Gulf Elite July Issue by Gulf Elite

July Issue

G U L F

E L I T E

E L I E SBEAUTY A &APOWER B STOeFUNDING c r e t As STARTUP

HUDA KATTAN SUCCESS NEEDS NO MAKEUP

How To be

Worth

BILLIONS in 5 Years

D U B A I THE HOTTEST IT PLACE

RIGHT NOW!

BUSINESS LIFE GADGETS ELITE LUXURY STARTUPS

CONTENT

Wearable Technology

5 Rules

Huda Kattan

Quotes From The Greatest

DUBAI

#YESALLWOMEN

Personal Branding

ELIE SAAB

The Future Is Already Here

You Should Be Breaking

Everyone Deserves To Be Beautiful

The Modern Day Gold Rush

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Talk About That Snapchat

Beauty & Power

Gulf

Elite

CONTENT

Michelle Mone

How On Earth Did She Do It?

UBER

TECH

ELITE DESTINATION

Elite 10 Must Haves

Startup Secrets

Jean Drummond

WATCHOUT

From an idea to $17 Billion

The 10 Must Have Apps

Shanghai

How To Fund Your Baby

The Ultimate Strategist

M o d e r n Ti m e s Gulf

Elite

EDITOR’S LETTER

s we stepped into the holy month of Ramadan, feeling our lips dry up as we lay on the couch waiting for the sun to set, it gave me some time to reflect over the entrepreneurial era we are so steadily heading towards and its revolutionizing potential to change every aspect of today’s society. But let’s not get too over-excited, there are over seven billion people on planet earth, we’re not all destined to be self-made tycoons - not because we can’t, but because we don’t want to. You see, from my point of view, there are two kinds of people: dreamers and doers. The daydreamers coolly lay back and fantasize about what they can do or could have done – but never really follow up. They’re the kind of people who endlessly tell you about how they’re going to create the next big thing or have that genius idea that will absolutely blow the world away. But as you soon will notice – nothing happens, as they’re stuck at the same “I have this amazing idea” stage.

Ibrahim Naji - Co-founder/Editor

So what distinguishes the doers from the dreamers? What makes you an entrepreneur? Well, being a doer for one, but it’s that single ability, the willpower to take advantage of remarkable opportunities that appear before your field of vision. It’s the unique ability to execute, which distinguishes entrepreneurs from wantrepreneurs. It’s the capability of setting your mind up to something, envisioning it and then going for it – determined to succeed. Because here is the thing; we can all have good ideas, we can all come up with something innovative – but an idea without execution, an idea in isolation, is worthless! It’s just like any other aspect in life, if no effort, if no execution is put into action, the return is minimal. But in a way I get it, all the successful startups that have been flooding our newsfeeds only show us the glorified and successful side of things, but rarely do they portray the sacrifices, risks and hardships an individual had to go through in order to reach the level of success he or she has achieved. Because the art of entrepreneurship and the journey one takes ultimately revolves around your mental capability and determination, your mental fitness and how much you can take before you break.

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STUDINOV MARKETING STRATEGIES DESIGN, CONSULTANCY AND MARKETING SERVICES

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WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY THE FUTURE IS ALREADY HERE

very now and then we hear that the next big thing is here, that the next revolutionary product is around the corner or that the “IT” app is launching, but as it turns out most of the buzz is overrated and quite frankly, just a buzz. Besides the Internet, smartphones, social media and a few other big hits, there isn’t much that can be called the genius idea of the century. Well, turns out we were wrong, and the next big thing is indeed already here, we just haven’t realize it yet.

play with in his lab. If that’s not explanatory enough, Augmented Technology allows you to have superpowers, like seeing information pop up in your field of vision just by looking at a person or a building. You want to see a high tech screen or a 3D object pop in your glasses and interact with it? That’s AR. Want to know everything about your woman just by looking at her and see what her vital signs are, finding out whether she is ready for you to pop the question? Just turn on your smart glasses and you’ll get a feed of data coming in. Augmented Reality is not solely about virtual stuff; it’s about mixing reality with virtual interactions.

Wearable technology and Augmented Reality. These two technical words that seem like they just came out of a geeky manifesto are really nothing too difficult to understand. Wearable technology is the electronics you put on Now what’s frustrating is that Gen-Y hasn’t caught up yet yourself, take Google Glass or Nike Fuel Band for example. with these technological advances. Not many people walk Augmented Reality is really whatever you see Iron Man around with the Google Glass, too few people seem crazy

META

about buying a mind blowing product like Spaceglasse and would rather spend their bucks on useless stuff. And worst of all, there are a very few people who actually know about this stuff in the first place! I’m sure the price tag of a pair of high-tech glasses and futuristic electronics is not making things easier to digest, but for 3650$ for the chance to be Tony Stark or Elon Musk for a lifetime – really does sound like a bargain!

AR devices like the META Pro, you can put on cutting edge tech products on your head while still wearing a suit. Some would say it even gives you a superior edge. Gen-Y is a generation that wants to take things to the next level. We want to have superpowers, know everything and anything, be super productive and multitask all at the same time. Well now it’s possible, and there are two magical concepts you’ll have to keep in mind:

New things are always hard to integrate into our daily Wearable Technology and Augmented Reality! lives. I mean just take a look at Google Glass as it faced resistance when it first came to the public. But so did computers and other tech novelties. Today people blow thousands of dollars on iPhones and custom gaming PCs without thinking twice about it. It’s just a matter of time before Wearable Technology and AR gain grounds everywhere, from corporate and private services to individual entertainment, and the current prospects are already proving that the possibilities are endless.

META Glasses

A policeman walks in a crowd and the facial recognition data pops on his glasses, suddenly spotting a wanted criminal. Nope, that’s not a scene out of Robocop, that’s reality and there are already facial recognition APIs offered on Google Glass by Lambda Hats. A doctor sits in front of a patient and all the vital signs show in his spectacles. He even uses a wearable glass set to assist him in his surgeries by constantly monitoring the patient, asking the AI where to operate and getting live instructions feed hands free. There was a time when using the latest tech products was only for geeks because, well, they made you look weird as hell! But product development today is not only geared towards developing the performances of products, but focused on designing modern and exclusive looks as well, eliminating those ugly looks. With

Mohamed Amine Belarbi

METAPRO is probably the most advanced wearable technology that uses Augmented Reality to the fullest. This stuff will sure as hell make you feel like Iron Man, no kidding! From drawying in space to moving virtual objects, METAPRO is a real game changer. $3000 Pre-Order now www.spaceglasses.com

www.drones4good.ae

5 RULES

YOU SHOULD BE DETERMINED TO BREAK

ou’ve probably heard these five phrases over and over again- usually by people giving you unsolicited advice hoping you’ll be inspired to do something great. Well, these clichés have been either extremely worn out or badly misinterpreted, which is why they are now the top five rules you should really break.

“Birds of a feather flock together” When breaking this rule, your best bet is to achieve a happy medium of the following three points. First of all, don’t ever force a friendship to last forever. If it does, then by all means, celebrate how lucky you are. But if it doesn’t, remember that people may naturally grow apart because their aspirations or personalities hit a junction. Just stay mature about it. Second, don’t be afraid to welcome new people into your social circle- not all your friends need to be like you. The more efforts you make to immerse yourself in environments different from those you’re used to, the more you’ll learn about and understand other people. Lastly, keep in mind that quality often, if not always, succeeds quantity when it comes to building friendships.

“Face your fears” The whole point of being around something you’re afraid of isn’t always to overcome that fear. After all, you could argue that if you’re

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willing to confront the fear, then you weren’t that afraid in the first place. Fear is one hell of a powerful feeling, so by going through with something you’re scared of, you can train yourself to replace the negative thoughts with positive ones. You can be terrified of public speaking every time you deliver a speech, but you will become more confident in your abilities if you’re able to think of all the advantages giving that speech as opposed to counting the number of times you stuttered.

“Perfection is key” Think of perfection as that mirage-like puddle of water you see in the distance while driving down a long asphalt highway in the blistering heat. The closer you get to it, the further it becomes. In fact, it never even existed. Perfection can be a massive setback and an obstacle to finishing something you started. It’s one of the main reasons why people hesitate after working hard to create or achieve something. Don’t keep waiting for yourself to feel completely confident and happy with a project. Instead, think of ways to balance perfection with time and effort.

“Pick a side”

that just doesn’t, theoretically, add up. So next time you Google mainstream While it’s good to know where you stand quotes to share on Instagram, make sure you have a fully comprehensive and during an important disagreement belogical understanding of what “rules are tween two people, staying on the fence meant to be broken” actually means. may actually be the right thing to do in the long run. If you pick a side, you automatically become a part of the problem. Morale of the story, everyone is influenced by society. We can’t help it. We Not only will you be taken more seriously if you play the diplomat, but being like to believe that we are free and autonomous individuals, but the truth is, relatively detached and objective could parents, teachers, bosses, politicians, lessen your chances of creating any unand religious figures play a huge role necessary animosity. in the decisions we make and how we choose to live our lives. “Don’t give up” At an early age, we need guidance before we can learn how to live in the I don’t mean to end this on a pessimisworld on our own. Unfortunately, during tic note, but I’m not trying to say that you should throw all your hard work and this time we can get a lot of ideas stuck in our head that aren’t necessarily helpdetermination out the window either. ful or true. What I’m trying to say is that, setbacks and failures are inevitable. Reaching success, whatever that may be for you, is all about mastering the art of knowing when to walk away- not give up. If you know that something you are trying to do is unrealistic or daunting, whether it’s a startup project or even a romantic relationship, learn how to walk away. This is an important skill to practice because you need to remember that your decisions should control the situations you’re in, and not vice versa. Letting these things go is the only way to move on to something better without losing your pride and dignity on the way.

It’s important to question what we learn from society and what society expects from us. Parents, teachers, bosses, politicians, and religious figures may have the best intentions at heart, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they know what is good for each one of us individually.

