THE ENTREPRENEURISSUEInnovation&Integrity emirateswoman.com BD2.60BAHRAINRO2.70OMANDHS25UAE SR25ARABIASAUDIKD2.10KUWAIT PUBLICATIONMOTIVATEA2022SEPTEMBER
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SENIOR SALES MANAGER Anna Chipala anna.chipala@motivate.ae
GROUP MARKETING MANAGER Joelle Albeaino
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Obaid Humaid Al Tayer MANAGING PARTNER AND GROUP EDITOR Ian Fairservice EDITOR/ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Amy Sessions amy.sessions@motivate.ae SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Olga Petroff DIGITAL EDITOR Olivia Morris FASHION EDITOR Daniel Robinson JUNIOR DIGITAL STYLE EDITOR Sarah Joseph GENERAL MANAGER PRODUCTION Sunil Kumar PRODUCTION MANAGER Binu Purandaran PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR Venita Pinto CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER Anthony Milne GROUP DIRECTOR Andrew Wingrove GROUP SALES MANAGER Chaitali Khimji chaitali.khimji@motivate.ae
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HAPPY DIAMONDS HAPPY ME - H andcrafted in Ethical Gold
Welcome to The Entrepreneur Issue. We are proud to have partnered with PEACEFULL for our cover shoot with Salama Mohamed in Made with Love on page 14. A powerhouse of a woman, Salama is an exceptional example of what it means to be an entrepreneur, combining both strength and femininity to build her platform and beauty brand, which celebrates its first anniversary this year. In this issue we champion those who have built something incredible from the ground up, have walked the extra mile and shown the grit and determination to grow something from a vision into full scale success.
EDITOR / ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
Amy Sessions
6 emirateswoman.com Cropped tie-detailed blazer Dhs2,931 3.1 Phillip Lim Editor’s Letter Two-tone leather loafers Dhs1,095 Porte & Paire Horoscope Necklace Dhs220 Olalla Cleansing Oil Rose, Geranium & Apricot Dhs188 Votary X Vanessa Reid Kuky aviator sunglasses Dhs879 Port Tanger available THEMATCHESFASHIONatHEROBUYS
Rania Fawaz discusses launching her own brand MORPHO in Making Moves on page 46, serial entrepreneur Ingie Chalhoub tells us what it takes to keep growing in The Trailblazer on page 54, and Port Tanger, the eyewear label inspired by Tangier shares its journey with us in The New Nostalgia on page 48. We also have exclusive interviews with founder of Marli New York, Maral Artinian in A New Leadership on page 58, Fajer Fahad on launching her new beauty and wellness platform, Beauline Beauty in Next Level Beauty on page 80 and Francis Kurkdjian, Co-Founder of Maison Francis Kurkdjian discusses the launch of new fragrance 724 in A Master of Innovation on page 78. Inspired by Adventure on page 104 is where we discuss exclusively with Her Highness Princess Fahda Bander Abdullah Al Saud, founder of The Traveling Panther, the creativity behind curating exclusive experiences on a global scale, we look at the next generation of geniuses in Coding the Future on page 112 and inspiring female entrepreneurs share what they attribute their success to in The Entrepreneurs of Now on page 106. The Runway Report on page 24 is your guide to FW22 dressing for the season ahead. The best way to predict the future is to create it.
THE BEST WAY TO PREDICT THE FUTURE IS TO CREATE IT.
8 emirateswoman.com MONITORTHE Monitor News p.12 Social Listings p.13 Made with Love –Cover Shoot with Salama PeacefullFounderMohamed,of p.14 12 CONTENTS SEPTEMBER 2022
The New Era – Dior channels a futuristic look in collaboration with D-Air lab for FW22 p.68
Clear Goals –Interview with Saudi jewellery designer Nadine Attar p.66
The Runway Report FW22 p.24
A New Leadership – Interview with founder of Marli New York, Maral Artinian p.58
Interview with Emirati designers Waad and Sheyma Al Hammad, founders of GABI Dubai p.56
9emirateswoman.com
The New Nostalgia –Port Tanger, the eyewear label inspired by Tangier p.48
Core Identity –
24
A Rare Cut – Interview with Tania Santos Silva, founder of Lala Diamonds p.70 The Economy of E-commerce – Sara Rahbari, founder of Chic Le Frique, on the fast-moving world of e-commerce p.72
FASHION Redefining Essentials – Interview with fashion designer Lama Jouni p.44 Making Moves – Rania Fawaz on launching her own MORPHObrandp.46 The Trailblazer –interviewExclusivewith serial entrepreneur Ingie Chalhoub p.54
East Meets West – BY FAR reimagines ‘90s archives p.60 Online & Offline –Tutus Kurniati p.64
The Beauty Entrepreneurs –Dubai’s top salon owners on what it takes to launch a successful business in the beauty space p.92
10 emirateswoman.com CONTENTS
SEPTEMBER
The Power of PR –Founders of top PR firms in the region p.114
The Innovator –Interview with Hala Al Gergawi p.124 Scaling Talent –Interview with Sonal EntertainmentfounderVara-Parmar,ofIAMp.126
True SundayfounderChaymaeinterviewSpiritEntrepreneurial–ExclusivewithSamir,ofMadeBy p.88 The SolaceMahendram,InterviewEntrepreneurSelf-Care–withPanchalifounderofHomeSpa p.96 Re:Nourish –Interview with Nicci Clark, founder of Re:Nourish p.98 Beauty Shelf – Wdeema Al Mheiri p.100 AM to PM Beauty –Nawel Aderghal p.102
The Triumph –Interview with Mirna Trad p.128 Personal Space –At home with Zeina El-Dana p.130 The Wanderlust –Aman Venice p.136 The Outliers Independently– run resorts p.140 74 sensory voyage with a profusion of the finest fragrance blends p.82
The Entrepreneurs of Now – Inspiring female entrepreneurs p.106 Coding the Future – How entrepreneursainDeveloperApple’sAcademyRiyadhissupportingnewgenerationof p.112
The Cover Cover star: MohamedSalama Heal – Interview with Malini Ohri, founder, and Mishti Ohri, CEO of Saanté Selfcare p.94 104 2022
BEAUTY Hot New Buys p.74 The Edit – Boutique beauty brands p.76 A Master of Innovation – Interview with Francis FrancisCo-FounderKurkdjian,ofMaisonKurkdjian p.78 Next Level Beauty – Fajer Fahad’s new beauty and wellness platform p.80 La Collection Privée – Dior takes us on a LIFESTYLE Inspired by Adventure – Exclusive interview with HH Princess Fahda Al Saud, founder of The PantherTraveling p.104
12 THE MONITOR – NEWSemirateswoman.com Elevated Tailoring The latest launches, new openings and hero buys SUPPLIEDIMAGES: THEBUYSHERO Rio Straight-Leg Pants Dhs695 Leset COMPILED BY: SARAH JOSEPH Double-Breasted Wool and Cashmere Coat Dhs5,388 Isabel Marant Le Papa Shoulder Bag Dhs10,178 Alaïa available at SeleneNET-A-PORTERLeatherPlatform Ankle Boots Dhs3,844 The Attico NEW CLASSICS Guided by utilitarian design codes, Amiri’s FW22 collection modernises tradition through its technical craft. Cinzia Gold-Plated Bracelet Dhs463 Laura Lombardi Chiara Big 18-Karat Yellow and White Gold Diamond Single Earring Dhs11,264 Eéra UnicDetox & Go All-in-One Cleanser 100ml for Dhs186 UNICSKIN 12 THREE TO OWN 3 DoubleBlazerBreastedinBlack Dhs6,150; Double Breasted Coat in Khaki Dhs7,400
13emirateswoman.comTHE MONITOR A curated guide of inspiring accounts to #follow Social Listings @threadsstyling The first platform to take shopping to Instagram. @morpholabel Content Creator Rania Fawaz’s newly launched brand, referencing 90’s style. @rhode Hailey Bieber’s new vegan skincare brand. @marli Taking a new approach to principles of timelessness jewellery pieces. @fajer The founder behind new beauty platform @beaulinebeauty. @nadine_jewellery Innovating fine-jewellery, all handmade in Italy and Switzerland. @saanteselfcare Family-founded slow beauty. @tutuskurniatiofficial Entrepreneur and founder of her own namesake brand both on and offline. @halgergawi Emirati entrepreneur and founder of ‘Tea Before Noon’. COMPILED BY: SARAH JOSEPH
I
AMY
withMadeLove Right page: Peptide Eye Cream, HYA, CENTELLA! Collection, Peacefull
Founder & CEO of Peacefull, Salama Mohamed tells us what it takes to build a brand from scratch and how integrity is important for engagement
PHOTOGRAPHY: ŽIGA
WORDS & CREATIVE DIRECTION: SESSIONS MIHEL
This page: Every Glow Moisturizer, Mugwort Clay Mask Cleanser, Peptide Eye Cream, Endless Purifying Toner, HYA, CENTELLA! Collection, Peacefull; Right page: Endless Purifying Toner, HYA, CENTELLA! Collection, Peacefull
16 emirateswoman.com COVER STORY
Left page: Ever Glow Moisturizer, HYA, CENTELLA! Collection, Peacefull; This page: Endless Purifying Toner, HYA, CENTELLA! Collection, Peacefull; Ever Glow Moisturizer, HYA, CENTELLA! Collection, Peacefull
20 emirateswoman.com COVER STORY
This page: Mugwort Clay Mask Cleanser, HYA, CENTELLA! Collection, Peacefull
This page: Every Glow Moisturizer, Mugwort Clay Mask Cleanser, Peptide Eye Cream, Endless Purifying Toner, HYA, CENTELLA! Collection, Peacefull
I highly regard my following as an extension of my family, because of their absolute support. Thankfully, Peacefull had a welcoming platform to showcase its results and effectiveness – and to educate the public on their creation and clinically proven ingredients as well. Integrity is a vital ingredient; So are precision, innovation and intention.
23emirateswoman.comCOVER STORY realistic. I am more drawn to my creative side because it leads me to creating entirely innovative formulas that fuel my passion into helping others, starting with skincare.
Peacefull is focused on clean beauty. Was this key for you from the out set? Always, especially because I am blessed with vitiligo – and am well aware of other people’s skin sensitivities, whether it be eczema and ro sacea to psoriasis and acne-prone skin.
What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routine?
