ASPIRE - An Entrepreneur and Lifestyle Magazine

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OCTOBER — 2020 VOL— 1 ISSUE 1 — aspiredubai.ae

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Wendy Shaw

P L AY S T HE MIND G AME M AHMOOD R AHM A

INS T I T U T ING NE W T R IUMP HS IN U AE ’S BRO ADC A S T BU SINE S S

Emirati Entrepreneur transformed his ideas, goals, and passions into reality.

MARIA KAZI

DOMIN AT ING INFL UENCER M AR K E T ING IN DUB AI

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BRANDING AND DESIGN S T R AT E GY D E V E L O P M E N T D I G I TA L M A R K E T I N G PUBLISHING MEDIA PRODUCTION

W: thepurplestroke.com E: hello@thepurplestroke.com M: +971 508 498820

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INSTITUTING NEW TRIUMPHS IN UAE’S BROADCAST BUSINESS Mahmood Rahma, CEO of Our Media, shares his views and how he transformed his ideas into reality

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INSIDE 8

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Bite sized interesting news from around the world!

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The skills that will make you a highly sought after professional

WENDY SHAW PLAYS THE MIND GAME

Covid-19 has caused a shift in the work culture. Read about the skills that will help you survive the wave.

Wendy Shaw, licensed trainer, NLP expert and Coach takes us on her journey from the UK to the UAE

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4 Wallet Friendly Apps in the UAE These 4 wallet friendly will help you sort your money & budgeting goals

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Events

The woman who dominates influencer marketing in Dubai

Great upcoming or ongoing events that you may want to add to your calendar

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What’s your IQ – Image Quotient?

Meet Maria Kazi of Mour Media, who dominates influencer marketing space in Dubai

Manage your Image and make it work for you each time you interact with the world.

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You are not THE PROBLEM

Is your Ecommerce trade standing on the right pillars?

Creating a preventive health mindset

Learn about the methodical approach to looking at a problem and to overcome it

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With Ecommerce now going even bigger, it helps to know the pillars your trade stands on

‘Panacea’ the primary health care facility is creating health and wellness events to serve the community

PUBLISHER

Sumeet Gupta EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Shagufta Patel DESIGN

The Purple Stroke JUNIOR EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Khushi Bagga Arundhati Surendran WEB AND DIGITAL

Seobal Business Solutions « OUR CONTRIBUTORS »

Sunil Nair Digital Marketing Expert & ECommerce strategist

Rizwan Zulfikar Bhutta Intl. Broadcast Journalist, Peace Writer

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TRAVELLING IN THE TIMES OF COVID-19 Cristina Francis, an avid traveler and explorer finds solace in a pandemic world

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Tom Hanks’ new war-drama Greyhound

Write pretty!!!

Greyhound serves as a reminder to all of us to stand strong with grit in these testing times

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Coxinha

This golden crusty Brazilian Chicken Croquette is a perfect high-tea delight

Beautiful writing is a way of inspired expression, an art form and can be a hobby too

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Hospitality, Emirati style!

A peek at ‘The Manor by JA’, UAE’s first hotel wholly run

by Emiratis embodying Arab hospitality

Sabeeh Ghugharia

Sabeen Fareed

MBA mCIPD PMP, HR Professional and Coach

Cuisine and Pastry Chef/ High Tea Specialist

Deepa Narayanan

Rachit Gupta

Writer/ Storyteller

Film Critic and Screenwriter

1601, Corporate Business Hub, Burj Gate, Dubai, United Arab Emirates T +971 508 498820, +971 565 774075 / W: thepurplestroke.com Neither this publication nor any part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the persmission of The Purple Stroke FZE LLC. All the information carried herein is checked and verified to the best of our knowledge and abilities. In matters of views expressed and opinions held, it is solely that of the authors and contributors themselves. The editorial or publisher or ASPIRE cannot be held responsible for unintended errors and oversights if any.

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together the very first issue, we found ‘Smart Wisdom’ and ‘Tools of Victory’ from each of our featured protagonists, waiting to be shared with the rest to get insights from.

Curl up with it on a relaxed weekend or read it on the go to take a peep into the future through the eyes of Mahmood Rahma, CEO of Our Media; dive into your multiple intelligences with Wendy Shaw; get glimpses into what goes into the making of an influencer as Maria Kazi believes that we all are one already; reach out to Panacea for free organizational health checks; get pro facts and know-how from our contributors on topics that are of value to every person desirous of scaling up personally or professionally.

We believe that you know what you need in terms of a good read and we will go all-out to give you matter that matters and more.

We love suggestions and feedbacks. So if there are any, please email them to us at editor@aspiredubai.ae.

Joyful reading and yes of course Stay Safe and Be Well! ✪

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SPIRATIONS! We all have them.

It is the reason we do, what we do.

It is the reason the world has seen unbelievable miracles when what was expected were agonizing misfortunes.

It is the reason the world has witnessed incredible optimism in place of distressing ordeals.

It is the reason why we continue to walk towards the hope of a better brighter future.

I applaud every individual who has made their mark and recognize the fact that it mustn’t always have been an easy path to get to where each one stands today. The spoof with accomplishment is that it does not have a finish line.

There can be no limit to what we can aim to achieve and there is no reason why there should be one. There is no reason why one should stop unless of course one wants to apply the brakes to enjoy some time off or pursue other interests.

So whilst you go on to seek newer exciting summits and strive to conquer every conceivable milestone; we at ASPIRE continue to nurture a thought that seeded a few months ago.

It is with absolute delight that we present to you and the world a magazine that has set ‘no finish lines’ and functions with a ‘no limit’ mindset.

New? Yes. Novice? Certainly Not! All through the day we win some and we lose some and even in the pitfalls are valuable lessons to be learnt. As we put

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APPLE market value is

2000,000,000,000 U$D Apple is now the first US Company to have reached a Market Value of 2 Trillion USD! The company’s consumers continued to buy apple products while stuck in the lockdown, which has resulted in a 60% increase in the company’s shares.

An upcoming four-for-one stock split is expected to make Apple’s shares more alluring to other potential investors. Other US Tech companies that are beaming with economic success include Amazon and Microsoft, both currently valued at 1.6 Trillion USD and slated to reach the $2 Trillion mark soon.

It would be worthy to note that closer to home it was Saudi’s energy producer (Aramco) that had reached a market value of US$2 trillion shortly after becoming a public company in December 2019. However, its market value now stands at about US$1.82 trillion after a sharp fall in its share prices as a result of the oil price drop.

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Illustration: Freepik-Ibrandify

Abraham ‘Peace’ Accord

Tesla Charges Up To Get The World An Affordable Electric Car Tesla held its most anticipated event Worldwide on the 22nd September 2020 - The Tesla Battery Day. The socially distanced outdoor event catered about 240 shareholders - each seated in a Tesla Model3.

During this grand event, The CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk and, the company’s chief of powertrain and energy engineering, Drew Baglino, presented their idea towards the next level of Battery Production and Efficiency. Additionally, they spoke about the upcoming chapter of the Electric Vehicle on a global scale.

Elon Musk also announced that Tesla itself would begin to make the batteries, still keeping the option open to sourcing them from Panasonic and LG Chem.

They plan to eliminate

Cobalt in their Batteries and to streamline their production with the development of a new Cathode plant. Tesla, with their new larger cylindrical cells, claims that they will provide five times more energy, six times more power and 16% greater driving range.

That being said, Tesla additionally announced that they plan to get underway with their new car model around the price range of $25,000, making it an affordable purchase worldwide.

Musk aims to launch his new model within three years with a new plan for optimization and advanced infrastructure.

This announcement showcases that Tesla continues to stand by its mission statement –to produce electric vehicles cheap enough to make gas-burning cars obsolete.

The peace agreement signed between UAE and Israel, makes UAE the third Arab country to open doors to Israel after Egypt and Jordan. Signed on the 13th of August 2020, the agreement now referred to as the ‘Abraham Accord’ is a welcome step towards full normalization of relations between the two countries and towards a more peaceful and prosperous Middle East.

While the accord does put a stop to Israel’s plans to invade regions in the West Bank, it is still not off the table and only a temporary postponement as per Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Speaking in Jerusalem, the Israel​ i PM said, "We are establishing full and official peace, full diplomatic agreement, with embassies, investments, commerce, tourism, direct flights between Tel Aviv, Dubai and

Abu Dhabi.”

Travel and employment facilities also being accounted for, the accord will be beneficial to fields such as research and exploration of the region’s shared heritage too. With Israel’s well-established research base and UAE’s growing investments in research, the accord is also expected to initiate a rise in scientific collaboration between the states.

The move seen as ‘a betrayal of Jerusalem and the Palestinian cause’ has not been welcomed by the Palestinian leaders who are calling it the deceit of the century.

Nevertheless, the rest of the world considers it a historic event that sows hope for the region, providing Israel and Palestine a chance to renew their treaties and resolve their conflicts as more countries are likely to follow soon.

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ON TRACK ROUTE 2020 Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid recently posted a video on twitter giving his followers a mini tour of the new metro line laid down as part of the plans for the Expo2020, now postponed to October 2021. He was accompanied by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, Deputy Ruler of Dubai.

“We announced 47 months ago, the extension of the Dubai Metro red line at a cost of AED 11 Billion. We say what we do, and we do what we say. This is Dubai”, he said jubilant on the launch of the project on time as promised.

RTA started work on project almost four years ago, which had over 12,000 engineers and

technicians manning this project that took 80 million work-hours to complete.

Route 2020, with 7 new stations included in the Dubai Metro red lines will exclusively carry passengers to and from the global fair and is likely to open for public use by end of the year with tracks running both, over and underground.

The additional stops through the route include: Jebel Ali Station (previously Nakheel Harbour), The Gardens Station, Discovery Gardens Station, Al Furjan Station, Jumeirah Golf Estates Station, Dubai Investment Park Station, and Expo Station, with three more stations planned to be added soon. ✪  Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum inspecting the new 2020 route

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Illustration: Freepik-Stories

The skills that will make you a highly sought after professional The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in several changes across the globe, where companies have had to effectively adopt the ‘work from home’ culture moving all of their tasks, including meetings, to digital platforms, resulting in changes towards career demands and expectations too!