These are just five out of hundreds of so-called motivational phrases that your buddies use for pep talks, trying to motivate you to do better or make the right choices. But somewhere along the line, misconceptions and delusions of lifebased concepts where perceived differently through an unrealistic spectrum Aisha Al Hajeri

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ELITE PROFILE

HUDA KATTAN

ome compare here to Kim Kardashian, some say she’s a beauty goddess and others wouldn’t know how to live life without her killer blog posts updating them about the latest cosmetic products or fashion trends. She is a stunning smart brunette with the most likable Hollywood American accent – and she won’t stop at nothing. We are not talking about an imaginary dream character here ladies and gentlemen; we’re talking about Huda Kattan. Huda Kattan is a beauty blogger and cosmetics consultant, most famously known as the Hollywood-bred makeup artist, HudaBeauty, whose blog lands over 2 million hits a month! Born and raised in the US, she had the typical Arab family treatment: If you want to make it in life, you make it to the top of your class and either become an engineer, a doctor or a businesswomen. So all in all, she really didn’t grow up knowing the different shades of red lipstick or dreaming about creating the next big thing in cosmetics, in fact, the closest she got to cosmetics during her childhood was the blue, green and red pencils she used to finish her Math homework. Result: Huda kicked ass in high school as well as in college and nailed her Finance degree like a champ in the University of Michigan, the only downside was, Finance was far from being

her true calling. Her “childhood was like any other childhood”, but after returning back to Dubai, Huda says, “I realized I wanted more from life. I really wanted to pursue something I was passionate about”. Huda wanted to have an impact and do things that stocks, numbers and valuations could never do. She wanted to follow up on her true passion, on something she´d always thought of. So as crazy as it might sound, she decided to leave her finance degree and career behind her to do something completely different: Makeup. Talk about a bold move! Huda hasn’t always experienced the same type of spotlight as she attains today, with people gasping at her looks or telling her how gorgeous she looks. Actually, she likes to address her past pretty boldly, discussing how (I’m not kidding) hairy she was and how depressing it felt to deal with such girl-related issues. But by looking up to elegant and beautiful role models, it made her all the more conscious about the possibilities of a game-changer! Huda goes on “I had hair everywhere, my legs, my hands… my hair was a mess, and I was looking up to celebrities wishing I could look just like them. At the time my sister would help me fix things up with my body, and to be honest, we didn’t do

such a bad job given that everything was done in the house”. What started with fixing her own looks ended up being so much more than that. Huda wanted to alter how women perceived beauty, making attractiveness something that’s globally accessible and not something tied to your age, skin color or any other “decisive” factors. You see, Huda brings out the beauty in every women, regardless of shape, color or size, taking advantage of every women’s unique facial features, not turning them into something they’re not, but rather, unveiling their true potential – all by the stroke of a brush. Because feeling good and comfortable in your own skin shouldn’t be exclusive to those who are born photogenic, it should be an obvious divine gift to every single woman out there. The only question is: how do we make the art of beauty accessible to millions of people around the world? The foundation of what would later become one of the world’s most attractive blogs was first developed in college, at the University of Michigan. At the time, Huda was experimenting and playing around with different impressions of makeup, getting a feel of “what’s hot and what’s not” to the point where she though about launching a small blog telling people how to put on the perfect lipstick or how to deal with acne, basic recommendations that would help young aspiring women like herself to put on the right things on the right time.

Huda describes these early undertakings as a sign that “Beauty was her destiny”. Now when you’re a young women growing in a traditional Arab family, nothing can get done unless your parents give you the green light, and Huda was no exception. How on earth would you convince your father that, instead of pursuing a job in Finance, you would want to start working with makeup for a living? I mean even telling him you’d rather become a Michelin Chef at a restaurant in Switzerland would be an easier task. But then again, when there is a will, there is a way, and once Huda sweet-talked her parents into listening, they started realizing her true potential and within a blink of an eye she was already packed and ready go. Next stop: Hollywood baby! Now Hollywood seems mind-blowing for so many because of the blown up, media-overdosed excitement. All the celebrities, blockbusters, shopping districts and of course the general luxurious life-style we´ve all heard of, is a well in-scripted image we all have, well almost all of us. For Huda, the real magic was inside makeup studios where men and women would line up to study human facial features and discuss ways to use cosmetic products, foundations, eyeliners, the whole deal, in order to unleash the striking beauty inside every woman. So she got everything together, did what she had to do and chose to settle in Hollywood in order to attaint one of the world’s greatest state of

the art makeup educations. I mean it’s no secret that Hollywood hosts some of the world’s top makeup academies; from Joe Blasco to Elegance International; it’s all there. The whole freaking city is a playground for make-up artists, having the worlds’ most iconic brands and celebrities at their disposal, your bound to feel at home, and boy she did! Going to Hollywood and learning the ABCs of makeup was not the end of a journey, but the beginning of something BIG. Huda recalls the time when she was in Hollywood and thinking to herself “If I’m going into beauty, I have to make it something huge.” Now that’s pretty much the equivalent of Go big or Go home, and Huda didn’t only go big, she blew the roof of the place. But you see, when you come across someone like Huda, you can’t help it but to take a moment to try and digest the journey this extraordinary woman took. She grew up in a culture where makeup and cosmetics really wasn’t a legitimate profession; she scarified her promising career in finance to follow her dreams and passion to launch a brand from scratch. I mean if that’s not the definition of dedication and boldness, then I don’t know what is. Besides being a cosmetics mogul, having nailed every aspect of this competitive industry, she’s a savvy businesswoman. She understands the intricacies of the market and the consumer, she fully understands how

to build a brand and she took all that expertise to Dubai, the vibrant heart of the Middle East, to share what is now her ethical responsibility - the secrets of make-up. And frankly, nothing screams great opportunities like Dubai, especially when it comes to the cosmetics industry. People literally empty their trust funds here to get a piece of the “Hollywood look.” Huda is plainly embellishing Dubai by the day, making women feel more comfortable in their bodies and giving them a way to shine. As she later on mentions, “Going into Beauty was the best decision of my life,” and I can guarantee you that there are millions who feel the exact same way about the choice of action. And while we where at it, we obviously couldn’t help it but to ask Huda about a couple of make-up secrets, or rather, skin-care secrets that we could share. You see we thought, you can’t really start brushing on makeup before your skin looks healthy and smooth, which is why Huda had some top-notch tips to better improve your skincare. The Dermalogica Microfoliant, is the ultimate face-wash as “this is really the main reason why my acne got away,” Huda explains. What makes this product so great is its rice-based powder that is just “amazing”. Right before you hit the bed, you just mix it up with water, wash your face for about two minute and then just let it sit there for another couple of minutes. I promise it’ll micro-exfoliate all dead cells, leaving your skin so much

smoother and brighter. The Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2 is an absolutely magnificent toner that “has helped keep my skin clear as well.” You see Huda believes that “its very important to use a toner because even though they can be a little harsh sometimes, they really help get deep into your skin, getting any impurities out of your pores.” So basically it really wipes away all that excessive oil so that your moisturizer can do what it does best. The Institut Esthederm Eve Serum is a must-have skin-healer and one of Huda’s personal favorites as “it’s the most amazing most magical serum ever created in the world!” And I see her point, what this little magic bottle contains is an anti-aging treatment which rejuvenates and really reinforces your skin tissues – making you that much younger.

Mohamed Amine Belarbi

Twitter: @HudaBeauty Facebook HudaBeauty www.hudabeauty.com

WISE WORDS

FROM THE GREATEST “Every individual has to perform his duty. Man is mortal, but his work is not. Therefore, work is greater than wealth.” Sheikh Zayed “Fortune does favor the bold and you’ll never know what you’re capable of if you don’t try.” Sheryl Sandberg “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” Michael Jordan

DUBAI

A MODERN DAY GOLDRUSH

ubai, the glorified capital of the Middle East, the shining lantern of the UAE, which has, all on its own, put itself on the international stage and forced the world to recognize it as the ultimate “IT” city, taking on global heavyweights such as New York, Milano, Shanghai and even Paris - an achievement no other Arab country has ever managed to achieve. You see, it took Dubai only 18 years to establish itself as one of the leading business-hubs of this great-interconnected globe. It has incorporated state of the art infrastructures within a mind-blowing business environment that has put the Emirate on a worldclass pedestal no one can overtake. It’s an emerging economy that has shown tremendous potential and astonishing business opportunities, which has, for years now, won them universal praise thanks to Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashid’s extraordinary vision.

roads wowed the greatest multinationals, so it comes as no surprise to see GM, H&M or Luis Vuitton opening new offices next to Burj Khalifa, making from the city their new home or headquarters in order to reach out to essential markets in Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, the Asian Subcontinent and even the Eastern Mediterranean. Now you may ask why this is such a strategic business location? The UAE’s neighboring regions have a population of over 2 billion people and a collective GDP of over $6.7 trillion. Now that’s digits you want to hear!

Today, Dubai has established itself as the most logical and rational place to do business in in the Middle East, as it provides entrepreneurs, investors and anyone else with a solid business mind-set with a one-of-a-kind value added business platform that cant be matched by any other place in the region. Aside from appealing financial advantages, the great Emirati state offers a grand quality lifestyle that Though what has attracted the truly will blow your mind. With overworlds’ most exclusive brands, most the-top domestic and office accomiconic names, wealthiest individuals modations and exceptional health, and millions of tourists to this utopia, shopping and educational facilities, is its strategic tax-free location, which including their wide range of leisure has combined the best of both worlds and entertainment choices, it’s no – West, and East. This strategic cross- wonder Dubai was awarded the Expo

2020 based on its remarkable vision “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.” So what makes this place such an incredible place for entrepreneurs? What makes this booming-city the ultimate place to take on your business venture? Well, we are about to reveal the secrets of this incredible Emirate and its business potentials, thriving markets, existing demand, adequate services – everything you have to know to make it all the way to the top - in Dubai.

has been doing for years now in order to sustain a politically and socially stable yet economically dynamic European routine that attracts the most powerful brands, names and skylines into their city. So the secret to Dubai’s hidden treasures? Satisfy the upper income level expats! Now I know it sounds like I’m overdoing it with the whole “western” thing, but just imagine Europe without the shitty weather and over-enthusiastic taxes – that’s Dubai!

