.

In an October 2023 episode with OB/GYN and fertility specialist Dr. Gaël Abou Ghannam, Marilyn and Dr. Gaël encouraged Rhea to freeze her eggs. Well, listeners…drum roll, please…she did it! Not only did she do it – she’s also ready to tell you all about it. In this episode, Marilyn sits down with Rhea to understand what led to her making this decision, as well as break down the egg freezing process from A to Z. Of course, our best friends share (often funny) stories and anecdotes from the journey, including one that involves a butt injection. Curious? You’ll have to listen to find out more. It’s called suspense, baby!

Things My Mother Didn’t Tell Me (But My Best Friend Did) is a spinoff of Who Run the World, a production of Reyzin Media. Hosted by Rhea Chedid and Marilyn Zakhour. Produced by Ahmed Ashour. Follow Who Run the World on Instagram and Tik Tok at @whoruntheworldpod.

Lots happening this week in WRTW Land (which is about 25.6km away from Barbie Land). March is Women’s History Month. March 8th is International Women’s Day. Marilyn and Rhea both finally watched Barbie (yes, THAT Barbie, which is up for some Oscars later this week). They also just finished watching season 2 of the hit Netflix show AlRawabi School for Girls. They have so many thoughts on all of the above (especially Rhea)...but can they share them all in one episode? Well folks, they do it, because they are what? Women. International women. In this episode of Who Run the Time, Marilyn and Rhea put on their “scathing critic” hats and break down the nonsense, western origins of International Women’s Day. They then look at how Barbie and AlRawabi fit this year’s IWD theme, “Inspire Inclusion,” and share examples of comedians, journalists, and authors who they feel do a good job of telling authentic stories representing women today. Live from Casa Home de Ken (sic), it’s WRTW’s International Women’s Day episode!
Marilyn’s recommendations:

• “An Unlasting Home” by Mai Al-Nakib.
• “Celestial Bodies” by Jokha Alharthi.
• “Against a Loveless World” by Susan Abulhawa.
• “The Day Nina Simone Stopped Singing” by Darina Al Joundi.

Rhea’s recommendations:

• Lebanese comedian Shaden.
• Jordanian journalist Sara Obeidat. Check out our episode with Sara about how the media covers Palestine.
• Lebanese journalist Lina Mounzer.
• Lebanese journalist Dalal Mawad. Check out Dalal’s book, “All She Lost: The Explosion in Lebanon, the Collapse of a Nation and the Women who Survive.”
• Check out Spotify’s AlRawabi School for Girls Official Playlist!

Read more about this year’s International Women’s Day theme “Inspire Inclusion” here.
Who Run the Time is a spinoff of Who Run the World, a production of Reyzin Media. Hosted by Rhea Chedid and Marilyn Zakhour. Produced by Ahmed Ashour. Follow Who Run the World on Instagram and Tik Tok at @whoruntheworldpod.

Ramadan Kareem, WRTW family! To kick off a month of reflection and introspection, Marilyn and Rhea have a very real and honest conversation about how they’ve seen their friendship change after Marilyn became a mother. What are their pet peeves when it comes to friends treating each other differently post-motherhood? What advice would they give themselves and their friends as they enter new stages in their lives? And, of course, what is it about Marilyn and Rhea’s friendship that allows it to grow and change as they grow and change?
Things My Mother Didn’t Tell Me (But My Best Friend Did) is a spinoff of Who Run the World, a production of Reyzin Media. Hosted by Rhea Chedid and Marilyn Zakhour. Produced by Ahmed Ashour. Follow Who Run the World on Instagram and Tik Tok at @whoruntheworldpod.

