At a Glance
Company: Vbout
Role: Founder & CEO
Industry: Marketing Technology (MarTech) / SaaS
LebNet Connection: Long-time LebNet Community Supporter
Building a company is rarely a straight path, and few understand that better than Richard Fallah. As the Founder and CEO of Vbout, Richard spent more than a decade building one of Lebanon's leading MarTech companies. The acquisition of Vbout in June 2025 marked a significant milestone in his entrepreneurial journey, the culmination of years of resilience, innovation, and global growth.
Throughout that journey, LebNet has been one of the communities supporting Richard by connecting him with founders, mentors, investors, and fellow entrepreneurs who believe in lifting one another up. In this Member Spotlight, Richard reflects on the lessons he learned while building and scaling a global technology company, the impact the LebNet community has had along the way, and why he believes giving back is essential to strengthening Lebanon's technology ecosystem for the next generation.
Building a Company for the Long Haul
After more than a decade of building Vbout, the company's acquisition in June 2025 marked a major milestone in your entrepreneurial journey. Looking back, what were the defining moments that led to this achievement, and what lessons from that journey would you share with founders building companies today?
Building a startup from Lebanon to the world comes with unique challenges that shape you not only as an entrepreneur, but also as a person. It forces you and your team to adapt through crises, stay resilient, and grow together during a journey that is often long and difficult.
The defining moments of my journey came one after another.
I launched VBOUT in 2014, shortly after my daughter was born. I wanted to take ownership of my future and build something that would help secure hers. I took a leap of faith, giving up the short term security of a job to pursue the long term challenge of building my own company. At the time, Lebanon's startup ecosystem was still in its early stages, and Circular 331 had just begun unlocking investment through Banque du Liban (BDL).
Meeting the team at Middle East Venture Partners (MEVP) was the second defining moment in 2016. They believed in our vision and became our first institutional investors. Their investment opened new doors, enabling us to grow from a team of three to twenty while experimenting, iterating, and scaling the business. Other investors, including IM Capital, iSME, and 500 Startups, later joined and played an important role in our growth.
The third defining moment was the passing of my mother, which deeply affected me. At the same time, I was navigating my grief while enduring the devastating Lebanese financial crisis that impacted us all. Overnight, our runway became worth pennies. We had to adapt quickly alongside our team, customers, and investors. I watched many startups that had raised millions of dollars disappear during that period. That experience reinforced the importance of disciplined cash management, sound financial planning, and building a lean, resilient business.
COVID and the years that followed became a period of growth for us. We reached profitability and were able to sustain the business without raising additional capital. Our reputation grew as a reliable marketing platform known for outstanding customer support, strong product capabilities, and a team that listened carefully to customers and continuously improved the product.
During that time, I received several acquisition offers. While none were the right fit, I always took the meetings because each one taught me what buyers were looking for, how acquisitions are evaluated, and how to negotiate. When the right opportunity came in 2025, everything aligned. The offer made sense, the company we were joining was an excellent strategic fit, and the timing was right.
Everyone's entrepreneurial journey is different, but a few lessons are universal:
- A small, dedicated team that works hard, remains loyal, and learns together will outperform a much larger team.
- Build something you genuinely enjoy and believe in because the journey is long, and passion will sustain you through the difficult moments.
- It is normal to question yourself or feel like giving up. Those moments are part of the journey and are often where the greatest personal and professional growth happens.
- Embrace AI as much as you can. It is transforming every function of a business, from software development and customer support to finance, HR, and operations. Founders today should build their products, processes, and organizations with AI in mind, while ensuring their teams are equipped to use it effectively and measured on the value they create.
The LebNet Connection
You've been connected to LebNet for many years. How did you first become involved with the community, and what has that relationship meant to you throughout your career?
I first met Elie Habib and George Akiki in 2016 through MEVP and attended one of LebNet's immersive workshops in San Francisco. The program brought together founders from Lebanon for learning sessions with leaders from major technology companies, while also introducing us to experienced mentors and potential investors.
That experience became my introduction to the LebNet community. Soon after, I became more involved by supporting LebNet's technology initiatives and continued working closely with Elie Habib, who has been an incredible mentor over the years. The relationships I built through the community have remained meaningful, both professionally and personally, and continue to shape my journey today.
The Power of Community
Throughout your journey as a founder, how valuable has it been to have a network like LebNet, and why do you think communities like this matter for Lebanese entrepreneurs and professionals around the world?
The immersive workshop was an invaluable learning experience for me and many other founders at the time. It reinforced how powerful strong communities can be, not only for learning, but also for building meaningful, lasting relationships.
As a founder, having access to experienced mentors, peers, and partners helps you make better decisions and avoid learning every lesson the hard way. Communities like LebNet create opportunities to connect with people who have already navigated many of the same challenges and are generous in sharing their experiences. Those relationships become an important foundation for both personal and professional growth and often continue long after the initial introduction.
Giving Back
You've remained actively engaged with the Lebanese tech ecosystem over the years. What motivates you to give back, and how do you think experienced founders can best support the next generation?
My entrepreneurial journey has shaped who I am today, and it has given me tremendous respect for anyone who develops deep expertise in their field, identifies a real problem, and has the courage to spend five to ten years building a solution.
That is why I make it a priority to mentor and advise entrepreneurs who reach out to me. I remember how much I valued the guidance I received during moments when I felt lost or uncertain. Sharing those lessons is my way of giving back. By helping the next generation of founders succeed, we strengthen not only individual companies but the entire entrepreneurial ecosystem, something we need now more than ever.
Looking Ahead
What advice would you give to Lebanese founders and professionals building their careers today, and what message would you share with someone considering becoming part of the LebNet community?
We live in a time when access to intelligence, technology, and global markets has never been greater. Whether you are working from Beirut or New York, you can create products that once required millions of dollars with a fraction of the cost.
The most important thing is to START, LEARN, and ADAPT. The outcome is always good, even if your idea does not succeed at first, because there is something sacred about a learning moment that changes you and building your own tech startup will forever change you.
I also encourage people to build their own networks and join established communities like LebNet. You will meet people who think like you, connect with experienced mentors who are genuinely willing to help and share their experiences and expertise. You will also find opportunities that often come from just showing up, contributing, and being helpful.