This digital shift has caused professionals,

be it an entrepreneur or an employee, to now essentially rethink and revise their skill requirements (soft, as well as technical), across their sector as well as the wider market.

The most demanding roles at the moment seek digital and technological skills. These include knowledge of Data Analytics and UX Design. Considering that the world is slowly 2 0 2 0 — O C T O B E R — ASPIRE

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According to recruiter Robert Half study

70%

Photo Credit: Unsplash-You X Ventures

of employees across the UAE rethinking their career paths

22%

Illustration: Sumeet Gupta; Photo Credit: Unsplash-Nahel Abdul Hadi Flha; Freepik-Rawpixel.com

seeking new job roles

17% employees looking for a career change

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but surely becoming fully digitized, businesses will require to upgrade the way they create and handle data and records. This is of utmost importance as the information gathered gives valuable insights to consumer behaviour and a thorough understanding of the market dynamics to help plan strategies & marketing moves.

Furthermore, UX Design is now emerging as an important criteria to keep the clients happy by offering a seamless & easy user experience. Coupling the interface design with graphic skills takes your position a notch higher in building a platform that your clients

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love resulting in higher conversion rates.

The increased digitization has also led to increased cyber-attacks necessitating the need for cyber security in a big way. Upcoming major events like the Expo 2020 (now postponed to 2021) are perfect grounds for hackers having a field day, and so the need for Cyber security professionals has never been greater.

Businesses are also now seeking employees that are lateral thinkers & problem-solvers. An ideal candidate must be able to think critically, analyse a given dilemma and come up with innovative solutions. Strong communication and leadership is a crucial skill for line managers & business leaders to be able to lead a workforce/project to a successful completion especially in a volatile environment such as now. Strong and adaptable professionals know how to manage their emotions in a crisis and rely heavily on their intuitive abilities making them highly indispensable.

According to a recent study by global recruiter Robert Half, the new role requirements is resulting in about 70% of employees across the UAE rethinking their career paths, 22% seeking new job roles, and about 17% employees looking for a career change. Employee attitudes have also changed where 80% now want to continue working from home and three quarters of the 1000 polled want flexible and better working conditions.

‘Evolve’ is the name of the game. ✪

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4 Wallet Friendly Apps in the UAE Budgeting and money-saving deserve their due importance. Especially now, since everyone seems to be affected monetarily in one way or the other.

Strategically planning your finances & spends will help create the ocean where you can happily sail your boat. Here are four new apps Khushie Mallya lists that you can use in the UAE which help you in your money-goals.

The Discounter The Discounter is one of the newer apps providing discounts & offers for top vendors in the UAE. You can make some big savings at your favourite restaurants; get offers at salons, spas, and other leisure & entertainment activities; Online shopping deals; also discounts on some services with more categories being added soon.

Repeat – Go More. Pay Less A cool app for restaurant frequenters.

This app rewards you for being a “repeat” customer at a certain restaurant. You get discounts based on the number of times & how frequently you visit a particular place.

The app does not place any restrictions on the menu items and the discounts apply to the total bill.

Toshl – Personal Budget & Expense Tracker Moving our focus from discounts, to keeping track of the monies spent, we have an app called Toshl. It starts by setting up a simple monthly, weekly, daily or any custom period budget in different categories for all your expenses. You can also bring together all of your bank accounts, credit cards, payment services in one place to get a comprehensive view of your income and spends over a short or longer period of time.

Splitwise As the name suggests, Splitwise reduces the headache of splitting the bills and keeping track of monies owed among friends, roommates, and anyone else. The app keeps track of the accounts and one can pay each other back in one big lumpsum, instead of a series of small amounts. The app also sends you email reminders & notifications of upcoming shared bills to ease the worry of forgetting the same. ✪

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IPL to take place from 19th September to 10th November

 Ravindra Jadeja of Chennai Superkings playing against Delhi Capitals during match 7 at the Dream 11 IPL going on at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium

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Photo Credit:: Ron Gaunt-Sportzpics for BCCI

It is finally happening. The event that all lovers of cricket have been unabatedly waiting for. Spanning across three stadiums in the UAE, this years’ IPL will surely be a sight to see. Considering that the process of getting here was tumultuous due to the spread of COVID -19, fans are even more excited and hyped up for this years’ cricket event. The matches will be held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, and the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Considering the fact that many players have shifted teams and there have also been a few new faces in the crowd, the novel dynamics of the game that we haven’t seen yet continue to excite. Everyone is looking forward to the massive event with wide eyes as we wait to see what will happen.

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WAM/Rola Alghoul/Hatem Mohamed

Get your sneakers on...

The Dubai Fitness Challenge is back The city is back to life, thrumming with the pent-up energy of the past few months, and what better way to show it than exercising your recently returned ability to – well, exercise! The Dubai Fitness Challenge’s fourth edition goes live from 30th October till 28th November and boasts exciting opportunities to get your blood pumping – quite literally.

With free classes, healthy eating seminars, workout sessions and more than a fair share of sporting events, this years DFC is guaranteed to be just as thrilling as the last. Of course, don’t forget your safety! Make sure to maintain your distance and bring a mask with you to this mega occasion.

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Events

Fair for the Lovers of Art Being an art connoisseur is as enthusing as it is expensive – looking for good quality pieces that one can afford to have is an arduous process usually, but not this month!

World Art Dubai is coming as the region’s largest affordable retail art fair, for anyone and everyone looking for original art. More than three thousand original works by those ranging from solo artists to large and renowned galleries, all from $100 onwards.

Pop-art, expressionists, fine art, photography, fine-artists, calligraphers and more these works come from a variety of cultures and backgrounds. With people from well over thirty countries participating, it is no exaggeration to call it a melting pot of creativity.

It is a must-see event for those who are remotely interested in fine arts, and highly recommended for those who aren’t. Join these artists on 8th to 10th October at the World Trade Centre for this arty event! ✪ Photo Credit: Worldartdubai.com

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COVER STORY

INS T I T U T ING NEW

TRIUMPHS IN U AE ’S

BROADCAST BUSINESS

Have you ever wondered how successful entrepreneurs turn their dreams into reality? What drives them to push the envelope, create change, and advance their industries? Mahmood Rahma is one such distinctive Emirati Entrepreneur, who shares with ASPIRE his views, and also how he transformed his ideas, goals, and passions into reality.

By Rizwan Z Butta

During the visit to the Elysee palace in Paris

IN MY VISION, THE TIME IS NEAR WHERE UAE WILL HAVE AN INTERNATIONAL NEWS BROADCAST CENTRE THAT WILL BE ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL SOURCES OF INFORMATION IN THE REGION AND GLOBALLY 2 0 2 0 — O C T O B E R — ASPIRE

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F For someone passionate about journalism right from a very young age, it is no surprise that Mahmood Rahma, CEO of Our Media Group of companies, has emerged as one of the most successful and creative Media and Broadcasting entrepreneur in the whole of the United Arab Emirates.

Author to the only book published on Newsgathering in Arabic; nominated for the ‘Broadcast Arabia Awards’ in 2019; a high-profile media official in one of the highest government offices of UAE, Rahma is the man who established the first-ever International Video and Broadcast Service Agency in the UAE. Through his vision and authority over editorial and technical aspects of the Media Industry, his company is now the most known business house across the globe for its special set of media services. The group also has a Public Relations Company and a grand Training Institute for people seeking to learn media skills.

In Pursuit of a Dream “It is vital to ask yourself, what your dream is?” says Mahmood Rahma. He has learnt this with Journalists ID in time and distinguished himself Majid Magazine for in a way that sets him apart and children (1984) ahead of others in his field. More than a decade ago, he was into core journalism and was witnessing the most high-profile activities, events, and happenings around the globe. Over the years he got opportunities to travel to various destinations and share the most prolific newsrooms.

He muses as he says, “The journey has never been my destination. Time has been a good friend and mentor. The journey continues and now it is a different phase.”

He recollects how he started building these businesses one by one. He was aware that the core requirement was to allocate the precise resources that would meet all the advanced needs. In a smart move, he gathered the best international media industry brains to form a strong team.

Once the operations were underway, the company started to build repute for its specialization in the international

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broadcast industry and corporate production. Since then Our Media has become the most famous name in its field globally.

In discussion with Aspire, Mr. Rahma said, “I look for solutions that feel futuristic, social, and authentic and are about more than just business development. Once I feel I have a good concept in front of me, I aim to bring it into operation at the earliest. Working on my business projects makes me happy and if a person is happy about his work and loves what he does, he is more productive.”

His Journey to Journalism Born in an Emirati family of eight brothers and sisters, Mahmood Rahma is the seventh of the siblings. He studied in a public school in Dubai until high secondary, and though journalism was what his young heart held, fate had him join the National Program for the preparation of Emirati Engineers at Dubai Aluminium Company (Dubal) in Jebel Ali. He joined DUBAL Aluminium as an engineering trainee and completed his studies in Mechanical Engineering at the DUBAL Training Centre, earning his engineering diploma from The City & Guilds College, London. But engineering was never his dream and he was in quest of something that he truly missed, and so he quit from DUBAL and joined

Visit to the Pentagon for an official Conference

I LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS THAT FEEL FUTURISTIC, SOCIAL, AND AUTHENTIC AND ARE ABOUT MORE THAN JUST BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT. ONCE I FEEL I HAVE A GOOD CONCEPT IN FRONT OF ME, I AIM TO BRING IT INTO OPERATION AT THE EARLIEST

On his visit to CSIS Center for Strategic & International Studies, Washington

Etisalat as a customer service officer.

Whilst working at Etisalat, he stumbled upon his childhood dream of working in the media, and by now his ambition was greater than just working at a traditional media establishment. He joined Al-Jazeera Satellite Network in Qatar in 2000, which he says was the true start of his career as a media professional.

This is what he had always been aiming for since he was a kid and went on to complete media studies while working at Al Jazeera, finally getting a master’s degree in journalism.

He left Al Jazeera in 2010 in the position of a team leader.

Returning to the UAE, he joined the Bayonne Group as a Director of Current Affairs and later moved to Abu Dhabi TV as Editor-in-Chief.