Ever tried picking out a book for a child to read? Marilyn and Rhea can confirm: it’s not easy, nor is it easy to get the child to actually read the book and enjoy it. In this episode, Marilyn and Rhea sit down with the founder of Oh The Books Deema Al Alami to understand how we can get children to love reading outside the classroom. They share tips for picking out new books and rotating the books on your child’s bookshelf, as well as recommend bookstores for caregivers to check out in Dubai. Finally, Deema talks about her new book, “48 Stories of Exile from Palestine,” and how children can fall in love with Palestine and its culture through reading.
Deema Al Alami is a Dubai-based educator and author. Her career started over 15 years ago as a teacher, before shifting her focus to working on education-focused capacity building programs in both the private and public sector across the region. She’s the co-founder of Al Alami Book Club and the founder of Oh the Books, an Instagram account where she recommends the best children's books and offers caregivers the best literacy tips and tricks to nurture lifelong readers. She also launched “From Mother to Author,” a coaching program empowering parents and caregivers to author their own children’s books that celebrate Arab culture and values. Deema is a renowned author, having co-written the children’s book “Min Balad Esmo Falastin” (“From A Country Called Palestine”) and the new book, “48 Stories of Exile from Palestine,” out later this year.
Deema’s recommendations for Dubai bookstores:

• The Old Library
• Kinokuniya
• Magrudy
• Bookworm
• Book Hero 

Deema’s author recommendations:

• Mo Willems
• Julia Donaldson
• Rod Campbell
• Hervé Tullet

You can follow Deema and her work on Instagram:

• Deema’s Account (@deema_al_alami)
• Oh The Books (@oh.thebooks)
• From Mother to Author (@mother_to_author)

Who Run the World is a production of Reyzin Media. Hosted by Rhea Chedid and Marilyn Zakhour. Produced by Ahmed Ashour. Follow Who Run the World on Instagram and Tik Tok at @whoruntheworldpod.

Ramadan Kareem, WRTW fam! To celebrate the holy month, Marilyn and Rhea invite WRTW’s producer and resident Muslim Ahmed Ashour to reflect on what Ramadan means, share memories, and exchange favorite traditions. Then, Marilyn and Rhea compete for the title of “The Queen of Ramadan” by solving fawazeer/riddles, guessing at the plots of Ramadan shows, and putting together the perfect iftar. Of course, no Ramadan is complete without Sherihan, and you bet she makes an appearance here. It’s the perfect WRTW Ramadan special!
Who Run the Time is a spinoff of Who Run the World, a production of Reyzin Media. Hosted by Rhea Chedid and Marilyn Zakhour. Produced by Ahmed Ashour. Follow Who Run the World on Instagram and Tik Tok at @whoruntheworldpod.

People of all ages – including Marilyn, Rhea, and Marilyn’s daughter Gabi – know what it’s like to wake up cranky and moody from a bad night’s sleep. For parents and caregivers, that issue is compounded by having children who are challenging sleepers. While some might choose to let their children establish their own sleeping habits, others might choose sleep training or working with a trainer who can help everyone involved have a better night’s sleep. In this episode, Marilyn and Rhea sit down with infant and child sleep consultant Lamis Benjelloun to understand what exactly is child sleep training, what it can (realistically) do for both parent/caregiver and child, and how to establish better sleeping habits for children. They also discuss “sleep shaming” in the parenting community and how there can never be a golden standard for child sleep.
WRTW is off next week for Eid Al Fitr (Eid Mubarak everyone!), but we'll be back the following week with an all new episode! You won’t even know we were gone.
Lamis Benjelloun is an Abu Dhabi-based Moroccan certified infant and child sleep consultant as well as a certified newborn sleep specialist.  She considers herself a sleep nerd because if she’s not talking about sleep, she’s reading about it.  Her love for sleep particularly intensified after the birth of her first son, Maher.  He showed her what true sleep deprivation looked like, inspiring her to solve the puzzle of child sleep for herself and other families. She founded One2Sleep in 2019 and has since been fortunate to meet many families and accompany them on their journey to better sleep.
Things My Mother Didn’t Tell Me (But My Best Friend Did) is a spinoff of Who Run the World, a production of Reyzin Media. Hosted by Rhea Chedid and Marilyn Zakhour. Produced by Ahmed Ashour. Follow Who Run the World on Instagram and Tik Tok at @whoruntheworldpod.

