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Silicon Valley Impact

Silicon Valley Impact

From Beirut to the Bay: building more than a business: community, trust & connection. S3 E22

Sep 1, 2026 · 1 hr 2 min · 14 segments

On this week's episode of Silicon Valley Impact we are talking with Ray Dargham, Founder and CEO of Step, and we’re talking about how relationships are the real currency. From Beirut to the Bay…

On this week's episode of Silicon Valley Impact we are talking with Ray Dargham, Founder and CEO of Step, and we’re talking about how relationships are the real currency. From Beirut to the Bay: building more than a business: community, trust & connection. Step is a global tech and startup platform connecting founders, investors, operators, and technology leaders across MENA, Silicon Valley, and emerging markets. Ray founded Step while still in college, beginning as an entrepreneurship workshop series hosted in art galleries in Beirut. After graduating, he moved the platform to Dubai and transformed it in...

On this week's episode of Silicon Valley Impact we are talking with Ray Dargham, Founder and CEO of Step, and we’re talking about how relationships are the real currency. From Beirut to the Bay…

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Show signals: SuitabilitySafeBiasNot politicalAudience≈3 followers

Speakers: Ray DarghamGuestBrian SparkesHostBrian BernasconiHost

Top entities: Ray Dargham×39 Silicon Valley×16 Dubai×18 Dolly Parton×4 YouTube×12

Venture Season and Personal Banter2:13 – 5:45

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:13

Oh, I

B

Brian BernasconiHost

2:14

got Jason back here today.

B

Brian BernasconiHost

2:15

Jason in the background.

B

Brian BernasconiHost

2:16

A lot going on in the studio.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:18

Okay.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:19

And I also want to give a shout out to a lot of exceptional VCs, a lot of startups that are getting funded.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:24

There's a lot of emotion happening now in Silicon Valley and the world over.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:28

So if you have a story, if you love chatting about what you're building, we'd love to have you on the show.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:34

So reach out to me, brian at siliconvalleyimpact.com. Love to talk with you.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:39

Yeah.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:40

So there's that.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:41

And I feel like, Brian, it's a new year.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:43

And I'll tell you why.

B

Brian BernasconiHost

2:45

It's August.

B

Brian BernasconiHost

2:46

Yeah,

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:47

it's August.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:47

I'll tell you why.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:48

Okay, go ahead.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:49

All right, our guest today is really one of my favorites.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:52

Hold on a minute.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:53

We're going to get there.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:54

Okay, okay, okay.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:55

We're going to get there.

B

Brian BernasconiHost

2:56

Go ahead.

B

Brian BernasconiHost

2:56

My guest today is...

Ray DarghamPersonBusinessperson
98%39 mentions
Silicon ValleyPlaceRegion in California
95%16 mentions
DubaiCityCity in the United Arab Emirates
92%18 mentions
Dolly PartonPersonAmerican singer-songwriter and actress
89%4 mentions
YouTubeWebsiteVideo sharing company
86%12 mentions
San FranciscoCityCity in California
83%9 mentions
Red BullProductDrink
80%11 mentions
BeirutCityCapital of Lebanon
77%3 mentions
Toastmasters InternationalCompanyNonprofit
73%2 mentions
LebanonCountryCountry in the Middle East
70%4 mentions
OaklandCityCity in California
67%2 mentions
Junior AchievementCompanyNon-profit
64%2 mentions
CaliforniaAdministrative AreaUS state
61%1 mention
North AmericaContinentContinent
58%2 mentions
NBASports OrganizationLeague
55%2 mentions
Alan JacksonPersonAmerican singer-songwriter
52%1 mention
David BowiePersonEnglish singer-songwriter and actor
47%1 mention
John LennonPersonMusician and songwriter
47%1 mention
TennesseeAdministrative AreaUS state
42%1 mention
The NBA FinalsEntityChampionship
39%1 mention
Michael JordanPersonAmerican businessman and former basketball player
36%1 mention
FIFA World CupSports OrganizationFootball competition
33%1 mention
American University of BeirutCollege or UniversityPrivate university in Beirut, Lebanon
30%1 mention
AustraliaCountryCountry in Oceania
27%1 mention
CanadaCountryCountry in North America
23%1 mention
Chris YehPersonAuthor
20%1 mention
LinkedInSoftware ApplicationSocial networking service
17%1 mention
TEDEntityConference
14%1 mention
San Francisco Bay AreaAdministrative AreaRegion in California
11%4 mentions
Uptown OaklandEntityNeighborhood in Oakland, California
8%1 mention
AirbnbCompanyVacation rental company
5%1 mention
Bering CapitalCompanyCompany
2%1 mention

Society
Founder ResiliencePersonal Development > Leadership
Founder BiographyBusiness > Entrepreneurship > Startup Founding
Ray Dargham's Creation of STEPBusiness > Entrepreneurship > Startup Founding > Founder Biography
Global STEP Conference PlatformEvents > Business Events > Startup Conferences
San Francisco and Dubai ConferencesEvents > Business Events > Startup Conferences > Global STEP Conference Platform
Community-Led GrowthMarketing > Go-to-Market Strategy
Relationship-Based Customer AcquisitionMarketing > Go-to-Market Strategy > Community-Led Growth
Personalized Email Outreach for Early CommunitiesMarketing > Go-to-Market Strategy > Community-Led Growth > Relationship-Based Customer Acquisition
Community Building PracticesSociety > Communities > Entrepreneurial Communities
Managing Event Stress and Mental FatiguePersonal Development > Leadership > Founder Resilience
LeadershipPersonal Development
Startup FoundingBusiness > Entrepreneurship
CommunitiesSociety
Go-to-Market StrategyMarketing
Business EventsEvents
Entrepreneurial CommunitiesSociety > Communities
Personal Development
Startup ConferencesEvents > Business Events
Events
Business
EntrepreneurshipBusiness
Marketing

Venture Season and Personal Banter2:13 – 5:45

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:13

Oh, I

B

Brian BernasconiHost

2:14

got Jason back here today.

B

Brian BernasconiHost

2:15

Jason in the background.

B

Brian BernasconiHost

2:16

A lot going on in the studio.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:18

Okay.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:19

And I also want to give a shout out to a lot of exceptional VCs, a lot of startups that are getting funded.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:24

There's a lot of emotion happening now in Silicon Valley and the world over.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:28

So if you have a story, if you love chatting about what you're building, we'd love to have you on the show.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:34

So reach out to me, brian at siliconvalleyimpact.com. Love to talk with you.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:39

Yeah.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:40

So there's that.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:41

And I feel like, Brian, it's a new year.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:43

And I'll tell you why.

B

Brian BernasconiHost

2:45

It's August.

B

Brian BernasconiHost

2:46

Yeah,

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:47

it's August.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:47

I'll tell you why.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:48

Okay, go ahead.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:49

All right, our guest today is really one of my favorites.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:52

Hold on a minute.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:53

We're going to get there.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:54

Okay, okay, okay.

B

Brian SparkesHost

2:55

We're going to get there.

B

Brian BernasconiHost

2:56

Go ahead.

B

Brian BernasconiHost

2:56

My guest today is...

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