An Entrepreneur or a Businessman There is a difference between an Entrepreneur and a Businessman, he tells us. He further goes on to explain that to recognize the difference between the two, it is crucial to understand the contrasting personality traits underlying these two individuals. The argument, he says, revolves around the variation in the conduct of the two psyches when it comes to handling the day-to-day situations that a typical company or organization may face.

“I consider myself to be an entrepreneur”, he states with a hint of pleasure and pride.

A businessman, according to him, hires a dedicated team

Training the Emirati youth on a lesson in media

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INTERVIEW

OU MAY HAVE TO TAKE A Y DETOUR AND YOU MAY BE ENGAGED IN SOMETHING YOU MAY NOT HAVE WISHED FOR, BUT IF YOU KEEP THAT AMBITION ALIVE, LIFE WILL ALWAYS PROVIDE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO FULFIL ALL YOUR DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS of professionals to execute the plans for business expansion. He focuses more on increasing the profit margin and increasing market recognition for an increase in the number of customers. A professional environment is essentially maintained by the business organizers and managers so that the accuracy of work is optimum.

Comparatively, an entrepreneur he believes maintains a friendly atmosphere for his team so that the flow of creativity and communication of ideas in the out do not get hampered. Moreover, he adds that an entrepreneur is sensitive when it comes to the subject of his innovations and hence focuses on building a faithful group of individuals who can carry his legacy even after he departs from the enterprise. “Entrepreneurs learn to see hidden opportunities where others stick with what is out there in the open”.

“Learning how to think in an entrepreneurial way allows you to stay one step ahead of your competition, whether it is with your own business or with other aspects of your life. Everyone has a different perspective on what he or she would find useful. Learning to think like an entrepreneur means learning to use that unique perspective to improve or create products and services for others”, he shares his wisdom with us.

The Many Versions of His Life “My life has many versions and the love of my professional career is the media industry”, he says with a gleam in his eyes. This is the reason why he went on to share all the information about ‘Newsgathering’ and authored a book specifically on the subject to help the newcomers and others to understand all about media, broadcasting, and newsgathering.

Rahma aims to take Our Media towards the top three international Video and Broadcast agencies in the world.

He tells us that the leading international agency Associated Press coordinates with his company for all their operations in UAE. He further goes on to add that the company

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Addressing the audience on National Day, in the Ministry of Presidential Affairs

With son Majid on his Master’s Degree Graduation Day

has been actively providing solutions and services to all the top international news broadcasters. Be it the British broadcaster, Russians, Japanese, European, United States, Latin America, Australia/New Zealand, Asians, or the Arab broadcasters, Our Media has worked with any channel that you can think and name.

“I take pride in saying that we have made our name internationally, for this sort of business as an Emirati organization. The aim behind my business is to glorify Emirati citizen to be the world best in every field of life”, he states with delight.

This was the very thought behind establishing a Training Organization. The business focuses on bringing practical

after his son got married and he loves spending some quality time with them when he isn’t immersed in his business expansion plans.

The Future Beckons Keeping up with the latest and adding new tools to his repertoire of business solutions is what Mahmood Rahma does exceedingly well. He is constantly seeking something new and has a couple of projects expected to start in due course. The first one in the pipeline he tells us is a News Broadcast Centre exclusively run by the Emirati youth. The young aspirants will be educated and trained by Our Media Group on all the technical, editorial, production, and presentation aspects of With grandson Mohamed the job. Everything, from A to Z will be done by this young Emirati force. This is a unique concept and sets the foundation for future broadcasting leadership for UAE. With his eyes set at the future, he said, “In my vision, the time is near where UAE will have an International News Broadcast Centre that will be one of the most powerful sources of information in the region and globally. Things are leading to this destination and I have my plans ready for this step as well. In the end, we all want to make this country the most prosperous and become the leading nation in the world to set trends knowledge and training for stuin Media and Broadcasting as well.” dents who look to step into a caTo make sure that he is on track to achievreer in media and production. It ing his goals he first works on having a firm helps that he himself is a trainer grasp of what is missing from his knowledge endorsed by the Internationbase. He then seeks out experts in various al Board of Certified Trainers. fields and educates himself on Though the training organiza LEARNING HOW TO THINK solutions to fill in the gaps. He adtion is not limited to the youth, mits that since he only has a curIN AN ENTREPRENEURIAL sory understanding of the techniat the same time its focus mainly is the next generation which reWAY ALLOWS YOU TO STAY cal aspects needed to build his quires a foundation that can help he compensates by getting ONE STEP AHEAD OF YOUR vision, them reach the highest possible a deep comprehension of the proCOMPETITION, WHETHER cess and its requirements to make goals, which the organization is doing so fabulously well. sure that his technical team is doIT IS WITH YOUR OWN His other business of Public the right thing and all that is BUSINESS OR WITH OTHER ing Relations and media companies necessary to get him the output he ASPECTS OF YOUR LIFE offer internships and job opporseeks. He will sometimes go on a tunities, preferably to Emirati manhunt to find the specialist who citizens. The purpose, he quickly adds, is not to differentiate could help him strengthen his intellectual capacity of any between the residents and citizen, but to aid the vision of additional knowledge or skill that may be essential to see having Emirati talent skilled with every section of modern the project through successful completion. technologies and solutions.

Never give up on your dreams and goals is his message to Closer to home his love is his two children and a grand- the readers. “You may have to take a detour and you may be child he adores. A short-lived marriage, led to him taking engaged in something you may not have wished for, but if care of his son Majid till he got a bachelor’s degree in Law you keep that ambition alive, life will always provide you an from France, and a Master’s degree in Diplomatic and Inter- opportunity to fulfil all your dreams and aspirations. Undernational Law from the Sorbonne University; and his daugh- stand your strengths and work on your weaknesses. Never ter Reem finished her bachelor’s degree in psychology from get carried away nor give it up so quickly”, with conviction Zayed University in Dubai. His small family has now grown he thus concludes. ✪ 2 0 2 0 — O C T O B E R — ASPIRE

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> w a h S y d n e W ♥

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I have never had a career plan; it’s been a journey of timely opportunities. I have no regrets from the challenges as everything has led me to be who I am today.”

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INTERVIEW

mind game W Wendy Shaw is a licensed trainer of three mBIT (multiple Brain Integration Techniques) programs: mBIT Coach Certification, Leadership Decision Making and Evolve your World.

She is also an NLP expert and experienced Executive Coach living in the UAE for the last 20 years.

By Shagufta Patel

endy started her career as a Trainee Cook in her hometown Exeter in the UK, working in restaurants, hotels and a residential home for people of determination. Around the same time, she got married with the thought that all was settled for living happily ever after!

That didn’t last for long though and shortly after getting divorced she suffered chronic back pain and spent 2 years horizontal. She lost her job, her independence & ended up living with her grandmother in Cornwall. In and out of hospital and 18 months of intensive chiropractic treatment left her struggling with depression.

“I have a very supportive and large family, and it was during this time that I valued them most. I had an amazing opportunity to learn from my Grandmother and one of her many philosophy’s was that we can do anything we want to, as long as we work hard”, she says recalling fondly.

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INTERVIEW

A career of opportunities

to training new receptionists again and she felt ready for another chalAs she got back on her feet, she lenge. That’s when she got a call from was unable to cook anymore, so she worked hard to learn new skills: touch her uncle Jack who lived in Dubai.

She says as she looks back, “I have typing, IT, teaching and assessor qualnever had a career plan. It’s ifications. Once qualified been a journey of timely and with chiropractic ad justments reduced to every Wendy at one of opportunities and most roles I have really enjoyed and 4 weeks, she was offered a her mBraining excelled at. I have no regrets role as Training Manager workshops for a hotel group in London where she had to train receptionists on 3 different front desk systems.

“It was a giant stretch and a steep learning curve.

Re-training every computerized department in the biggest hotel in Western Europe was huge for me and I loved it!” she says.

After the demanding project was completed, she hit boredom when it was back

from the challenges I have faced, which have forced me to change direction as everything has led me to be who I am today.”

Discovering essential life skills She first discovered NLP (neuro linguistic programming) back in 2001 shortly after arriving in Dubai. She remembers feeling frustrated that she didn’t discover NLP while at school because effective communication (with yourself and others) and success strategies are essential life skills.

Whilst working with InterContinental Hotels Group, she incorporated NLP into all areas of her life, conversations and training and went on to do the NLP Practitioner program which included Time-Line Therapy ® and Hypnosis certifications.

“As an Area Training Manager, I loved my role; the travel, the personal development opportunities,

mBIT is powerful stuff and this new coaching modality supported by neuroscience picks up where NLP left off running development centers, supporting 8 hotels across the region and global projects. We had a great team and there were always new projects on the horizon.”

She left the corporate scene when her boss changed, and it was apparent that they had different set of values that stopped her from enjoying going to work each day as deep down she had lost her spark and motivation.

Life after corporate Hindsight is a wonderful thing she says, feeling thankful for that push to step out of corporate to become a freelance trainer. “The scariest thing about moving away from a job was not having a guaranteed monthly salary. I had some limiting beliefs about how much I could earn, which I

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cleared during the NLP Master Practitioner program.”

Since her uncle owned Matrix Consulting, it was an easy transition for her to join the team.

Here she loved designing new programs, delivering corporate trainings and supporting the NLP Certification programs. It is here that she also explored coaching and really enjoyed helping people one to one.

Carol Talbot who she worked with under Matrix Training Solutions was her very good friend, NLP Master Trainer and mentor and they worked well both independently and together.

Wendy became certified as a Trainer of NLP and they together co-delivered 45+ certification programs.

When her uncle Jack retired in 2008, she became a partner of Matrix Consulting, supporting the PR team.

Working as an associate trainer for Cubiks, Kompass Consulting, Phi Management and iOpener brought even more opportunities to travel and deliver different content to new audiences. She joined BNI in 2010, which also generated an opportunity to become the BNI Master Trainer for the UAE & Qatar leading to more travel opportunities and collaborations with global initiatives and regional projects for 560+ business leaders.

Discovering The Multiple Brains!

In 2014 she attended the mBIT Coach Certification Program. “It was powerful stuff and this new coaching modality is supported by neuroscience which fascinates me and picks up where NLP left off,” she says with an emphatic smile.