There are a bunch of different sucAn Eastern City In A Western Soci- cessful “areas of business” in Dubai that’ll make expats go crazy, areas ety with absolutely mind-blowing cashflow potential. I’m talking about evLet’s start with the good stuff! Tourerything from Media and Entertainism is Dubai’s most obvious, and unment to Retail and Transportation. deniably, greatest asset – the only But really, there are three “hotspots” thing that’s been keeping this place alive. Nevertheless, this place is thriv- you should keep your eyes on. Here, ing with a heartbeat unlike any other, let me give you a tour. rewarding its people with nothing but Since foreigners have rapidly mobithe best. The people? Well, mostly lized themselves inside the walls of foreigners. Dubai, western concepts, products and services have exploded in order You see, native Emiratis are as outto satisfy the high demand. Starnumbered as the number of Karbucks, Victoria’s Secret, Harvey Nichdashians in central Park. They´re ols, Zara, – these are just a fraction of outnumbered at a crazy ratio of 11 Dubai high FDI level, an investment to 1 – eleven to one! They officially now only make 9% of the population; that’s well worth the hustle. Offshoring any European “hit” into Dubai will meaning 91% are expats. So how do make it big. Just look at the massive you wrap your head around that? How do you adjust, business-wise, to variety of European and North Amera city that’s rapidly shifting, or rather ican brands and products around here; Hello Magazine, H&M, IHOP adopting, the European lifestyle and demographics into their Middle East- even freaking Dunkin Donuts has made it on the list! Not feeling like ern sheikdom? You adapt! You adapt extending another corporate chain? your business-frame just like Dubai

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You got your own entrepreneurial playground at your disposal – a playground a lot of high rollers have been playing in. Candylisiouse, the worlds’ largest candy store has been hitting it big in Dubai Mall and I can assure you it ain’t here just to satisfy the local’s sweet tooth. Skydive-Dubai, well I doubt that Emiratis are the majority of those jumping out of airplanes to get a glance of the Atlantis. Even several liquor stores have opened up in Dubai to make it feel a little more like home and enables you to have that “god ol´ Thursday night beer. You see, great, but really not that “brainy”, entrepreneurial business ideas have been providing the foreigners with the perfect amount of territorial and “home-reminding” dose of products and services that, with the sunny weather and no-tax haven, will set them here for a long enough time till another foreign, business-hungry, tired-of-the-shittyweather generation comes along. You see, it’s not that difficult to implement European business frames into a city that evolves around cosmopolitanism, business and affluence. So do you research, check out the market and think about what rolling business concepts in Europe could skyrocket in Dubai. The whole diet and “looking fit” community is a huge market in Dubai, so why not: Set up America’s famous salad bars? Or how about UKs’ well-known RAW-food whole stores? If you’re not into the whole “eating and looking” healthy two-faced concept, sugar always hits

a home run. Scandinavia’s famous candy-shops definitely have the cashflow potential, especially during the regions most important holy month, Ramadan. And that was just off the top of my head – do your research and I promise you, you won’t regret it.

Real Estate, An Absolut Gold Mine Extravagance and Dubai truly walk hand in hand, and Real Estate in Dubai is surely not an exception. As Dubai lies at the crossroads of Europe, Africa and Asia, it has become a global investment hub, presenting one of the worlds’ strongest performing and fastest growing high-end luxury property markets, with high net-worth individuals pumping and stashing their dollars into tax-free investments like real estate. To give you a perspective of why this industry is so appealing, let me hit you up with some numbers. You see, in 2013 Dubai’s population rose by an incredible 5 percent, making it over 2 million according to the latest official government statistics. This gives you a slightly clearer perspective of Dubai’s westernization as only 10 to 15% of those new residents where Emirati nationals according to Gulf News. To take it a step further, Dubai’s population is projected to skyrocket by the end of 2014 as Dubai prepares to host the Expo 2020 and paves the way for a variety of business and entrepreneurial opportunities to attract the masses! With a population increasing at a cra-

zy rate, infrastructure at a sicker rate and sales flying out of the roof, an obvious business opportunity presents itself - Real Estate! Real Estate has always been a hot industry due to the floods of people moving into this place. To give you a quick perspective of the market here, The Palm Jumeirah, the world’s only artificial man-made palm looking island, sold 4000 households in its first 72 hours in 2001 – and that was before a brick was even laid. Celebrity footballers like David Beckham, Ashley Cole and even Mikael Owen where quick to snatch a place early in the market, buying a villa for about 700 000 pounds, that was about 2.6 million dirhams. Today, the prices of those properties have increased exponentially, having a price tag of about 15 million dirhams, which is an increase of almost 500%. Now I know what you’re thinking, duhh it’s the Palm Island, waterfront properties are bound to kick off, well you’re wrong. Given Dubai’s non-stop ever-changing skyline, with property constructions going on in every corner of the city, any current value of properties would be, to be frank, a dumb valuation, considering the city’s high population growth, increasing foreign direct investments and its attractive tax-free policies – every property will increase in price! Properties will continue to spike in all parts of Dubai because by 2020, Dubai’s’ skyline, resident mix and economic performance will totally outpace today’s economic metrics.

Though here comes the sad part; yes you do get between 1 to 2% commission of whatever property you sell, and considering most of them don’t cost less than a million, you’ll live a life way better than back home. But, and here it comes, a local Emirati has to own 100% of the business. Ill just leave you there and let that marinate for a minute.

A Little Plastic Never Hurt Nobody Within this glamorized lifestyle in an extravagant society controlled by financial indicators so high it’ll make Denmark look like a 3rd world country, there comes a price - an artificial price. You see, in an atmosphere so ambitious and “unconsciously” competitive, you can’t just dress the part and drive the part – you have to look the part, physically. And for those who simply don’t have the time, effort or capability of “looking the part”, “extreme” measures are taken into consideration, measures so popular now they really aren’t that extreme anymore. And of course, as a business centered individual with an eye for opportunities, this clearly is one. Plastic surgery, or to tone it down a little, “real-life photoshopping”, is an absolute cash-flow dedicated industry – and for good reasons. With thousands of “un-happy” wealthy individuals looking to spice things up a little by hooking themselves up with a face-lift, a boob-job, liposuction or hey, why not all three, there is a clear demand for medical “beauty-enhancements”. In fact, plastic surgeons and other cosmetGetty Images

save Dubai’s future and its emerging economy. As expats currently reflects global trends and that the make an astonishing 91% of the pressure of actually looking good current population (and FYI, still has continued to excessively fuel rising), there are a lot of famithe demand for such cosmetic pro- lies looking for English speaking cedures. Now sure, there is a lot of schools with an American or Britfuss about whether plastic surgery ish curriculum that would simply is good or bad and whether we’re suit the families’ aspirations as well letting beauty standards control as the children’s preferred tutorour lives, but money talks and in ing philosophy. With this collective that respect, let the idealist and the “domino effect”, with more foreign pessimist argue and drink that half families residing in Dubai due to its full half empty glass. comprehensive business environment, more and more children are being enrolled in English speaking Education, The Key To schools. As of now, Dubai has a toSuccess tal of 145 private schools that uses English as their medium of instrucInvesting in Dubai is the future: tion, which are catered to one or Let’s face it, in the long run, the more expat communities. And as only thing that’s going to sustain Dubais’ booming economic growth the population of the expat comis the investment in social develop- munity is still snowballing, opening up large business opportunities ment strategies. And what better within the educational industry, way to build a strong foundationyou really have to make up your al social infrastructure than edumind on where you want to hit. cation! Now I know it may sound a little boring, I mean it’s not like that was the first “profession” that So, where does the business opportunity come into the picture? came to mind when your teacher I’ll put it to you this way, a little used to ask you what you dreamt more than 85% of Dubai’s school of becoming when you grew up, students are enrolled in private right? Just give me a shot, bet I’ll institutions that are all billing parprove your childhood memories ents a chunck of money across wrong. the social spectrum. But the exWith an excessively increasing for- citement doesn’t stop there, with about 200,000 students enrolled eign population, outnumbering in private institutions; the “student local Emiratis, strategic measures population” has increased at an avhave to be considered in order to ic doctors in the UAE state that the demand for such medical services

erage rate of 7%. for the past five years. That means that as of next year, you’ll have 14 000 new students to support – make it rain!

the train pass and regret it later on. Dubai is the new land of opportunities, the new goldmine of the Middle East. Everything in the city screams opportunities, profit Now I would go over the whole and great business. The Emirate is process and “demands” that are growing at crazy rates and you can required – but it’s a PDF of 39 pag- be part of this development. All es (really not that long though). A you need is the will and the brains, simple Google search of “How to and the rest will follow. Whether it launch an English school in Dubai” is Healthcare, Real Estate or Eduwill do the trick, and trust me, its cation, there are endless possibiliworth it. ties to make a fortune in Dubai. So now it’s your decision: do you want There are people in this world who to be invited to the party or be left run after opportunities and go all out. The choice is yours. in, and there are those who let

DUBAI HOT SECTORS Real

Arts

Estate

Dealership

Tourism

Healthcare

Education Getty Images

Ibrahim Naji

#YESALLWOMEN TWEETS OF MASS INSTRUCTION

ashtags have developed into an integral part of modern social life, with hashtags ranging from #weloveonedirection to #bringbackourgirls. Though a month ago a new hashtag rose up the ranks to claim the attention of the [social media] world.

from a simple hashtag to tweets that attempts to explain why the hashtag is being used, is an indicator of how the world received and reacted to a simple set of letters in a virtual reality (which makes me question, what would happen if we actually took action in the real world? Scary, huh?!)

#YesAllWomen

Before attempting to discuss the reactions and responses, let us first look at some of the tweets with this hashtag, let us give them the attention they deserve;

And while #YesAllWomen has become the equivalent of a 70-year-old in social media years, I am writing about this for one reason – shock. How could such an important, powerful, emotionally charged hashtag receive so little media attention? While I may have read a couple or so articles, my news-feeds were in no way flooded with #YesAllWomen discussions, questions or support. #YesAllWomen is a hashtag that picked up speed in tweets in the form of “#YesAllWomen have been verbally harassed at least once on the street” or “#YesAllWomen have been the butt of a misogynistic joke at least once in their lives.” It then developed into a hashtag that accompanies statements about women’s lives and issues that are important to a lot of them, about issues that are ignored by the media and the world instead of giving them proper attention. This then developed into “#YesAllWomen because …”, which in itself is an indicator of the responses to the hashtag. The development

@sarReichie: “#YesAllWomen because how often does a man text his friend to say that the got home safe?” @TessaKerlin: “Because my hormones make me an ineffective leader and a man’s hormones absolve him of rape #YesAllWomen” @_SwavyMami: “#YesAllWomen because I am so tired of women having to learn rules for safety when men should be learning rules for behavior.” @DreamFifteen: “#YesAllWomen because I was taught to scream “fire” instead of “rape” because it increases the chances of someone coming to help.” Other examples attempt to explain and defend the hashtag, which is sad – it’s sad that women have to explain that they don’t hate men, that they are just expressing themselves,

whenever they use a simple hashtag. @cwodtke: “If you think #YesAllWomen is about hating men, you haven’t read the stream. It’s about hating injustice. It’s about hating living in fear.”

up with her, not for her, but with her, saying, “I’m frustrated that you were harassed too,” instead of claiming discomfort or feeling “victimized”.

