"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade" is a well-known motto that Hiba Balfaqih is familiar with. Having lost two family members, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, and cheated out of 1.5 million dirhams by a business partner, her ability to get back up and push on inspired her to launch MindHacking Lifestyle Coaching, in addition to being co-founder of The Smash Room. In fact, this certified psychologist is renowned for her approach that has proven to yield results sooner than most conventional therapies.
Balfaqih graduated with a Master's degree in Psychology, with highest honors, at University of Arizona in 2012. However, before starting her own businesses, she took on various positions at a handful of corporations between 2008 and 2018. These included working as Regional Human Resources (HR) Manager and Phillips, Head of HR and Administration at Restrata, and HR Business Partner in Culture and Organizational Health at Majid Al Futtaim Properties.
In August 2017, Balfaqih founded the Startup Factory, a Dubai-based solution company providing clients with everything they need to create thriving businesses. In the following year, this was followed with the launch of The Smash Room, and MindHacking Lifestyle Coaching. Balfaqih co-founded The Smash Room as an outlet for anyone looking to vent their anger in a healthy way, while MindHacking Lifestyle Coaching offers one-of-its-kind mindset therapy for anyone down in their luck.
In fact, MindHacking Lifestyle Coaching stems from Balfaqih's personal life experience combined with her background in psychology. Having dealt with personal trauma such as losing her father to cancer, and her grandmother not long after, she struggled to get herself back up through conventional therapies. With several trials and errors, however, she finally came up with various approaches that work, hence offering them to her clients through her courses.
MindHacking soon began gaining traction with Balfaqih making an appearance on Dubai TV, and her brand also being featured on major outlets including BBC, CNN, Entrepreneur, and Khaleej Times. Balfaqih currently caters to clients in Dubai, London, and New York.