“It deeply resonated with me and I was hungry to learn even more.

I immediately signed up for Trainers Training and two months later was privileged to learn directly with the mBraining co-founder, Grant Soosalu and 2 Master Trainers Wil-

bert & Suzanne,” she adds.

Crisis vs Opportunity Crisis came knocking in 2017 when Carol & she amicably went their own separate directions. Wendy then set up a new business along with another partner which unfortunately went south. “It wasn’t my passion and I suffered with gut issues and weight loss.

The business was proving unhealthy for me. Finally, I stopped and listened to my gut and knew I had to take action,” she reminisces.

With so many challenges facing her, she would spend Friday mornings at the beach with a notebook and explore each issue using mBraining. This helped her to stay calm, check in with her feelings, connect with what was truly important, explore ideas and options and then identify specific actions that she

Asking for help is never easy and takes courage. It isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of wisdom could take to move forwards.

In retrospection she says, “Asking for help is never easy and takes courage, yet one of my biggest learnings was discovering that there were many people who offered their support and grabbed the opportunity to help me.”

With a close group of BNI friends she formed a powerful team of professionals and in January 2018 she created mBrain.me. Within a couple of weeks, she was gifted with the branding, website and brochures.

Quoting Grant Soosalu, co-founder of mBraining, who said, “Collaboration and community is the way forward” she went on to collaborate with other companies which meant opening up more than one revenue stream. She humbly acknowledges that her reputation and credibility with her clients and network over the last decade certainly helped her recover through the tougher times.

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INTERVIEW

Grant Soosalu, co-founder of mBraining, has said, “Collaboration and Community is the way forward”

2020 One of the goals she set in January 2020 was to build the mBrain.me community to 2020 members… and then the global pandemic appeared!

“Even with my large toolbox of multiple Brain Integration Techniques (mBIT), Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), Time Line Therapy® and Hypnosis, I’m human first and I wobbled. I felt the fear, I consumed too much media and quickly discovered that isolation is incredibly lonely,” as she grappled to transition to host online weekly meetings, which meant she had to fast track her own online presenting and facilitation skills and get to effectively use the way around Zoom.

After dipping into her toolbox to explore her multiple brains using mBraining, her gut urged her to take action to help support others. That is how ‘Afternoon PositiviTEA’ an online weekday meetup was set up, where the focus is on positivity (no mention of virus, religion or politics).

There are many people who have joined in from the UAE and also dialing in from Hong Kong, UK, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, New Zealand, Australian, Canada and the USA. Hosting these online sessions led to collaborating with a couple of organizations to host similar sessions for their teams plus a leadership series, as she continues to offer webinars to support business leaders, managers and employees helping them with NLP and mBraining guided processes.

She is also collaborating with mBraining Trainers and Coaches around the globe providing free resources at www.mBrainingTheWorld. com. Another BNI collaboration is

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the online CreActive Camp for Kids for 8 to 16 year old’s. From wishing she had discovered NLP at school, she feels amazing now to be able to help these youngsters explore such powerful life skills at an early age.

Compassion in action Here are Wendy’s biggest life lessons that she shares with us: • In every crisis there is an opportunity. Keep breathing!

• We can do anything, as long as it aligns with our values and lights us up • Keep learning and growing • Listen to the heart and gut. Involve them both in decision making and check in with them regularly • Resilience. Even in the darkest times there is hope

• Life throws challenges at us to make us stronger and change our direction • Courage. Ask for help and then allow people to help. It isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of wisdom • Collaborate with others • Continue building your community and network • Bring compassion, creativity and courage into the daily practices “I really enjoy the opportunities that create more awareness of mBraining.

Thank you to my coaches, teachers and mentors, my friends & family, the BNI community and the mBraining Global Community that have helped and supported me. As much as I enjoy connecting online, I look forward to training mBIT in person very soon,” she ends on a happy note. ✪

INTERVIEW

the

Woman who dominates

Influencer

Marketing

in

Dubai

We are head on into the digital era and we yet have no idea about its extremes. The roles are redefined and now the ‘Influencers’ have become the giants of the digital marketing space, who have changed the idea of business development, branding, and outreach strategies. Agree or not, but we love to watch them – all that they do, wear, eat, or buy. The Influencers are the ones setting trends and we are lapping up notes from their feeds. Rizwan Z Bhutta tells us that it is no different here in Dubai from the rest of the world.

ASPIRE reached out to the dynamic Maria Kazi, CEO of Mour Media to give us insights about influencer marketing and her goals as a woman entrepreneur. Maria, successful today, started building everything from scratch in 2017. She is an illustration & inspiration for women of South

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Asia and Middle East, who wish to embark on the same voyage.

Maria is also a Media Maven and a TV Presenter, which provides her an advantage over other influencers in creating content and the strategies for its outreach. Leading business houses in UAE take benefit from her strength

in the influencer marketing space as her agency Mour Media handles over two hundred Influencers in Dubai.

This is how it all began Although initially starting a career from a corporate health sector, Maria was always interested in media as profession. While producing content for her company, it was getting difficult to make the presenters do the show as she wanted it. Eventually it led to the decision of hosting and presenting her own shows which later lead to projects with other clients and broadcasters.

“A Video Presenter must know what is required for him or her on screen, to be in charge of the show,” she said. One needs the ‘wow’ factor to be the face of the show and for the audience connection, which is one quality that a presenter definitely needs to possess.

Her journey as presenter made it easier for her business ventures she remarks candidly.

next move, which I never share with any one until they see it happen. It is only you who know the real struggle and story behind your success. Let your actions speak. And always remember that a positive attitude towards good and a smart move towards the bad is a perfect formula for being successful,” quotes Maria.

Talking about the future, she says that she loves the surprises that life offers her and does not plan her future at all, doing what is required at the given time to fulfil the targets and not get distracted from her path.

Connecting brands to people Maria believes that every business, not only in UAE but all over the world, require to have an influencer on board who can connect the brand to their followers based on their need.

“I genuinely consider that even

More to Maria Although running a rewarding business, she is happy being an Influencer as well. She believes that no matter whatever stage you reach in life, there is no top or end to it! That is why she constantly keeps working on being better and going with the flow. Being an influencer is not her end-goal, rather a route which is leading her further ahead in her career path.

She says mysteriously, “it’s just another part of Maria Kazi, you will see more of it!”

She adds, “My aim is to constantly enhance myself and assess my strategies each day. There is no threshold to what I intend to carry out. Anything I am doing today is just a beginning and a route towards something great!”

As a businesswoman she strongly emphasises on being the best and always on top of the game.

Trust your intuitions, she advices.

“Success is never accomplished by a number. Deep inside I know my

Everyone is already an influencer. They might not know it, but they are certainly influencing their surroundings in one way or another 2 0 2 0 — O C T O B E R — ASPIRE

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INTERVIEW

if one follower responds to my review or promotion, that one person would turn to be a customer to the brand.

This is the strength of an Influencer,” she unquestionably states.

Adoring what she does, she passionately creates & uploads her content on time for people who wait for her posts. Though a job, she does not find it hectic as her happiness lies in it.

She does not even need a scheduler to remind her to post as she is so charged up all the time doing what makes her happy.

Adding here she says that creating content certainly is laborious and the brands must value the time and effort an influencer takes to create the content.

While she supports the many brands that reach out to her, be it paid or as a barter deal, she doesn’t appreciate the people who do not value her work. Dignity & Honour comes first for the lady and she declines the offers that do not sync in with her values.

As a guideline for new influencers she incites them to use the freedom of expression for their feed, but within the protocols of the social platform being used.

Anyone can be an influencer “Basically, everyone is already an influencer. They might not know it, but they are certainly influencing their surroundings in one way or another.

So why not do it officially over a social media platform,” Maria urges every single person.

Every second woman she meets, she asks what they are doing and will then encourage them to blog. “A girl is already doing what she loves to do, so why not to show it to people, which is a win for both her and the people who would be following her,” she reasons.

“I would like every woman to trust me on this; everyone can do it and

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No matter whatever stage you reach in life, there is no top or end to it. Do not compete with anyone, only aim at being a better version of yourself.

you can start even today, because it is easy, and will give you much better opportunities you never thought you could have. Do not compete with anyone, only aim at being a better version of yourself. If you love what you do than the platform is waiting for you.

All the best and never hesitate to take off your journey. Keep shining girls!” she beams.

The names that inspire her One of her favourite female entrepreneurs outside UAE is Priyanka Chopra, who according to Maria is not only flourishing in her career but is also one of the few public figures who has made smart choices at the peak of her career. She adds that Priyanka dresses with consummate

elegance which makes her the best among her league.

“We are living in the world where appearance matters, where you wear the money, more so for women than the men. It upsets me, but this is the harsh reality we live in. A few people might get a chance due to good luck or referral, for most others they get to hear the insensitive truth – you are not ugly, just poor,” she tells in a matter of fact way.

Her vote closer home goes to Dr. Sara Madani, who she finds to be very intelligent, very inspirational and at the same time a very humble individual. “Dr. Sara delivers the right message to the community and I have learned so much from her,” she admits.

For Maria it is all about keeping the heart pure, no matter how successful one gets. Goodness begets goodness and you reap what you sow. It’s that simple she says and so one always needs to choose smartly. ✪

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What’s your IQ –

PRO TALK

IMAGE QUOTIENT?

Image Management helped me revamp my wardrobe with right outfits & accessories. I not only received many compliments from friends & colleagues, it also helped boost my confidence in public forums” ALOK GUPTA

the Regional Head of Financial Crime Analytics, International Bank

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ASPIRE — O C T O B E R — 2 0 2 0

A

lok Gupta, Regional Head of Financial Crime Analytics at one of the leading international banks in UAE held a good position at work; however, at times he felt his outfits weren’t too impactful and doing much at uplifting his personal image at public forums and events. After some self assessment he decided to alter the way in which he presented himself which led him to be more confident in public gatherings and consequently also changed the way people now responded to him.

All Alok did was work with a professional consultant to manage his image to get him the results he desired. It is absolutely critical as

Photo Credit: Unsplash-Austin Distel

People & Parent Coach, Changévangelist

Shagufta Patel

Your image has a lot to do with your success which is never accidental or random. You create opportunities every time you interact with the world.