You have a great job doing something you’re passionate about. It pays great. You live in a bustling city with an active social life. You’re also overworked, burnt out, and something about your life just doesn’t feel right. What do you do next? In this episode, Marilyn and Rhea invite friend of the pod and sports consultant Elise Kossaifi to share stories of experiencing existential crises and changing career paths. What does an existential crisis look like? Can you see it coming and prepare for it? And what can you do to take a step towards the life you actually want to lead?
Ever experienced an existential crisis and lived to tell the tale? Share with us your story by writing to us on Instagram @whoruntheworldpod or writing us an email on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com.
Elise Kossaifi is an experienced consultant with 10 years experience in business consulting, leading projects and advising senior leaders on their sports business across the Middle East and Europe. Her career started out at McKinsey & Company in Dubai, where she spent a few years before moving to London to serve as a Senior Project Manager at the premier management consultancy for sports, Portas Consulting. 7 years later, Elise left Portas after a spiritual awakening to become an independent sports and wellness business consultant and co-founder of the gym Embody in Lisbon, Portugal. She’s also an avid sports fan and player, with a passion for football and women's sports.
Who Run the World is a production of Reyzin Media. Hosted by Rhea Chedid and Marilyn Zakhour. Produced by Ahmed Ashour. Follow Who Run the World on Instagram and Tik Tok at @whoruntheworldpod.

Things get real and personal for our dynamic duo this week as Marilyn shares with Rhea her recent feelings of burnout and exhaustion. Together, our best friends share what a burnout has looked like for them, how they’ve dealt with it, and what they need from each other and from their community as they work their way through a burnout episode. 

Went through a really tough burnout or currently going through one? Write to us @whoruntheworldpod on Instagram or email us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com and tell us about it. We’d love to hear your story.

Things My Mother Didn’t Tell Me (But My Best Friend Did) is a spinoff of Who Run the World, a production of Reyzin Media. Hosted by Rhea Chedid and Marilyn Zakhour. Produced by Ahmed Ashour. Follow Who Run the World on Instagram and Tik Tok at @whoruntheworldpod.

3 months into her new gig as a team manager, Rhea sits down with Marilyn to reflect on what she’s learned about herself and her managerial style throughout her leadership journey. Our best friends then take your most burning questions about becoming a new manager. Not sure how to be assertive? Worried about micromanaging? Afraid you’ll lose steam and burnout? Marilyn and Rhea got the answers for you!

Who Run the World is a production of Reyzin Media. Hosted by Rhea Chedid and Marilyn Zakhour. Produced by Ahmed Ashour. Follow Who Run the World on Instagram and Tik Tok at @whoruntheworldpod.

Like most of the world we have found ourselves quarantined because of corona. We are actually both stuck in Marilyn's apartment in Dubai. So we've decided to record Who Run the Time. Basically this is one of many episodes where we'll share with you recommendations and things we are doing to pass the time. In this episode we tell you about the different games we play throughout the day to make the time pass. Spoiler alert: we were in the middle of a game while recording.

For more Who Run the World follow us on: @whoruntheworldpod on Instagram and on whoruntheworldpod.com

In this episode of Who Run the Time, we talk about how food and cooking have brought joy to our confined lives while helping us structure our new routines. We list all the dishes we've made over the last two weeks, tell you which ones are our favorites, and give you 5 tips for inviting food into your life.

Follow us on @whoruntheworldpod on Instagram and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

Rhea and Marilyn have found each other on opposite sides of a coin during the corona pandemic. Marilyn talks about what it's like losing her job in the economic downturn. Rhea talks about what it's like to start a new job while on lockdown.

We hope this episode helps you deal with whatever you are going through right now. Talking about our situations has greatly helped us and we want to help you by lending you our ears. So please get in touch with us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpod.com or on Instagram: @whoruntheworldpod. 

As the world takes a breath, we have collectively found ourselves with more time to learn, explore and cultivate new skills. In this episode of Who Run the Time, Rhea and Marilyn talk about the different ways they are learning in both structured and unstructured ways.

If you want to learn a new skill or take an online class check out this link.

Follow us on @whoruntheworldpod on Instagram and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

With every passing week of social distancing our need for human connection grows, whether we are introverts or extroverts. In this episode, we share how we are getting and giving our dose of connection and care using the five languages of love.