If you, as a man, are feeling victimized by a hashtag in a virtual world, imagine how vic@allisonastorino: “If you think #YesAllWomen timized a woman is feeling as she walks the is an attack on men, you’re not listening to streets, wondering if she’s going to get home women. Which is kind of the problem.” safely. Imagine how she feels when you get paid twice as much as she does for the same @AdelaideKane: “Not ALL men harass wom- job. It may not be your fault, but it sure as hell en. But ALL women have, at some point, been is not hers. Imagine how she feels when she harassed by men. Food for thought. #YesAll- has to spend her money paying for phone Women” calls she made while she was walking down that dark alleyway, the phone calls she made @HilmParisRay: “#YesAllWomen because the to make sure someone knew where she was, point of this isn’t to shame men, it’s to emto make sure someone hears her scream if she power women. And yet, so many guys are still is attacked, to make sure someone saves her making this about them.” instead of blaming her.

The fact that these women have been put on the defensive, whether in anticipation of responses or due to previous responses that have been already received, is a travesty. The fact that they find themselves having to reply to #NotAllMen instead of finding more men using #YesAllWomen is sad. #YesAllWomen because instead of going on the defensive, you should try to understand. If you’re not part of the problem, if you don’t do these things, then we’re on the same side. If you do, then making you uncomfortable is the least we can do. Why is it that women either love men or hate them? Why can’t society understand that when a woman says that she is frustrated that men harass her, she would appreciate another man standing

Mariam El Zoghby

If you are not her oppressor, then be her ally – attempt to understand her. The least you can do is read the hashtag, understand what she goes through. Empathize. Put yourself in her shoes and imagine what you would feel like. Stop thinking about yourself and think about her for one second. This is by no means a piece asking men to save women because “women are the weaker sex”, this is a loud statement telling people, men and women, society, to become these women’s allies, support them as they fight, don’t fight for them, but don’t fight against them. #YesAllWomen is more than just a hashtag, and it deserves more of your time than a mere article can fulfill.

We Heart It

WINNER OF GULF ELITE AND DORRAJ GIVEAWAY ANNOUNCED

WINNER YACOB ALEMNEH

PERSONAL BRANDING

LET’S TALK ABOUT THAT SNAPCHAT

veryone you meet around the corner thinks that they are the real deal, that he or she is a one of a kind, a unique being with an exceptional story. Every job seeker shouts that he or she is an industry leader, the right man for the job and someone with the single most valuable asset that can take the company to the next level. Well, in a world where over seven billion people go around trying to make a name for themselves, in an online society with millions of interactions and connections shaping everything from the employment market to the dating world, it is virtually impossible to come along and claim that you can stand out, make your voice heard and get the attention of the right people. This is where personal branding comes in handy because in the company of YOU, there is plenty of marketing that can be enacted in order to turn the once unknown guy into a household reference and center of attention! And for those who still don’t know what your brand is, Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, explains that “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room” – genius ! Now there are three essential keys to keep track of when it comes to personal branding, three foundational elements that you’ll have to adopt in

order to get the most out of your mission.

1- Know Who You are: Self-Evaluation Reflects Brand Valuation Generation Y – the most innovative, determined and independent generation of all time, knowing what they want to be, what they want to have, where they want to get and how they’re going to get there - but sometimes, venturing through this long and complex process, we tend to forget who we are. You see, self-consciousness has become a very vague and immeasurable trait due to the wired and virtual social networks we so have been relying on as an online generation, which frankly, is devastating. Self-evaluation is like detailing an assessment plan for a company before reshaping it. You should always have a good sense of your strengths and weaknesses, your skills and what you are known for, your personality and how it strikes others. Needless to say, ignoring certain negative aspects of yourself is damaging, so being objectively honest with yourself is crucial and facing your flaws is imperative! Yes, personal branding is very much like corporate branding, except the only difference is that personal brand-

ing needs to be based on true assets and qualifications. If corporate marketing is about fabrication to manipulate the client base, personal branding is about marketing what you really have, so a good way to start is by establishing what your entourage thinks of you and what you think of yourself.

sired people allowing yourself to be remembered as a reference in your industry – establishing a network. By launching Facebook groups, running your own Youtube videos or even starting a blog establishes yet another layer for your brand to leverage on, allowing your surrounding to get an insight of how good you actually are. And let’s face it, at the end of the day, So man up, get your shit together and your network is your networth, and remember that who you are reflects if you don’t know the right people on your personal brand, meaning that who can pull and play with the right with uncertainties and blurry constrings every now and then, your procepts of who you are will only reflect fessional prospects won’t be looking on your personal brand as vague, so good. inconsistent and immeasurable. Social spectrums sure do bring a lot to the table when it comes to branding yourself, but it also gives you an 2- When Social Media Comes in insight on how the industry you’re Handy in is changing – keeping you up to date. Go ahead and like pages that This surely can’t be anything new, as will benefit your newsfeed (none that you always hear someone discussing includes Memes…) and stimulate your the importance of social media, so I interests in order for you to always honestly can’t stress enough on the stay ready for potential updates on fact that you should use various outthe latest goings on. Why you ask? lets extensively to promote your imWell just ask Michael Scott who tells age. Always share important content you to “Adapt. React. Re-Adapt. Act.” that reflects well with the industry you want to be associated with. But How about when you’re offline? Well, don’t overdo it, sharing every interparticipating at events plays a vital esting, innovative and motivational article on your social mediums – peo- role because the opportunity to network and to present your qualities ple will eventually get sick of it. and expertise to others in real life, You presence on social online platis real. Because honestly, it’s hard to forms like Facebook, Twitter, Google show your true potential to someone Plus and LinkedIn is just as importvia Instagram or Twitter because of ant as anything else if not the most all the fake show-off self-centered important. It’s a global stadium that attention-seeking individuals who’d occupies the world’s population as its spectators, allowing personal con- post an intellectually sparking article or a fascinating status update about tent to flow freely amongst your de-

We Heart It

their new internship at Google – just to look smart. But having a face-toface conversation with a client, mentor or potential employer might be all you need to tip the odds in your favor. Needless to say, even being a “main-event” speaker may also prove to be of high added value for you because no one forgets who took the stage, unless you’re as boring as Mr. Hutchinson, my previous history teacher.

3- Find Out How Far Your Reputation Stretches: All Eyes Are On You Here is a fun fact for you to know: recruiters at your next job interview have the tendency of searching the name of candidates on a simple search engine – get it? So before Deloitte invites you over to an interview, they’ll Google your ass until there is nothing left of you. They’ll compile a file about what you do, how you do it, with who you do it with and of course, when you do it. For this very “casual” reason, it’s important to monitor your “E-reputation,” that is to say, all the information circulating and referring to you on the World Wide Web. The good news is that nothing gets erased from the web, so if there is a memorable picture you want to get your hands on, don’t worry, eventually you’ll find it. It takes 40 years to establish a brand and only 40 seconds to destroy it. Brand management is essential when wanting to maintain a healthy and

Ismail Alaoui

“non-scandalous” reputation - think I’m kidding? Just ask Britney Spears how hard her coke scandals hit her image. Now my point isn’t that coke is an unwise choice of vitamin C, it’s that when aiming to establish a good brand, when your image is out there, keeping it clean is your only job. That goes for your online social presence as well offline interactions. So next time you plan on Facebooking your “wild Saturday night”, don’t. And while you’re at it, do yourself a quick favor and Google yourself – would be fascinating tp see what your online track record looks like! But hey, it’s all worth the hustle! Because once you establish that image of yours, you automatically become a reference that stands out immediately and, whoop di doo, great stuff start coming your way!

We Heart It

ELIE SAAB We Heart It

et’s face it; there aren’t that many global Middle Eastern fashion brands that have taken the world with a storm, attracting royalties from all corners of the globe, making red-carpet celebrities dying to wear your creations. There just isn’t the same volume of Arabic fashion brands that have managed to pull off and stack up to what Italy’s Versace has done or France’s Chanel has accomplished, which, in all fairness, is “blamed” on the more restricted and conservative Middle Eastern values that constrain that kind of creativity or “frivolity”.

trepreneurial fashion venture. Just like any other fashion emperor set on conquering the world, he fell in love with art at the young age of nine, experimenting with different fabrics and styles, envisioning the do´s and don’t’s and practicing his unbelievable “know-how” on his rather lucky sister. He knew exactly what he wanted to do and how he wanted to do it, establishing the critical foundation for the genius brand he would later launch. Now unlike other fashion giants, such as Calvin Klein and Donna Karan, who attended prestigious fashion schools around the world, Saab is a true self-taught fashion oracle who gave up school Nevertheless, breaking European in Paris after realizing that it just monopoly and penetrating the wasn’t the right choice for him. unbelievably competitive Fashion Though you can’t help but think industry requires something out that maybe a formal fashion eduof the ordinary, something innocation would have aided him furvative and raw – something bold, ther in his career, you know, giving in order to stand out amongst him that edge, or maybe it would the multi-billion dollar Italian have simply burnt his genius to and French giants and gain the the ground. Saab casually explains required attention and signifi“the most important factor that cance needed to survive against has aided me in the business was the greatest. So when an undermy talent! But what makes the dog, a noobie, manages to pierce difference between one and the through this vicious fashion frame, other is the identity you create it’s the real deal – Elie Saab is the for yourself and this recommends real deal! talent.” The protégé Elie Saab was born in the capital of Lebanon, Beirut, in 1964, where he started his en-

You see, Saab had a 6th sense for fashion, which he was going to use to get ahead of the game. So

as a young aspiring entrepreneur who’s absolutely determined to get his name out and succeed in what he does best, Saab set sail in the hopes of being the next big thing in the fashion industry – starting in Beirut. In 1982, at the age of 18, he sure was on the right track killing it, as he opened up his first atelier in the then-burgeoning city, overseeing over a dozen employees who helped him establish the first foundations to what later came to be a fashion empire (FYI an atelier is fancy French word for “workshop”). His work was so impactful, so elegant, dominating the arts of dressmaking; it swiftly bought him the recognition he needed in and outside of Beirut, attracting high society women to the new mecca of fashion in Lebanon. As his brand expanded, becoming more exquisite and more refined, Elli Saab became a household name within the elite of Lebanon. Soon enough though, after 21 years of working his ass off, Saab was finally awarded the highest, most exclusive fashion honor; introduced into the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture (The French is enough to give you a sense of how fancy it was). Though I have to say that his biggest international breakthrough came when the gorgeous Halle Berry wore Saabs’ burgundy gown on the 2002 Academy