How do you approach scaling without compromising on quality? Preserving quality is of utmost importance. We ensure that ev ery unit we create is placed under rigorous testing so that they can withstand any issues – for example heat brought on by harsh weather conditions. When it comes to scaling, we make sure from an operational perspective, that it is done in a timely man ner. Scale comes naturally, so we dedicate our entire focus on the product’s quality and longevity. Have you had any mentors along the way and if so, what knowledge did they impart? My main mentor has been an internal drive. I be lieve that a mentor can be presented to you in any form and shape – and does not necessarily have to be an “individual”. My inter nal drive taught me to follow my instincts, to stay self-motivated and how to manage speed bumps along the way. What advice would you give to your younger self? Get ready to fail. It is harsh advice but has so much truth to it. We feel ‘failure’ way before it is actually the reality. I’ll tell my younger self that it is truly the only way to learn and to build resiliency. You celebrated your first anniversary of Peacefull in June. How did you know it was the right time to launch your business and what was the final catalyst? We are so proud to celebrate Peacefull’s one year anniversary! However, it was a concept that took years in the making. When it comes to any kind of launch, there never really is a supposed ‘right time’. You must take the plunge and dive in. And that’s what I did – the right time is the time you decide it to be. The final catalyst was an overall feeling, that moment of serendipity that overpowered me to take that crucial first step. This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does this mean to you? This is an honour and privilege because it is a testament that hard work does pay off. The ‘Salama Mohamed’ of a few years ago, with a dream to launch her own clean skincare line, with a dream to be an entrepreneur, would be in awe. For Peacefull, an idea and a concept that ventured into the unknown without any certainty of success, it means that it has fulfilled its role of being a brand that people can rely on. It means that Peacefull’s overall message of self-love and inclusion is a collective belief.
The first 30 minutes of my day start off with gratitude journaling. It is a habit that I am proud that I started (and kept at it!), because those brief reflections on moments that I was and am thankful for, have drastically changed how I perceive certain situations and adjust what I should fo cus on. Afterwards, my AM Peacefull skincare routine is in full swing. I head down to the kitchen for breakfast and spend the rest of my morn ing with my family until we kick off the day ahead! Peacefull was born as a range designed to help men and women be at peace with themselves and to embrace their skin for all its qualities. Is this the core DNA of the brand? Absolutely! With the realization that I was not alone in my search for clean, inclusive and effective skincare, creating and launching Peacefull was truly done so as a labour of love. Another key aspect at the core of Peacefull’s DNA is that the formulas are spe cifically tailored to the region’s needs and furthermore, they are entirely backed by science. Peacefull is made for the region, by the region and it is certainly people-powered. We want you to feel at home in your own skin. How challenging was refining the production of your products and is there a huge amount of red tape around launching a skincare brand? The chal lenging part was firstly researching and learning about which active in gredients will provide the required results depending on the needs of our region. After finding the right balance and amount of each active ingre dient, we ensured that our products – from the formula to the packaging – underwent rigorous testing so that they are presented at the highest standard. The process of red tape is warranted to a certain degree be cause launching a skincare brand must be taken seriously – these are products that are applied directly to our bodies and companies should be held liable should their products put people’s health at risk. Given the various kinds of skin tones and types, Peacefull is dermatologically tested for sensitive skin, regionally-focused and always, formula-first.
How has having a following across social media supported the growth of Peacefull and is integrity the vital ingredient in what you create? Hav ing a supportive following did allow Peacefull to organically grow and to raise and spread awareness both to the online and offline community.
How do you balance the creative and commercial sides of the business and do you feel more drawn to one than the other? I make it a point to find the ‘sweet spot’, the right balance between my creative and com mercial sides. My creativity knows no bounds and I rely on my com mercial know-how and experience to keep me grounded and above all,
How do you define which will be the new products you will take to market and which has been your favourite to date? Firstly, I ask myself, “What does my skin need? How is our weather and climate affecting my skin?” From there, my research into the right active ingredients begins. I believe in the heal ing powers of natural, botanical-based items. It is hard to pick a favourite because each of the products in the Hya, Centella! collection specifically serves their purpose in supporting and repairing your skin’s health.
AHMEDVIDEOGRAPHER:MMG;ATKIWARKISMICHELHAIR:&MAKEUPMORRIS;OLIVIAPRODUCTION:ROBINSON;DANPRODUCTION:&EDITORFASHIONMOHAMED;SALAMASTAR:COVER STUDIOSSTELLARTOTHANKSSPECIALWITHBOOTED;&SUITEDSUIT:BESPOKEJOSEPH;SARAHASSISTANT:FASHIONABDELWAHAB;
How many people are in your team now and did you start out alone? I did start out alone with the vision of Peacefull and the research – However, most importantly, I never felt alone. I built Peacefull in the confines of my own home while simultaneously growing my following who helped me find my voice and refine Peacefull’s ethos accordingly. Cur rently, Peacefull has a small yet mighty internal team of dedicated, loving and passionate professionals who all play a pivotal role in Peacefull’s expansion. What would be your advice to other entrepreneurs regarding tak ing on investment from external parties? Is it necessary? Nobody has the same entrepreneurial journey. The best advice I can give to entrepreneurs is to continuously educate themselves, to in fact invest in themselves and when needed, ask for help and guidance from experts within their desired fields or industries. External parties can be beneficial and helpful in many ways, other than fiscal. They can also offer support, advice, direct and sometimes, that is worth more than an investment.
What have been the biggest challenges to date and how did you overcome them? I expected the external and logistical challenges that come with launching your own business – as any aspiring entrepreneur will surely tell you. My biggest challenge started off internally, finding the courage to translate my vision into frui tion. I knew that in doing so I am exposing myself, my insecuri ties and sensitivities to the public, sharing with them my personal struggles as well as my journey of self-love and acceptance. Once I realized that, my story had to be told for it is not only my expe rience with skincare but a universal one. I overcame my internal challenges by in fact allowing myself to open up to others.
RUNWAYTHEREPORTFW22
WORDS & STYLING: AMY SESSIONS
OWENSRICK
26 emirateswoman.com FASHION LAURENTSAINT
27emirateswoman.comFASHION THE RUNWAY REPORT FW22 16ARLINGTON Long-length hems and floor skimming pants were seen across the runway at Stella McCartney, Loewe and 16 Arlington. Saint Laurent opted for fluid form in silk skirts that touched the floor for maximum impact. MORE THAN MAXI ALEXANDRE VAUTHIER STELLA MCCARTNEY LOEWE LEEDION MARAMAX
Unrelenting black was unsurprisingly prevalent for FW22. This time, in an array of tactile textures from the softest butter-like leather at RAEY to slashed suiting at Alexander McQueen and feather detailing at Elie Saab. Saint Laurent’s silk trench coat has to be hands down one of the chicest investments you can make for FW22 and beyond.
BLACKOUT LAURENTSAINT ÈCOURRGES
ELIEHERMÈSSAAB
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN
28 emirateswoman.com FASHION THE RUNWAY REPORT FW22
29emirateswoman.comFASHION KNWLS
30 emirateswoman.com FASHION THE RUNWAY REPORT FW22 MAX MARA SAINT LAURENT AGNONA Sunglasses, slightly tinted lenses or all-out oversized visors as seen at Courrèges, if you channel only one accessory this season make is a great pair of glasses. FULL FOCUS
31emirateswoman.comFASHION THE RUNWAY REPORT FW22 GUCCI COURR ÈGES VERSACE
Shearling took flight for FW22 in aviator jacket form, inspired by out-sized bombers as seen at Laquan Smith, Sacai, Prada and Dion Lee. Celine delivered an en pointe version befitting of the Maison with a redux, minimalist take.
CELINE PRADA AVIATION LEEDION JACQUEMUSSMITHLAQUAN COURRÈGES
32 emirateswoman.com FASHION THE RUNWAY REPORT FW22
33emirateswoman.comFASHION SACAI
34 emirateswoman.com FASHION THE RUNWAY REPORT FW22
SANDERJILLBALMAIN
Futuristic detailing was channeled through hardware additions – Jil Sander chose to adorn toecaps with gold plating while Rick Owens and Balenciaga delivered heavy-duty accessories. For those wanting something more subtle, Prada and Proenza Schouler ensured tough girl detailing still felt feminine while Balmain served up a fully bionic-inspired bodysuit.
BALENCIAGA SCHOULERPROENZA
HARDWEAR
35emirateswoman.comFASHION THE RUNWAY REPORT FW22 FENDIPRADA BALMAIN OWENSRICK
Mannish tailoring was prevalent across the runways this season, from a nod to the masculine at Stella McCartney via longlength outerwear to a literal suit and tie at Ralph Lauren. The Row played it cool with a relaxed, off-duty iteration while Alexandre Vauthier upped the ante incorporating lowcut waistcoats and 3-piece suiting.
36 emirateswoman.com FASHION THE RUNWAY REPORT FW22
THE MAN THE ROW BOTTEGA VENETA
MCCARTNEYSTELLA
ALEXANDRE VAUTHIER
37emirateswoman.comFASHION LAURENRALPH
38 emirateswoman.com FASHION VENETABOTTEGA
39emirateswoman.comFASHION THE RUNWAY REPORT FW22 LOEWELOEWEJILLSANDER lovewestrapshoulderaorhandheldforoptyouwhether–carrytoeasyandsoftPractical, wardrobe.season’slastgivewillaccessorythislifeofleasenewtheCUSHIONTHE
40 emirateswoman.com FASHION THE RUNWAY REPORT FW22 ALTUZARRA Think dressed down, dressing up. Post Covid, there is a less is more approach to going out – and we like it. LOW-KEY LUXE ISABEL MARANT TOM FORD VENETABOTTEGA
41emirateswoman.comFASHION THE RUNWAY REPORT FW22 ALEXANDRE VAUTHIER Plunging necklines, floor skimming jumpsuits and high octane metallics are what you should keep in your back pocket for when it comes to Q4’s party season. STUDIO 54 VALENTINO DOLCE & GABBANA SMITHLAQUAN LAURENTSAINT
BOTTEGA VENETA
THE OUTERWEARHERO
ALEXANDRE VAUTHIER
SAINT LAURENT
42 emirateswoman.com FASHION THE RUNWAY REPORT FW22
MCCARTNEYSTELLA
From eighties -inspired leather jackets as seen at Alexandre Vauthier to faux fur you’ll have for lifetime – this is the season to invest in being cosy.
THE DROP RICK OWENS ZERO + MARIA CORNEJO JIL SANDER
43emirateswoman.comFASHION THE RUNWAY REPORT FW22
Whether you opt for a cape as seen at Jil Sander or a relaxed cardigan that doubles as outerwear as seen at Zero + Maria Corneo, the drop shoulder is the curve ball of trend we might very well take for a test drive.