Follow us on @whoruntheworldpod on Instagram and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

In this episode of Who Run the Time we talk about the thing we've been spending the most time on: working from home. We look at how to create a routine and boundaries during our work days, how to network, and how to socialize with our colleagues.

If this is a topic you are interested in and want to learn more about check out Marilyn's company website: cosmicentaurs.com. You can also follow us on @whoruntheworldpod on Instagram and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

Season 4 of Who Run The World will be a little bit different from the previous seasons. On the one hand we have started a mini series called Who Run The Time (look for the pink icon) to help you through the quarantine with light hearted short content. On the other we're producing a multi-part series following Marilyn and Rhea's journeys through their work life and its new chapters (listen to part 1 for more). 

In this episode we invite Anita, who is an expert at mining her networks, to give Rhea and Marilyn advice and a challenge on the issues they are having with their own networks. Rhea does't feel comfortable asking others for emotional support, and Marilyn always confuses friends with advisors. 

One of the ways we've been killing time during quarantine is by escaping reality through the TV we're watching, the books we are reading, the podcasts we are listening to and the games we are playing. In this episode we list and recommend all the things that are helping us forget about the crazy reality we are living through.

Follow us on @whoruntheworldpod on Instagram and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

In part 3 of our multi-part series following Marilyn and Rhea's journeys through their work life and its new chapters, they discuss how well they performed at the challenges given them by Anita in the previous episode. Marilyn talks about expanding her support network. Rhea talks about finally using her support network to help her through some difficult emotional matters.

In this episode we also invite Susanne Peltz, who has been Marilyn's career coach for over 2 years, to give Rhea and Marilyn advice and a challenge related to the topic of this episode, Finding Balance. Rhea is feeling guilty about how to balance a great job, and two very important personal projects, and Marilyn is worried that the return to "normal" will break whatever balance the lockdown has helped her achieve.

Follow us on @whoruntheworldpod on Instagram and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

We were accused by a friend of sounding overly productive. So this episode we have decided to unveil the list of things we are very not to be doing. Take a listen as we fully embrace the lazy slobs that we are. Here's to looking at you sourdough.

Follow us on @whoruntheworldpod on Instagram and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

Following our episode on Support Networks and Systems with Anita Zielina we sat down to recap the 5 things we've learned about harnessing the power of our networks. 

In part 4 of Who Run the World season 4, we explore our relationship to gratitude and how we’ve been brought up to connect it with guilt. Claire Harbour joins us as our mentor for this episode.

Follow us on @whoruntheworldpod on Instagram and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

Following our episode on Balance with Susanne Peltz we sat down with her again to recap the 5 things we've learned about how to maintain a more balanced life. 

Let us know if these tips are helpful by writing to us sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com and do not forget to follow us on Instagram: @whoruntheworldpod.

We've been quarantined together for the past three months. You'd think we would have lost things to say to each other, but the well never seems to run dry. In this episode we list our favorite conversation starters that have us chatting away all day everyday.

Follow us on @whoruntheworldpod on Instagram and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

Following our episode with Claire Harbour on gratitude we sat down with her again to recap the 5 ways to feel and express gratitude.

Let us know if these tips are helpful by writing to us sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com and do not forget to follow us on Instagram: @whoruntheworldpod.

When we approached coach Warsha Joshi about coaching us on the topic of delegation we couldn’t have imagined how many deep rooted questions and struggles it would bring up. Listen to this episode where Rhea explores her trust issues, and Marilyn figures out what type of leader she wants to be at her new company and so much more. 

Amongst many other things Warsha is the regional director of The Alpha Group, a peer-to-peer exclusive executive boards for business owners/managers to help them thrive and dominate their marketplace. If you want to find out more about Warsha and about the Alpha Group click here.

Follow us on @whoruntheworldpod on Instagram and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

After four months of being on lockdown together, living together, podcasting together, singing together, playing games, cooking, crying and laughing together Rhea is moving out of Marilyn’s place. So we decided to sit together and share what are the things we will and won’t miss about each other. Suffice it to say: it got a bit emotional.