Read on to know how you can make a lasting impression on another and make your success even exceed your own expectations by managing your image well.

to how you are managing your image which is an ongoing pro-active process of evaluating, creating & controlling the impact of your image on yourself and the others, which is also always evolving. It changes every so often with every change in your beliefs, lifestyle, and desires. To manage your image, you also need to align it with your vision and goals.

According to a research by the Harvard Study of Communications, one forms an impression within just 5–7 secs of meeting a person. These impressions can be based on the shoes the person is wearing, the way he/she shake hands to the tone of his/her voice—it can be just about anything or everything about that person.

Dr. Michael Sunnafrank, Professor in the Department of Communication, College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota, coined a theory based on the science of First Impressions called the ‘Predicted Value Outcome Theory’, which says that a person will have decided the outcome of his interaction within the first few secs of meeting you. If the predicted outcome is positive the interaction will be increased and vice-versa—it’s more like a self-fulfilling prophecy.

It is imperative then that you are always aware of what and how you portray yourself to the outer world. The world will perceive and form an image of you based on what it sees.

The impression formed about you will affect the way the world then interacts with you, which in turn will affect your success.

So what is Image Management?

Barbara Walters, the famous American broadcast journalist, author, and television personality, had said, “There are times in life when it isn’t too melodramatic to say that your destiny lies in the impression you make.”

And would she be right! Impressions are very important because they can be the determining factor between sure-shot success and the classic miss between the cup and the lip. The impression one makes, fortunately or unfortunately, is the all-important factor for people to choose if they want to go ahead with their interaction with you or not, be it socially or professionally. After all people like to do business with people they like & trust.

Positive self-representation increases your

Positive self-representation increases your confidence & credibility and is an open invitation for others to get to engage with you more leading to more success. confidence & credibility and is an open invitation for others to get to engage with you more, contributing to continuing success. Some people have a natural ability to present themselves in a charismatic way. Some, however, are not there yet. Building up an Image that is authentic, attractive, appropriate & affordable is a skill that everyone can learn and apply to influence personal & professional success.

All it requires is an understanding of the five broader fundamental elements that make up a person’s Image—the A B C D E of image, as it is called.

• Appearance & Grooming • Body Language, Beliefs & Behaviors • Communication • Digital Imprint • Energetic Influence 2 0 2 0 — O C T O B E R — ASPIRE

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Photo Credit: Pexels-Jessica Ticozzelli

When image matters

PRO TALK

try these

* Coordinate your socks with your trousers and not with your shoes. * Match your metals – watches, buckles, shoe adornments, eye- frames, accessories. * Watch your hand-shake – firm, not limp & loose. * At the table wait for your host to begin eating. * ALL CAPS in email is akin to shouting. * Greet the person with their name. * LinkedIn is not a social platform. Photos of cats, babies and night-outs is a misfit here.

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Photo Credit: Pexels-Fauxels

TIPS Image is a science because it has elements, and it is also an art because these elements need to come together in beautiful harmony Each of these elements has within them a myriad of sub-elements that together contribute to your overall image. It is not only about creating a good impression, but also an image that’s lasting in the mind of others long after they have left you.

The Art and Science of Image Management Managing one’s image is a science because it has elements, and it is an art because if these elements do not come together in beautiful harmony, what you will get is a picture that others and you yourself may not like or appreciate.

When you meet someone, what you first see is their appearance, then comes body language & behavior and lastly communication. At all times, you will also sense their energies, or vibes, as we better know it as, which is greatly influenced by thoughts, belief systems and their aura. You might have also looked up their social media profiles (Insta, FB, LinkedIn), which by the way speaks a lot about a person from all that is expressed by way of information, words, pictures, comments and shares.

Even before we exchange a “Hello,” we have alreday created an impression in our mind, which will ultimately decide the future interaction and relationship with each other.

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Can an impression be changed?

Yes, certainly. That is where the idiom ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’ brings relief.

However, for that to happen, a person has to be in constant contact with the other for a period of at least eight to ten months. But this is, in a sense, luxury, for this can happen only if the person is within your circles for that period. Even then, the scales can tip either ways.

Conversely, when given a choice, what will hold true in all cases is the phrase—‘First impression is the last impression.’ If you fail to create an impact in the minds of someone in the first few moments of meeting them, most people will likely not meet or be inclined to interact with you a second time.

Image management is all about respect—respect for the self and others as well as respect for occasions, roles, and goals at home, in the school, in the community and at the workplace. It is about being a creator of your own destiny as Barbara rightly says. Your image is your identity. Own it to let the world know you have arrived. ✪ SHAGUFTA PATEL IS A CHANGÉVANGELIST, A PEOPLE & PARENT COACH AND CAN BE REACHED AT SHAGUFTA@CHANGEWITHRENAE.COM

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YOU ARE NOT THE PROBLEM

PRO TALK

A

few days ago, I was reading Do the Work! by Stephen Pressfield.

It’s a wonderful little book that elaborates on the scuffle we feel whenever confronted by a problem. More often than not it isn’t the actual issue per se that causes us the grief, rather it is our knack of coming up with a million reasons, excuses, alibis and justifications as to why we can’t or shouldn’t or won’t do what we know we ought to be doing in order to overcome the issue. This propensity is what Stephen calls as ‘resistance’ and he goes on to share the most profound piece of wisdom I have ever read: “The problem is not you. The problem is the problem. It’s hard because it’s hard. The solution is mechanical. Work the problem.”

The “problem” could mean anything. It might refer to your tendency to procrastinate, a bad habit you want to quit, a healthy behaviour you’re

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Photo Credit: Unsplash-Volodymyr Hryshchen

Speaker, Strategist, Goal-Catalyst

Sabeeh Ghugharia

We have all faced a challenging situation at one point or the other. Be it a student, a housewife, a parent, an executive or a CEO; ‘problems’ seem to be a part of each one’s life. Is there was a methodical way of looking at a problem to overcome it? Well, there is one and you can learn about it here.

avoiding, a puzzle you’re trying to solve, an interpersonal problem at work, or even an actual math problem. Indeed, it applies to nearly every challenge we face in life, and it has since then become one of the cornerstones of my personal philosophy.

Let’s unpack & decipher the quote and see in a little more depth what the author is telling us: “The problem is not you.”

The fact that something is challenging is not a sign that something is wrong with you the person. You are not the problem. Your unique personality, brain, and genes are not the reason a situation is difficult.

“The problem is the problem.”

The challenge you’re facing is an entity separate from yourself. It is the problem. It is the source of the difficulty. You may feel entangled with the problem, but once you solve it, you can be sure it will pass. The problem will be gone, and you will still be here, free of it.

“The solution is mechanical.”

There is a way to solve this problem, and it involves the application of tools and tactics rather than brute-force willpower or raw intellect. Be strategic. And you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Odds are, your problem is very similar to one faced by countless other people. Someone else has already worked out the solution. Learn from their methods.

“Work the problem.”

Knowing what to do to solve the problem isn’t enough. You have to actually do the work of solving it (hence the title of Pressfield’s book).

Steadily and faithfully apply the techniques that have been shown to be effective, and you will eventually overcome the problem. There is no magic pill or special secret that will instantly

Photo Credit: Unsplash-Karla Hernandez

“It’s hard because it’s hard.”

The struggle you’re experiencing is due to the fact that you’re confronting a challenge maybe genuinely difficult for you. Difficulty is normal. Many things in life are hard, and despite how it may seem, they’re also hard for a lot of other people too. You are not alone. It is not a personal inadequacy; its just plain difficult only till such time that you learn a skill to overcome it easily.

There is no magic pill or special secret that will instantly solve the problem. You have to be methodical and patient. solve the problem. You have to be methodical and patient. The mechanical solution is likely to be a step-by-step process. You have to take those steps. You have to work the problem.

So, the next time you are beset by a frustrating, seemingly impossible problem, remember Pressfield’s wise words, recognise the resistance that is stopping you from ‘doing the work’ and work the problem not letting it define you or your life. ✪ SABEEH IS A COACH AND A PURPOSE STRATEGIST AND CAN BE REACHED ON DRSAB.ISIN@GMAIL.COM 2 0 2 0 — O C T O B E R — ASPIRE

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Is your Ecommerce trade

STANDING ON THE RIGHT PILLARS?

As the world adapts to a new way of living, a lot of businesses are now migrating from the traditional mode of selling to connecting with their buyers online. Ecommerce isn’t new and yet it has arrived in a big way.

Read on to edify yourself on the finer nuances of the trade.

2020

brought us face-toface with pre-covid and post-covid era, where life as we knew it, flipped from ‘Being social’ to ‘Being Socially distanced’. This changed the very fabric of human relationship & interactions as we know it to be.

However, amidst all the chaos, the resilience of our human race to adapt and rise above unforeseen calamities has indeed been commendable.The self-quarantine mode thrust on us bought in a plethora of changes including our purchase habits of goods and services. Retail was one of the worst hit sectors that got caught

ASPIRE — O C T O B E R — 2 0 2 0

totally off-guard during these testing times.

Adaptability is the key Ecommerce, pioneered by Michael Aldrichin 1979, and picked up by stalwarts like Jeff Bezos and other numerous global and local online marketplaces across the globe tried to bridge consumer demand left by this sudden absence of retail. The digital ecosystem with its 70 years of evolution, seemed to be positioned in the right place at the right time with its dynamic framework and low cost connectivity to fill the void that the covid outbreak brought in.

The challenge to survive this calamity

Photo Credit: Freepik

Digital Marketing Expert & ECommerce strategist

Sunil Nair

PRO TALK

The 5Ps of ecommerce revolves around merchandising, technology, operations, marketing and logistics.

Operations

Marketing

Ecommerce has now become the new normal As more and more people adapt and become comfortable carrying out digital transactions, ecommerce, as we now know it, is well poised to become the new face of retail. As businesses gear up to ride this juggernaut, Statista estimates the global ecommerce market to pass $2 trillion in 2020.