I believe it is very important to understand your vision to be able to execute it and if you have any weaknesses to work on them. How challenging was refining the manufac turing process and ensuring consistency in fit and fabrication? This aspect was the most challenging because the process is not only about the fit and fabrication it is also about What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routine? Have my coffee, then I start by checking my email and read ing the latest articles on BOF.
Lama Jouni is the business brain behind an elevated approach to essentials. We spoke to Jouni about fit, drive and building your own business
WORDS: AMY SESSIONS margins, numbers and having an attractive price point to be able to appeal to consumers and wholesalers while being profitable, and the fact that our region’s infrastructure is still almost nonexistent it was very challeng ing. But you have to keep trying different for mulas and explore different options until you find the right one for your business model.
44 emirateswoman.com FASHION
Where do you produce tour pieces and how have you had to adapt as the brand has scaled? Most of our production is in Dubai, however, now that the brand is growing at a to Dubai in 2015 after having worked in Paris for two years across different roles. I always knew what gap I wanted to fill in the industry and have worked towards that goal ever since.
How did your previous roles support you being able to launch your own brand and how did you know it was the right time? I moved from Paris
REDEFINING
FASHION
45emirateswoman.com fast pace, we are exploring different options. How do you balance the creative and com mercial sides of the business and do you feel more drawn to one than the other? I think you need to have both because they both complete one another. I feel like my strength is knowing what women want design and price point wise and I always try to continue aligning them. How do you balance wholesale with retail and why did you decide to extend your brand to ecommerce platforms? The way it hap pened for the brand was that I launched my ecommerce platform in 2020 and focused on growing my D2C then everything followed. I will always keep my main focus on my cli ents, and I feel by doing that you can manage to grow the wholesale side of the business. How many people are in your team now and did you start out alone? Yes, I did start alone but I always try to make sure that the growth ESSENTIALS happens gradually and now we are expand ing our team. What would be your advice to other entrepre neurs regarding taking on investment from ex ternal parties? Is it necessary? It is necessary in the beginning if you don’t have the funds. But I would always advocate to not having debt on the company in the beginning. What have been the biggest challenges to date and how did you overcome them? Pro duction and scale. Overcoming any challenge requires research and trying different meth ods to know which one works best and that’s what I’ve been doing for the past two years. How have you found social media in terms of supporting brand growth? It is very effective. Aligning the brand with the right influenc ers and having interesting content is crucial to social media growth and sales. How do you approach scaling without com promising on quality? The only way to do it is to build trust between the brand and the suppliers, managing quality control as well as deadlines and remain on top of everything. Have you had any mentors along the way and if so, what knowledge did they impart? My par ents were always role models when it comes to entrepreneurship. Growing up around them and seeing how persistent and hardworking they were taught me a lot. I also was always encouraged to do what I love and to never be afraid of failure which I think is very impor tant aspect of being an entrepreneur. What advice would you give to your younger self? Never worry! Everything works out at the end. This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does this mean to you? I’m very happy to be con sidered as an entrepreneur in an industry that I am passionate about.
Where would you like to see MORPHO heading in the future? I would love to see MORPHO everywhere, I would like my pieces to be worn by all different types of women! Inclusive of every size! Having a flagship store is something definitely on the vision board and to branch out in dif ferent countries. Curating different drops for different e-commerce platforms. Can you tell us more about the manufac turing process and how challenging was it to refine the designs and production process? Naturally, in the beginning I faced a lot of obstacles in the process of production and design, you learn more each day. I would say I’m still not perfect at what I do but that’s what also makes it exciting, to learn along the way. What piece of advice would you give your younger self? Nothing comes easy. Be consistent and most importantly believe in yourself. Over the years I’ve learned that the more I push myself even when I’m at my lowest the better the outcome is.
Making Moves Content Creator Rania Fawaz tells us what it takes to create your own brand EDWARDS
What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routine? Just re cently I’ve been getting in touch with my deeper self, starting off my morning with either a manifesting or relaxing mediation setting the vibe right for the day followed by a large cup of coffee for an energy boost.
This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what key aspects have you learned from launching your own brand so far and what advice would you give to others? When things become challenging, push harder, they’ll only get better. Be open to taking advice and manage your time well. Time management is super important – al locate dedicated time to building some thing and to disconnect.
46 emirateswoman.com FASHION your pieces? Personally, I always leaned towards more fitted pieces, to me time less pieces are always the perfect fit. I feel so empowered and confident when my clothes fit perfectly to my body, so yes, it’s something I implement into my designs making sure every piece is flattering.
What inspired you to start MORPHO and how did you know it was the right time? It’s been something that I’ve always wanted to do, accompanying my mum to the fab ric market and factories from a young age has resonated with me and left me with a dream to create something of my own. When the pandemic hit, I was left with a lot of free time on my hands and that’s where it all started! Has being a designer and owning your own label been something you have al ways wanted to embark on? Owning my own fashion label is something that was inevitably going to happen. With mesh tube tops and dresses being some of your designs, would you say you take inspiration from the early 90s/2000s? Almost 70% of my inspiration comes from the 90s and early 2000s , the fact that we get to re-live these iconic fashion eras is incredible and MORPHO references these throughout its drops of pieces. You frequently reference butterflies in your designs, what is the meaning behind this? For the first drop, we decided to in troduce MORPHO with strong elements. The butterfly print resembles change and growth, something that is at the core of the brand. We aim to evolve constantly creating curated drops for our client base. The brand will always surprise you. MORPHO’s pieces focus on fit, is it impor tant to you that people feel confident in
WORDS: HERMIONE
47emirateswoman.comFASHION
Port Tanger is an eyewear label inspired by the vibrant coastal city of Tangier, Morocco. Each pair features six points on each side that symbolise the label’s brand pillars: appreciation of the past through nostalgia, tradition and craftsmanship and cherishing the future through hope, design and culture
NOSTALGIATHE
WORDS: AMY SESSIONSPHOTOGRAPHY: MARK MATHEW
50 emirateswoman.com FASHION “Challenge is the necessary tension that helps expand an element of the brand. A challenge is only
showing you, the brand, where more attention and nurture is necessary. them as you would embrace progress.”
Embrace
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Port Tanger is part of MATCHESFASHION’s Innovators talent-support programme, cham pioning emerging design talents.
How do you balance the creative and com mercial sides of the business and do you feel more drawn to one than the other? We have to adapt to both sides as it’s required now more than ever. The creative part takes place in the phase of ideation and shooting and the business part underlines the whole pro cess. After establishing the direction of the brand’s generation we move onto producing the shoot. Working with our community of friends is a big plus to keep a balance be tween both sides, business and creative. How do you balance wholesale with retail and why did you decide to extend your brand to e-commerce platforms? It becomes natu ral to trade in virtual realities like the inter net. It’s the currency of our time. As I men tioned, we adapt to the market yet we are a family business with integrity. We work with our partners including MATCHESFASH ION on developing long term relationships. How many people are in your team now and did you start out alone? It started with a poem, then with my family and some friends we grew the idea of developing the brand. There are few additional members to our Port Tanger family now, but it is a tight fam ily. The romance of this project comes from the feeling of knowing that it can exist au thentically. From that willingness to make it happen came many surprises, blissful and inevitably with some difficulties, just as all families experience that duality. Port Tanger is that gap between North Africa and Europe, the stretch of both continents – between the two flows of water in the Mediterranean. What would be your advice to other entrepre neurs regarding taking on investment from ex ternal parties? Is it necessary? Look first for angel investors. Who are your friends, fam ily, peers that believe in your long term vision and philosophy in your brand? Start there before considering larger external parties. What have been the biggest challenges to date and how did you overcome them? Challenge is the necessary tension that helps ex pand an element of the brand. A challenge is only showing you, the brand, where more attention and nurture is necessary. Embrace them as you would embrace progress. How have you found social media in terms of supporting brand growth? We let time tell us if we have an echo on social media and if it touches people. So far we have been
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What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routine? It depends on the inspiration and intention of the day. Usually there are different visits. If am lucky enough to begin my day with an introspection at sunrise, then often the first 30 minutes con sists of that. How did your previous roles support you be ing able to launch your own brand and how did you know it was the right time? No spe cific previous roles supported the launch of the brand. We intuitively felt it was time to explore our love for design publicly and since then we have operated on similar impulses. All your pieces are handcrafted in Japan. How challenging was refining the manufac turing process and ensuring consistency in production? We established a relationship with a Japanese factory that was truly ben eficial in terms of quality control and sched uling. Consistency and refinement became a natural cause of building a strong two year relationship with the factory that shares our values. As we are a family business, this was fundamental to us, as a family evolves or ganically, so does our production. Tell us about your sunglasses collection –which are your favourite pair and where do you like to source them from? Through my travels alone in Milan and other parts of Eu rope – I sought for a special piece that would complement my facial structure, a pair that would feel light on my nose. Until I found the pair, I was only someone who appreciated eyewear on the faces of strangers.
well received digitally. The integrity of our brand relies on not forcing ourselves into the minds of others. How do you approach scaling without com promising on quality? Avoiding greed, allo cating your capital correctly, staying true to the brand’s value system. Have you had any mentors along the way and if so, what knowledge did they impart? Yes I have found great resources learning from different societies and how we are connecting with one another. This is the mentorship of life. What advice would you give to your younger self? I feel I’m finding this younger self more and more in me lately. When I was younger I raced with myself to be older. I’d advise that young man to be present and keep his heart open to the world. This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does this mean to you? It is a celebration of our passions and intentions being realized in the world.
bly become loyal clients. When I first started my business, brands would approach the GCC market very arrogantly, saying, ‘This is how we do it in Europe, so this is how it will be done here’. They did not consider what the market wanted. Over the years and with several suc cesses, this business mentality has completely altered. Today, I have brands approaching me to collaborate on capsule collections for cer tain occasions like Ramadan and Eid. My success lies in understanding the importance of bridging the gap between the East and West.