Awards. I mean having your dress worn by an influential individual, a celebrity at the Oscars is huge; it’s like a first class ticket to heaven! What really makes Saabs’ creations so extraordinary though is his hybrid sense of creativity, having such a unique combination of western and eastern intentions, allowing the women to absorb the best of both worlds, wrapping her in such noble materials, magnifying her femininity, glorifying the female figure, giving her that empowered yet subtle feel that is absolutely remarkable. It’s the secret ingredient that makes every woman blossom into a one of a kind angel; it’s his foundation of “simplicity with a certain touch of glamour” that really pulls it all together. “As long as you have a simple style you will definitely be on the right path.” Today, Elie Saabs’ magical creations have dressed iconic female figures at the most prestigious events in the world; Angelina Jolie on the Red Carpet, Halle Berry at the Oscars and even Sweden’s Princess Madeleine. From being one of four siblings raised in the suburb of Beirut, selling his homemade creations to his neighbors, he now has an estimated net-worth of an amazing $200 million dollars and is a global fashion icon featured in hundreds of retailers

in over 20 countries. Saab is today known for his simple designs, precious resources and his skill to maintain a form of sophistication that strikes the beholder beyond imagination. And to top it all of, he recently launched his first ever fragrance, “Le Perfum”, which is amazing! It became an overnight sensation and an absolute bestseller in over 10 countries, including the UAE. Guys, if you want to impress her, get her “Le Perfum”! Elie Saabs’ success was no coincidence as years and years of hard dedicated and painful grind was required to fully exploit his mind-blowing potential. A man

Ibrahim Naji

who wisely took great advantage of his passion for fashion to make a name for himself amongst the other giant fashion moguls. It wasn’t just about the fabric or the couture itself, but about the spirit and the soul that each one of his creations had and boasted. “I believe that each designer has to create his own identity to show up and persist in the fashion field, along with this, perseverance and ambition are very important in overcoming obstacles.”

Tumblr.

The voice of generation Y

www.elitedaily.com

STARTING FROM THE BOT TOM 1971

Age 10

Dropout

Born in East End of Glasgow to a low income family.

Started delivering papers, and by age 11 had 17 teenagers working for her.

Struggled in school. Was told sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll end up a failure. Droped out at 15 to become a model.

Hustler

Pregnancy

In 2 years rose to head of marketing then left to start her own business.

Faked qualifications on her CV to land a marketing job at Brewer Lebatt.

Ended her modeling career at 18 after getting pregnant.

Lingerie

1996

1999

Decided she could design a much better bra after wearing a very uncomfrtable one at a dinner party.

Founded MJM international after obtaining license to manufacture silicon bras in EU.

Launched Ultimo bra after patenting it. Sold 6 weeks stocks in 24 hours at Selfridges.

TODAY

UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading lingerie designer Top 3 Female Entrepreneur s in UK Net Wor th: $60 Million

MICHELLE MONE

Arabian Business

http://www.clker.com/cliparts/z/l/g/7/h/g/negative-car-icon-md.png http://www.google.ae/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&docid=Tew5g5LXMxfUrM&tbnid=DOVd306tDhYQgM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fuyonsladefense.com%2Fjob-region%2Fasie%2F&ei=4Q2bU9aEOIbWPI6ZgMgG&bvm=bv.68911936,d.d2k&psig=AFQjCNEZKTC7-FF7Rc0nkRy7aenEG0pFBw&ust=1402756956095301 http://www. google.ae/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&docid=6zKkS8SVp-YtCM&tbnid=UN_dxtDjEL9MRM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhistoiresdeweb.fr%2Fhistoire-uber%2F&ei=fhGbU8P4KYKiO9bNgJAB&bvm=bv.68911936,d.d2k&psig=AFQjCNEhPkiGO3iIfC4H8vSaalthQDUD1Q&ust=1402757881897052 http:// www.google.ae/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fhistoiresdeweb.fr%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F02%2FloHow To Be Worth $17 Billion in 5 Years go-uber.png&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fhistoiresdeweb.fr%2Fhistoire-uber%2F&h=427&w=640&tbnid=UN_dxtDjEL9MRM%3A&zoom=1&docid=6zKkS8SVp-YtCM&ei=eRGbU-OFJIap0AWGwoHgCg&tbm=isch&client=safari&ved=0CBoQMygBMAE&iact=rc&uact=3&dur=439&page=1&start=0&ndsp=19 http://www.google.ae/ ?? url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&docid=6zKkS8SVp-YtCM&tbnid=UN_dxtDjEL9MRM:&ved=?? ?? 0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhistoiresdeweb.fr%2Fhistoire-uber%2F&ei=-hGbU81mjKk6kbOAwA4&bvm=bv.68911936,d.d2k&psig=AFQjCNEhPkiGO3iIfC4H8vSaalthQDUD1Q&ust=1402757881897052 http://www.google. ae/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&docid=sEGVGS3_HEIV5M&tbnid=0hl_sHT_8S4peM:&ved=0CAU2008 QjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fsciencetech%2Farticle-2611974%2FThe-maps-reveal-startlingLimo Timeshare Why is it so damn hard What are Geeks for? 2 friends at LeWeb gap-rich-poor-Tracked-taxi-journeys-highlight-wealthiest-tech-savvy-residents-live-world.html&ei=YhSbU-uTOoKFOMSEgservice? Nahh to get a cab? Got the brains, got the conference in Paris cAK&bvm=bv.68911936,d.d2k&psig=AFQjCNEbZ2OmaJbRt_0SAn4jEI9LjNJERw&ust=1402758623780714

HOW UBER STARTED skills...

discussing the future of Tech

January 2010 New York Test Run Using only 3 Uber Cars

6 MONTHS Prototyping Hiring Testing Series A $11.5 Million

FUNDING SERIES

2nd Round $32 Million

May 31 2010 Official Launch in San Francisco

March 2009 One Thingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s For Sure It has to be an iPhone App that includes drivers on demand

Final Round $1.2 Billion

$17 Billion VALUATION Gulf

Elite

UBER

HOW TO BE WORTH $17 BILLION

ew are those companies who blow you away and make you wonder how a business can be so cool and so awesome. We had Apple, Facebook and Tesla -all mindblowing companies with exceptional vision-, and then we had Uber come along. The only difference is: Uber is getting more and more mind-blowing by the day! I wouldn’t call Uber your usual suspect. Many would think they know what the startup is all about and how it operates, but very few actually know the blueprints to the bigger picture. Uber is for sure not only a private chauffeur entity, In fact, it’s a logistics company, and its stunt with ice cream delivery, flower delivery and helicopters on demand is an example of how you can do whatever you want once you have the right application for it - and once enough people are using it.

rants werent enough to distract them from a brilliant idea trapped under the grey clouds, because next thing you know, these two “uber” kids were already brainstorming, thinking about ways to solve this global issue of finding cars at the right place, on the right time. Though by now only two things were certain: the solution had to be mobile, fast and the rides had to picked up from Jay Leno’s personal garage.

Garrett took the lead and went on playing around with a couple of ideas, prototyping several solutions and engineering a mobile app for the iPhone that would revolutionize the very ide of getting around. It didn’t take long before Travis joined the ride to work with Garett on what would be known later on as, Uber. Fast forward to January 2010 and Uber was already rolling a couple of black cars in the city of New York to simply test the service out. With just a few cars and even fewer people knowThe story of Uber takes us back to 2008 ing about the startup at the time, Uber when the co-founders then, still friends proved to be a hit. Soon after, San Franand not aware they will be at the head cisco joined in to host Uber, and the of one of the most successful startups rest, the rest is history. up to date, were attending LeWeb conference in Paris. Travis Kalanick and Today Uber is one of the leading transGarrett Camp, like old pals, were comportation services in the world, starting plaining about the many crappy things out with a Series A funding of $11.5 Milwe all have to deal with in life, includlion. Once you thought it couldn’t really ing finding a cab when we’re packed get any better for them, they went on with luggage under the rain and no taxi to snatching an additional $32 million in seems to be passing by. It seemed like 2nd round funding before landing, brace The Eiffel tower or Paris’ finest restauyourselves, a mega $1.2 billion in their

final round of funding. There is only one word for this; Crazy! The company today is valued at $17 Billion give or take. This is a one in a lifetime success story that really only comes around once every decade. What makes Uber the ultimate startup is its culture of business, a culture quite reflective of what Generation-Y stands for: We want to be doing big things all while coming across as cool, chic and innovative. I mean take a look at their “transportation vehicles”, we´re talking about German monsters such as the BMW 7 Series or the Audi A8. People love affluence, and maybe we can’t all be millionaires, but if we’re given the choice to have a piece of the cake, then why not. Why not roll out in a Mercedes S class once in a while? Why not feel like royalty for a weekend? Life is already too full of crap to deal with, people unhappy with their jobs, with their relationships and with their governments. Amidst all this buhu BS, Uber shines as a beacon of light that wants to make our days a little brighter. We don’t have to put up with life, with Uber you can be ahead of it. If waking up at the thought of your day at work being as depressing as the day before it, well the thought of riding in an exclusive tinted luxury car and spoiling yourself may make things easier.

ups is that they are disruptive by nature, they allow us to do things better, faster and cheaper, things which makes a lot of old “givens” obsolete. Taxi unions have been going from strike to strike in France and the UK against Uber, claiming that the startups’ usage of a geolocalisation based app to calculate fares and request a ride poses an unfair advantage. Well, tough luck, you either adapt or die, and that’s been the law of nature for millenniums now. In the UAE Uber have been shaking things up and giving people something to look forward to. In order to gain the minds and hearts of the wealthy young and old generations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Uber went from promotion to promotion, giving away a week worth of Uber free rides or a day of free rides with UberX. When we spoke to one of the local Uber PR and Marketing individuals, we were told that Uber doesn’t spend money on paid advertisement. Their best advertisement strategy is word of mouth, happy customers going around and telling their friends, family or even crush on how amazing their last ride was.