Follow us on @whoruntheworldpod on Instagram and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

When we were on lockdown, one of our rituals was getting drive-through shawarma in Dubai. We lovingly call this tradition: Meshwarma. So we invited our new friend Arva Ahmed to give us her top shawarma recommendations in the city. Arva is the founder of Frying Pan Adventures, a Dubai based Food tour company and Dubai’s resident expert foodie. You can hear more about her food obsessions on her podcast Deep Fried. 

You can listen to the Deep Fried podcast here, and check out Frying Pan Adventures’s website here. If you want to donate to their Gift a Meal initiative here.

Follow us on @whoruntheworldpod on Instagram and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

On August 4 2020 at 6:07 PM Beirut was rocked with an explosion that shattered the entire city. After Hiroshima and Nagasaki, this is the 3rd biggest explosion in a city in recorded history. Countless lives were lost, hundreds of homes were brought to the ground, and 300,000 people were displaced. Our city, no longer recognizable. As expats, the first day was spent calling friends and family, praying they would pick up, that they were alive. The second day, the only way we knew how to cope was to try and figure out how we could help. Here is our conversation with Farrah Berrou, our friend, a writer and fellow podcaster, where we ask her how we can support, how we can cope, and how to help our loved ones back home deal with this insurmountable tragedy.

To Donate: 

Lebanese Red Cross
Impact Lebanon
Beit el Baraka
Offre Joie

For more ways to contribute, visit this link. 

We’ve been gone for a while. To be honest, there was a lot happening in the world, and more specifically in our hometown of Beirut. We spent the last month coping with the aftermath of the Beirut blast. In this episode we talk about what the last month and a half has been like, how we each coped with our PTSD and broken hearts. After many conversations, we decided to finally reboot this season of Who Run the World. Even though we don’t know if it’s the right thing to do, we decided to carry on and continue to do our best in bringing you stories from women in the Middle East, and to continue to shine light on Lebanon. 

If you would like to donate to trusted NGOs in Lebanon:

INSEAD Alumni for Lebanese Red Cross

Georgetown Alumni for St George Hospital

Impact Lebanon

Lebanese Red Cross

In this episode, we sit down with Coach Ayoub to break down last week’s challenge. Rhea fesses up on whether she managed to ask her friends for help for her upcoming move to her new apartment. Marilyn on the other side tells Coach Ayoub about how she’s defining herself as a leader. She chooses to carry a purple lightsaber (you’ll have to listen to understand that metaphor). We had so much to talk about with Coach Ayoub that we split up this episode into two parts, so stay tuned for next week for part 2.

Follow us on @whoruntheworldpod on Instagram and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

In the second part of our conversation with Coach Ayoub, we hand him the reins of our episode. This is definitely an episode of firsts, not only our first male guest, our first 2 part episode, but also the first episode where the topic was hidden from us and we couldn’t come prepared. Join us on an exercise of being in the present. If you can, listen to this episode with a friend or partner, and do the exercises at the same time as us. We promise you it’s worth it. 

We would love to hear about the thoughts, sensations and emotions you go through as you listen to this episode. Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpod.com

We started off this episode giving each other updates on our careers, and we quickly turned the focus onto feeling your power. We’ve all been in those moments where we’ve needed to be reminded of our own power, or where we’ve needed that little push of encouragement. In this episode Marilyn and Rhea share with each other the different objects, rituals and people who remind them of their own power, and help them remain firmly grounded in their inner strength.

What gives you power? Share with us your stories on sayhi@whoruntheworldpod.com

Don't forget to hit the subscribe button and follow us on Instagram on @whoruntheworldpod  and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

For the first time in a very long time, Marilyn is going to be taking a plane to travel back to Lebanon for a few days. Suffice it to say: she’s a bit nervous. To make her feel better, Rhea sat her down to compare notes on what they love and miss about airports. We talk about what foods we eat (everyone knows calories do not count while traveling), what unnecessary purchases we make, and we have the great debate of the century: are you an aisle person or a window person. 