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How did your childhood/growing up shape your outlook on life and approach to business? I at tribute my business acumen and work ethic to my mother. She instilled in me the importance of perse verance and hard work. These values helped shape and prepare me for the evolving business climate. After rais ing us, my mother decided to enter the fashion realm and showed me the way. Together we launched the first Chanel couture boutique in Kuwait. We did everything in our first shop alone. I learnt by be ing on the field and I really believe that there is nothing like being in touch with your clients and suppliers. We worked hard to understand and attend to our clients’ needs and expectations and made sure that our clients felt comfortable, appreciated and well attended to. We applied customer relationship man agement (CRM) from day one. Then the Gulf War hap pened and we lost everything! My business stopped. Every thing stopped, merchandise couldn’t get past customs, banks closed and I was forced to start from scratch. Money comes and goes and I have learned this by getting things done the hard way. I however, adopted from my mother her perseverance and finding the force within to go after what I want. Those qualities allowed Ingie Chalhoub is a trail blazer when it comes to business and luxury. Responsible for launch ing the very first Chanel boutique in the region, she has carved out an impeccable career. So, what’s her secret to success? “My success lies in understanding the importance of bridging the gap between the East and West,” she plain ly says. As a true innovator and disruptor, Emirates Wom an sat down with the Founder and Managing Director of Etoile Group to learn more about her business acumen and what exactly inspired her to become an entrepreneur. Your career spans four de cades. What’s the key to success? I believe that the key to success lies in under standing who your custom ers really are. You must do a deep dive into what your customer base wants and as pires for. Being close to your clients will allow you to con nect with them on several touch points and reach them in unique and effective ways. Clients start seeing you and your business as a cornerstone in their life journey and inevita
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“Making myself known in a society where people did
55emirateswoman.comFASHION me to be agile and built my stamina to adhere to the ever-changing business states.
What are some of the key lessons you would like people to take from your career? I call my career highlights the school of life. I have learned something valuable at each corner stone which reversely helped mould me personally and professionally. The first highlight was inarguably Chanel ! Not only did it open doors for me to work with other luxury brands, but most importantly, it is where I learned everything about fashion. It exposed me to the world of cuts, fits, couture and intricacies of the in dustry. The second highlight was around 1988 during the Kuwait crisis when I had to rebuild and relocate my business to Dubai. Then the third – and the real learning curve – was bringing brands such as Ralph Lauren and Tod’s to a new territory. These experiences shaped my greatest career highlight; an opportunity to give the fashion industry a bit of my own creativity through my own brand – Ingie Paris; an international brand that offers a bridge between East and West. Would you agree the UAE really is pioneering women in business and other organiza tions? The UAE indeed is a haven for entrepreneurs. I personally refer to Dubai as home and land of all promises! During the Gulf War, I had an option to either quit my business or find another avenue. I rebuilt my Chanel boutique in the UAE after Kuwait and subsequentially began to expand into different arenas. Thus, the UAE resembles new beginnings and vast opportunity for me. I believe that women in any given industry have a power to pave their way to success, rather than following a path that has already been set for them. When I started in this industry, particularly with Etoile ‘La Boutique’, it was seen as very much a man’s world. Making myself known in a society where people did not understand why I worked so hard was no easy task. These preconcep tions of who people expected me to be rather than who I desired to be propelled me to want to achieve success on my own merit.
What is a philosophy that you live by in your pro fessional life? I have several philosophies that I live by in my professional life, yet the two most important ones are: making my clients my key focus and having a resilient attitude. When it comes to my clients, I am constantly aware of the importance of catering to their needs and wants and personalizing their client experience making them feel unique and special! I have also learned the importance of having a robust attitude coupled with the faith to go after my dreams and aspirations no matter the situation. As well as being a businesswoman, you’re also an avid philanthropist. What causes have you been involved in over the years? I have played an active role in philanthropy because I am an avid believer in the promise and importance of giving back to the community. I try to constantly inspire my own children to do the same. If everyone gives back to one child, we will be living in a better world. For me, it’s something that I’ve always been conscious of. Since I got married, Patrick and I have sponsored many different organisations and over the years, we have sponsored 120 children directly, and this is be sides all the other work we do on a bigger level like the school we have worked on in the south of Lebanon – and as much as we talk about it, it is never enough. Solutions should be found on all levels if not our own level. When you create awareness, people start ques tioning it. Everyone can try something themselves – sometimes it is the little things, not just the financials, that can make a difference.
Do you have any mentors or guides who have helped you through out your career? My career has been influenced and shaped by several mentors and counselors, all of whom left a mark in both my professional and personal growth. I however, owe a lot of my success to my late parents. My parents thankfully exposed me to the French culture and the desire to encourage French savoir faire and promote excellence in everything that I do. This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does being an entrepreneur mean to you? It’s simply who I am: a woman, a wife, a mother, a businesswoman and a creator. That in a nutshell is me! why I worked so hard was no easy task.”
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Would you say you’re more creative or business minded (or both)? I had to wear both chapeaus throughout my career. To run a successful busi ness, you must have a bit of creativity to think out of the norm, take risks and believe in the vi sion that you have for your business. That said, creativity alone cannot fuel a business. You must understand the ins and outs of the trade, have a clear perspective on the trends, evolve with the business environment, continue to cater to your clients’ needs, incorporate tech nology to make your business more efficient all while keeping your financials intact.
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You started Gabi Dubai in 2014. Why did you want to launch your own fashion label? The story behind Gabi might be a bit stereotypical but it all started with our mum. Our mum was always our first inspiration. She was a fashion icon, stylist and an influencer. What’s more in spiring is that she used to tailor her own fits and discover different fabrics, colours and patterns. She made us fall in love with the fashion world more day by day. Looking back at her style in the old days was a label for Gabi and the latest trends. As of today, there have been so many highlights and it has been an incredible jour ney. It’s amazing when we look back and think about what we have managed to achieve over the past two years. Starting Gabi felt like being so close to other human beings. We’ve been at tracted to fashion since our youth. What was the inspiration behind your label? An other inspiration we had was from the famous architect Van Der Rohe. In one of his well-known principles, he mentioned that less is more. Gabi runs by the concept of being minimalistic and modest which gives you more value and makes you pop out within the fashion industry. What does Gabi Dubai represent? Gabi repre sents the custom of traditions of the Emirati women back in the old days. Regardless of the change we face in today’s world and in the fashion industry, Gabi holds on tightly to the concept of designing fashionable, modest, oversized and elegant fits for all with a mod ern twist going back to the idea of keeping our customs and traditions alive. What sets Gabi apart from other clothing brands? Gabi’s identity is that all of our de signs are oversized and that is what makes us unique and different. In other words, Gabi is finding comfort all the time, designed for all occasions and fits all women from teens to young adults, perfect for maternity wear and so on. One size and fits all.
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What excites you about the fashion industry in the UAE and the GCC region? Speaking of the fashion industry located here in the region, there is a rapid growth in trends, fabrics, de signs and more which excites us to brainstorm, become more educated and understand the preferences of the consumers within the GCC region as they have similar customs and tradi tions in terms of fashion and clothing, This is considered to be an opportunity for Gabi which allows us to gath er all new fashion tips and tricks to come up with more sophisti cated modern oversized fits. You’ve worked incredibly hard to get where you are today, where do you get your motivation from? What drives us the most is the amount of time we took to imag ine the future of Gabi up close. We envision Gabi as a woman who portrays an Emirati woman. We knew what Gabi looked like, the way she is dressed, the way she speaks (her dialogue) and her character. We have studied her until she was dug deep down into our brains. It’s the vision that motivates us. We have al ways envisioned her in the future and to be Gabi we started acting like her from day one. What advice do you wish you had received at the beginning of your journey to success? Never be a perfectionist because it de lays work. As we started it took us so long to launch as we were trying to be perfect and to learn we needed to make mistakes. That’s the only key to success to learn from our mistakes. Looking back over your career, what are some challenges you have had to overcome? We only faced one major hurdle which was people weren’t welcoming the concept of everything being oversized and we struggled by convincing them and educating them about the story behind our concept. Later, we stopped as we realized they weren’t our target audience. When it comes to the future of Gabi, what are you most excited about? What we are most excited about is to show the world who a Gabi woman is. This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does being an entrepreneur mean to you? We break down the definition of entrepreneurship into six factors which are: business, finance, health, family, self-development and spiritu ality. By improving in these areas means that we are becoming successful. It wouldn’t work without it as they are all connected, and they add up to each other.
Founded by sisters Waad and Sheyma Al Hammadi, Gabi Dubai is the go-to fashion brand combining the traditions of Emirati women with a modern twist
WORDS: AMY SESSIONS has nine stand-alone boutiques around the world in addition to our e-commence platform which has also been growing. I have always been entrepreneurial since I started working at a young age and I grew up in this environ ment. What I learned is to work closely with my team which gives them the opportunity to interact more freely and feel closer to me and the business – I’ve found that this gives them more confidence when it comes to decision making and provides a sense of accomplish ment as a team. The brand is an extension of me, and I constantly thrive to drive the busi ness forward – this is what gets me out of bed every morning with enthusiasm and joy. How do you balance the creative and com mercial sides of the business, and do you feel more drawn to one than the other? I ab solutely love both sides of the business. I lead the creative department for Marli. With my team, we discuss daily creative briefs from product design, campaigns, and interior de signs. I love when a creative idea comes into reality and translates the vision of the brand. It is a big celebratory moment for everyone on the team. When my creative mind is not at Tell us how the brand has evolved since it launched and how you maintain a sense of entrepreneurialism throughout the busi ness? The Marli brand has evolved signifi cantly since its launch with our retail and on line expansion across the world. Today, Marli What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like/ your morning routine? I am an early bird and the first thing I like to do in the morning is exercise. I wake up, put on my gym clothes, and hit the gym. Some days I practise yoga in my apartment if I don’t go to the gym.
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59FASHION emirateswoman.com its peak I turn to the commercial side of the business. I have to say I am grateful to have a team of experts when it comes to the other side of the business. Which platforms now drive the majority of sales and how do brick and mortar stores compare? Most of our customers come into our stores to enjoy the world of MARLI.