Many see Uber as the next $100 Billion company, and from what we experienced, that’s not a far fetched asUber is now spreading happy faces all sumption. Uber will be delivering your across the world, but also getting a ice cream, your valentine roses, your ton of heat from old fashioned trans- pizza on demand and even your pack portation services who think their of gum. As long as you have the app cab fares are a holy commandment in your phone, anything is deliverable, no one should ever question. See, the so long as it’s legit! But again, don’t beauty of technology-based startbe surprised if your dealer suddenly Mohamed Amine Belarbi

“...I see a natural beauty hiding in each one of us. I cannot quite take it all in: It´s too much to comprehend. There is nothing to do but sip an espresso and just feel it all...” - Philippe Baltz Nielsen

Circle Of Beautiful People International

TECH

10 APPS YOU MUST HAVE FIFA ‘14

s the FIFA World Cup has officially kicked off in Brazil, showcasing the most mind-blowing goals, unbelievable defeats and crazy tackles, we thought it would be best to stimulate those over-flooding emotions by… playing more football! Your favorite team lost against Chile? Pick up your smartphone, tap the FIFA icon and virtually humiliate them on EA Sports’ perfectly cooked ass-kicking game. To top it all off it’s even got Adidas Brazuca ball, to enhance that World Cup feeling.

HUKKSTER Y

ou know that ever-lasting wait for your favorite pair of sneakers to go on sale? Walking past the stores windows, hoping to see the giant “SALE” sign in order for you to quickly get your hands on your babies. Well that excruciating pain of waiting is finally over thanks to Hukksters genius idea. You can now track your favorite products online and receive an alerts as soon as they go on sale. And since we all have an unconditional love for shopping, you can easily organize, view and buy your favorite items all in one place. With Hukkster, you’ll never miss a sale ever again!

UBER

ver wonder what it’s like to have your own private chauffeur? What it’s like to sit in the back, behind tinted windows, feeling like the boss? Well no need to wonder anymore as UBER provides you with a top-notch transport system at your fingertips. With private drivers in more than 30 countries and 30 cities, you can request a ride and be picked up within minutes. So forget about reservations and taxi lines, don’t worry about being picked up on time or arriving too late, as UBER allows you to monitor every aspect of your experience. You’re just one click away from being escorted to your gala, conference or even prom - in style!

8FACT

id you know that Strawberries actually have more vitamin C than Oranges? That about 90% of people will fake laugh when they don’t understand what someone said to them? Or how about the fact that Coca-Cola only sold 25 bottles the first year but kept on going? I absolutely love this freaking app! It’s not like other “funfact” apps, this actually presents you with interesting and self-educating facts which you can say on a first date to spark a conversation or to simply sound smart. Download the official 8FACT app now, and enlighten yourself with the worlds’ most fascinating facts.

ince Facebook bought this astonishing start-up, it has absolutely rocketed! With over 400 million users world wide, WhatsApp supports an intelligent and well-organized smartphone messaging system that’s available on every operating system! So it’s about time you switch from SMS to Whatsapp in order to text your BFF the new location or even tell him about the latest gossip at the office.

VENMO

love going out with my best buds, grabbing lunch, hitting the movies and going out for drinks every now and then. But that loving feeling usually becomes a little “uptight” as the bill hits the table –trying to figure out how we’re going to “figure” this out without looking or sounding like cheap pricks. Enter Venmo, the crown jewel of all finance apps! You can easily pay your friends’ drinks, dinner and even rent without sounding like a prick – promise! You can then smoothly and politely ask them to pay you back through Venmo. And I get it, you need some kind of insurance before you leave your credit info with some “random app” – Venmo is a part of eBay/PayPal, good enough?

SPOTIFY

here is a reason why they have over 40 million users you know. Forget about Shazam or any other music “competitor”, Spotify is the sh*t! With over 20 million different songs, you’ll definitely be able to set up that “Work-out” playlist alongside with your secret collection of Celline Dion that you’re keeping to yourself. Now I know what you’re thinking, “I don’t want to pay 10 dollars for music.” How about this, you tell me about any other app, software or website that gives you the same type of quality, accessibility and variety of music and I’ll jump off Dubais’ Burj Khalifa – tomorrow. Look, It’s definitely worth the money, but don’t take my word for it, try out their “one-month-of-free-Premium” and check it out yourself!

TED

sure as hell can’t be the only one who gets motivated and inspired by watching a TED talk – so why not have it accessible at your fingertips? With over 1500 TED talks available with some of the worlds’ most absorbing and fascinating people discussing everything from the worlds’ educational “issues” to business frameworks. As new TED talks are added daily, you can download them and watch them while you’re on the bus, boat or even flying back from a business trip – offline. And to top it all off, it alerts you about upcoming TED talks around your area so that you can experience the TED awesomeness first hand!

SKITCH

oesn’t it suck that all good “entrepreneurial” ideas appear around 11 PM, right when you’re trying to fall asleep? You got no pen and paper around you, and you’re sure as hell not going to turn on your computer just to write down a brilliant idea – l’ll note it down tomorrow morning. Right. Thanks to Evernotes’ brilliant app, Skitch, you can easily snap an idea, mark it up and send it on within seconds. You see, it allows you to visually share that million-dollar idea as well as highlight changes on that PDF, Mark the “IT” location and send it to your friend or even annotate photos of your new architectural project to plan your next move.

KAYAK

hate it when I have to spend hours searching through hundreds of sites, trying to find the cheapest and best flight possible. What’s even worse is that once you find that “oh, this is what I have been looking for” website, it screws you over with its “ALERT: Price just went up 50%.” Shoot me. Now let me explain why I’ve fallen for KAYAK. KAYAK goes through hundreds of sites in seconds in order to find you the right flight, for the cheapest possible price. With one tap, you’ll have the ultimate ticket at your disposal – excluding all “hidden” add-ons, commissions and sudden increase in prices.

Elite Destination Of The Month

SHANGHAI

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Shanghai

ook around your place, I’ll bet you any amount of money that half of the stuff laying around says, “Made in China.” And frankly, most of that stuff would have been shipped from one of the world’s most interesting emerging economies that’s absolutely booming at the moment, Shanghai. I mean, when we laid our eyes on Dubai’s mind-blowing industrialization, we thought it couldn’t get any more “unbelievable” – but then, we heard of Chinas’ economic capital. Within 15 years, China will become, without a doubt, the world’s number one financial superpower, so when glancing towards the horizon, wondering and fantasizing about what the future might look like – look no further, because when China takes on the race of becoming the absolute capital city of this thriving world, almighty Shanghai will become the biggest badest and richest city-state on planet Earth. Shanghai, one of the worlds’ most interesting success stories, has really been putting in that extra effort, empowering their urban skyline and enhancing their social infrastructure in order to achieve their only economic mission: to become the worlds’ new financial center and be the modern day gold rush! It has exponentially been gaining popularity in the eyes of the worlds’ wealthiest with its major business opportunities, so it’s not

surprising that it’s been surpassing Hong Kong in fame and reputation, gradually regaining its title as “China’s most international city” (let’s think as Mainlanders for now and assume that Hong Kong is a part of China). Shanghai today is really going through one hell of a facelift, polishing its top-notch skyline, incorporating high-end shopping malls and restaurants, increasing foreign direct investments and other luxury elements that’ll sustain its rich lifestyle for the foreseeable future. It’s quite mind-blowing that the country that, a while back, was struggling with political, social and even financial hardships, is now an economic superpower that everybody wants to become “best buds” with (well except maybe the US but that’s debatable) due to their increasing consumer and purchasing power. Alright so enough foreplay, let me give you a little insight, a taste of how Shanghai is steadily projecting itself to be on top of the food-chain in a couple of years. You see, business is a vital part of the city’s existence, most foreign global companies keep the city alive by setting up their offices in Shanghai, providing great opportunities for the country’s infrastructure and employment to prosper – and that’s well documented. Over the past two decades, Shanghai has been one of the worlds’ fastest developing cities in

Shanghai the world, having double digit growth every year since 1992 (well except during the global recession of 2008/2009). As the construction of the worlds’ most powerful economy continues, they’ve had tremendous market advances year after year, resulting from a solid 10% GDP growth over the past three decades (though its starting to stabilize at an average of 7.5%). So Shanghai is, basically, a city on steroids for those with the vision to actually cash in and who were lucky enough to jump on the bandwagon to capitalize on the growing opportunities. In fact, in 2013, Shanghai’s total GDP grew from an estimated $321.4 billion in 2012 up to $354 billion in 2013. Though, according to the IMF (International Monetary Fund), Chinas’ GDP per capita is ridiculously low, hitting the 93rd spot in comparison to the US 6th spot, which frankly, tells you a lot about Chinas’ and Shanghai’s massive financial gap between the rich and the poor. In other words, not everyone is hitting the jackpot. You see, yes, Shanghai has a total population of 23 million, but only about 9.3 million live in the city’s inner urbanized core – where all the magic happens. The rest, 13.7 million people, who all live on the periphery of Shanghai, are “decentralized” or rather kept away from the stage to keep everything looking flashy. I’m talking about people who run their business on, literally, the streets of Shanghai trying to make a buck in order sustain themselves. There is no reason to bring out your tissues now as these people have been displaced like this for more than a decade now, living

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in a much more financially scarce area. These are the people sinking Chinas’ PPP (Purchasing Power Parity) to the ground and justifying the low GDP per capita. Amongst the huge Chinese population in Shanghai, there is, believe it or not, a quite large expat community reaching up to almost 200,000 individuals who have come here to find their own version of the “Shanghai dream”, which in all honesty, isn’t a smooth ride. You see, this is a place which has incorporated such strict business philosophies that China has become more “problematic” recently due to firm regulations and is a subject to review by the Chinese party, who has a stronghold of the country’s business prospects. According to the World Banks’ “ease of doing business” index (basically a list which indicates which countries in the world are easiest to do business in – in terms of laws and regulations), China doesn’t do so good – at all. Out of 189 countries, China lands on place number 96 as the toughest place to do business in. On the other hand, they’ve taken on 3rd place with regards to Foreign Direct Investments. These mind-blowing industrializing investments are not coming in because it’s a (obviously) “simple” process, but because of the wide-ranging opportunities that exists. No matter how difficult it is, if you can cash in, you’ll do whatever it takes. Nevertheless, from an entrepreneurial perspective, this is still one hell of a place to

invest your future in. As migration to Shanghai will continue to fuel economic growth for decades to come, attracting foreigners, it will balance out Chinas’ negative natural growth rate which has been going on for over 20 years now due to their low fertility rate which has been enforced due to their “famous” one-child –policy. This “fertility regulation” has definitely kept Chinas’ massively growing population in check, decreasing their critical carbon and ecological footprint, but on the other hand, this has also contributed to a crazy shrinking workforce as well as a rapidly aging population. So in order to keep their demographic pyramid shaped like an actual pyramid, foreign investors, employees and of course, entrepreneurs are very much welcomed.

bling of about your business framework when the people in front of you don’t understand a word that’s coming out of your mouth. Establishing a personal relationship with the business individual is also an essential part of the equation. So make sure you click with your contacts in order to maximize your outcome. And to take that extra crucial step, you could even attend industry networking events, contact industry associations and municipal investment promotion bodies as well as following up on personal introductions. These are all good ways to start the relationship-building process – and there are a bunch of opportunities to do that in Shanghai.