Have you traveled recently? Do you miss airports? What are your airport rituals? Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com and share with us your stories! 

Follow us on @whoruntheworldpod on Instagram and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

We are joined by Dr. Gael Abou Ghannam in a special episode about the female body in all its states. Dr. Gael, whose specialty is gynecology, is known for her Instagram page where she unabashedly talks about the female body, female health and of course all things period. She brings her wisdom to our podcast and enlightens us about everything from period pain to taking the pill, we share stories of the first time we got our periods, and we have a very important conversation about period poverty in Lebanon.

Don't forget to hit the subscribe button and follow us on Instagram on @whoruntheworldpod  and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

Rhea and Marilyn decide to take off on a girl’s weekend in the desert. And what do two podcast hosts do when they are away for a “self care” weekend? Naturally, record an episode on self care. We discuss how we tap into our community for comfort, and the activities that help us find balance. One of us chooses to watch the Real Housewives and the other likes to eat in bed. We’ll let you guess which practice is Marilyn’s and which is Rhea’s.

What's your self care regimen? Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com

Don't forget to hit the subscribe button and follow us on Instagram on @whoruntheworldpod  and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

Economist Léa Hakim joins us from Beirut to talk about how creating jobs will not only help the financial crisis in Lebanon, but also allow people to live with dignity. Léa has dedicated a huge chunk of her life to giving back to her community through a number of initiatives that span across the economic and educational sectors. She truly inspired us with her positive energy and can-do attitude. This is a great conversation to listen to for anyone trying to figure out ways to help Lebanon and make a positive impact. 

To learn more about Léa’s initiative Jobs for Lebanon, check out their website here. You can also follow them on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook. 

If you have any questions on other ways to help Lebanon, please write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com

Did you know that people with deep and meaningful friendships live longer? Friendships are one the most undervalued but most important relationships. In this episode, we look inwards to explore and express the importance of keeping our tribe close. 

Rhea takes over hosting duties to interview Marilyn and her childhood best friend Tara Tyan. Through the story of their twenty-two year old relationship, we explore the meaning of friendship, how to get through rough patches and how to keep your friends close even if they live miles and miles away. 

We’d love to hear your stories of the important friendships in your lives! Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com - or follow us on Instagram on @whoruntheworldpod, we’d love to hear from you!

In this episode, we are joined by our second ever male guest: Dr. Melhem Abou Alwan. Melhim tells us what it is like being a doctor in the middle of the pandemic, how his hospital coped under pressure and why he volunteered to be the only doctor in his team to examine COVID patients in the early days of the pandemic. Melhim’s story, like so many frontliner’s stories, is a stark reminder of the severity of the coronavirus, and why it is so important for all of us to practice safe measures until a vaccine is effectively distributed. 

Don't forget to hit the subscribe button and follow us on Instagram on @whoruntheworldpod  and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the Myers-Briggs personality test, its history, whether it is any more accurate than a horoscope reading and how it can help us improve our communication and collaboration with loved ones and colleagues alike. 

It might come as no surprise that Marilyn is a Commander personality type and Rhea a Campaigner personality type. You’ll have to listen to the episode to understand what that means and whether we agree. 

We’d love to learn more about your personality type, so please share them with us by writing to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com or on our Instagram page @whoruntheworldpod.

As holders of Lebanese licenses, we quickly realized that the process of getting a UAE driver license was quite the ordeal. In this episode, we break down our road to driving (pun intended) by comparing and contrasting notes on the different tests we had to take and the colorful instructors we were paired with. It’s been quite the eventful month, so suffice it to say hilarity ensued on the podcast - who knew driving could be so funny. 

We’d love to hear your journey to driving, whether you just recently got your license, or if it’s a story from your teenage years. So make sure to write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com, and follow us on Instagram @whoruntheworldpod.

Blu Fiefer is a Lebanese-Mexican singer, songwriter, producer, director and pole dancer. We asked Blu to come on as a guest off the heels of her latest release Sint el Ew, which made the rounds on social media, having truly put its finger on the collective Lebanese angst in words that felt real to so many. We discussed everything from her creative process, to her dual identity and how arabic finally made its way into her art, to the power of being yourself and giving others a voice. 

