Healthly Talk: Coding Connections for Muslim Women around Feminine Health with Niles Mat
This week we speak with Niles Mat, Co-founder of the innovative health app Zahra, a platform tailored specifically for Muslim women's health needs. With features like cycle tracking, an Islamic calendar, and a community forum, Zahra aims to bridge the cultural and health education gap for women in the Middle East and beyond. Niles shares her experiences in fundraising, the importance of anonymity in discussions surrounding women's health, and the challenges and triumphs of being a young entrepreneur.
Listen as we discuss the intersection between health, culture, and technology, underscoring the potential for startups like Zahra to significantly impact women's health and empowerment globally.
TIMESTAMPS
(00:00) Intro
(00:05) Introducing Niles Matand Zahra
(02:02) Exploring Zahra's App Features
(04:52) Niles' Journey and Entrepreneurial Spirit
(05:02) Navigating Fundraising Challenges
(36:26) Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
(40:09) The Impact of Community and Support
(42:26) Closing Thoughts and Future Aspirations
RESOURCES
Niles Mat: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nilah-mataafa/
CONTACT
Martin Mechtenberg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-mechtenberg-515a648/
Susan Ford: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-howard-ford-8446441/
Transcript
Well, welcome everyone to episode 15 of Rooted and Reaching.
Host:We are here today with Niles Mataffa, who is the co founder of a very cool startup called Zahara.
Host:I hope I said that right.
Host:Yes, Zahara.
Host:So Niles is just.
Host:She was just telling me she's just returned from Europe where she's been exploring some fundraising opportunities.
Host:But before we get into that, Niles, welcome onto the show.
Niles Mataffa:Thank you.
Niles Mataffa:Good to be here.
Host:And I think most of our audience have not heard of your business yet, your startup yet, so maybe you could just give us a basic overview of what you've been doing or what the company is.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:So Zahra is a groundbreaking health app for Muslim women especially.
Niles Mataffa:We are based in the Middle east as well as.
Niles Mataffa:Well, we're starting there, but we plan to potentially, like, expand within that region.
Niles Mataffa:It started because we, my sister and I have a nonprofit at in the Middle east which focuses on women's health.
Niles Mataffa:And as we started producing health content, we noticed that there was a significant gap, based on our analytics, just because of the growth rate, a lot of the responses, and just the rapid interest in this specific niche that was tailored specifically for Islamic women.
Niles Mataffa:And there are Arabic resources out there.
Niles Mataffa:But we kind of wanted to tackle the more, I guess, cultural approach to it just because it seemed like there was a lack in that space.
Niles Mataffa:And.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, so essentially we provide health tailored health solutions within sexual and repurpose menstrual health for women in this region, but plan to expand further.
Host:Expand further.
Host:Okay.
Host:Okay.
Host:This is very interesting.
Host:So.
Host:So this is an app.
Host:Yes, it's an application so users interact with the content.
Niles Mataffa:Yes.
Niles Mataffa:So it has four main features.
Niles Mataffa:It has the.
Niles Mataffa:We have, like, the cycle tracking app, but it also has the Islamic calendar to help with women who are trying to plan around Islamic holidays so that they can plan accordingly when it comes to their, you know, health practices like Ramadan or other religious activities.
Niles Mataffa:And then we have our community forum where girls can kind of talk about, like, different issues that they're going, you know, that they are struggling with that can be tailored for, you know, we actually want to take an approach where it's localized by, like, the specific country, like, or the region.
Niles Mataffa:Like the Levant has specific needs compared to North Africa or to the Gulf.
Niles Mataffa:Like they.
Niles Mataffa:Like.
Host:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:They share similar language, but there's still differences and nuances within these spaces.
Niles Mataffa:So there's that community part.
Niles Mataffa:And then we have.
Niles Mataffa:Sorry, I'm on.
Niles Mataffa:Off the top of my head, four things.
Niles Mataffa:You have the, the content, the calendar, the community forum, the content part, which is where we have tailored solutions from health professionals and Islamic specialists about what to do in XYZ situation regarding their health.
Niles Mataffa:And then the fourth one.
Niles Mataffa:Why am I blanking right now?
Host:Okay.
Niles Mataffa:Anyways, yeah, there's a lot that go into the app, but.
Niles Mataffa:Oh, yeah, and then there's pregnancy tracking, which is going to be, like, a future feature that will come out in December, so.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Host:Excellent, excellent.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, so those are kind of the nitty gritty, just of, like, what we do as a function for the application.
Niles Mataffa:And, yeah, we just want to be a resource for these women who have, like, their own specific needs and wants regarding their health, but, like, create a safe space around that so women can just feel free to anonymously share what is on their minds and, like, what their health struggles are.
Host:Yeah, Yeah, I was.
Host:I was wondering about that part.
Host:If there's sort of the anonymity of the app.
Niles Mataffa:Yes.
Host:Allows for a freer conversation or different kinds of questions to be asked.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, we want to keep it anonymous just for the nature of the topic, and there is a little bit of stigma, disregarding that.
Niles Mataffa:And we want to just be respectful to people who may not feel comfortable, you know, like, putting their identity out there.
Host:So when people log on or create an account, they're using a username and an avatar of some sort to interact.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, super, super, super anonymous.
Niles Mataffa:Almost like Reddit, but.
Host:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:So, yeah, that's kind of the premise of it.
Niles Mataffa:But everything that.
Niles Mataffa:Everything that's gone into it has been just a wild journey.
Niles Mataffa:Just with the development part, the fundraising, I think I spearhead more of the fundraising part and shout out to my sister for the product development.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:And when we had won the pitch in.
Niles Mataffa:What was that?
Niles Mataffa:April.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, in April, I believe so.
Host:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:That was kind of when we had started to realize this project, just because we had data collected prior to it.