Almost everyday you can find a presentation or a discussion event hosted by the Big But before you even dive into the whole Fours, bulge brackets, leading online retail“omg let’s launch a business THERE”, learn ers and even IT companies. Needless to say and embrace the Chinese business culture that going to one of those events provides first – seriously! We both know how essenyou with an opportunity for expanding your tial one’s business etiquette and culture network and gaining credibility. For examawareness can be, because “ the traffic was ple, Deloitte, the largest professional serhorrible” or an “I’m sorry I forgot my busivice network in the world, conducts weekly ness cards at the office” might most likely roundtables regarding Internet security demolish a potential business deal in Shang- allowing anyone to join. Shanghai Stock Exhai. Like I really can’t stress on how importchange also doesn’t fall behind in its initiaant culture awareness is when it comes tive to bring people together and organizes down to doing business in a foreign country, open days for anyone who wants to learn especially in a country like China. And as more about capital markets in China and Chinas’ culture and business practices are a East Asia. In addition to that, Shanghai is a little “unique”, having a solid understanding hub for international and Chinese business of Chinese business etiquette is essential to clubs where you can learn more about doyour success. Your culture consciousness ing business in China and acquire necessary can determine a deal, a potential business contacts. or even an important contact just as much your previous experiences or amazing proHalf a year ago China’s prime minister Li jections – so get your shit straight! Here, Keqiang promised to ease policies and let me start you off with a coupe of simple foster an entrepreneurship spirit within the “must knows.” Chinese youth, especially amidst the growing demand for jobs from the ever increasBusiness traits like patience, modesty and ing number of China’s graduates. So entrepoliteness are very valued and significant preneurship still remains a relatively new foundational business qualities you must practice for the Chinese. I mean business incorporate in order to have a solid base. studies did not emerge in China until the Also before scheduling a meeting, make late 80s. Also, late business education is not sure you know the “hosts’” language capathe only factor deterring the country from bilities. I mean you don’t want to be ramactive entrepreneurial growth. As Mike Bus-

tin, visiting professor from China’s University of International Business and Economics, puts it “traditional Chinese culture, still influenced significantly by confucian values such as obedience and respect for authority and above all emotional control”, is not naturally compatible with typical entrepreneurial values.” The country, with the help of international corporations, is transitioning away from that model, but is still relatively far from being perfect.”

The New Shanghai Tower 632 m

So in what role does Shanghai step in and foster entrepreneurship? From a start up perspective, Shanghai is the first destination for those who are looking for Venture Capitalistic money. Securing mezzanine finance or angel investment is much easier in Shanghai than in any other Chinese city (except for maybe Hong Kong). The city has not reached the pinnacle of Venture Capitalist heaven like Silicon Valley yet, but looking at the tremendous number of successfully launched start ups, it is possible to predict that Shanghai may take a lead in the game for prospective business ideas in the nearest future. The world is shifting, and the West is no longer the only player in the game of business and amazing economic growth. You may have gone for the US or Europe decades ago, but their luck is wearing and real competition is making them look like school kids when it comes to stratospheric economic accomplishments and business opportunities. Europe is like an old pal dragging his feet along, the US is like an athlete who hit just his 50s, but guess what? The young and dynamic new guy in the office is no other than China, and if you’re smart enough to invest in your future, and greedy enough to follow the benjamins, then your best bet is Shanghai because they’re just about to be this century’s economic miracle!

Alex Sanders

Getty

Buy it! SEE IT

ELITE 10 MUST HAVES STARWOOD MOTORS, the guys behind this extraordinary badass, have for years been modifying and re-inventing regular cars into head-twirling, eye-gazing and mind-blowing extraterrestrials. This time, they went all in when they designed this solid and edgy Jeep conversion. This monster, the Nighthawk, truly absorbed the best of both worlds, fueled with a 3.6 liter V6 engine and a crazy matte metallic paint job. The roughness is balanced out with its luxurious plush leather interior and toped off with an interior dripping with high-tech gadgets. Knighthawk Price: $122, 888

GAMERS’ ULTIMATE WET DREAM comes in two words and costs $500: Xbox One! If you’re one of the people who go absolutely crazy when seeing a trailer of the newest Watchdogs or the latest Call of Duty, then having an Xbox One in your living room is a must. Imagine immersing yourself in games for hours and hours, feeling like only 5 minutes has gone by. Imagine gaming taken to a whole new level of realism and immersion. That’s the promise of Xbox with its new console that will revolutionize how you hold a joystick. 500$? It’s a small price to pay as it makes your life that much more enjoyable and brings all of your best buds together in one couch, and believe it or not, it can let you survive through your mom’s rant without noticing a single word of what she said. Yup, sounds crazy, but that’s how far Microsoft can go to win your hearts! Xbox One Price: 500$

A LOT OF PEOPLE FIND it unbelievable that one would spend so much money on a car, on a house, let alone on a watch, but once you see this beautiful piece from IWC Schaffhausen, you’ll realize it’s worth every penny. The precision, sharpness and perfection of this timepiece is beyond value, and if you are lucky enough to have it around your wrist, you’ll be the talk of the hour no matter what. Leonardo Da Vinci said that simplicity is the ultimate sophistication, and this couldn’t be more true for the IWC Portuguese Chrono. Everything seems handcrafted carefully, it’s combining the perfect geometry with the luxurious feel of suisse made timepieces. To top it off, the pink gold gives it an edge few watches can compete with.

IWC Portuguese Chrono Price: $12,900

THE MONT BLANC BRAND should be enough to convince you that this pen is not your usual writing instrument. Every mont blanc creation is worthy of a stand in the Louvre museum because the effort and precision that goes into making this piece is beyond imagination. The Tribute to Mont Blanc pen is a statement, a lifestyle and a savoir vivre in itself. Affluence and classiness are synonyms to this product, and only those with enough respect for the brand should get hold of one. Writing with a meisterstuck solitaire tribute to the mont blanc will make you feel as if you’re writing a $1 Million check to yourself, and just holding it between your fingers is enough to make you look like a badass for the rest of the evening. For the sake of keeping the charm this Mont Blan deserves, we will quote the price in Euros instead of Dollars.

TRIBUTE TO THE MONT BLANC Price: 815 Euros

LET’S START BY STATING the obvious – it’s gorgeous! That sexy sleek, modern and exclusive design (available in black and brown as well) really absorbs the rooms’ spotlight – giving it the proper attention it deserves. And the sound – mind-blowing (literally, if you crank it all the way up)! We conducted our research; Beats, Klipsch, JBL, SONOS even Bose – none of them matched up to this monster. The quality sound of this machine is absolutely flawless. In fact it is so flawless it has an optical audio input for high quality frequencies. The dials are solidly built, the switches work flawlessly and the connectivity to all your devices is limitless. If you’re going to trust me on anything, trust me on this one! MARSHAL STANMORE SPEAKERS Price: $500

AS SUMMER REACHES ITS CLIMAX, you don’t want to walk around with a book or a magazine the size of a laptop, you want something that weights less than 6 ounces, something that fits in your pocket, something that’s easy and comfortable to hold while you’re enjoying the sun, and most importantly something that’s easy to read wherever you are. Thank god for Amazon, thank god for Kindle! You see, unlike any other tablets, Kindle uses an electronic ink screen that looks and feels just like real paper. That means that you can easily read whatever you’re reading just as well in bright sunlight as in your bedroom. Now I know what you’re thinking, a tablet dripping with technology like that must consume a crazy amount of energy. No. As a matter of fact, on a single charge, you’re able to read for up to a month. Books? No problem. You’re able to download books in 60 seconds with its built in WiFi, allowing you to download and save over 1000 books in your personal library – ready for action whenever and wherever you want. Kindle Price: $69

THERE IS TECHNOLOGY, and then there is technology if

see what I mean. Google Glass, by virtue of being exclusively availab few, is a must have if you want to experience the new generation of w technology that everyone is going crazy over. Google Glass is more th computer and a screen you can put on your face. Google Glass stands novation and disruptive electronics. It’s not the piece itself that is so a but rather what you can do with it.

From looking up the right directions to that new gym to snapping a p of your crush when she is passing by, Google Glass’s applications are You can fly drones with your Glass, you can install a face recognition well, pretty much anything that can run on a computer. Having this b turn you, to some extent, into a genius cyborg.

Price: $1500 + Google Explorer invite.

f you ble to a wearable han just a s for inamazing,

picture limitless. software, baby will

I KNOW, WHY NOT DR DRES’ BEATS? Because 50 Cents’ STREET are in all honesty so much better! We´re just tired of the overrated, over-priced and, since Apple just acquired a huge chunk of the Beats, over-commercialized headphones that really aren’t that good. With STREET by 50 Cent, you’ll really feel and experience your music thanks to the absolutely exceptional sound quality that livens-up your tune experience into the unimaginable. The beat, the clarity, the diffusion – it’s all there. But your music experience doesn’t stop there as you’re presented with the most exclusive and unique fashion designs that’ll make headsturn - literally! Even the comfort is there! STREET by 50 Cent Price: $149

THEY DO LOOK A

little weird, we´ll give you that. And yes, they actually do feel like a pair of socks when you put them on, but hey, since when did we settle for normal? Nikes’ new football shoes, Magista, have been seen all over the Brazilian FIFA World Cup. From brazils crazy star, David Luiz to Portugals’ white knight, Cristiano Ronaldo – they all have them to get that exclusive and decisive feel that can turn a loss into a win. And just like “any other shoe”, Nikes’ Magista is dripping with technology supplying you with a Pebax nylon plate with conical stud patterns that allows 360° rotational traction. Price? Doesn’t matter, because it’s worth it!