Don’t forget to follow Blu on @blufiefer and us on Instagram @whoruntheworldpod. You can also write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpod.com.

Guilda Khoury’s concept store Mellow was one of the very first shops to open in Beirut’s design district Mar Mikhael seven years ago. After the August 4th Beirut explosion, which completely shattered Guilda’s store, Mellow was yet again the first to reopen in a ravaged Mar Mikhael. Guilda’s story is one of great bravery, perseverance and hope. She shares with us her emotional journey, telling us why she chose to stay in Beirut, where she gets her motivation from, and reveals the inspiration behind her latest collection, very aptly named Rising from the Dust. 

Mellow would not be open today if it weren’t for the following NGOs: @istandforwomen, @bedco_lb, @alfanarvp, and @marchlebanon

Guilda would also like to extend a big thank you to the Mellow community, who have been a constant source of love and support. You can follow Mellow on @lovmellow. 

If you’d like to get in touch with us to see how you can help Lebanon, write to us on sayhi@whorunthwroldpodcast.com or reach out to us on Instagram: @whoruntheworldpod.

This week we are re-sharing one of our favorite episodes we recorded this year on the 5 love languages - A great listen for this holiday season!

With every passing week of social distancing our need for human connection grows, whether we are introverts or extroverts. In this episode, we share how we are getting and giving our dose of connection and care using the five languages of love.

We are also running our first ever giveaway. Head to our Instagram page @whoruntheworldpod, follow us, and share with us the best or worst gift you've ever received.  The lucky winner will be receiving three of our favorite books: Education by Tara Westover, Celestial Bodies by Jokha Alharthi and The Day Nina Simone Stopped Singing by Darina Al-Joundi.

As for many, Christmas 2020 looks a bit different for us - we won’t be traveling to see our families, or going back to Lebanon where we normally spend the holidays. So we thought it would be fun to take a little walk down memory lane and revisit gifts of time’s past. We asked our audience to share with us stories of the best and/or worst gifts they’ve ever received. This week, we took a listen to the voice notes you sent us, read the message you’ve written us, gave our comments, and remembered our own gifting stories - suffice it to say: hilarity and sweetness ensued. The ultimate Christmas super-fan, Marilyn’s partner, Hadi joins us on this episode, bringing with him his own colorful comments to the table. 

This holiday season, we do realize what a privilege it is to receive gifts and be with our loved ones. So to pay it forward, here are a few charities in Lebanon that are doing great work this Christmas and all year round - donate if you can:

Lebanese Red Cross

Impact Lebanon

Beit el Baraka

Offre Joie

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year everybody! See you all in 2021!

Chloe Kattar is a historian, and is currently pursuing a PhD in history at Cambridge University, where she is writing her thesis that analyzes the intellectual history of the Lebanese civil war. Since the start of the Lebanese revolution on October 17th 2019, Chloe’s Instagram page @leb.historian has gained quite the following. Through her posts, she brings a new perspective to the Lebanese political and socio-economical crisis, adding historical parallels and explanations to her reporting. Chloe’s work struck a chord with so many Lebanese because official history books stop the day after the country gained its independence in 1943. In this episode, Chloe talks to us about the importance of history to revolutions, why women are missing from history’s pages, and what are some of the obstacles she herself has faced as a Lebanese woman in academia.

Don't forget to hit the subscribe button and follow us on Instagram on @whoruntheworldpod  and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

Rhea and Marilyn kicked off 2021 by binge watching the Netflix original series Bridgerton. In this episode Rhea shows off her knowledge on all things Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy included), and we both express our undying (and unrequited) love for Bridgerton’s breakout star: the Duke.