Niles Mataffa:And then, um, we.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, it was when we started, like, kind of gathering the team, the mentors at Andrews University has provided us, which I am so grateful for.
Niles Mataffa:I think we're.
Niles Mataffa:This is like the first year that Andrews is trying to really spearhead this.
Niles Mataffa:Their.
Niles Mataffa:Their innovation department and providing, like, an incubator type of thing.
Niles Mataffa:And we're kind of like the.
Niles Mataffa:The Guinea Pigs Test trial.
Niles Mataffa:But it's been honestly, like my.
Niles Mataffa:The mentor that I have, that I've been assigned to has been so helpful and in just, like, giving me the connections and the people and the resources.
Niles Mataffa:And he's from London, which is great because he's like, yeah, there's more funding options.
Niles Mataffa:Here in London, like, can he connect you there?
Niles Mataffa:I'm like, yay.
Niles Mataffa:Another excuse to leave the country, right?
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:And I'm like, yeah.
Niles Mataffa:So it's, it's been an international journey as well.
Niles Mataffa:And that is something that I've always been interested in.
Niles Mataffa:But there is like this point.
Niles Mataffa:Sorry, I'm rambling.
Host:That's okay.
Host:I'm gonna ask some more questions, but finish your thought.
Niles Mataffa:But there was this point.
Niles Mataffa:So I graduated last summer and I had a job offer at a consulting firm in San Francisco.
Niles Mataffa:And they basically gave us the option to.
Niles Mataffa:Well, there's like something called like a white collar recession.
Niles Mataffa:No one's really talking about.
Niles Mataffa:Essentially like people in consulting, I think banking, I don't know.
Niles Mataffa:But consulting for sure.
Niles Mataffa:Worker is slower.
Niles Mataffa:And so they.
Niles Mataffa:So different consult consulting firms were essentially telling their new hires to delay their start date or they could start immediately.
Niles Mataffa:So basically my firm was like, okay, we will give you the option to delay your start date or you can start in September, but if you delay your start date, we'll just pay you like a lump sum of sum of money.
Niles Mataffa:And then I was like, wait, let me get this straight.
Niles Mataffa:You're going to pay me to do nothing?
Host:Pay me not to work right away?
Niles Mataffa:Right?
Niles Mataffa:And they're like, yeah.
Niles Mataffa:And I'm like, bet.
Niles Mataffa:So took the money, went to the Middle east with my sister.
Niles Mataffa:And then from then I had to kind of like choose.
Niles Mataffa:As we started growing this, the idea, the research, I was like, okay, am I going to go back to work in February or am I going to like continue with this track?
Niles Mataffa:And I ended up delaying my start date again.
Niles Mataffa:And the fact that they were so open to me doing that kind of just told me that I'm like, okay, there's seems like the market is still struggling a bit if they're still wanting new hires to be pushed back.
Niles Mataffa:And then by the time June rolled around, I was supposed to start of September of this year.
Niles Mataffa:Okay, so next month.
Host:Next month.
Host:Next month.
Niles Mataffa:Well, then in June, I decided, I'm like, you know what?
Niles Mataffa:I'm, it's.
Niles Mataffa:I love what I'm doing.
Niles Mataffa:I love the progress we're making.
Niles Mataffa:And I really think that there's a good chance that I'm just going to put 100% into this.
Niles Mataffa:And so I ended up just terminating my contract.
Host:Okay.
Host:Did you have to give the money back?
Niles Mataffa:I did.
Host:Okay.
Niles Mataffa:But it's okay.
Niles Mataffa:It was like, it was, it was, it was, it was a nice little cushion.
Host:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:A thought that it was like there.
Host:Well, listen, I Think the world is probably happier that you're pursuing your entrepreneurial vision here than it is just becoming a consultant.
Niles Mataffa:I am too.
Niles Mataffa:I am as well.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Host:So let me back up for a minute.
Host:So you mentioned your sister, who is your co founder, and tell us about your sister.
Host:Is she also at Andrews with you?
Niles Mataffa:No.
Niles Mataffa:So she went to.
Niles Mataffa:Actually, no.
Niles Mataffa:She did a study abroad program through Andrews University.
Niles Mataffa:And Andrews University is really well connected to foreign schools.
Niles Mataffa:We have a school in Taiwan, Argentina, Spain, France, whatever.
Niles Mataffa:But a lot of the more popular schools would be like, Spain or France.
Niles Mataffa:Like, people want to go there, but my sister's really.
Niles Mataffa:She tries to be different for some reason.
Niles Mataffa:I'm just kidding.
Niles Mataffa:I don't know.
Niles Mataffa:She wanted to do something really different.
Niles Mataffa:So she chose the school in Lebanon to learn Arabic.
Niles Mataffa:There was like two students that went.
Niles Mataffa:That chose that school because it's just not the popular choice.
Niles Mataffa:Anyways, she went there six years ago, ended up loving it.
Niles Mataffa:Never.
Niles Mataffa:Never left.
Host:She never left.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, never left.
Niles Mataffa:So she transferred, graduated in Lebanon, fell in love with the people, the place, the culture, the food, everything.
Niles Mataffa:She can speak the language.
Niles Mataffa:And yeah, she just decided, like, I want to, like, this is my home now.
Niles Mataffa:So she's kind of adopted Lebanon.
Niles Mataffa:And.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:So she started translating for an ngo.
Niles Mataffa:And during this time, like when we were in college, we started this, a small nonprofit that basically provided reusable pads for women in.
Niles Mataffa:Because they also.
Niles Mataffa:Lebanon has a huge refugee population from Syria.
Niles Mataffa:And so she worked alongside with NGOs in that region.
Niles Mataffa:So our nonprofit partnered with an NGO to create these pads.