Nike Magista Price: $285

WHO THOUGHT AMAZON would get into the smartphone business? Well, when you have enough money and technological capital, the sky is the limit! The new Fire phone by Amazon is not mind-blowing in design, but when it comes to functionalities: brace yourselves! Amazon fire phone has all the amazing capabilities of an iPhone or a Samsung, from the camera resolution to the processing power, but what makes Amazon stand out are two unique features: Firefly and 3D depth. Now the firefly will turn your phone into a shopping cart, just snap a picture of a Nutella jar or of a PSP and your phone will allow you to order the item via Amazon. Talk about genius marketing! The cherry on top though, is the 3D depth feature. Move your phone across or move your head and you will see the screen tilting or moving as well to reveal areas you couldn’t see before. It’s as if your phone is a window that lets you look out there and explore!

Amazon Fire Phone Price: $749

STARTUP SECRETS

HOW TO FUND YOUR BABY

aising millions of dollars for your start up seems great, but in reality, you are expected to perform and most importantly provide a positive return on investment for your investors. Anything short of this spells future disaster for you and your company.

your start up is making money they will find you. 2. Its not about how much you raise, its about how much you earn.

Realizing this will make you so much more successful in the Taking on this investment enables you to take your start up long run. Why? It is the truth. Raising millions of dollars to the next level. It is an exciting, nerve-racking, stressful, that does not belong to you is just that, money that does and time-consuming process to close a round of financing, not belong to you. You want to be able to build a business and if you can pull it off you better walk away feeling that can sustain itself, prosper, and most importantly turn a confident, not scared. The last thing you want to do is take profit. Profit is the name of the game, not dilution through someone’s money and doubt yourself if your company will fundraising. actually succeed. I mean telling someone they are going 3. Raise money to grow fast not sustain to lose all their money is far more stressful than raising money will ever be. Overall try to never go there. The point of raising money is to supercharge the growth of your business. You want to have product market fit, customFrom my experience, I have found it much easier to talk with investors the minute my company started generating ers, and a clear plan to use this money to make more money. The last thing you want to do is raise money to sustain revenue. Revenue is your saving grace, and the converyour business. This process involves significant dilution, loss sations with investors post revenue is like day and night. of trust, and loss of control. As an entrepreneur, you are in There is just a whole lot less to argue about when money comes into the picture. It’s just like the good ol saying goes the business of working for yourself not someone else. “Cash is King,” and this is certainly the case when raising money. Here are three tips to raising money for your startup: 1. Raise money when you don’t have to.

This may sound like an oxymoron, but it is the honest truth. It means your start up is generating enough money to grow organically. The money you are looking to raise is only meant to supercharge this growth. Not only will you have the upper hand when talking with investors, chances are you have the choice to select which investors you want to work with. From my experience, if investors hear that Will Caldwell

We Heart It

JEAN C. DRUMMOND

THE ULTIMATE STRATEGIST

f inspiration is to be found anywhere, it sure rests in the story of Jean Drummond, an African American woman whose path to success is nothing short of a motivational account for all of us who aspire to make it big in life. While many dwell on how much discrimination African Americans face and others complain about the various obstacles minorities face in their everyday life, Jean Drummond decided to take an entire different road, not asking for people’s attention and recognition, but rather by imposing herself and being an embodiment of “Be so good they can’t help but notice”. Jean, with her strong determination and drive, finds gender, ethnicity and her faith as secondary factors when her “savoir faire” and her hard work is enough to make anyone stop in awe and admire how much this woman accomplished in her life! We had the pleasure to sit with Jean in Abu Dhabi and have a nice chat over her life, career, goals and aspirations. Drummond was born in a small town in Maryland. The first thing the doctor told her mother is that she may not walk because she had a dislocated hip. Tough start one would say, but she remembers that anecdote with a smile. “I may not have been meant to walk, but I have been running ever since”, and run she did, along with a thriving set of siblings who all had businesses at one

point in their lives. C. Drummond is not your usual suspect, if she sets her eyes on something, if she wants to achieve a goal, she won’t stop until she succeeds. Recalling her business Healthacre Dynamics International (www.hcdi.com) and how the idea of launching the firm popped up, we realized another surprising thing about her. “I started my company just a few months after my first son was born, but that never stopped me”. Yes you heard that right, African American, female and a new mom. While these are all outstanding challenges only few would dare to overcome in their quest for launching a venture, the challenge made Jean all the more resolved to go through with it and officially become an entrepreneur. “I was a physician assistant and I had my masters to back me up. We started the company really coming out of the clinical practice and saw many of the inequities that were present especially in populations of color. Whether there were issues with health literacy, socioeconomic, transportation problems, food desert or medication hazards, you name it, it was all there. I saw this not as an excuse to complain, but as an opportunity to help build better helathcare systems that could create a positive change. That’s when I started to study the situation thoroughly and better understand how change can be im-

plemented. I am still doing it now, 23 years later.” Jean Drummond is the ultimate definition of an entrepreneur. She encountered a social issue, spotted the

pass certain healthcare legislation, how these policies were passed on to impact agencies and how these agencies dealt with people on the ground. I decided to become a federal government contractor, and in the US, that’s quite an undertaking! It’s huge, especially if you are a female African American. When I look back now on my quest to become a federal government contractor, I feel like it’s nothing short of a miracle, and doing it years in a row is simply unbelievable. Armed with her husband’s strategic insight as an accomplished physician with public health expertise, her pursuit was to understand the challenges of the healthcare landscape and do something about it. We go out there and ask ourselves why is this population doing better than another one. Why is the infant mortality rate in that neighborhood higher than in the neighborhood next door.”

Healthcare is huge, there is a lot of money in it and HCDI is doing well in maintaining a great reputation and a trusted brand. Forging a reputable opportunity and decided to do some- business out of nothing is an achievething about it. But remember, Proper ment only the greatest manage to Preparation Prevents Poor Perforachieve, and while Steve Jobs or mance, so before launching her start- Howard Shultz may have been busiup thanks to a $400 loan from her ness visionaries, Jean is taking that mother to buy a laptop, Jean spent notion to the next level thanks to her time and effort into understanding unmatched determination and her the healthcare landscape and the leg- ability to overcome challenges of all islative peculiarities of that industry. nature. In today’s competitive world, Basically, she did her homework! being good is the new average, being great is the new good and to get no“I wanted to unravel how healthcare ticed you have no choice but to bepolicies were drafted, how the US come the best at what you do. Jean Congress decided to pass or not to Drummond walked us through some

of the inner workings of HCDI and what made her firm so exceptional. “I am trademarking a new healthcare service labeled The Parachute. Whenever there is a health disparity or fiscal irregularities in a specific area and we’re asked to intervene, we deploy a comprehensive study to evaluate the problem and engineer solutions to remedy. Think of us as a SWAT. If we’re tasked with tackling the problem of cardiovascular diseases let’s say, we study everything from the transportation network, distribution of pharmacies, supermarkets, walking areas and so on, we develop education and prevention initiatives that are culturally and socially sensitive for the population or area in question. We also try to build support systems and engage with local partners to foster community sustainability.” Jean’s work is her passion, what she is most excited about. To put it in her own words, “that’s what God created me to do”. But Jean’s exceptional track record and striking personality has a lot more hiding behind the scene. Because of her entrepreneurial background, Jean finds great pleasure in sitting with young entrepreneurs and driven people in order to see how she can be of help and use her experience to benefit others walking down the entrepreneurial road of discovery. In addition, Jean launched a foundation called the Institute for Creative Community Initiatives (www. iccinititiative.com) that focuses on at risk boys and girls to help young people build self esteem.

The nice and rosey accomplishements one might see didn’t come without her share of hardships. Reflecting back on the difficult times she went through, Jean gave us an insight on the challenges she faced and how many times she was told to give up. “People ask me how I have made it through the tough times. I reply that there is no glory without a story. You have to learn to make lemonade out of lemon. Every obstacle presents a new opportunity. So when you fall, just get back up and stay on course. You must remember a harvest requires the storm and the sun. Be patient, persistent, prepared and remember to pray. Some days you just ask yourself why me. Instead I say why not me. I can stop this madness and go get a job instead of leading a venture on my own. And when that precise moment strikes, remember not to give up. You keep on going and continue hustling. Being an African American female didn’t make it easy for me. People told me you can’t, others told me I am not good enough, but hey, am here today! These potential liabilities became my most powerful assets” In addition to Jean’s faith, critical to her success is love for her family. Her husband for 28 years and three sons represent a testament to her inspiration and priority as wife, mother then entrepreneur. Keeping these relationships in perspective has been vital. Her extended family and friends have been a reservoir for inspiration and continued strength.

The journey Jean Drummond undertook is admirable and inspiring to many out there, the perseverance, the passion and the drive to stop at nothing should be a reference for young people today who strive to succeed. Success requires sweat, blood and tears. It isn’t easy and it’s not something to take for granted. You don’t need to be perfect; you don’t need to know everything or to be a genius, you just really need the determination to work hard towards your goals. But hey, you don’t need to listen to any of this from me, just hear what Jean has to share with every young entrepreneur out there working to achieve greatness. “Fail Forward” “I am not perfect, but what I do, I do very well. If you’re going to fail, fail forward. Don’t be around dream drainers. Balance! A key critical component to success is having time for god, family, friends, self and work. Living a healthy lifestyle of eating well, exercising, retooling and reinvesting in yourself support long term success. You gotta get out there, meet people and hustle. When your friends are out drinking or clubbing, be there trying to knock it out and be productive. Not to say you shouldn’t have fun but you have to realize what’s important.

You have to surround yourself with positive people who can inspire you and encourage you to move forward even when you feel you have failed.” Network! I’m an avid networker, I always make sure to follow up with people I meet. Networking is an opportunity for you to build your support system, to establish your brand and engineer your reputation. Every new connection you make is a new opportunity. Building a personal brand feeds into your professional brand. Remember, your network is your net worth. Warren Buffett once said that he’s so successful because he’s competing against only half of the world. Well, Buffett obviously didn’t have the chance to meet Jean Drummond, because she is the kind of women who will take on Bill Gates, Buffett and Richard Branson and change the rules of the game. Passionate, ambitious, independent, goal driven and fearless, Jean is the ultimate definition of a new term “fem-treneur”. Jean is the type of role model everyone, girls and boys, should be looking up to and learning from. Learn more on www.jeandrummond.com

Mohamed Amine Belarbi

Ad ith

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