In this episode, we chat with Abdul Mohsen Al Yahya, founder of Kudo Restaurants in Saudi Arabia. We discussed his experience in establishing Kudo Restaurant in the 1980s, until he left the company in 2015. He told us about the difference between the market in the past and today, the challenges they faced, and the circumstances that forced him to sell. Al Yahya began talking about his studies in the College of Engineering, then joining the General Administration of Military Affairs of the Ministry of Defense. He says that training there gave him experience in project management, which he later noticed when he entered the commercial field. He then moved on to talk about the beginnings of Kudo Restaurant, and the story of registering its trade name. Al Yahya mentions the low costs at the time, as their branches were limited, and the number of workers was small. However, the expansion of branches, the increase in competition between fast food restaurants, and the rise in food and rent prices affected profits. Unlike his partners, our guest believed in the necessity of expansion that would stimulate the economy and create new jobs. The difference of opinion on the issue of expansion made him decide to sell his share in 2015. He concluded the episode by emphasizing that the restaurant business is stressful, and that he is not thinking of returning to it at the moment. He stressed that the way to succeed in any project is through credibility and gradual learning through new experiences. Episode 83 of the Sawalif Business Podcast with Abdul Mohsen Al Yahya. You can listen to the episode through podcast applications on your mobile phone. We recommend listening to the podcast through the Apple Podcasts application on iPhone, and the Google Podcasts application on Android. We would be interested in knowing your opinion about the episodes and your rating of the podcast on iTunes. You can also suggest a guest on the Sawalif Business Podcast by writing to us at: [email protected] Subscribe to our newsletters to receive the latest news from Thmanyah here https://bit.ly/3n8cHJK Your project in the coffee industry? Don't worry about training your team, choosing coffee equipment, and providing coffee. "Khatwa Jamal" is your partner in success in building and operating your project. Visit our website and start with one step: https://thmanyah.link/ti4 If you have a small restaurant, a café, or even a chain of luxury restaurants, you will find comprehensive solutions for managing your restaurant at Foodics, adapted to your needs. "Foodics" is your first source for your restaurant's administrative needs, and your key to the field of restaurant technology. For more: https://thmanyah.link/abm Episode topics: 00:00 The beginning 01:43 The beginnings of establishing Kudo 14:36 ​​The stage of dedication and focus 18:12 Kudo's major competitors 27:11 Increasing investment in Kudo 33:20 Franchising, acquisitions and new brands 46:46 Dealing with problems and challenges 49:39 Congestion in Kudo branches 52:11 Exiting Kudo 01:13:04 After Kudo Links: Mashhour Al-Dubayan's Twitter account: / dubayan Abdul Mohsen Al-Yahya's Twitter account / alyahya_a