Tunisian Threads.

Sustainably Speaking Podcast with Aalia Mauro

Join Aalia and Alia Mahmoud, CEO/Co-founder of Fouta Harissa, as they dabble on Tunisian heritage and the wonders of being a sustainable entrepreneur. Alia speaks about how her curiosity initially started during her sophomore year of college, teetering between her desire for a greater world and the unending complexities of the world's issues until she learned of the social entrepreneurship realm. Alia felt called to understand better how to one day leverage the business/profits models and use them to improve outcomes for real people actively. Alia discusses her devotion to her homeland and the uniqueness and versatility of the Fouta, wanting to build a company with a positive social impact by crafting consciously. Fouta Harissa is Artisan-made, sustainably sourced, zero emission producing,and produced in small batch orders to maintain authenticity of their values. Alia is the co-founder and CEO of Fouta Harissa, alongside Lamia Hatira. This social enterprise designs high-quality, hand-loomed textiles that preserve artisanal weaving in Tunisia and celebrate the soul of Brazilian beach culture. Based in Miami, she is also a consultant with Radical Partners, a social impact accelerator dedicated to investing in South Florida's most promising social entrepreneurs. Passionate about the intersection of business and social good, she came to Miami by way of Tunisia, where she served as the Regional Citizenship Manager for Microsoft in the Middle East and North African region. Alia has delivered multiple TedxTalks on entrepreneurship and innovation and was named one of the “10 Most Inspiring Arab-American Leaders to Watch'' by the Huffington Post. She is also the co-founder of “Le15,” a seed fund and accelerator program for innovative startups in Tunisia. She graduated from New York University with a Master of Science in International Business and Economic Development and earned her bachelor’s degree in International Development from George Washington University. Alia seeks to continually help diversify the economy by utilizing artisan businesses, honoring the culture and the story that unfolds with each thread.