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Made in Dubai with Spencer Lodge

Made in Dubai with Spencer Lodge

Written by: Spencer Lodge
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 Formerly the Unscripted Podcast with Spencer Lodge Join Spencer Lodge as he connects with the most fascinating personalities in Dubai. A city that rose from the desert sands to become one of the most ambitious, innovative and inspiring places on Earth. Behind its glittering skyline are people with stories just as extraordinary - pioneers, dreamers and doers who dared to turn bold visions into reality. Made in Dubai is where those stories are told. Hosted by Spencer Lodge, each episode is a front-row seat to conversations with the people shaping the UAE's future — from business leaders and record-breakers to cultural icons and creative disruptors. But this isn't just about their success. It's about the journey - the risks they took, the challenges they faced and the moments that defined them. It's about the unique magic of Dubai: a place where ambition meets opportunity, where cultures from around the world collide to create something truly special and where anything feels possible. Whether you're an entrepreneur searching for your next big move, someone curious about life in the UAE or simply in need of inspiration, Made in Dubai is your invitation to step inside this vibrant city and meet the people who make it remarkable. If it was made in Dubai, you'll hear it here. Politics & Government Self-Help Success
Episodes
  • #383: From External Success to Inner Struggle: Lousin Mehrabi in Conversation with Spencer Lodge on Rejection, Family Pressure & Finding Self-Worth

    #383: From External Success to Inner Struggle: Lousin Mehrabi in Conversation with Spencer Lodge on Rejection, Family Pressure & Finding Self-Worth
    Feb 2 2026
    In this conversation, Lousin Mehrabi sits down with Spencer Lodge for an open and reflective discussion that goes beyond surface-level success. Through thoughtful questioning, Lousin encourages Spencer to open up about the gap between external achievement and internal fulfillment and how family expectations, particularly his relationship with his father, shaped his drive and self-perception. Spencer reflects on navigating rejection, pressure, and self-doubt, and how resilience, forgiveness, and self-awareness helped him redefine success on his own terms. The conversation also explores the impact of parenting, gratitude, and meaningful connection on personal growth. Spencer shares lessons from his journey in sales, life in Dubai, and using success as a platform for purpose through charity work and storytelling, including a documentary focused on resilience and human impact. A grounded, honest exchange about turning pressure into progress and ambition into something that truly matters. 00:00 The Illusion of Success 02:54 The Weight of Expectations 06:09 The Burden of Shame 08:59 The Struggle with Self-Perception 12:00 The Relentless Pursuit of Achievement 15:05 The Challenge of Connection 18:10 The Impact of Family Dynamics 20:57 The Journey of Forgiveness 24:05 The Role of Parenting 27:10 The Power of Resilience 30:03 The Path to Financial Success 32:57 The Fear of Rejection 45:42 The Numbers Game of Rejection 48:10 Learning the Sales Process 54:51 The Journey Through Different Countries 57:39 Life in Dubai: A Personal Perspective 01:00:13 Helping Others: The Power of Charity 01:08:30 The Documentary: A Story of Resilience 01:13:42 The Inner Struggle: Balancing Success and Responsibility Show Sponsors: AYS Developers: A design-focused company dedicated to crafting exceptional homes, vibrant communities, and inspiring lifestyle experiences. https://bit.ly/AYS-Developers Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Media https://www.instagram.com/madeindubaipodcast/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586194260076 https://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en  https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge  https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/  https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV  https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/    Follow Lousin Mehrabi on Social Media https://www.instagram.com/lousinmehrabi https://www.youtube.com/@lousinmehrabi https://www.linkedin.com/in/lousin-mehrabi
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    1 hr and 26 mins
  • #382: From Plumber to £148M Exit: Charlie Mullins on Grit, Failure & Building an Empire

    #382: From Plumber to £148M Exit: Charlie Mullins on Grit, Failure & Building an Empire
    Jan 26 2026

    Charlie Mullins is a deeply contradictory and complex figure - from a deprived council-estate childhood in south London to founding a plumbing empire, cashing out for £148 million and remaking himself as a global-living, politically outspoken tycoon.

    He embodies both the grit of old-school trades and the excesses of modern wealth. His post-sale life is marked by public provocation - from giant anti-Brexit signs to incendiary social media posts, and threats to relocate his wealth abroad which are now in force as he is here to get his residency.

    His journey offers a potent lens: success, escape, conflict, and reinvention, but also tension, moral ambiguity. He is confrontational, outspoken and a political provocateur.

    2:40 – Charlie's childhood

    6:03 – Plumber apprenticeship

    09:56 – Bill, the man Charlie looked up to

    17:28 – The importance of apprenticeships

    20:22 – Success is simple

    21:58 – Nearly going bankrupt

    25:34 – Selling for 148 million

    26:19 – Charlie's regrets

    32:17 – People pay for quality

    40:53 – London is unsafe

    45:16 – The importance of having a job

    50:08 – Coming to Dubai

    54:15 – Favorite things about Dubai

    57:31 – Youngsters don't have a future in the UK

    1:02:53 – An opinion that would break the internet

    1:04:43 – Harshest truth about success

    1:07:25 – Charlie's message to Bill

    Show Sponsors:

    AYS Developers: A design-focused company dedicated to crafting exceptional homes, vibrant communities, and inspiring lifestyle experiences. https://bit.ly/AYS-Developers

    Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Media

    https://www.instagram.com/madeindubaipodcast/?hl=en

    https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586194260076

    https://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en

    https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/

    https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV

    https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/

    Follow Charlie Mullins on Social Media

    https://www.charliemullinsobe.com/

    https://www.instagram.com/charliem_obe

    https://x.com/CharlieM_OBE/
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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • #381: The Accident That Changed How Cyrus Rustom Sees Risk, Discipline & Life

    #381: The Accident That Changed How Cyrus Rustom Sees Risk, Discipline & Life
    Jan 19 2026

    This episode isn't about motivation. It's about perspective.

    Cyrus Rustom shares the moments that reshaped how he sees life — from joining the Marines at 16 to escape chaos at home, to surviving an accident he was certain he wouldn't live through, to rebuilding everything afterward.

    We talk about business failures, discipline myths, opening a company one week before Covid shut the world down and why real risk isn't danger — it's waiting for certainty that never comes.

    This conversation isn't polished or performative.

    It's about identity, loss, belonging, and what changes when you realise time isn't guaranteed.

    Some decisions aren't heroic.

    They're survival.

    3:31 – Learning What Not to Do

    5:28 – The Biggest Mistakes

    09:35 – The Discipline Lie

    12:37 – The Start of Boxica

    14:32 - Worst Timing Possible

    16:12 – Making People Feel Welcome at The Gym

    24:05 – Entrepreneurship

    24:52 – What is Success?

    36:27 - I Joined the Marines at 16

    39:35 – The World of the Marines

    54:44 - Crushed Between Two Vehicles

    1:01:42 - Perspective Saved Me

    1:05:27 - Leaving Was Lonely

    1:07:42 - I Wouldn't Change What Happened

    Show Sponsors:

    AYS Developers: A design-focused company dedicated to crafting exceptional homes, vibrant communities, and inspiring lifestyle experiences. https://bit.ly/AYS-Developers

    Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Media

    https://www.instagram.com/madeindubaipodcast/?hl=en

    https://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en

    https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/

    https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV

    https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/

    Follow Cyrus Rustom on Social Media

    https://www.instagram.com/coachcyrus/

    https://www.instagram.com/boxica/

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyrus-rustom-350a7098/?originalSubdomain=ae
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    1 hr and 19 mins
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