Niles Mataffa:And then as we would distribute the pads, we noticed that a lot of people were not educated on the subject.
Niles Mataffa:And so when we started educating them, we noticed that there were other factors.
Niles Mataffa:And.
Niles Mataffa:Sure, that's.
Niles Mataffa:And like religious and cultural factors involved that we needed to be aware about, to con.
Niles Mataffa:To present the information in a way that was digestible for these women, and they would express these concerns to us.
Niles Mataffa:And then we put this online, and then when we put it online, that's when it kind of blew up.
Niles Mataffa:And we're like, oh, okay, so this is like a woman thing.
Host:Yes, yes, yes.
Host:But classic entrepreneurial fashion.
Host:You were doing one thing and you noticed a problem.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Host:And you said, hey, I think we have something that could help solve this problem.
Niles Mataffa:Right.
Host:And that.
Host:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:And then it just.
Niles Mataffa:It was by accident because people always ask me, like, what made you think of this idea?
Niles Mataffa:I'm like, honestly, like, I didn't come up with it.
Niles Mataffa:They, like, they told us the issue like, this was the issue that was.
Host:Right.
Niles Mataffa:That was the in demand.
Host:And when did you realize that sort of the anonymity of a phone app or a smartphone app might be the solution or a way to respond to that problem?
Niles Mataffa:We were talking to one of our.
Niles Mataffa:A mentor of ours who's kind of doing the same thing.
Niles Mataffa:He does, like, social enterprises.
Niles Mataffa:And what he does is he.
Niles Mataffa:He teaches people to code from underdeveloped countries or, like, juvenile delinquents just to give them, like, a chance or a skill.
Host:Okay.
Niles Mataffa:And he's just very well versed in this space.
Niles Mataffa:And he kind of.
Niles Mataffa:We were kind of just brainstorming with him about the issues because, remember, my sister and I were working at this nonprofit, right?
Niles Mataffa:And in collaboration with this, another.
Niles Mataffa:A bigger ngo and their Brazilian ngo, so they have a sewing department, and they also have a coding department.
Niles Mataffa:So he came in on, as the coding teacher to, like, teach some of the refugee kids, like, how to code and stuff.
Niles Mataffa:And then we kind of had told him our findings of, like, hey, there's these women.
Niles Mataffa:They do this.
Niles Mataffa:And we.
Niles Mataffa:He was like, you know, it'd be really great if you guys created this app that did xyz.
Niles Mataffa:So I would kind of have to give a shout out to Rodrigo for, like, kind of helping us, like, formulate this idea.
Niles Mataffa:Brilliant guy.
Niles Mataffa:Super brilliant.
Niles Mataffa:He's now based in Dubai, but he's, like, a Mexican entrepreneur that also is working in.
Host:Oh, that's fantastic.
Host:Working for a Brazilian nonprofit in Lebanon.
Niles Mataffa:Well, he was working with them in collaboration to build up his own thing that he's doing.
Niles Mataffa:And so, yeah, we're kind of all in a similar space in the area.
Niles Mataffa:You'll meet really interesting people in Lebanon, I can tell.
Host:Wow.
Host:It's amazing.
Host:So were you in Lebanon when this happened, working alongside your sister, or were you getting this feedback from your sister based on her?
Niles Mataffa:Um, I was getting this feedback from her, but I was in Lebanon this past.
Niles Mataffa:Wow.
Niles Mataffa:Like, last September, and then the war broke out.
Niles Mataffa:So that we have another layer on top of this.
Niles Mataffa:Um, it's honestly amazing to, like, talk to other Lebanese founders in the space, like, to see, like, the resilience that a lot of these entrepreneurs have, especially in, like, a very unstable, I'm sure, region.
Niles Mataffa:And it's really inspiring because, like.
Niles Mataffa:Like, they just keep going.
Niles Mataffa:But, yeah, I was there last year and then went fundraising, and then I came back this summer, so I did, like, three months this summer with them, so.
Host:So you had the idea or you had the data that was telling you that There was a problem that could be addressed.
Host:And then you talked to Rodrigo.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, Rodrigo.
Niles Mataffa:Rodrigo.
Host:So how did you get to the first, like, your first beta app or beta test of this concept?
Niles Mataffa:Well, we.
Niles Mataffa:Okay, we work alongside with our.
Niles Mataffa:The women that we.
Niles Mataffa:That were helping us, like, create the pads.
Niles Mataffa:Like, we would say, we'd ask for feedback, like, hey, what do you think would work well with this?
Niles Mataffa:And one of.
Niles Mataffa:Or some of the girls that we've talked to were like, you know, it would be nice to have, like, an actual, like.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, there's a calendar.
Niles Mataffa:The calendar apps already exist.
Niles Mataffa:Right.
Niles Mataffa:But we would like something that would plan around these specific practices that we have to help us plan around these, like, fasting times.
Host:That makes sense.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:And so I was like, okay, that's a good idea.
Niles Mataffa:I wouldn't have come up with that, but thank you for telling me.
Niles Mataffa:So I'm like, you know, writing.
Niles Mataffa:We wrote down ideas.
Niles Mataffa:We also, like, kind of deconstructed our competitor competing apps of, like, how they work and kind of gotten feedback on our.
Niles Mataffa:From some of the girls that we were working with.
Niles Mataffa:Like, hey, what do you.
Niles Mataffa:What do you like?
Niles Mataffa:What you.
Niles Mataffa:What do you dislike?
Host:What.
Niles Mataffa:What is missing?
Niles Mataffa:And how could we improve this?
Niles Mataffa:And so that was another way that we had kind of dissected it and then, like, formulated to do our own rendition and version of it.
Host:Right, right.
Niles Mataffa:So a lot of.
Niles Mataffa:A lot went into.
Host:Yeah, I can tell.