Technology

$

E-COMMERCE

Merchandising

Logistics

The 5 Pillars of Ecommerce

The Merchandising Pillar

With increased pressure on retail outlets to expand their online presence and for existing ecommerce companies to step up and compete, the focus on what constitutes the pillars on which retail businesses can establish their ecommerce business successfully needs to be focused upon.

The 5Ps of ecommerce, as we call it, revolves around identifying the right opportunity, coupled with merchandising, technology, operations, marketing and logistics. Each of these pillars can further be demarcated into smaller divisions. Each of these sub-sections must tick in rhythm and combine together to form a successful ecommerce venture.

Through a series of 5 articles, it would be my effort to shed some light on this alignment process to enable successful ecommerce ventures.

Before we get to the pillars you will first need to identify the right opportunity.

Following the three steps given below, will help you identify and spot an opportunity that can then be aligned to ones’ knowledge or skill and converted into marketable new products or services.

1. Observe upcoming trends. Study how customers interact with products.

2. Recognize problems and develop innovative ways to solve them.

3. Identify ‘Gaps’ in the Marketplace.

The best business ideas are often right in front of you. One just needs to feel a pressing need and then work up a solution to address that need.

One of the most important pillars of all the five, “Right Merchandising” makes the whole difference between “Stuck Up” or “Stock Lots” or a fast moving inventory.

Merchandising comes with its own 6R’s which is defined as the “Right Product” at the “Right Place” at the “Right Time” at the “Right Price” and in the “Right Quantity”.

Getting the above component right is absolutely necessary and builds the base of any ecommerce business.

Along with cataloguing, product shoots, content management, inventory management; merchandising crosses over to numerous divisions to arrive at the right combinations in sync with the defined 6R’s.

In my endeavour to shed more light on this complex framework of ecommerce, we shall go into more depths of merchandising in the next issue.

For now, as we continue on with the year let’s gear ourselves to rise above the brickbats and look for brilliant breaks instead. Adaptability certainly is the key to survival and success. ✪

Illustration: Freepik; Photo Credit: Pexels-Suzy Hazelwood

also brought with it, opportunities to those businesses which were ready to embrace digital transformation and adopt innovative approaches. The massive shift in consumer behaviour during the pandemic towards ecommerce pushed segments like on-demand delivery services of fresh produce, online education, e-pharmacies, gaming to OTT platforms, online collaborative tools, etc to go on an overdrive.

Merchandising comes with its own 6R’s * Right Product * Right Place * Right Time * Right Price * Right Quantity

SUNIL NAIR IS A DIGITAL MARKETING EXPERT & ECOMMERCE STRATEGIST, CAN BE REACHED AT SUNILSN72@GMAIL.COM 2 0 2 0 — O C T O B E R — ASPIRE

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COMMUNITY SERVICE

Creating a preventive health mindset “Panacea” means a universal remedy or solution to all problems and is the name of a multi-specialty primary health care facility that offers outpatient services in the Umm Hurair area of Dubai.

E

stablished in March 2011, Panacea Medical & Wellness Centrestrives to live up to its name with a vision to become a leading healthcare organisation that helps patrons achieve and maintain an optimum level of health and wellness. The centre has aligned its CSR activities with their philosophy of preventive health andon its values of knowledge, commitment and trust.

It aims to conduct as many activities as possible to make everyone aware about the importance of preventive health and educate people about common diseases and the steps they can take individually to prevent disease.

“We strive to fulfil our responsibility towards members of the community by creating health and wellness mindfulness via different avenues. We are ever willing to spare our staff and resources for CSR campaigns to serve the community,” said Sonia Satham, Director of Corporate Communications & Operationsat Panacea.

A significant CSR initiative that the centre carries out is the “Wellness Day” for corporates.During one of their complimentary wellness days at a Dubai based corporate, it was found that a 30-year-old male was detected with high BP (180/100 mm Hg), high random blood sugar (235 mg%) and

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high BMI (32) during our testing.

The patient was young, asymptomatic and completely unaware of his health status. His results were totally unexpected. The medical staff at Panacea counselled him about the importance of taking prompt action.

Sonia adds, “Cases such as this reaffirm our belief that wellness days are important and useful. Currently, we are reaching out to our existing patients, their families and communities & corporates known to us.” She also expresses her desire to reach out to more people - those who can

contribute such as health coaches, family counsellors and nutritionists; and those who can benefit such as the HR managers of local corporates, managers of ladies’ clubs and health conscious individuals; which will certainly help in organising better wellness days for more people.

She further goes on to inform us that according to the WHO, a whopping 422 million people are affected by diabetes and 2.09 million by breast cancer. Keeping these statistics in

Breast cancer awareness seminar by Dr Kaul, Specialist Obstetrics and Gynaecology

mind, the centre also organises annual diabetes awareness and breast cancer awareness events to serve the communities around us.

So far Panacea has done complimentary testing for their own patients and staff as well as the staff of CSR friendly organisations such as Mashreq Bank, Bodylines Health club Arjan Rotana, Trovicor, Paramount hotels, GFK Retail marketing, EBIX Asia Pacific, Al Mawrid Printing press, Enhance UAE- W J Towell Group and several other groups, for which it waspresented with the Health Award for Distinguished CSR

by Health magazine in 2017.

In the last three years,Panacea has also organised CSR initiatives for individuals such as the “Walk with us campaign”, the “Panacea plate initiative” and the “Heart health drive” that were again well received.

In addition, the centre also regular-

We strive to fulfil our responsibility towards members of the community by creating health and wellness events and are ever willing to spare our staff and resources for CSR campaigns to serve the community Sonia Satham, Director of Corporate Communications & Operations

Health Day BP and BMI monitoring at a networking event

ly organises seminars at the clinic for staff and patrons on topical subjects.

It has also conducted seminars for nurseries, schools, clubs, banks and local and multinational companies.

To date Panacea has conducted more

than 60 seminars.

Recently, due to the lockdown restrictions, the centre has moved its awareness activities to webinars for corporates and groups. “Due to the pandemic, many people have shown

an interest in topics such as “How to boost your immunity” and “Dos and don’ts of returning to work”. We also send out a newsletter that includes a “Health Focus” section with tips on a wellness topic of interest,” said Sonia.

She goes on to say, with a bit of disappointment though, that it is a challenge to get the majority of people interested in their own health; as they seem to be more interested in other things and ignore their wellbeing until they experience a significant symptom. People prioritise their work and entertainment while physical activity and health awareness take a back seat is what she has observed.

On a different front, the centre in its attempt to go green, has also moved from hard copy records to electronic medical records and have greatly reduced their paper usage by using e-tablets for registrations. They also do their best to recycle whatever little amount of paper still used using a responsible recycling company called Shredex.

Health & wellness education is a very important part of creating a preventive health mindset and the centre gives credit to its team having a selfless mindset that has madethe CSR campaign tick.

Thanking the team at Panacea for supporting these initiatives wholeheartedly without expecting anything in return, Sonia says, “I am trying to make a difference through Panacea’s ongoing CSR efforts, and I hope more people will join in soon.” ✪ 2 0 2 0 — O C T O B E R — ASPIRE

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R&R RE

ST & R

RE S T &

RE

R E AT I O

N-

EC

CR E- ‫٭‬

MOVIES TRAVELERS’ TALES FOOD FARE EXPLORE HOBBIES

Tom Hank’s new war-drama

GREYHOUND

BY RACHIT GUPTA film Critic and screen writer

C

ommitment is what transforms promise into reality. Those are the words of a wise man, the 16th President of the United States of America, Abraham Lincoln. And why are these, seemingly jaded words with a grave, old-school theme so important today? Well, in part because during these mad, modern times of pandemics, lockdowns and cultural misappropriations, human beings have perhaps forgotten about their commitment to being compassionate and understanding.

Tom Hanks’ latest film, Greyhound, released on Apple TV, has strong themes of commitment and integrity.

And perhaps, this old war classic from Hollywood, is a reminder to all of us during these testing and bizarre times, that we must look back at our past, at everything we did right and wrong and learn. Learn, so that we may come out of these uncertain times with the right amount of grit and gumption. History is in reality a guide to understand what should and shouldn’t be done.

Greyhound, directed by Aaron Schneider, who’s previously made the sublime Get Low (2009), is surprisingly written by Hanks. It’s not everyday we get an acting veteran like Hanks penning down a screenplay.

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He’s done it before for Larry Crowne (2011) and That Thing You Do (1996), but those were films he had directed.

Here, the acting legend has taken a deep dive into a war-time epic with gunships, submarines and naval warfare; themes he’s dabbled with before as an actor, but not really as a writer and/or filmmaker. Does he do well with penning the ideas in this battleship-inspired, sea-jargon drama? Aye aye, Cap’n! It is perhaps Hank’s old-school approach that really makes Greyhound such a wonderful cinematic delight.

The film features a convoy of merchant ships sailing through the Atlantic, carrying crucial trade items from America to England and dozens of these ships are escorted by four US and Canadian Navy gunships, led by Commander Krause (Tom Hanks) captain of the destroyer ship Greyhound. Mid-Atlantic, the convoy is attacked by multiple German submarines, then called U-Boats, and Krause, manning the orders, takes

it upon himself to lead the defence against the wily and more-lethal underwater Germans.

What Hank’s writing brings to the table is a masterful 90-minute drama that manages to condense the 300-odd page novel into a crisp and engaging story. Even though the film is short and has plenty of nautical action set-pieces, the narrative retains a novel, dramatic quality, thanks to the musings of its protagonist, Commander Krause. He is a man of honour and integrity, but he has his fair amount of shortcomings too. In his maiden voyage as leader of this dash across the Atlantic Ocean, he realizes he’s responsible for the life and well-being of thousands of sailors and soldiers aboard the 37 ships under his command. A devout believer in Jesus, Krause, finds his own burden unrelenting, but he makes peace with his adversity by being committed, disciplined and brave.

It is these qualities of Krause, that make him a veritable relic of a human

There is a sea of difference between life lessons in a movie and the kind of tides and waves that real-life can throw at you being, by modern standards. He gives more importance to prayers than to food, has oodles of patience even during the most stressful situations and doesn’t appreciate expletives from his battleship crewmen. But for all his jaded idealism, Hank’s manages to present Krause as a man who tackles

adversity with resilience. The captain doing his best to protect his fleet of ships from the raging sea and the ravenous Germans, rises up to the occasion through sheer and infallible dedication to his responsibility. Over the course of 50-odd hours, he refuses to sit down even once, glossing over

the idea of eating and resting. Tirelessly like an old guard he stays put in the bridge of his warship commanding the crew endlessly in one battle after another. All this, while having serious amounts of self-doubt and fear of the unknown.