Coming into the store offers a tangible expe rience that has been especially created for our customers. Launching our own e-commerce platform has allowed us to further our reach to an international audience and present customers with a wider offering. We continue to focus on developing both journeys for our customers and ensure their satisfaction. Do you see buying patterns globally or within the GCC and which pieces drive sales sea son after season? In general, the Marli cus tomers share the same buying philosophy globally. Our best performing collections have been the Cleo and Avenues collections, but our Tip-Top collection has also been a new favourite amongst new and existing custom ers since its launch. We continue to launch new creations within our core collections to diversify our offering, always keeping our cli ents at heart. Our Cleo collection today not only offers beautiful gem stone variations, but has different designs that cater to the various styles of our dynamic customers. The collec tion is fun, playful and timeless. As for our Avenues collections, our customers, both in the US and globally, absolutely love the de sign aesthetic as they really see it reflect the spirit and the pulse of New York City. What have been the biggest challenges to date and how did you overcome them? I think at every stage of the business growth we faced a challenge that at that moment we thought was big, but eventually you learn to take those challenges and turn them into op portunities. As a young brand you have many challenges, for example, building the Marli team was one of the challenges we faced at the beginning. As we know business is all about having the right team that really believes in the company’s vision. When you are a young brand the recruitment process becomes much more challenging. Today I can truly say that whoever’s joined the Marli family is indeed a true believer in the vision of the brand. An other challenge I would say is gaining share of voice within the market in the presence of mega competitors in the industry, but then again, I am very proud of the achievements we have made so far, and the journey continues! What is your approach to leadership as gen erations become ever more entrepreneur ial? How do businesses accommodate this? At Marli we recruit individuals who have en trepreneurial mindsets, because they must bring something to the table, make deci sions and have their own contributions to the brand. Marli’s team worldwide comes from a diverse background of women, and I am very proud to be surrounded by them as they are a big source of inspiration to me and the com pany. Additionally, I think we are living in an era – specifically when it comes to digital, where we can learn and educate ourselves to become better in what we do and how we do it. Education, knowledge, and self-growth are key components for any success. How do you approach scaling without com promising on quality? Quality means ev erything to me and the brand. Today I can proudly say if we did not have the confidence that we can deliver beautiful creations to our customers without compromising on quality, I would not have created the Marli brand. Have you had any mentors along the way and if so, what knowledge did they impart? My father, my uncle and my two brothers. Today the values that we have in our organization and the business methods we adopt are all part of the lessons I have learned from them. Value, respect, and compassion towards oth ers. Integrity in business, and most impor tantly never compromising quality for design. What advice would you give to your younger self? Don’t be afraid of failure, it’s part of growth. Enjoy the process and don’t take life too seriously. This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does this mean to you? As an entrepreneur, first you need to believe in your vision and your offer ings, so others believe in them too. Building a successful business is not about coincidences or luck. Yes, they play a role but in the end it’s the hard work that pays off, and it helps open doors to many opportunities and bring the right opportunities your way. Professional and per sonal growth are essential parts of life. We need to embrace them and understand that there will be good days and bad days and it is important to enjoy both and process and learn from them to become the best versions of ourselves.
BY FAR REIMAGINES 90’S REFERENCESINNOVATIVELYARCHIVES,CONNECTINGFROMEASTANDWESTFORPRE-FW22 EAST MEETS WEST
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Tutus Kurniati has successfully launched her namesake luxury resort wear boutique both on and offline. ask what it takes to scale a business and how the two differ from other
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What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routine? I start my day with green juice and a cup of coffee, I usu ally tend to stick to a liquid breakfast. You have to listen to your body, it tells you what it needs and this start to my day, works best for me. I then workout on the treadmill and start with some subtle daily makeup. What inspired you to launch Tutus Kurniati and how did you know it was the right time? I fell in love with Dubai as it’s a coastal city and after making it my home, I wanted to create some thing for the women living here. My goal was to create a destination where you can shop for beach and dinner alike. I couldn’t think of a worse time to launch a business, than during COVID-19. In January 2020, I hosted my grand opening at Nammos and by March 2020, the UAE went into a complete lock down. However, this taught me to think out side the box and do things differently. What defines the DNA of the brand? Since we are a concept store, we are recognised for our resort wear and evening wear col lections. If there’s one word to describe it, I would say glamourous. How did your previous roles pave the way for this? After previously owning two boutiques in Indonesia, in both Bali and Jakarta, I learned how owning a business works both from a creative and commercial angle. How did travelling influence your brand and the buy you have in-store and how involved with the buying process are you? Travelling is an eye and soul opener, and until today I’m the one who’s still doing all the buying, I have a huge passion for product. What do you look for in a new brand and which new brand has been your most suc cessful to date? When I bring new brands on board, I look for originality, uniqueness and quality. Some of the most successful to date include Biljana, Sachreya and Kel. I’ve also been supporting a lot more Ukranian brands in any manner I can. How do you balance the creative and com mercial sides of the business? We have a team with a diverse set of nationalities and different backgrounds. This helps us to un derstand our customers well and focus on their varying needs. How do you approach online and offline dif ferently and where do you see the largest proportion of sales being driven from? We approach the online purchasing mechanism by gaining our clients’ trust throughout the world. When it comes to offline shop ping, we provide our customers with VIP experiences such as COD within two hours in Dubai, a concierge service and a stylist who comes directly to their door. Our largest sales are driven from the physical store. Do you see any particular buying patterns in the region and which brands drive sales season after season? Most of our customers love pieces that are elegant, sophisticated and glamourous. A brand that’s consistent ly driving sales season after season is Alex ander Vauthier. You’re direct to consumer. How do you keep up with demand through both an online and offline shopping experience? We give our best to both and treat them individually, and always as special as they are. What piece of advice would you give to as piring entrepreneurs? Grit is all you need, it’s not going to be easy but it’s important to know that everything that is worth it, doesn’t come easily.
“Grit is all you need, it’s not going to be easy but it’s important to know that everything that is worth it, doesn’t come easily.”
This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does this mean to you? I’m honored and proud to be featured here and to be recognised as an entrepreneur. We are all still learning daily.
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Where do you source your stones? There is no particular source. I deal with multiple suppliers from around the world. Do you have any mentors who have helped guide your career and what support did they give? My main mentor was my father, may his soul rest in peace. What advice would you impart to other entre preneurs? Commitment, patience, and per sistence in hard work. Without these three in gredients no dreams can be made come true.
This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does this mean to you? I am simply honored and grateful to be included in this issue.
Clear Goals Saudi Arabia based Nadine Attar, founder of Nadine Jewellery, on championing freedom of expression, through her pieces
As a person who loves delving in history and enjoys writing this collection tells the story of alphabets and how the concept of writing was initially invented. It explains the con cept of why humans felt the need to carve symbols on stones to express themselves. It supports the notion of self-expression and how it lies at the core of human nature. I fo cused on ancient cultures starting with the Thamudian letters which were used by the Nabateans who lived in norther Saudi Ara bia where Al Ula is. Their symbols are con sidered the root of Arabic alphabets.
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You believe jewellery should be a personal statement – how have you incorporated this as a gemologist? Each and every jewellery piece that one wears is personal. It is se lected based on certain thoughts and emo tions, that’s why I believe it must have depth and tell a story. Gemology is my strength because it gives me the right knowledge to understand the materials I work with.
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Can you talk us through your latest collection and how you believe each piece of jewellery tells a story? My latest collection, Abjad, is my favourite due its versatility and depth.
How do you balance the creative and com mercial sides of the business and do you feel more drawn to one than the other? It’s very difficult to balance both. I used to think of myself as more of a technical/commercial individual when I was initially working in the banking sector. At a younger age, I never looked at myself as a creative individual. It’s interesting how life turns things around and today I’m very much drawn to the creative side of my work. There’s no magic answer on how to balance different segments of a busi ness, except to be organised and focused, in order to not lose track or be purely driven by an emotional connection to the brand. In business, what is a philosophy that you live by and can you give an example of this? My father has taught me to take calculated risks. He used to often say an Arabic phrase “smhaan ’iidha baea, smhaan ’iidha aishta raa”, which means humility and not be rigid in business deals. Over the years, I’ve fol lowed the principle of flexibility and likabil ity, rather than simply applying strict rules.
every person I’ve met was part of a bigger plan in paving the path for me. There was no catalyst throughout the journey. When I ini tially started out, I received an opportunity to announce the brand at Cannes Film Fes tival through Ola Al Fares and this pushed everything happening towards that.
SUPPLIEDIMAGES: What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routine? The first 30 min utes of my day are usually spent processing my thoughts for the day. I am either plan ning for the day or rethinking some deci sions. However, like most of us, I check my messages and start the day by working out before going to work. What was the catalyst for launching Nadine Jewellery and how did you know it was the right time? When I look back and reflect, I realised I launched rather late as Saudi Ara bia was going through recession at that pe riod of time. Yet, it was the only time that I could launch. Every decision I’ve made and
68 emirateswoman.com FASHION Dior channels a futuristic feel with technology-fuelled pieces in collaboration with D-Air lab for FW22 THE NEW ERA O’DONOVANMORGANPHOTOGRAPHY:
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French fashion house Dior has joined hands with D-Air lab to create a runway show full of stand-out, futuristic-inspired pieces. Designed to emulate the thrill of the race track, Maria Grazia Chiuri overhauled the concept of technological fashion, adopting a forward-thinking approach where the pieces were presented amid Mariella Bettineschi’s décor entitled The Next Era. At the helm of the collection lies the iconic Bar Jacket to fit both form and function. Ward off extreme temperatures with this functional design cre ated to regulate the body’s tem perature. Inspired by D-Air lab’s fin est creations, the Antarctica Suit, this protective gear solves the challenge of transitional environments. The leather mo torcycle gloves spreads protection with its technical demeanor. Layered with panels, this creation is the perfect example of sportswear that need not compromise on aesthetics.
Tania Santos Silva, founder of women owned and operated brand, Lala Diamonds, on defining her edge as a fine-jewellery entrepreneur A RARE CUT
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I’m all about a strong beauty and wellness rou tine, so in the second part of my morning, sleep takes a major importance. When you’re a mum with a young son, a good night of sleep doesn’t happen that often, so I always try to get a power nap once he’s off to school. Following my nap, I go to the gym. I’m obsessed with a good HIIT workout! Work starts later in the day due to the time difference with my team in Portugal –which also means that my day ends later.
Do you have any mentors who have guided your career and what was a key lesson you learned from them? I’ve had a few mentors along the way, my mother was definitely the first one. She guided me to learn what mistakes to avoid in businesses. How ever, for the past 8 years my husband has been, without a doubt, my true mentor. He has taught me how to remove any type of emotion from businesses and investment and continues to teach me every day. One of my biggest takeaways from what I’ve learned from him was that while we might love a concept, salaries aren’t paid with love, so we also need to ensure designs work commercially. What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to define their edge? My advice is to be 110% sure you want to do it. Have a plan B and C. Do all the pros and cons. Sleep on it, get advice from people with experience (both good and bad). Trust your team, you can’t do it all alone – it’s doomed to fail if you do. Finally, be more rational than emotional. This is The Entrepreneur Issue – how has becoming an entrepreneur impacted you the most and what does being an entrepreneur mean to you? Being an entrepreneur has enhanced my resilience without a doubt. My patience has improved massively too. It’s a “knock the wall down when the door is locked” kind of vibe. It’s not easy, it will never be, but the fun and pleasure that comes out of the fact that you’re slowly but steady succeeding, makes it all worth it. And it’s a hell of an example for my son!
