StartupScene & Madinet Masr Present: Tank Tales | Episode 2: Zat

As the October 8th launch of the new season of ‘Shark Tank’ draws near, our series ‘Tank Tales’ showcases the journeys of the entrepreneurs that have not only survived the tank, but thrived in it. In the spotlight for the second episode is cosmetics and skincare brand, Zat. We’ve all heard of success stories about entrepreneurs turning their passion into a business, starting from scratch and battling for years to achieve success. In this episode, we focus on Alaa Mahfouz, one such inspiring example. In a matter of a few years, Mahfouz has been able to take Zat to impressive heights. Born from a hobbyist’s interest in skincare, Zat came to be when Mahfouz was out of work and hit a dead end - a position that led her to take the leap and turn that hobby into a career. Mahfouz managed to catch the attention of investor and shark, Abdullah Sallam, who quickly realised that Zat was a project that had potential, an opportunity that he couldn’t let slide. At the core of Zat's philosophy is to celebrate 'real' beauty, the kind of beauty that only comes with self-love and, of course, natural, science-backed skincare. Beyond selling products, however, Zat’s implores its customers to not only find their perfect formulations, but to find their identities - a philosophy that had Sallam digging deep into his proverbial pockets. That was in early 2004. So what now of Zat? How has the company progressed since its transformative appearance on ‘Shark Tank’ and what does the future hold for Mahfouz under the guidance of Sallam? We find that out and more on the latest ‘Tank Tales’ episode. Stay tuned for more from the series, as we catch up with the most memorable entrepreneurs to appear on ‘Shark Tank’ and how the show has made an impact.