Niles Mataffa:I have, like, a lot of, like, a lot of R and D, I guess you would say.
Niles Mataffa:Sure, Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:A lot of breakdowns of just like, of specific applications, what works, what doesn't work, and formulating our own based on our own data and the data that's already out there.
Niles Mataffa:So that's kind of how we've done it.
Niles Mataffa:So we have many drawing boards of sketches of like, hey, this is how these things are.
Host:Do you sketch in paper or using a Miro board mirror?
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, Miro.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:So, yeah, we have multiple.
Host:And how did you take that first technical step, like, actually coding the thing?
Host:Did you have to hire someone to do it?
Host:Did you learn to do it yourself?
Niles Mataffa:Well, thank you, Rodrigo.
Niles Mataffa:Again, I have to, like, he is.
Niles Mataffa:So he's going around the world doing, like, building a programming.
Niles Mataffa:He's building some type of software.
Niles Mataffa:Really smart and brilliant.
Niles Mataffa:I think he, like, he worked on Tinder, like, help program something with.
Host:Okay, some app development.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, app development.
Niles Mataffa:So like, a lot of our mentorship does come from him.
Niles Mataffa:And so when he went to the Philippines to kind of, like, expand his project there, he Introduced us to some of like the developers that he was working with in the area.
Niles Mataffa:And obviously if you're bootstrapping, you kind of need to like keep things as low costing as possible.
Niles Mataffa:And so he gave us some of the resources that he has, his own personal relations that he has.
Niles Mataffa:And I had done a bit of like interviewing other companies like seeing if we'd be combat compatible, some companies in India and like their price ranges and things like that, what they can work with and kind of really relaying that to Rodrigo.
Niles Mataffa:He's kind of just been a really good mentor for us because like I'm, I'm an accounting background and he's more technical in that aspect.
Niles Mataffa:But yeah, we hired this, we outsourced a team and the Philippines and their head developer has been so helpful to us, like just kind of explaining things to me in non technical terms as a non technical founder and.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, and I just, I used to feel a lot of like imposter syndrome because I'm like, I'm not technical and like there's you know, like if like I had a little flop pitch where I like pitched to someone who was technical and they asked me these questions and I, it didn't turn out well.
Niles Mataffa:I'm just going to be completely honest because I'm sure that multiple people have like done something like this, like we don't know all the answers and say.
Host:I'll refer that question to my technical team.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, right.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, I should have said something along those lines.
Niles Mataffa:I attempted to answer it.
Niles Mataffa:Not as smart, I shouldn't have done that.
Niles Mataffa:But yeah, like a lot of it just kind of revolved around me asking my teammates, asking the people who know better than me in this space like how to do things or what that means.
Niles Mataffa:And then I've also followed these meme pages about like founders and venture capital.
Niles Mataffa:It's just like meme pages for founders in this space and they make fun of non technical founders based in San Francisco.
Niles Mataffa:So I'm like, okay, I'm not the only one.
Host:Like there's other people.
Niles Mataffa:I'm like, I'm not like this is not an anomaly.
Niles Mataffa:And for me to feel like I'm not qualified just because I'm not technical I just think is not true.
Host:Or like, well, absolutely.
Host:You're hiring technical people to execute on your vision.
Niles Mataffa:Right.
Host:And based on your connections and your ideas.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Host:And you're bringing the passion to the project.
Niles Mataffa:Yes.
Niles Mataffa:There we go, the vision.
Niles Mataffa:And then like you execute.
Niles Mataffa:I will tell you like, hey, let's go in this direction.
Niles Mataffa:You can execute it better than I can, so.
Host:Right, right, right, yeah.
Host:So when I first met you.
Host:Well, I think I actually first met you at the student immersion experience, but that was a separate thing.
Host:But I came up to Andrews University to be a judge for the pitch competition.
Host:And Zahara, yeah, Zahara really was a standout in that competition.
Host: t point, so this was April of: Host:And if I remember correctly, your following had exploded online as well.
Host:And so the demand was manifesting itself very clearly.
Host:Were you surprised by the way it took off, the way the platform took off?
Host:Was it a whirlwind for you to sort of manage that or you were looking at your followers?
Host:What was that like?
Niles Mataffa:Well, we haven't even had the time to go through every single comment.
Niles Mataffa:So we've hired a girl to.
Niles Mataffa:An Arabic speaking girl on our team to go through it to help us collect the data.
Niles Mataffa:And would I say it's a shock?
Niles Mataffa:Yes and no.
Niles Mataffa:Yes.
Niles Mataffa:Because I didn't think we would be the ones to do it.
Niles Mataffa:Like two Americans, like, that's right.
Niles Mataffa:And.
Niles Mataffa:But we have another, we have other.
Niles Mataffa:We're working with a team of girls from this region.
Niles Mataffa:Actually we were bringing on another kind of like part of the co founding team, a Lebanese health professional to like help us in this space.
Niles Mataffa:And so like, and then, yeah, like, I didn't expect it from us, I guess.
Niles Mataffa:And then secondly, I would also say I'm not surprised because there's just, I think it's, it, it revolves around the stigma around the topic.
Niles Mataffa:Like there just is stigma that, that is so pervasive in.
Niles Mataffa:And not just in this region.
Niles Mataffa:Like, this is just like a woman problem and like it's a worldwide problem.
Niles Mataffa:So I'm like, yeah, of course, like, of course this is like a high, like a really high demand topic because there's just not a lot of research for women's health.
Niles Mataffa:Like we just haven't invested as much resources and funding into looking at women's wellbeing.
Niles Mataffa:And I think they're making strides towards improving this space.
Niles Mataffa:But yeah, I'm not surprised on that part, but I was definitely surprised that it was like, that.
Niles Mataffa:It was, I guess coming from our.