What inspired you to launch Lala Diamonds and how did you know it was the right time? I was en ergized by the beauty of what nature produces and all its nuances, and how a seemingly “un appealing” rock can be transformed into magi cal and hypnotizing beauty. I was working very closely with the industry of rough diamonds, so during the first lock down, I decided I wanted to create a competitively priced brand that would allow more women to fall in love with this na ture provided product as I did. I began working with my team in Portugal to develop the con cept; we were inspired by all women around us and we launched the Lala Diamonds brand. Lala Diamonds is run by an all-female team and places an emphasis on empowering women –how does this translate into your pieces? During the creative process we never forget our mission. We work to make our pieces delicate, powerful and memorable; alike to the women who constantly inspire us. This also allows us to work closely with our end clients to design unique pieces for themselves and their loved ones, focused on what represents our clients, their memories and emotions. Can you walk us through your gem sourcing process and how you ensure you’re working with ethically sourced stones? One of our main priorities is the tracking of the gemstones. We work very closely will all parts of the supply chain with the aim to guarantee their quality and ethical standards. This also gives us the freedom to choose all our partners and suppliers very carefully, with a major focus on traceability and compliance. Our products come with the appropriate Kimberly certification and are conflict-free. What personal philosophy do you live by that you have applied in your business? This is easy… trust! You can’t run a business alone. You need a team in whom you can trust, so you can delegate, and they can implement. Entrepreneurship can be time consuming. Your fresh air is the team you choose to work with, without them you’re just another person with an idea. You created Lala Diamonds to be an e-commerce operation – how does technology help your business to grow and how did you select which platform to work with? Technology comes into play in many ways and it’s definitely what allows for major trends that are shap ing all industries – hard jewellery is not an exception. Not only does it allow for the digitalization of processes and traceability of all sup pliers; it allows us to reach a global audience. We launched our web site about a year ago, with a strong focus on customer experience, “Your fresh air is the team you choose to work with, without them you’re just another person with an idea.”
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What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routine? Let me start by saying that I’m a mum of a toddler, so the first 30 min utes of my day are everything but fancy. Between waking up Santiago, or him waking me up, get ting him ready for school, making breakfast, en during the occasional tantrum… it can be hectic.
embracing all moments of the client journey. We know diamonds are formed under pressure, can you describe a high-pressure challenge you’ve faced and how you grew from its resolu tion? Can I still say Covid-19 and lockdown? I’m sure it was a high-pressure challenge for many, and I was no different. The world changed, peo ple changed, priorities changed too. I’m more focused on spending time with the ones I love, more focused on experiences, travel, enjoying my freedom. I’m now more self-aware of the time we all have and how to maximise it properly.
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Chic Le Frique prides itself on offering fashion at the right price and at the right time, how do you stay on-trend in a fast-paced
We need to evolve as trends do. Beyond that, we need to set trends, rather than merely following them. We assign an exceptionally high importance to research and development. CLF currently launches almost 50 different styles on a weekly basis.
Do you have any mentors who have guided your career and what was a key lesson you learned from them? Without a doubt my husband. He taught me to take risks where nec essary and to try new ideas. He guided me through some of the key decisions at the most challenging times.
The Economy of E-commerce
The vast variety of styles on offer as well as a dynamic and agile creative and manufac turing process are what distinguishes our brand and is what helped us reach the large and remarkably loyal customer base that we are proud and excited to cater to.
What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routine?
The brand embodies a beachy relaxed nature, how do you best relax after a stressful day of business? After putting my son to sleep, I cherish the me-time where I get to curl up on the sofa in front of the TV with a hot soothing cup of tea with my husband.
Chic Le Frique has developed from offering high street labels globally into its own label, can you explain how you structured this from the outset and how it’s grown? Having thor oughly and continuously analyzed our sales patterns, we made the decision to shift to a more streamlined and uniform offering of select trends and designs. Linen and organic cotton gauze form the base of our collections. We’ve man aged to embed these quality and pricey fabrics in our manu facturing process at affordable prices by procuring raw ma terial directly from global sources, and by manufacturing in large quantities, effectively leveraging economies of scale. What personal philosophy do you live by that you have ap plied in your business? Work hard for what you believe in, support your team and you will succeed. Staying humble is also a virtue that I assign big importance to.
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WORDS: NICOLE
Sara Rahbari, founder of Chic Le Frique, on the intricacies of being an entrepreneur in the fast-moving world of e-commerce LITTLE
What CLF offers is simple, chic yet casual styles at affordable prices as this is something I never came across in the region. We saw an opportunity to utilize the trend through an online business model within an emerging and growing e-commerce market specifically in the UAE and across GCC.
I’m an early riser just like any other mum out there and mornings usually start between 5:30 to 6:00am. I prepare breakfast for the little one, slip into my Chic Le Frique (CLF) outfit of the day, get a big hug and kiss from my son whilst dropping him off at the nursery, which is the fuel for the rest of my long day and head to the office. What inspired you to launch Chic Le Frique and how did you know it was the right time? Not to sound cliché, but the inspira tion was my passion for fashion, along with a supportive and loving spouse who persuaded me to launch Chic Le Frique.
You launched in 2019 prior to the impending pandemic that af fected so many businesses, in what ways did you practice resil ience as an entrepreneur during these times? The unfortunate circumstances that surrounded the pandemic were distressing and businesses were striving for survival. Warehousing, logis tics and product availability were heavily impacted during these challenging times. I do, however, truly believe that every challenge presents an opportunity. Consumer and purchasing behaviour changed in significant ways as well. We chose to proactively adapt our business model and offerings. CLF went all out – we expanded and strengthened key aspects of our structural setup. The resilience and reinforced efforts paid off, with CLF now being able to cater to a much larger consumer base, leveraging a more robust business framework.
This is The Entrepreneur Issue – how has becoming an en trepreneur impacted you the most and what does being an entrepreneur mean to you? Being entrepreneurial allows you to pursue your own vision. As an entrepreneur, you create something that is profoundly meaningful to you, to what you believe in, with you being the driving force behind it that gets to nurture it into something bigger, something that adds value to others’ lives. It becomes a reflection of you and your principles. My entrepreneurial efforts have taught me a lot. The learning curve, with all of the knowl edge and experience I attained throughout, is undoubtedly the most impactful part of my journey.
What advice do you have for entrepreneurs entering the fashion industry? This industry in particular is extremely popular and saturated with startup brands. However, this does not mean that you cannot succeed. Having a clear and thorough idea of the direction that your brand wants to take is crucial. Entrepreneurs should ask themselves, “What is my differentiator aspect and the story behind my brand?”
Chic Le Frique was founded and is based in Dubai – why did this emirate become the home for your brands? Dubai is home. It’s such cosmopolitan city that caters to all nationalities from across the world, so there is no better place to build a brand.
industry?FASHION
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76 emirateswoman.com BEAUTY 01. Silk Lip Balm Dhs107 Mara; 02. Active Botanical Serum, 30ml Dhs675 Vintner's Daughter; 03. Dynamic Nourishing Face Cream, 30ml Dhs877 Retrouvé; 04. Absolute AntiAging Body Scrub, 141g Dhs202 Uma Oils; 05. High Performance Face Cream Extra Rich, 30ml Dhs1,009 Macrene Actives; 06. Super Gut Probiotic Supplement Dhs252 Votary; 07. Absolute Anti-Aging Eye Oil, 15ml Dhs381 Uma Oils; 08. Gold Night Drops, 30ml Dhs868 Omorovicza; 09. Idan Oil, 100ml Dhs175 Liha; 10. Body Butter 160ml Dhs351 Mutha WORDS & STYLING: AMY SESSIONS 01 02 03 04 0508 09 10 06 07 EDITTHE Boutique beauty brandsseriousdeliveringresults
A Master of Innovation Co-Founder of Maison Francis Kurkdjian, of what drives
discusses the launch
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Perfumer Francis Kurkdjian,
new fragrance 724 and
his entrepreneurial mindset SUPPLIEDIMAGES: WORDS: AMY SESSIONS
BEAUTY
Do you feel that you have an entrepreneurial mindset that is always wanting to drive in novation? I was the first perfumer to open a bespoke fragrance atelier, in 2001, before Maison Francis Kurkdjian was opened. With the Maison, I was the first perfumer to launch an eponymous brand, through which I can really express myself and my creative vision. I wanted to work on the whole pro cess, not just the fragrance: the name, the inspiration, the packaging, the customer experience… So, I was always driven to do things differently, to explore new opportu nities and new ways of creating. Fragrance is my means of expression and it offers end less possibilities. I always look ahead. For example, we just announced a partnership with the palace of Versailles and Maison Francis Kurkdjian will be the patron of the Perfumer’s Garden, within the Trianon es tate. The garden will open in 2024, it will be open to the general public with workshops and guided tours. It will feature hundreds of plants used in perfumery and will allow us to share all our knowledge and passion about fragrance with the world.
What has been the most challenging mo ment to date and as an entrepreneur who has launched their own brand – were there ever any moments you wanted to give up and what kept you from doing so? I felt that I needed more space to express myself.
Why did you decide to launch this particular fragrance now and how did you know it was the right moment? 724 is really fresh and re assuring, even sincere I would say. I think its modernity is all about that, sincerity. It’s not the smell of a city. It gives you the sensa tion of being caressed with a form of infin ity, which elevates your spirit and feelings.
What is at the heart of the new fragrance 724 from Maison Francis Kurkdjian? I grew up in the suburbs just outside of Paris and moved to the city later. I lived in New York for about five years, at the beginning of my career as a perfumer, just after releasing “Le Male” for Jean-Paul Gaultier. Later, I had the op portunity to travel all around the world and to see many wonderful places. Sydney, To kyo, Seoul, Shanghai, New Delhi, Mumbai, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Moscow, London, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Los Angeles. All these metropolises, despite being so different from one another, share a magnetic, uplifting en ergy, something that makes you feel that everything is possible. There is something about big cities that elevates you, electrifies you in a way. This new eau de parfum, 724, is all that. It is about the effervescence that big cities across the globe have in common. New York was part of my inspiration be cause I have a very precise memories from my years there, but 724 is not about New York only. When I visited for the first time, what struck me instantly was the rhythm of the city, its uplifting and thrilling energy. It’s a city “that makes sleep useless”, to quote Simone de Beauvoir. I walked the streets in the early morning, passing by the laundries and seeing the thick white vapour they released in the brisk morning air. It always put me in a good mood, it felt comfortable, serene. I wanted to translate this very enveloping, reassuring sensation in the silage of my fragrance. 724 has strength and balances freshness with modern sensuality. 724 has a kind of opti mism that keeps you open minded. Which notes have you included and why are they special when layered together? 724 is like a protection in the city, the sensation you want to feel when you walk around the city that keeps you away from stress and daily troubles. I wanted the feeling of clean ness, something fresh, pure, energizing, but cocooning and comforting altogether. It is
I think we all need it, and it feels especially good in this particular moment.