Does this make him a model citizen? By 2020 standards, certainly yes.

Amidst this maddening uncertainty of daily life, especially during lockdowns, people really need to remember that persistence & discipline are golden virtues when it comes to survival. Just like Krause, if we can keep our hope alive, not lose focus of our most immediate goal and rally on with a good heart & strong belief, then we can survive insurmountable odds too.

Krause, through initiative and clarity, is able to put up a good fight against the conniving Germans. His

patience and determination overcome the technical advantage that the Germans hold over him and his fleet.

And perhaps that is the golden rule for every individual who wants to survive 2020 and look forward to better times. Like Krause, if people believe in themselves and work towards realizing their hopes & dreams without losing heart, they too can achieve the unthinkable.

Of course, there is a sea of difference between life lessons in a movie and the kind of tides and waves that real-life can throw at you.

But, the fact of the matter is, if you stay committed to survival and the protection of your loved ones, you can sail through a hurricane unscathed.

Its just a matter of belief and holding your nerves. The best part about hope is the fact that you can find it in the most unlikely places and in the most fickle of forms. But no matter where your inspiration comes from, what really matters is that you stay inspired.

Having watched another one of Hank’s top-notch performances, I can assure you that we will all coast through these tough times with strength. Just like Commander Krause and his motley crew managed to survive the epic war adventure back in 1942, we too will blaze into a better and brighter new future – a happening time, when hot tubs of popcorn and cushy seats of theatres will make a comeback. The time when we will watch the big screen tell stories again for us to gasp in amazement. ✪ 2 0 2 0 — O C T O B E R — ASPIRE

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R&R / food fare

Sabeen Fareed High-Tea Specialty Chef

Our high-tea specialty chef, recommends the golden crusty Brazilian Chicken Croquettes with blackcurrant jelly & chimichurri frosting for a snacky delight

Coxinha

Coxinha, pronounced as co-shee-nya literally means ‘Little Thigh’, and it refers to chicken drumsticks. Brazilian Coxinha, is a deep-fried croquette made of shredded chicken and cheese covered in a soft dough, which after breaded and deep-fried, gets a beautiful golden crunchy crust that is so hard to resist.

Found in many sizes, from tiny cocktail bites to large street food snacks, it is popular appetizer served at parties, celebrations, and cafes, and is a prominent part of the Brazilian culture.

SERVES: 9-10 PEOPLE / PREP TIME: 15 MINS COOKING TIME: 45 MINUTES For the Coxinha balls

- - - I NG RE D I E N T S - - For the filling

--- I ngr edient s --Olive oil

1/2 cup

Red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons

Parsley, finely chopped

1/2 cup

Garlic, finely chopped or minced

3-4 cloves

Red birds-eye chili, deseeded and finely chopped

1

Dried oregano

3/4 teaspoon

Coarse salt

1 level teaspoon

Pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon

For the dough

Olive oil

1 tablespoon

Unsalted

1 tablespoon

Garlic cloves, minced

4

Whole milk

470 ml

White Onion, diced

1

Chicken broth

60 ml

2 Cups Chicken cooked, shredded

250 g

All-purpose flour

250 g

Paprika, or cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon to taste

Eggs, beaten

1-2 pcs

Panko breadcrumbs

100 g

Salt

to taste

Oil

for frying

Cream cheese

110 g

Fresh parsley, chopped

3 tablespoons

--- Me t hod --• Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.

Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes to release all of the flavours into the oil before using. Ideally, let it sit for more than 2 hours, if time allows.

• Chimichurri can be prepared earlier than needed, and refrigerated for 24 hours, if needed.

For the Blackcurrant jelly and chimichurri frosting

--- ME THOD --• In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil, then sauté garlic and onions until soft and brown.

Add shredded chicken, salt, and paprika (or cayenne pepper). Mix to combine.

• Transfer mixture into a bowl, add cream cheese and parsley.

Mix well.

• In the same saucepan, add butter, chicken broth, and milk. Bring to a boil. Stir in flour until dough is formed.

• Transfer dough to a flat surface. Knead the dough while

For the chimichurri sauce (Chimichurri, classic Brazilian condiment)

it is warm, but not hot.

• Pinch a piece of dough, about the size of a large egg, and roll into a ball. Using your hands, flatten the dough and spoon filling into the center. Wrap the dough into a pear shape ensuring there are no holes.

• Heat Oil to 180˚C, in a saucepan. Dredge the coxinha in egg and panko, then deep-fry till golden brown and cooked through.

• Drain on a towel, or wire rack.

• Serve it with chimichurri sauce

--- S er v ing s ugge s t ion - - Black currant jelly

50 g

Chimichurri sauce

50 gm

Cream cheese spread

100 g

Lemon juice

1-2 tbsp

Lemon zest

½ tsp

Cayenne pepper

½ tsp

Season the cream cheese spread with lemon juice, zest, pepper. Pipe 1 tablespoon at the base of a shooter glass. Add a teaspoon of blackcurrant jelly and 1 teaspoon of the chimichurri sauce and top each glass with the coxinha. Garnish with micro-herbs or as desired. ✪ 2 0 2 0 — O C T O B E R — ASPIRE

49

travelling

R&R / tr avelers’ tales

in the times of COVID-19 How does an avid traveler, restless for new explorations, find solace in a pandemic world?

Deepa Narayanan finds out

Photo Credit: Sucharita Rao

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W

hen I called her about this piece, Christina Francis was just getting out the last few bags of frozen sundried tomatoes she had brought from the Amalfi Coast in Italy four years ago, wondering how she could extend its ‘shelf life’. Just a few days before that, she tells me, she had recreated the thick and creamy hot chocolate she remembers from her travels in Italy. For the past few days, she then adds, she’s also been growing Italian basil in a dozen flower pots.

“Because I was missing Italy so much,” she tells me with a guilty chuckle.

Christina, editor of one of the flagship properties of the Times of India Group in Hyderabad, Telangana, India, is what one could classify as an avid traveler. She began travelling in 2006, when she was still 19 years old although her first few expeditions were around work (she was already working at 18 years and training a 32-year-old yours truly in the art of writing features for newspapers). She has since travelled to 50 countries, travelling to a new place almost every month since 2014 and visiting a foreign locale at least twice in a year, exploring places, food, and culture and bringing back stories (and food and recipes), all before her 35th birthday.

Clearly, 2020, with the pandemic

A light moment at the Yellowstone National Park

Befriends the locals at Florence, Italy

Room with a view: Looking out at the Glacier National Park in Montana, USA 2 0 2 0 — O C T O B E R — ASPIRE

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Chatting up on the streets in Vietnam A bowl of Laos noodle with homemade rice noodles; farm fresh veggies and a rich soup was like a warm hug in a bowl

When you miss Italy; do what Italians do: make decadent chocolate milk so thick you can scoop it up with a spoon

and the subsequent lockdown and travel restrictions, has played truant. So also my call about how she’s keeping the explorer in her satiated. She just flashes her beautiful smile and tells me that she’s actually been thankful for the time she’s got, working from home, spending time with her husband at home and parents who live close by.

“But when I begin missing my travels, I start looking through pictures I’ve clicked on my journeys, getting in touch with friends I’ve made on these travels, or simply recreating the dishes I’ve eat-

Chrstina with her family during the HolyLand Tour

en in those places,” Christina tells me.

Chasing bedtime stories

Christina’s wonder for new places started with the stories her dad, CV Francis, brought back from each of his travels abroad. Francis had his own business based out of the UAE, spending half the year working there, with vacation months spent visiting his

Sunrise at Angkor Wat, Cambodia

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family at their Hyderabad home and then heading to his hometown in Kerala to meet his parents and other relations. Their bedtime ritual consisted of him telling Christina and her brother (who passed away a few years ago) tales of the toy stores and supermarkets he’d been to, of ice cream tubs filled by the gallons, and of people of various ethnicities he’d worked with or met. He’d even imitate their accents and mannerisms accurately, filling the kids’ little minds with wonder.

“I’d fallen in love with all kinds of people—Filipinos, Lebanese, Turks, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Arabs—and knew of their traits, food habits, and accents long before I met them in real life. And I couldn’t wait to grow up and meet them personally,” recollects Christina.

And meet them she did, when she first traveled abroad for a junket to Singapore. Suddenly,she was reliving those bedtime stories.

And how does she see travel now, with the pandemic, economic slowdown, and lockdown restrictions taking a while to reverse?

Chrstina with her dad at Mount Sinai

“And I was so grateful that my dad’s stories were true to life, with no bias in them. It made me much more open to differences in cultures long before I even travelled,” says a nostalgic Christina.

Showing the world to her parents

In addition to her dad’s perspectives, Christina was making her own discoveries— some about herself, some about the world around her.

In Singapore, she found food she could customize to her vegetarian preferences, even on the streets. In the UK, she discovered how the delicate flavors of mascarpone and Italian custard balanced out the sharp contrasts of espresso and cocoa powder in Tiramisu. In Sri Lanka, she discovered decadent Asian luxury. Christina discovered she could fend for herself in the world.

After that experience, Christina wanted her dad and mum to experience the world as she did. “Though my dad worked in the UAE and my mum visited him there, my parents grew up around tough circumstances.They never think easily of spending their hard-earned money,” Christina says.

So in the late 2009, she planned a family trip, booking all of them on a Holy-Land Tour (entailing a journey around the historic, cultural, and religious sites around Egypt, Palestine, Israel, and Jordan).

“I reckoned they wouldn’t feel guilty about this trip as it was spiritual too,” adds Christina, chuckling at the memory of her ‘shrewdness’.

Relearning history

The Holy-Land Tour was the first time Christina visited the Middle East and would turn out to be a spiritual one not only for Christina’s parents but also for her.

