Present from afar
You stay on the phone all day and decide everything yourself, even from your other job.
- What it gives
- Control, and decisions at your speed.
- What it can cost
- You get tired, and the team waits for you on every small thing.
Upcoming session · Panel discussion · EntreStations · People axis
A part-time founder: can it work?
With Hala Naqawa and Mhd. Yazan Abo Alborghl, moderated by Ahmad Nahas
In brief
- The fourth session of the EntreStations programme, on the People axis.
- Two guests with two different kinds of experience: Hala Naqawa, HR expert and founder of Step Up Recruitment, and Mhd. Yazan Abo Alborghl, founder of BuyTech and managing partner at Yarın Ajans.
- You leave knowing what to agree on with your team and partner before your absence becomes a problem.
- 77% of the people at the launch evening have tasks they are trying to hand off that are still stuck with them.
About the session
“I'm at my job until five, and the team is waiting for me.”
So who leads your project when you are away? And does your team need you there, or a system that runs without you?
We put this question on the table with two guests: an HR expert who has built hiring and team systems, and a founder who has led software teams from zero to launch, to find out when part time works, and what to agree on with your team and partner before absence becomes a problem.
On stage
Speakers and moderator
SpeakerHala Naqawa
Founder and CEO, Step Up Recruitment
HR consultant with over 16 years in business management and 9 in recruitment. Head of HR at the Syrian Professionals Network, an HR trainer, and holds an MBA in HR from HIBA.
SpeakerMhd. Yazan Abo Alborghl
Founder and CEO, BuyTech
Managing partner at the software company Yarın Ajans and a consultant in setting up and organising companies, with over 5 years in management and sales. Leads software projects from zero to launch.
ModeratorAhmad Nahas
Entrepreneur, and Secretary of the Association
Author of "Harbuk: A startup in the world's most volatile market".
Discussion
What will we talk about?
- 01
Does your team need you there, or a system that runs without you?
- What actually stops when the founder is away?
- When is the founder's presence needed, and when does it get in the way?
- 02
What do you agree on with your team and partner before your absence becomes a problem?
- Which roles and authority should be written down before you step away?
- How do you pick who decides for you, and follow up without stepping into everything?
- How do you keep a full-time team motivated under a part-time founder?
- 03
A part-time partner: do they deserve the same share?
- If your partner works full time and you do not, how do you split the shares?
- When should you leave your job and go full time on your project?
On the day
Schedule
All times are pm, Damascus time
- 4:00Arrival and registration15 minutes
- 4:15Opening15 minutes
- 4:30Panel discussion35 minutes
- 5:05Open discussion with founders40 minutes
- 5:45Coffee and networking15 minutes, free time to meet each other
Background
When your project gets half your time
Many founders start their project while holding another job. The job pays the bills, and the project is built in the evenings and on weekends. That is a sensible choice in a market with no steady income.
But when the project grows and has a team, the question changes: who decides when you are not there? Who fixes the problem at 11 in the morning while you are at your other job? And if your partner works full time, how do you split the shares and the effort?
In this session we ask: does the team need the founder present, or a clear system that runs without them? And what should be agreed from the start?
When you are there and when you are not
What does your project need when you are away?
It needs you
- Every decision waits for you
- The team calls you about every small thing
- The knowledge is only in your head
- The pace follows your time
Can your project run one day without you?
It needs a system
- Written roles and authority
- Someone who decides when you are away
- Knowledge written down for the team
- A review at a fixed time
Why this topic?
Because the founder is still the bottleneck
At the EntreStations launch evening on 24 September 2026, the audience voted from their phones. Most said they have tasks they are trying to hand off that are still stuck with them, and most funded their projects from their own pocket.
When the founder is part time, this bottleneck gets clearer: everything waiting for them is late until they come back.
77%have tasks they try to hand off that are still stuck with them
63%approve every new hire themselves
62%funded their projects from their own pocket
About these numbers: 41 people voted at an invitation-only evening, so they show a direction, not an exact measure. Read the launch coverage (Arabic)
Two styles
Stay present from afar, or build a system that runs without you?
These are the two most common styles among part-time founders:
A system that runs without you
You write down roles and authority, pick who decides when you are away, and review results at a fixed time.
- What it gives
- A team that moves, and time for you.
- What it can cost
- It takes time to build, and you may lose some control.
There is no single right answer. The question is what your team needs today, and what you can give.
Before the session
What would you do?
Three situations every part-time founder meets. Pick your answer, see how others answered, then compare it with what the guests say in the session.
You are at your job until 5, and your team needs an urgent decision at 11 in the morning.
A part-time partner deserves the same share if the idea or the money came from them at the start.
When do you leave your job and go full time on your project?
The programme
What is EntreStations?
A weekly programme by the Syrian Entrepreneurs Union for founders at any stage. Every Saturday there is an in-person session at DIGIT Center on a real challenge, within five independent axes. Each person picks the axis that fits their project.
About our programmes- PeopleDo I have the right people around me, and do I know how to lead them?
- StructureWhen should I register my company, and how do I protect my rights without an early burden?
- NumbersWhich numbers tell me the project works, and can I read them?
- CapitalAm I ready to raise money, and do I have what convinces an investor?
- DecisionWhen do I stop, change direction, or grow?
Community
Who is coming
Join in
Ask a question or share a view
Write your question for the guests before the session, or share your experience running a project next to another job. We may ask some of the questions during the panel.
Our sessions
Upcoming sessions
Past sessions and news
Coverage · 24 September 2026EntreStations launches in DamascusThe launch evening at DIGIT Center: the five axes, a panel on trust and company culture, and a live audience poll.
Article · October 2026Reading the Syrian startup investment reportA reading of the 2025-2026 Syrian startup investment report, with numbers from the SEU Observatory.
Dialogues · OnlineEntrepreneurial Dialogues with regional foundersSessions with Salman Butt (Salla), Khaled Abulkasem (Alguru) and Abdulaziz Al-Nufaie (Zero to One).
Session · 7 May 2025The Lebanese experience, with Tripoli Entrepreneurs ClubHow entrepreneur unions support projects and bring investment to startups.
Workshop · In personSocial entrepreneurship with Firas Al-JarrahA workshop with an adviser to government bodies and non-profits.Practical information
Questions
Who is this session for?
Anyone running a project next to a job or other work, anyone with a full-time team or partner while they are part time, and anyone asking: when do I go full time?
How much does it cost?
A session costs 10 US dollars, but attendance is free during the programme's pilot phase until the end of 2026. Just register to get a QR entry ticket.
Where and when?
DIGIT Center, Kafr Souseh, Damascus. Saturday 14 November 2026, 4:00 to 6:00 pm. In person only.
How do I register?
With the "Book your seat" button on this page. Sign in with Google or your email and you get a QR ticket and a calendar invite.