Launching Maison Francis Kurkdjian with Marc Chaya, in 2009, felt right at the time. I don’t regret it.
an urban scent, but not in the way you’d ex pect. 724 is a musky floral eau de parfum, composed of three main accords. It starts with a fresh urban accord as top notes, car ried by aldehydes and bergamot oil from Ita ly. It’s a luminous and even slightly metallic accord. Then in the core notes you’ll find a floral white accord, driven by white flowers and jasmine absolute from Egypt. Finally, the base notes release a sweeter, cozier feel ing. I called it “Comfortable Cotton“ accord, it gives that reassuring aspect to the compo sition. The whole scent is like a bubble in the city, an imaginary blanket you want to keep with you while you face the day in the city.
As we approach FW22 – how do the fra grances you wear differ throughout the sea sons? I actually don’t wear fragrance! I only wear the one I’m currently working on. This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does being an entrepreneur mean to you? Work ing hard for your goals and doing things differently than what people may expect of you, while not giving up in front of the dif ficulties you’ll encounter.
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Is 724 a unisex fragrance and how do you see fragrance in the future – will they all become unisex? 724 is a scent with a musky floral sillage that anyone could wear, in any sea son. It has this effortless chic, sophisticated facet, it’s elegant, it empowers you as soon you spray it. Most of Maison Francis Kurkd jian’s fragrances don’t cater to a specific gen der, actually. When I started Maison Francis Kurkdjian with Marc Chaya, its current CEO, we crafted a fragrance wardrobe where any one could be free to wear anything they like, depending on personality, moods, occasions, etc. And today people are less influenced by a label than ever, they want to be free to wear whatever fragrance they like. I personally cannot predict the future, but there is defi nitely a trend to shift away from labels and other diktats, in society in general and in the way people experience perfume, of course.
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How do you select the products on the plat form and how involved are you in that pro cess? This is actually my favourite part, I love trying things and finding things that work.
What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routine? As soon as I wake up, I do oil pulling, while I shower. I always try to do two things at once to save time. Once I shower, I start my skin care routine. I always start with AB cleansing balm, I actually leave it on as a mask to get the extra moisturise and hydration while I start my day. I make my morning coffee using the gangster chic Inulin powder, which not only gives me a flat tummy but makes my latte extra delicious. Then I turn on my phone, I check WhatsApp, email, Insta and TikTok in that order. While I reply to my WhatsApp and email and I drink my coffee, I am usually ice rolling with the Skin ny Confidential ice roller at the same time.
Fajer Fahad has recently launched Beauline Beauty, a platform for carefully curated next level beauty and wellness
How challenging was refining the logistics process of building an e-commerce plat form? It’s very difficult and takes patience and strategy, my partner is a genius at logis tics and shipping. We were very lucky and had very few hiccups.
NEXT BEAUTYLEVEL
Beauty and wellness has become so broad and saturated that we try to curate only the very best. We want our consumer to love our selection but also be a return consumer. How did you balance the creative and com mercial sides of the business and do you feel more drawn to one than the other? It’s diffi cult to balance both, I would advise know ing what one’s weakness is, identify it and then find people who are strong in the fields you are less strong in. That being said I am more of the creative, but I do strive to be a part of the commercial side
How did your previous roles support you be ing able to launch your own brand and how did you know it was the right time? Working for Azzedine Alaia was the role that really helped me witness what it was to be an en trepreneur. He was multifaceted and wore many hats in his business, he oversaw ev erything and was very detail oriented. Being around that kind of energy helped me get to where I am today. You never know it’s the right time, you need to trust your gut. I have great partners who encourage me to follow my intuition. It was a now or never moment for launching @beaulinebeauty.
SUPPLIEDIMAGES: can organically grow a company on social media that it’s very important to scaling the business. There are many options between Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat that can convert into sales and a great way to directly be in touch with your consumer.
How many people are in your team now and did you start out alone? No I was never alone and very lucky to have a business partner from the start, we did start off as a very small team but eventually grew very quickly as the company now ships worldwide and carries a broad offering in terms of brands. What would be your advice to other entre preneurs regarding taking on investment from external parties? Is it necessary? Yes, I believe it’s very important to have strategic partners. If the opportunity arises for in vestment from an external party it can help a brand grow and scale. What have been the biggest challenges to date and how did you overcome them? Whenever launching something new there is always a daily challenge, we have weekly meetings with all the different departments and discuss goals and strategy. We brain storm, assign different jobs, update roles and have weekly/monthly goals that we strive to achieve. Keeping everyone moti vated when things are hard or when we are busy can be the most challenging. Commu nication is key in any organisation. How have you found social media in terms of supporting brand growth? It plays an im mense role, there are so many ways that you
How do you approach scaling without com promising on quality? Always bring it back to basics and ask what do you want to achieve? Is this product right for us? We keep it sim ple, if it works we want to sell it ! Have you had any mentors along the way and if so, what knowledge did they impart? Yes so many, Kim Kardashain, Jen Atkin, Pat McGrath, Charles Rosier and Dr. Barbara Sturm, to name a few. I was lucky enough to witness them all create amazing brands that changed the industry, they were all disrupt ers and raised the bar. More than knowledge I witnessed their focus and that was key. What advice would you give to your younger self? Be patient. That’s the biggest thing I have learned in life. Life has become so fastpaced we feel like we are always behind some how. It’s ok to do things at our own pace, no one should dictate that time line for us. This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does this mean to you? It means opportunity, we live in a day and age where the world is con nected like never before. As entrepreneurs we should take that and realise the possi bilities we have that past generation didn’t. Social media has changed how we interact, perceive and receive information. This gives us an opportunity to reach a much wider au dience. That in itself is a super power.
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“Beauty and wellness has become so broad and saturated that we try to curate only the very best.”
Dior carries us on a sensory voyage for FW22 with a profusion
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Talk us through your career. My career start ed earlier than what I had planned and was always embedded in that entrepreneurial spirit. I convinced a professor to take me as an intern for her consultancy business. The internship turned into an associate position and I ended up embarking on my first jour ney as a location independent professional, while studying, and way before remote work was as common as now. I then moved to Asia, where I worked as the liaison between the Ministry of Finance and an organisation helping startups in the region. This allowed me to get involved with organising some really cool events such as Obama’s 4th Global Entrepreneurship Summit and be in the forefront of entrepre neurship and startups in South East Asia. I then moved to New York where I worked at a hedge fund in emerging markets. By far the experience where I learnt the most. I also had a brief stint at the United Nation in Geneva but decided it wasn’t the right path for me. By the time I graduated from my second master’s, I had more experience than most region. I learned a lot about building and scaling businesses which then led me to Made By Sunday. What inspired you to enter into the beauty space? As an out sider of the industry, I was able to spot a white space. I saw an opportunity to bring clean, affordable health and beauty prod ucts to all, that didn’t stick to the rules of emphasised perfec tion or what I call ‘aspirational realness’ that you see from a lot of brands trying to bring that ‘authentic’ voice that still feels like the marketing department is behind it. After researching and studying the big retailers, I realised that the typical phar macy product really hasn’t changed in decades. The skincare products that actually worked have a 700% markup. Talk us through the process of launching your own brand Made by Sunday. I was always completely focused on learning how to build companies, bring products to market, and iterate on consumer experiences. From a consumer perspective, I was al ways baffled by the overcomplicated and overpriced market. So we set out to have a problem solving approach, instead of here we go “Buy this product because this influencer is promoting it on Youtube or Ins tagram”, we’re very much like, “This is your problem and this is how we fix it”. The COVID-19 pandemic was a great chal lenge for some brands. For you it had the opposite effect – you grew by 1200 per cent I read. Incredible! What factors contributed to the growth? Often when entrepreneurs start a company, they realise there’s depth to their company they might not have known. It starts simple, but there’s more underneath the surface of what customers want and it’s abundantly clear. Made By Sunday was ex actly like that. We knew the potential was there from the beginning. of my peers and it just didn’t make sense to look for a job. So I started freelancing on the side to get the startup capital to launch my first business then my second, which I both exited. Between selling my first businesses and starting my Made By Sunday, I noticed that much of the marketing attention was towards Western millennials and millennials as consumers and employees in the MENA region were kind of forgotten. This led me to do lots of research, to publish articles and be involved in policy making around this topic. This also led me to work with some of the biggest brands on marketing to the MENA
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WORDS: OLIVIA MORRIS SUPPLIEDIMAGES:
SpiritEntrepreneurialTrue
Chaymae Samir was an outsider to the beauty industry but looking in she could see something was missing. Going against the grain and aiming to change the narrative around clean and affordable beauty, Made by Sunday was launched in 2019 and since then, the only way has been up
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What made you want to become an entrepre neur? What I always loved doing through out my life and career was putting on shoes much bigger than me and seeing if I could fill them. For me, putting myself in really tough situations is kind of the key to mak ing an impact and feeling energy in my day to day. To this day, I always have that desire to be put in really hard situations and build things from scratch, which I get to do in dif ferent areas in my company.
What is a philosophy that you live by both in your personal and professional life? Take care of your people! Translating it to work, I believe companies are an incredible ve hicle to achieving so much more than just responding to a need a customer has. They can be an incredible driver for change for the people joining and the lives they touch. Yes, I’m proud of how customers react to our products and how it impacts their lives, especially when it comes to acne, but I’m probably more proud of how we impact the lives of our employees. What are some of the key lessons you would like people to take from your career? I was surrounded by people who I knew were the best at what they were doing, people who I’d been researching and specifically hand-
ness. We’ve also been activating conversa tions, we’ve been putting ourselves front and centre, and talking to people authentically. What do you think will contribute to Made By Sunday’s future success in the beauty space? I think this is a lot simpler than peo ple might think: just keep focusing on the customer. We’re continuing to understand the issues our customers are struggling with, and what is preventing them from get ting the right treatment for it. Then, figure out how to make it as simple as possible. Ex. We already do free online video consulta tions with our skin specialists. People feel ashamed about certain conditions and don’t want to talk about it or admit that they’re struggling. They don’t even know who to talk to, but even if they did, they don’t want to go in person and discuss it. We’ll con tinue to focus on the customer and continue to make it easier, more affordable, and more fun to take care of their health and wellness.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, there’s also the milestones. What stands out to you? I really don’t look back at my journey so far and think of milestones. I did a lot of things in a short amount of time which forced me to grow. Taking those kinds of bets based on my instincts and what I learnt from people have been really valuable to me and they’ve been the cornerstones of my career.