At Gaza Strip, she watched war-ravaged areas, feeling a sense of unreal absurdity about it all. “While speaking with people on both sides, I began understanding that I couldn’t take ‘sides’ about who was right and who was wrong because those distinctions suddenly vanished in my mind,” recollects Christina, adding how the trip taught her an invaluable life lesson. “It’s when I realized that all I was needed was to

focus on at a given moment was to understand what about that moment serves me and humanity.”

The tour was also a little before the Arab Spring Uprising took place in the Middle East and North African regions—the mood in those places already tense. “The youth especially were raging.

They wanted change. It was evident,” she recollects.

In Cairo, Egypt, a localasked her where she is from.

“When I replied India, they just said, ‘You are so lucky; you live in a democracy,’” she says. “That statement hit me hard because I remember back then I was deeply disillusioned about the state of affairs in India, the politics and hopelessness about prevalent issues, but what he said reminded me thatI still had my liberty intact.”

The Holy-Land Tour was the genesis of Christina as the traveler she’s today,exposing her to the cultural instead of the curated and luxury aspects of travelling. “That’s when I understood what kind of travels moved my spirit.

Most importantly, the Holy-Land Tour was what made me—a history graduate—realize how much I actually love history and wanted to relearn it through my travels,” says Christina.

Because just girls can also have fun

All smiles for Vegas

Traveling with friends Even so and despite a good grip on her finances, Christina knew every foreign travel would cost her some

Tiramisu in an Italian Cafe was love at the first bite for Christina 2 0 2 0 — O C T O B E R — ASPIRE

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R&R / tr avelers’ tales and needed to figure a way around those expenses.But where there is a will there is a way, right?

“In 2008, I’d visited a friend in Melbourne, Australia. While staying with her, I explored the state of Victoria,” she says. “I realized if I stayed with friends, I could cut back on the lodging expenses.”

So when friends living abroad invited her to stay with them, she happily took them up on their offer. “Soon, I was telling friends not to extend such invitations to me unless they meant it because I realized I am that person who’d shamelessly take on such an offer so I can get a free stay while traveling around that place,” Christina adds, giggling.

She also joined couch-surfing groups around the world, created essentially to address travelers’ issues of safety, costs, and experiences. Christina made more friendsthrough her travels, who invited her to stay with them if she considered traveling to where they lived.

A view from her window seat while on a flight over Salt Lake City to Jackson Hole; USA

“Through my travels, I’ve benefitted from the immense good of the people. I’ve taken precautions and remained careful too, but I am always optimistic and know people are innately good and helpful,” she adds.

After Australia in 2008, Christina did Thailand.

In 2010, she did a 50-day backpack trip across 5 countries in Europe—across Germany, Spain, France, Italy, and Switzerland, during which they lived in villagers’ homes, teaching their kids

Christina poses with a set of nomads at Maasai Mara

English, etc. (all at a princely sum of Rs 200,000 [~10000 AED]). Then in 2012, she headed to Kenya, staying in Maasai Mara for about two weeks. Another year, she fell in love with the heart-breaking beauty of Cambodia.

She did many trips with girlfriends, too. “There’s nothing like traveling with girls. Spa, endless chats, dressing up for cocktail hours and sky bars, and endless pics. I think girlfriend getaways are very special;one discovers how same, differ-

Just another day at Bergen’s Old Fish Market with a view that lucky urban fishermen walk into on a workday!

ent, unique we all are. And it’s beautiful,” says Christina.

Trip with her girlfriends, 50-day backpack trip, Maasai Mara, Australia

While Christina tried never to repeat a country, she soon she found something new about that ‘repeated’ land. “Even so, I’d try to squeeze in a small country into my plans for that year,” she adds with a little laugh. So while she gave her husband a birthday gift of a trip to Thailand, a country she had already been to, she ‘squeezed’ in Laos for herself during that trip.

But one country Christina wouldn’t mind repeating is Italy. “I love Italians. They’re so alive and warm and expressive. And I love how they speak.” Christina recounts how during one of her trips, she’d noticed a vendor woman swearing loudly at a man who’d left her store without buying anything despite wasting time looking around knickknacks. “I understood nothing she said, but I had

to sit down and listen to her swearing because even that was so melodious,” adds Christina, her laughter ringing in.

Even Italian food comes a quick second to her favoritehome-cooked Indian fare. “I love Italian food, especially the pasta in Naples and Florence, though I don’t know how I can eat it next because I’ve become gluten-intolerant now,” says Christina who turned vegan recently.

Traveling anew

Then 2020 dawned, and the fun and games took a back seat. The pandemic ensured Christina made no plans.

“This lockdown is surreal for me. My parents are old and I don’t want to put them at risk, so I am not travelling even close by,” she says. “But I am also grateful for the time I’ve got at home because I know even this wouldn’t last forever and I am making the most of the ‘slow’ life that’s come my way.”

And how does she see travel now, with the pandemic,

economic slowdown, and lockdown restrictions taking a while to reverse?

“It surely seems like the end of travel as we know it.

COVID-19 has reminded us of our mortality… that everything is ephemeral. Also, with so many people losing their jobs, many will get back to travelling only slowly,less to splurge and more for the love of it. So we might even see responsible travelling.

Traveling in planes may not happen soon, but we’d drive around to discover places around us. I think those are the new things that will happen now,” she says as we end our conversation. ✪

Posing before history in Athens, Greece

Photographs: Christina Francis (@gypsyfeetgirl on Instagram)

2 0 2 0 — O C T O B E R — ASPIRE

55

R&R / hobbies

write

Pretty!!!

Arundhati Surendran writes on the skill of beautiful writing that is a hobby, a way of inspired expression for some, and an art form too.

F

rom the time that you learn to Some take it up as a profession, hold a pencil in kindergarten creating beautiful works of art that to practicing cursive writing in finds its place in museums and art early school days and then as galleries; for some it is more of a you move to the higher classes hobby and a way of expressing themhastening up the pace to fill in jourselves through the cursive strokes of nals & exam sheets, your handwriting their pen. evolves and develops its own unique The art itself carries a lot personality & style too. of merits - The focus and And whilst some people, like me, effort that it requires develop a sloppy squiggly handwritpull calligraphers into a ing, sometimes barely decipherable meditative state, and it’s to even my own eyes, there are a few an outlet that forces us to Steve whose penmanship is simply dazzling slow down and breathe Jobs to look at. for a second. The uptake The art or skill of beautiful handwriting, Calligraphy as we term it, is derived from the Greek words for “beauty” (kallos) and “to write” (graphein).

The symphony of letters that flow out from the pen or brush has bewitched humanity for millennia, but the art doesn’t stop at Robert Palladino simply being something pretty to behold.

In earlier times, Calligraphy has of any hobby is to primarily give us been somewhat of a status symbol, peace of mind and enjoyment, and with only higher tiers of nobility being calligraphy does not disappoint. able to afford its usage. And now in Calligraphy is impressive on all the modern era, the influence of the fronts - a calming, low-effort, affordword calligraphy is quite similar; able activity that brings out beautiful being able to write beautifully is still results; truly a skill worth learning, nothing short of impressive to anyone and a hobby worth enjoying. views it.

If this is something that interests

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you, the supplies to begin calligraphy are cheap, and practising it is a low effort activity. There is no need to run or pull out an exercise mat to churn out beautiful pieces of writing - all it needs is a steady hand and a hard surface. Calligraphy is a very constructive leisure activity giving one a lifetime of praises in return for a little initiative.

If you are looking for the next level of self-satisfaction & creativity, then you can invest in the following; • Any good Calligraphy instruction book or course • Calligraphy Pens, • Calligraphy Pencils, Erasers, a Ruler • Calligraphy paper & • Calligraphy Ink One name that strongly comes to mind here is that of Apple founder Steve Jobs, whose inventions turned the world around starting a new era of development. But what does a Tech Mogul have to do with Calligraphy?

Apparently, quite a lot.

A recent dropout from Reed College, Jobs barely able to make ends meet, signed up for one class like a lifeline - Robert Palladino’s Calligraphy class. He learnt the technicalities of the art, typefaces, about the spacing between the letters, about typography and more.

That single class that he persisted with and continued to attend was an incredible motivator for his success.

Although, in his words, “none of this had any hope of any practical application in [his] life”, he continued to take it. And years later, he designed the Macintosh inclusive of the stunning typography that he learned from this class. Thus, what could have barely been a footnote in his history turned out to make an impact worthy of being a tale told for time immemorial.

A hobby is something we do for our own interest & self-satisfaction, but it is also an experience, a skill, and an opportunity. The way it is realised for every person is different, and we can never know what it will be until we hold that pen ourselves.

So look at that pencil now with a different angle and write away! ✪

Subscribe now

Get your digital copy right in your inbox Log on to www.aspiredubai.ae

R&R / explore

Hospitality, Emirati Style!

T

he Manor by JA is a recently established hotel that prides itself on being the first hotel in this country that is wholly run by Emiratis! From the contractor, to the designer and the operator being local, there’s no surprise that this hotel promises the complete Emirati experience.

The owner is determined that every guest gets to experience authentic Arab hospitality. Even though the hotel has a modern design, the employees completely embody the values of an Emirati household and extend the same to the hotel’s occupants.

The Manor is also catering to growing needs for eco-friendly business, by employing near 40% energy reduction methods including tinted aluminium windows that are great for insulating against the desert heat, LED

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lighting, and many more.

To be certified as safe the hotel also has acquired the #DubaiAssured stamp that has been implemented by Department of Economic Development and Dubai Municipality, to validate places that have adopted the highest safety standards and protocols. The hotel could well be your new meeting place or your new hang out space with the cool Emirati touch. ✪

Misplaced or Lost Checked-In Baggage?

Opt for the Checked-In Baggage Protection Minimum $1,000 guaranteed payout if the bag is not found within 96 hours of flight arrival.

Receipts for lost baggage content are not required to receive payment.

Covers all bags checked at the airport and last minute gate check-ins.

Get email updates every time there is a change to the status of your lost baggage.

Book Checked-In Baggage Protection through Tune Protect Value Added Services now!

in partnership with

2 0 2 0 — O C T O B E R — ASPIRE

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WORLD ASSOCIATION OF CHEFS SOCIETIES

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ASPIRE — O C T O B E R — 2 0 2 0