Host:I mean, do you think you had, I think you're suggesting you had an advantage maybe as an American coming to the topic because you weren't working with the same set of constraints that local women were working with.
Host:Or at least there's like that cultural feeling of I'M not supposed to do.
Niles Mataffa:This maybe or no, I don't think so.
Niles Mataffa:I think the way, the only advantage that we have, I think is our marketing tactics.
Niles Mataffa:I think those are the, like, that is definitely more of our strength.
Niles Mataffa:And I think we do have competitors.
Niles Mataffa:Like, they do exist in this space, but they are taking a different approach to branding themselves.
Niles Mataffa:I think we've taken on more of like a Gen Z approach into like.
Host:Makes sense.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:And like when it comes to Islam, like a lot like 18, like the highest percentage of the age range in this, this region is 18 to 30, which is like the hotspot of where we like our age demographic for women.
Host:Okay.
Niles Mataffa:Especially in like the reproductive health.
Niles Mataffa:Like, this is the space for it.
Host:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:And, and that's kind of like my age.
Niles Mataffa:Like I'm a Gen Z person, so I feel like I know how to.
Niles Mataffa:Gen Z lingo kind of transcends all language barriers.
Host:So we, yeah.
Niles Mataffa:So we've kind of communicated to our content creators like, hey, this is, this is what's kind of in right now on like what we're seeing on in the space here.
Niles Mataffa:Could you guys do something like that?
Niles Mataffa:And they execute it amazingly, which, hence the millions of views.
Host:Right.
Niles Mataffa:And then like, boom, the, the, the views go up.
Niles Mataffa:And so I, I would just say like, maybe our marketing tactics, but not necessarily like the us being the first to talk about this issue.
Niles Mataffa:There's other, there's other people talking about this.
Niles Mataffa:But I think our approach.
Host:But your approach has opened up a wider audience in this case.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, yeah.
Niles Mataffa:And I think our niche as well, like, okay, yeah, we're trying to be more tailored and think of like cereal and gluten free cereal.
Niles Mataffa:We're gluten free cereal.
Niles Mataffa:That's how I would describe it to people.
Niles Mataffa:And I feel like a lot of people are trying to recreate cereal, but I'm like, we're not trying to recreate cereal.
Niles Mataffa:We're trying to make gluten free.
Host:You're trying to get really good at this one range.
Niles Mataffa:Yep.
Host:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:And that's why I think it is scalable, just because it's very specific.
Niles Mataffa:Like it's not just honed in on the Arabic speaking language.
Niles Mataffa:It's kind of, this cultural value kind of transcends.
Host:Right.
Niles Mataffa:That.
Niles Mataffa:And I'm speaking as like someone who's a Christian.
Niles Mataffa:Like the, a.
Niles Mataffa:The Bible app is a great example.
Niles Mataffa:The Bible app has millions of users from various denominations worldwide.
Niles Mataffa:And like.
Niles Mataffa:But I have the same Bible app as like a Catholic person or as a Baptist person.
Niles Mataffa:Like, we're all using this application because it kind of ties us into, like, a set of principles.
Niles Mataffa:And so I think that aspect is what we're targeting just in the health space, if you know what I mean.
Host:I mean, is it really a truly amazing international story?
Host:You have a Christian American working in the Middle east with Filipino developers and a Mexican mentor.
Host:Is that right, Rodrigo?
Host:Yeah, yeah.
Host:It's really.
Host:It's really fascinating and it really speaks to your.
Host:Probably your fluency across cultures.
Niles Mataffa:I would say Islam is the same way.
Niles Mataffa:They work, like, cross.
Niles Mataffa:Like, it's the largest religion in the world and it transcends language barriers.
Niles Mataffa:And like, they.
Niles Mataffa:Sure, they're connected through some, you know, something that is so important to them.
Niles Mataffa:And I.
Niles Mataffa:And I get that from, like, from my upbringing.
Niles Mataffa:Like, I understand that.
Host:Have you had to deal with backlash?
Niles Mataffa:We've dealt with concerns.
Niles Mataffa:Concerns, yeah.
Niles Mataffa:For example, one of our girls is from the Gulf.
Niles Mataffa:And I don't want to say which particular region, but there have been some.
Niles Mataffa:There's a lot of comments.
Niles Mataffa:There have been comments about, like, people telling us to stop.
Niles Mataffa:Like, this, you should not be talking about this.
Niles Mataffa:This is, you know, not a good thing to talk about.
Niles Mataffa:And.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, so, yeah, there, there are.
Host:Yeah.
Host:Just wondering if there's any, you know.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, there is backlash.
Host:Acute, you know, especially as an American working in the space.
Host:And the topic is.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Host:Do certain people think, yeah, back off or you don't belong here or something?
Niles Mataffa:Oh, yeah, yeah.
Niles Mataffa:No.
Niles Mataffa:But our team, our core team is like, we want it to be true to, like, our, like, we have representation across the region because this is for them.
Niles Mataffa:Like, this is their.
Niles Mataffa:Their space.
Niles Mataffa:And even then, like, when I was in Central Asia, like, the stands.
Niles Mataffa:I know, right, the stands, right.
Niles Mataffa:Similar thing too.
Niles Mataffa:Like, we want to expand to, like, a team in that region.
Niles Mataffa:It's not just for Arabic speaking people.
Niles Mataffa:It's for girls worldwide.
Host:Got it.
Niles Mataffa:And so, like, I want to, like, aim, like, have girls from Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan on our team eventually.
Niles Mataffa:Like, it's.
Niles Mataffa:It's.
Host:Well, it's very clear that you're not working for.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Host:Other people.
Host:You're working with other people.
Host:I mean, every area from beginning of this conversation, you've been pretty clear about that.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Host:Which is great.