Don’t forget to subscribe and follow us on Instagram @whorunthwroldpod

We’d also love to hear from you, who’s your favorite Bridgerton character? Were you surprised at the Lady Whistledown reveal? Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpod.com

This episode is for anybody who is Lebanese, has a Lebanese parent, significant other, friend, or is just around Lebanese people a lot, as we break down five different ways  Lebanese people express their love. Whether it's through excessive feeding, endless teasing, or unnecessary self-sacrifices, we sure have interesting ways of showing people we care. Marilyn and Rhea share their experiences, and also talk about what is the most Lebanese way they show their love.

This episode is dedicated to our mothers.

Make sure to follow us on @whoruntheworldpod on Instagram, and if you think we missed any pivotal Lebanese love language, make sure to write to us on: sayhi@whorunthworldpodcast.com.

Since the Beirut explosion, I Stand For Women went from social media to social action. Behind this NGO is businesswoman Caroline Fattal, who with her team of volunteers has helped one hundred and nine women business owners in Lebanon. Caroline started the Marion Fund, named in honor of her aunt who passed away on that fateful day in August. So far, the Marion Fund was able to raise 195,000$ with the proceeds going towards helping female business owners rebuild and sustain their businesses. In this episode, Caroline tells us all about the different initiatives she has managed to put in place, the challenges Lebanon still faces and all the help she’s received along the way.  

If you would like to donate to the Marion Fund, please visit this link, and to keep up with I Stand for Women, make sure to follow their Instagram account here. 

A special shout out to the NGOs who have tirelessly worked alongside Caroline and her team:  @beitelbaraka, @alfanarvp, @livelovebeirut, @orderofmalta_lebanon

If you are looking for other ways to help Lebanon, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com

Turning 30 means you’re about a 1/3rd of your life in and so it is no wonder that most people commemorate this milestone by taking note of what life has taught them so far. 

On the occasion of Rhea’s 30th birthday, her co-host Marilyn wrote her a card with her wittiest advice on how to best live out your thirties. Have a listen. 

If you have any advice to give Rhea for her 30s, write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpod.com, and make sure to follow us on Instagram @whoruntheworldpod.  

There is a lot of fake news circulating around the different COVID 19 vaccines. We invited Dr. Rania Ayat Hawayek onto the podcast so she can set the record straight. Which vaccine should you take? What's the difference between Sinopharm, Pfizer and Moderna? What should you do between your two vaccine doses? Will we need to take the vaccine once a year?  Can pregnant women get vaccinated? How will the vaccine help to end the pandemic? Dr. Rania answers all these questions and more.

If you have more questions about the vaccine, write to us on sayhi@whoruntheoworldpod.com and we'll make sure to pass any question along to Dr. Rania.

In the meantime, you can follow Dr. Rania on Instagram @drraniadxb and you can follow us on @whoruntheworldpod. 

Two years ago this week, we launched the very first episode of Who Run the World. We decided to celebrate by inviting our moms Antoinette and Nicole onto the podcast and have them speak about their proudest accomplishments: us! 

The last two years have been an incredible ride. We are thankful for every one of our listeners, and we hope to continue producing this podcast for years to come (and hopefully write a book and go on tour)!

Please make sure to subscribe and to follow us on Instagram: @whoruntheworldpod. 

Also, we’d love to know what have been your favorite episodes so far! Make sure to write to us on  sayhi@whorunthewolrdpodcast.com 

In the past, we’ve talked about how we’ve used time to learn new things, play fun games, start stimulating conversations, consume the pop culture content du jour, and do so many other beneficial activities. So naturally, we decided to dedicate an entire episode to the things we do that are a total and utter waste of time. From scrolling our Instagram feeds (or tapping through stories) to making funny videos and stalking our favorite D list celebs, we lay all our guilty pleasures on the table.  

Let us know how you waste your time by writing to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com, and make sure to subscribe to this podcast and follow us on Instagram @whoruntheworldpod.

Rana El Aaraj joins us in a conversation around sexuality and gender in the Middle East. Rana breaks down the current state of sexual education and gender identity in the Arab world. We also discuss why labels matter, and debate how we could work towards a more inclusive society.

If you have any questions for on gender and sexuality, please write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com and we will make sure to pass those on to Rana.

You can follow her podcast on @tefkeek, or through @hamamradio. You can also follow us on @whoruntheworldpod.