33 Q’s for Timur Makhmudi
A walk through Dubai with entrepreneur Timur Makhmudi - 33 quick questions about ambition, self-trust, relationships, fear, mental health and the question he asks himself every day: "Am I real?"
THE REVELATION
Authenticity is not something Timur Makhmudi treats as a fixed personality trait. It is something he checks every day. His question is simple: "Am I real? Am I true to myself?" The answer matters because, in his view, losing trust in yourself means allowing fear to choose the direction instead. For a founder surrounded by pressure, ambition and other people's expectations, staying real becomes less about image and more about knowing which decisions are actually your own.
Thirty-three questions, one walk through Dubai, and very little room for rehearsed answers.
In this episode of 33 Questions, REVELATIONS walks through the city with entrepreneur Timur Makhmudi, moving between business, relationships, books, health, fears and the things that make Dubai feel like home.
At the time of recording, Makhmudi described himself as a founder building a real estate platform. But the conversation quickly moves away from the company and toward the person building it.
For him, Dubai is about “people, technology and energy.” It can also be a difficult place if ambition is not supported by a stable inner state.
His biggest mistake?
“The biggest mistake that I’m doing is not to trust myself.”
And the principle behind it is even clearer:
“If you’re not following your heart then you are following your fears.”
Makhmudi talks openly about investing in his mental and physical health, the pressure of being a founder, his fear of failure and the importance of surrounding himself with the right people.
“At the end of the day it’s all about people.”
But perhaps the most revealing answer comes near the end, when he shares the question he asks himself every day:
“Am I real? Am I true to myself?”
For Makhmudi, success begins there – before business, image or ambition – with becoming someone who no longer needs to pretend.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Julia Upiterskaya
Founder of JULS and REVELATIONS
Julia Upiterskaya is a Dubai-based communications entrepreneur, founder of JULS and REVELATIONS, and an international technology moderator and speaker. With more than 10 years of experience across media, communications and events, she has worked with over 100 companies across emerging technology and innovation. Her current focus spans artificial intelligence, wellness and the technologies reshaping how people live, work and build businesses. Through JULS and REVELATIONS, Julia works at the intersection of strategic communications, founder positioning, technology, culture and global communities.