Host:Right.
Niles Mataffa:The process is the most interesting part for me.
Niles Mataffa:I think the.
Niles Mataffa:My sister's like, the humanitarian.
Niles Mataffa:I think I'm the developer.
Niles Mataffa:Like, I'm.
Niles Mataffa:Like, the process is so interesting.
Niles Mataffa:Like, I think I'm in love with the process.
Host:Yeah.
Host:Well, good.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Host:I mean, because you're Right in the middle of the process.
Host:So what a great place to be in love.
Niles Mataffa:Right?
Host:How's the money part working?
Host:So you've mentioned a couple of times.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Host:The money raising or traveling overseas to meet with possible sponsors or investors.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:So there's definitely.
Niles Mataffa:We have, you know, like any founder has gone through, like my sister took this crowdfunding source or this course and the first thing they said was like, you need to ask your friends and family.
Niles Mataffa:And that's like the hardest part.
Niles Mataffa:Have you ever done door to door sales?
Niles Mataffa:I used to do door to door sales and I have, yeah.
Niles Mataffa:Door to door sales is the most humbling, but the most, I think, useful skill you will ever have.
Niles Mataffa:And out of all the jobs that I've ever landed, like, that was probably the most useful job that I've ever taken.
Niles Mataffa:And it was because you have to learn to talk to multiple people and like adapt to different personality types and be able to present the same item to them, but still kind of like be able to speak their language and sell something.
Niles Mataffa:Like sell the product to them.
Niles Mataffa:And I had to do that with my friends and family as well.
Niles Mataffa:And that was.
Niles Mataffa:So I think it was harder for me to sell to my friends and family than it was to people, to random people.
Host:Should have some anonymous.
Host:Yeah, yeah.
Niles Mataffa:So we have had, we have gone door knocking to a lot of our good networks within and like we're part of a global community who have been really helpful and just like believing in what we're doing and have been just kind enough to sponsor us in that regard.
Niles Mataffa:Okay, so a lot of cold calling.
Niles Mataffa:I hate that, I hate to say it.
Niles Mataffa:And I have this week I have to do it again.
Host:So how does that work for you?
Niles Mataffa:Like just talk us through a sample.
Host:Of how that happens.
Niles Mataffa:Literally, like everything I learned from door to door sales, I do the same thing.
Host:What did you sell door to door?
Niles Mataffa:I sold books.
Host:Books?
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, I sold books.
Niles Mataffa:And when I sold about $10,000 worth of books for a summer, I was 16, got it.
Niles Mataffa:And I'm like, you know what?
Niles Mataffa:If I can sell this book, I can sell this to any product.
Niles Mataffa:I'm like, if I can sell this random book.
Niles Mataffa:And so they gave us a canvas where you have to memorize the whole thing in under one minute.
Niles Mataffa:So it was like at least a page long and you had to be able to just say it in less than a minute.
Niles Mataffa:I've done the same thing.
Niles Mataffa:We have written out a script and thinking about it gives me anxiety because, like, I'm sorry.
Host:No it's okay.
Niles Mataffa:It's okay.
Niles Mataffa:Because I have to do it this week and I'm like, it's okay, I have to do it.
Niles Mataffa:It's fine.
Niles Mataffa:And so, yeah, we.
Niles Mataffa:And the biggest thing is the clothes.
Niles Mataffa:You have to close big.
Niles Mataffa:You have to be brave.
Niles Mataffa:So to close big.
Host:Tell us, what does that mean?
Host:So I get it.
Host:You're calling.
Host:Where do you get the person's name from?
Host:Is this.
Niles Mataffa:Oh, these are part of a network.
Niles Mataffa:You know, people I know ask them for their own.
Niles Mataffa:Their people that they know that may like be interested.
Host:Got it.
Host:And you read the script, you kind of have it.
Host:Well, you don't have to read it because you probably have it memorized at this point.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:And so you have to basically.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, you do the script.
Niles Mataffa:A little small talk, like, hey, how's so and so doing?
Niles Mataffa:And the dog, whatever.
Niles Mataffa:Okay.
Niles Mataffa:You know, formality's sake.
Host:Right?
Niles Mataffa:And then.
Niles Mataffa:And then, yeah, do the pitch.
Niles Mataffa:And then afterwards you just kind of close.
Niles Mataffa:It was all they.
Niles Mataffa:Even when I did door to door sales, they're like, this is the most important part is the close.
Niles Mataffa:Like, hey, you have like, you know, we're doing this.
Niles Mataffa:And people usually give from this range to.
Host:Okay, so you suggest.
Niles Mataffa:I suggest the range.
Host:Okay.
Niles Mataffa:And just based on relationship status and like network status.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, you can close a little bit.
Niles Mataffa:You.
Niles Mataffa:You kind of guesstimate based on like, okay, this person.
Niles Mataffa:I think they can give this much.
Host:That makes sense.
Niles Mataffa:And yeah, so a lot of fun cold calling.
Host:And at this point in the process, are these investments that folks are making?
Niles Mataffa:No, this is sort of people that like just believe in us and they're.
Host:Just sort of donations at this point to get the company like moving.
Host:Moving forward.
Niles Mataffa:Another thing we have done for just like the marketing aspect is we have a nonprofit.
Niles Mataffa:It's a 501C3.
Niles Mataffa:Because we're giving like what's it called?
Niles Mataffa:We.
Niles Mataffa:It is like a social impact thing.
Niles Mataffa:We are non profit fit like contracts.
Niles Mataffa:Like some.
Niles Mataffa:Some of the money goes to our nonprofit, but we contract that for like content, like women's health content for marketing.
Niles Mataffa:On that aspect.
Niles Mataffa:Actually learning more about the nonprofit space, we had talked to an NGO who was interested in like, oh yes.
Niles Mataffa:So our business model was like B2C.
Niles Mataffa:But then when I went to.
Niles Mataffa:When I met and like Lebanon has a bunch of NGOs, I met a director at one of these NGOs that works with refugees.
Niles Mataffa:We kind of told her what we were doing and she's like, you know what?
Niles Mataffa:We'd love to like Contract some of your services.
Host:Okay, so you're seeing some B2B opportunities.
Niles Mataffa:Yes.
Niles Mataffa:And I'm like, oh, great for how many people?
Niles Mataffa:Like, you know, like for premium features, you know, like for everything.
Niles Mataffa:And yeah, so now like we have a mark like that market.
Niles Mataffa:And so that kind of made me feel like, oh, great.
Niles Mataffa:This has like potential to, you know, just be a little bit more stable than just like an.
Niles Mataffa:On the individual customer level.
Niles Mataffa:So she was saying that like what they do is they want to kind of like take on.
Niles Mataffa:Help, take on our project.
Niles Mataffa:And it made me realize, like, there are a lot of loop.
Niles Mataffa:Not loopholes, but just like ways to get creative.
Niles Mataffa:Creative funding where they would essentially get on sponsorship money to contract services on behalf of whatever thing that they are looking to achieve, like women's health or this type of thing.
Host:Got it.
Niles Mataffa:So, like it's almost like government contracting, but on an NGO level.
Niles Mataffa:Like, does that make sense?
Niles Mataffa:Like the NGOs can contract services if they can't do it themselves?
Host:Well, I think it does.
Niles Mataffa:Right?
Host:Yeah.
Host:They also are seeing the same need.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Host:Probably with the folks that they're working with.
Host:And then you're providing a potential way for them to respond to that need.
Niles Mataffa:Yep.
Niles Mataffa:And so the more that I.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, the more that we talk to people, meet people, the more opportunities there are to find funding.
Niles Mataffa:And I just don't want to take the traditional, hey, I'm going to take a bunch of these investors money and just like have to answer to them later.
Niles Mataffa:But like, I actually believe in this and I want to like raise the funding ourselves and see it through and like kind of keep on brand to our mission and what we're trying to achieve without feeling like it needs to be profit driven.
Niles Mataffa:Because this is something that is definitely more philanthropic than.
Host:Yeah, I mean, it's certainly service driven.
Host:Right?
Niles Mataffa:Service driven for sure.
Host:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Niles Mataffa:So, yeah, that's kind of the goal for me at least.
Niles Mataffa:Like, I just want to.
Niles Mataffa:I want to see it through.
Niles Mataffa:And yeah, so those.
Niles Mataffa:That's.
Niles Mataffa:That the funding part is always like the biggest stressor.
Niles Mataffa:But yeah, the relationship building.
Niles Mataffa:And that's a huge part of the sales aspect.
Niles Mataffa:Like, and which is why I feel like I need to tap into a lot of my international connections.
Niles Mataffa:When I was in Australia, I went to school there or like a type of schooling program.
Host:Okay.
Niles Mataffa:And a lot of them live in Europe.
Niles Mataffa:And so when I was talking, when I went to Sweden two, three weeks ago, I just met up with her randomly and then she's like, I love what you're doing actually, like, can you come speak at this conference?
Niles Mataffa:We'd love to, like, help, you know, sponsor and fundraise in this area because we.
Niles Mataffa:We delve a lot with, like, you know, women's health.
Niles Mataffa:So just opportunities pop up here and there.
Niles Mataffa:I live month to month, so whenever people ask me, like, where, what I'm doing, where I'm going to be, I'm like, I can't tell you because I just go where the, like, opportunities.
Host:Well, I know that I wanted you on this podcast, but it was.
Host:I was worried I was never going to get you because you were.
Host:You were oftentimes in some other part of the world.
Host:So I'm glad we were able to get you back here in town.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, it's been good, actually.
Niles Mataffa:I'm running a marathon on Sunday.
Host:Of course you are.
Niles Mataffa:Well, I mean, I haven't been training for it.
Niles Mataffa:It's more of a bucket list item.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:26 years, 26 miles.
Niles Mataffa:That's it.
Niles Mataffa:I only have two weeks of training.
Niles Mataffa:It's not going to be good.
Niles Mataffa:It's not going to look pretty.
Host:You can walk as you walk as.
Niles Mataffa:Much as you can.
Niles Mataffa:I'm just trying to survive.
Niles Mataffa:That's it.
Niles Mataffa:That's it.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Niles Mataffa:So that's why I mainly come back to Mission, so.
Host:Well, lucky for us.
Host:Yeah.
Host:It was nice to get you on the podcast.
Host:So you're a young founder, you know, running this company.
Host:Didn't.
Host:I don't know if you always thought you'd start your own business someday or what your goals were.
Host:You said you're an accounting major.
Host:What advice would you give to someone, I don't know, a few years younger than you or even a few years older than you that has an idea.
Niles Mataffa:So I am someone that lives for purpose.
Niles Mataffa:Like, there's some thing about me that wants to do things that, you know, is aligned with my values, and I think serving people is one of them in that regard.
Niles Mataffa:A lot of people want to do good things in the world, but maybe are limited by funds or, like, their job.
Niles Mataffa:And I always wanted to do, like, my own entrepreneurial endeavor.
Niles Mataffa:I just didn't know what that looked like, which is why I took the accounting route, which is very, like, stable, contrary to my lifestyle.
Host:Well, right.
Host:It does seem like in contrast.
Host:Right.
Host:Accounting, you imagine somebody sitting behind a desk, you know, kind of working away.
Niles Mataffa:And you're this global vagabond almost.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, yeah.
Niles Mataffa:But I think what made me realize is that I.
Niles Mataffa:I have a control issue.
Niles Mataffa:Like, I want to feel in control.
Niles Mataffa:Of my life, which is why I chose accounting, which is why I went into consulting.
Niles Mataffa:Or I was like, something that is more stable.
Niles Mataffa:And when they had called me to say, like, oh, yeah, you know, there's not enough work.
Niles Mataffa:We may need the new hires to, like, not work, it made.
Niles Mataffa:It just kind of.
Niles Mataffa:Kind of hit me that I'm like, nothing is really in my control.
Niles Mataffa:This idea of, like, security is all an illusion.
Host:Like, it's all an illusion to begin with.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:Like, I'm like, so might as well just take that risk and do something that you want to.
Niles Mataffa:Obviously, like, there are some limitations.
Niles Mataffa:Like, know your limitations and.
Niles Mataffa:But see how you can navigate it.
Niles Mataffa:But if you really have the opportunity to do something that you're.
Niles Mataffa:That you know can have positive impact and, like, bring you purpose and meaning in your life, I think you should, like, you should go for it.
Niles Mataffa:And you should also believe in yourself that, like, I feel like a lot of people don't.
Niles Mataffa:They sell.
Niles Mataffa:They cut themselves short because they don't.
Niles Mataffa:I feel like.
Niles Mataffa:I feel like a lot of people suffer from imposter syndrome.
Niles Mataffa:I think people are more qualified and capable than they think they are.
Niles Mataffa:And then the more that you experiment, the more you try.
Niles Mataffa:That's kind of how you learn.
Niles Mataffa:Like, you.
Niles Mataffa:Trial by fire.
Host:Well, and you yourself mentioned that, I think earlier, maybe when before we were recording, too, that, like, you realize that you might feel like that, but you.
Host:But so many other people do, too.
Host:So why do I need to worry about it?
Host:Yeah, I'm not alone in this.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, I'm not alone.
Niles Mataffa:Like, you're not as unique as you think you are.
Niles Mataffa:Like, a lot of people are feeling the exact same way.
Niles Mataffa:And that's actually really comforting because it's like, yeah, we can all.
Niles Mataffa:All kind of be together as a resource to help each other out.
Niles Mataffa:I always reach out to other founders.
Niles Mataffa:Like, one guy was on the road for the next for, like, two, two and a half years before he, like, finally found an address.
Niles Mataffa:I don't say I'm homeless.
Niles Mataffa:I'm addressless.
Niles Mataffa:Like, I'm just living out of a suitcase at the moment.
Niles Mataffa:But, like, yeah, yeah, yeah, but that's kind of the.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah, you're building something that you believe in, and I think it's worth it, especially if you.
Niles Mataffa:And this is the time, at least for people my age, like, to kind of experiment and, like, try something that they've always wanted to do.
Niles Mataffa:And, yeah, if you have that opportunity, like, please, like, do it.
Host:I think that's fantastic advice.
Host:So before I let you go.
Host:Because this is a regional podcast and you went to school here in Bering county, up in Berrien Springs, Michigan.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Host:But you're also a major global traveler.
Host:So tell us, looking back at your time in Michigan or here in the region, like, what are some of your favorite things about having gone to school here?
Host:Living, living, working here.
Niles Mataffa:I actually want to make Michigan like a home base for me because Michigan has provided all these opportunities for international reach.
Niles Mataffa:Actually, Andrews University has their motto and its world changers made here.
Niles Mataffa:And like, it's.
Niles Mataffa:Because there's always like this aspect of like, you're like there's something beyond ourselves, like you want to make impact.
Niles Mataffa:And that has kind of been taught to me, and I feel like I'm living out the Andrews University legacy through that.
Host:Sounds like you are.
Niles Mataffa:And yeah, we have other amazing people, alumni from Andrews, just doing great things globally.
Niles Mataffa:A guy in Sri Lanka, the Chai guy.
Niles Mataffa:I don't know if you ever heard of him.
Host:The Chai guy?
Host:Yeah.
Host:Oh, I think so.
Niles Mataffa:Super cool person.
Niles Mataffa:And then.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:But I.
Niles Mataffa:A lot of these things are happening because of, like, the support and the community and the teaching that I had received at Andrews University and the opportunities that.
Host:Yeah, yeah, it definitely sounds like it.
Host:And again, that's why I first met you was through Andrews University connections and the, and the pitch competition that they did.
Host:So.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:But on my, in my spare time, I like to go surfing at Silver Beach.
Host:Silver Beach.
Host:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:My friends and I'm gardening a little bit.
Niles Mataffa:We actually, we have like a, like a, A gardening thing tomorrow.
Host:Okay.
Niles Mataffa:So, yeah, come support local business.
Host:So you're gonna like cold call.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Host:One hand and garden on the other hand.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:So I love the, the local community aspect, but yeah, I like, this is.
Niles Mataffa:The small town vibe really has like big world impact.
Niles Mataffa:And that's.
Niles Mataffa:That was kind of right here.
Host:I love that.
Niles Mataffa:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:In Michigan, small town vibe.
Host:Big, big, big world impact.
Host:Yeah.
Niles Mataffa:100%.
Host:Excellent.
Host:Excellent.
Host:Well, we are happy to have you in the region and have inspired you here in this region to do all these amazing things in the world.
Host:So thanks so much for being on the episode with us.
Niles Mataffa:Of course.
Niles Mataffa:Happy to be here.
Host:Yeah.
Host:And continued.
Host:Good luck.
Host:Really.
Host:You're.
Host:You're one of these companies that I am excited to see where you are a year from now, where you're a couple of years from now and the kind of impact that you're going to be able to have on women all around the world.
Niles Mataffa:Sweet.
Niles Mataffa:Thanks a lot.
Niles Mataffa:I appreciate it.
Host:Great.