This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does being an entrepreneur mean to you? Being an entrepreneur to me means building busi nesses that serve the needs of our custom ers and act as a vehicle for the personal and professional growth of myself and our team, while being the creative outlet that all great businesses are. I’m building a business that is so fun, profitable, sustainable and fulfill ing, so that I don’t care about anything else.
Building a business from the ground-up is not easy. What would you say the challenges are that you’ve had to overcome? To be honest, when people come to me for advice on wheth er they should join a startup or launch their own business, I always remind them that they should really double check with themselves if it’s something they want to do because they’re really bought into building something or bought into the idea that entrepreneur ship is the only way to success. It’s hard, and those hardships will always be there, no mat ter what they look like for each one of us. It’s actually what filters out the best from those who are just good enough. And it’s necessary to build something meaningful.
“If you’re not telling your story, then you’re leaving money on the table.” picked. So I’d encourage people to step back a little bit and find environments where they’re able to take real bets on themselves and be in a room with brilliant minds and strug gle with the amount of work it takes to be in those rooms. And if they can put themselves in those situations, in indus tries that their parents might not even understand or give value to, then it’s a really phenomenal career move. After launching in London, you’re looking to make your mark in Dubai. What do you think differs in the beauty space in this re gion compared to the rest of the world? We started with skin care but our goal is to ensure that both men and women have access to effective, evidence-based treatment options for conditions and issues that impact their dayto-day lives. In terms of differences, the big gest difference, which I see as a huge oppor tunity, is in terms of e-commerce behaviour. Before the pandemic, MENA’s e-commerce sector was one of the fastest-growing in the world. The lockdowns and the coronavirus gave it another life. Covid helped us acceler ate the shift from cash on delivery to online payments, but this demands building trust for smaller retailers like us. Made by Sunday really is leading the way in the content game when it comes to telling a brand story. How important do you think this is in to day’s business climate? Stories are powerful and they’re still underrated in business. We rarely use a direct narrative around our com pany and we prefer to tell stories of our cus tomers, employees or even me, the founder. We dub ourselves ‘the no BS brand that actu ally works’. And so is our content. Everyone knows how hard it is not to fall into clichéwriting or being misunderstood when telling your story through video or words. We keep it real and sometimes it really is hard to do as a business. A good first step is to ask yourself: why does my company exist and what are its values? Your customers are not only buying your products and services, but they are also buying your story, your vision, and ultimately your dreams. If you’re not telling your story, then you’re leaving money on the table. How have things evolved for the brand since it launched? Since we were bootstrapped from the beginning, we really had to be strategic and patient with how we did things. The goal was and is always bigger than what we’re do ing right now but we have to bring the build ing blocks to eventually get us there. We ini tially started the company with one product. After the pandemic hit, we expanded the full skincare range and really took that problem solving approach. Now, we’re moving on to a new phase in the company’s life where we’re expanding our treatments to health and well At the end of the day, what really helped us was that we weren’t so big at that time that reiterating and adapting was going to take so long that we’d miss out on the op portunity. We only launched just before the pandemic hit. We were a lean team focused on stocking the initial product line in as many retailers or doors as possible. When the pandemic hit, we switched the focus to Direct to Consumer. Despite whatever you or outside conditions might be doing to hin der your success, consumers are still trying to get the product, that’s when you know you’ve got something highly scalable.
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BEAUTY
Talk us through your personal beauty routine.
The best advice I’ve received and believe in is to not be afraid to take risks. Failure is what will enable you to learn from your mistakes.
I try my best to stay consistent with my beau ty routine and it’s become easier now that we finally launched The Beauty Society. I use organic hair treatments to help strengthen and soften my hair and go for regular trims to promote hair growth. I love the feeling of a clean fresh set of nails and often switch them up whether it’s nail art or just a simple colour shade. Lastly, I go for facials every month to keep my skin clear and glowy.
WORDS: OLIVIA MORRIS
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received on your entrepreneurial journey?
when we moved to a community that we felt didn’t accommodate our beauty needs and wanted to fill that gap in the market.
92 BEAUTYemirateswoman.com The businessonWeEntrepreneursBeautyspeaktoDubai’stopsalonownerswhatittakestolaunchasuccessfulinthebeautyspace
This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does being an entrepreneur mean to you? Build ing and learning about yourself throughout the process is one of the key parts of becom ing a successful entrepreneur. You have to be consciously learning from your experiences. I believe that the staff are the backbone of your business. In order to excel you have to see your self with the team and not above the team.
ALMHEIRIWDEEMA
CO-FOUNDER OF THE BEAUTY SOCIETY @thebeautysociety.ae
Talk us through your career. I went through several ups and downs to get to where I am today, it definitely isn’t something that hap pened overnight. I started growing my plat form slowly and being selective with the brands I decide to work with. Building my own brand and image was always a goal of mine and I’m grateful for the opportunities that have come my way and for the ability to branch further into the beauty space. How did you find yourself in the beauty space? Finding myself in the beauty space has come naturally to me since it’s a big part of my life. Self-care and maintenance have also been something I’ve prioritised and al ways looked for the best services and prod ucts before it was a part of my business. What inspired you to launch your own salon? My sisters and I have had this idea for years. It started with a name The Beauty Society that we reserved in 2018 and we decided to wait for the right opportunity. That opportunity came
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Effortless, and efficient – I always have eyelash extensions on of course! I put on a face serum from Caudalie, eye cream from Charlotte and lip oil from Dior, which all takes me less than five minutes altogether!
How did you find yourself in the beauty space? I originally decided to study marketing at uni versity as I wanted to pursue a career in the beauty industry. I, later on, realized I had a pas sion for the more hands-on side of the industry and enrolled in hair school. Looking back at it now, I guess I should have always known, I used to ask my parents for Barbie dolls just so I could cut their hair and give them makeovers. What inspired you to launch your own salon?
I noticed the industry in this region was so dif ferent to everywhere else in the world I had been. We lacked a space for like-minded in dividuals to come together and grow both as a team but also as individual artists. I wanted to create a hub for these individuals. A place which was safe, inspiring and allowed unlimit ed growth both inside and outside of the salon. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever re ceived on your entrepreneurial journey? You have to be your biggest supporter. Promote yourself and your brand the way you would do so for a friend, a sister, a colleague. Nobody is going to believe in your brand or want it to suc ceed as much as you do; build it and believe in it. Talk us through your personal beauty routine. A few years ago when my life started to become more chaotic and I was travelling a lot more, I found myself picking up a skincare routine which made me feel like it was the one thing which was familiar no matter which city I was in. I like to keep it simple but efficient. I am cur rently using a routine which includes SKKN, Rhode, Dr. Barbara Strum and cos Rx. These have been my go-to brands for skincare. When it comes to makeup, less is more for me. A few of my go-to staples include faux filter concealer by Huda Beauty, tinted moisturized by Estee Lauder and tailored mascara by Mina Sheikhly. This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does being an entrepreneur mean to you? Being an entrepreneur to me means everything. It made me realize that everything I have faced in my career, whether it be positive or negative had its purpose. I always believed that being able to pass on everything you know or help others grow in your industry is a sign of being suc cessful. When I launched Collective, I felt like I was able to grow others the way I had myself. It’s brought a whole new purpose into my life. And in a very interesting way, more motiva tion and drive than I have ever had before.
DEENA ALAWAID FOUNDER OF COLLECTIVE. SALON @collective_hair Talk us through your career. I studied at HDC in my hometown of Halifax, NS. I moved at 21 to Dubai to focus on my career. Although I was based in Dubai, I spent most of my time travelling for fashion weeks and cruise shows working amongst the top stylists in the indus try. In 2022, I decided to dive into the busi ness side of our industry with the launch of Collective. I am still based in Dubai focusing on editorial, the business and still travel with private clients during fashion seasons. I also am an ambassador for top hair brands such as Dyson and L’Oreal.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever re ceived on your entrepreneurial journey? Master business acumen and trust your own timeline. Talk us through your personal beauty routine.
CO-FOUNDER OF THE LASH SHOW @thelashshow.ae How did you find yourself in the beauty space? I think I have always been drawn to the beauty industry, I am very feminine and I like to see other women take care of themselves in whichever form that may be. I have worked in the architecture field in a super demanding job, as a project manager and one day I woke up and decided that I want to shift to some thing different and definitely female-related. What inspired you to launch your own salon?
For two main reasons, there was always a lack of experience in salons with uninteresting inte riors and secondly, we wanted eyelash extension to be customizable to each client, not a one size fits all approach. My best friend and business partner, Sara and I shared the same interest so we ventured into what is now The Lash Show.
SHAKHSHEERBUSHRA
This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does being an entrepreneur mean to you? It is who I am, I am always thinking a few steps ahead and I have a constant inspirational and cre ative mindset.
At Saanté, we believe in slow beauty, which simply put is slowing down and being mind ful and conscious of what you put on your
Mishti Ohri: This has been the focus since day one. As a personal believer of using clean and natural products, I have always been wary of the harmful effects from toxic chemicals present in many of the skin and haircare products available in the market.
How have your previous roles prepared you to launch your own skincare brand and what was the catalyst in launching? Malini Ohri: My formal journey in beauty and wellness started when I was 16, but I’ve only known to approach beauty holistically thanks to my mother, who imbibed that con cept in me since I was born. It has been my lifelong passion to heal through clean, natu ral remedies and so launching my own skin
Mishti Ohri: I start my day with a glass of water, get ready and then drop my son at his school and spend a few minutes with my daughter before I rush out for the day.
You’re a Reiki master, reflexologist, aroma therapist, ayurvedic practitioner and entre preneur – how do the roles support each other? Malini Ohri: All these practices have a common goal, that is holistic wellbeing. Na ture’s healing powers are infinite, and both aromatherapy and ayurveda harness this in health and wellbeing. Whether it’s essential oils that ail physical and mental imbalances to herbs and spices that nourish from the in side-out. Additionally, Reiki further elevates the potency of these remedies as in unison, it all lies at the essence of what Saanté really is. Saanté is laser focused on natural ingredients. Has this been the focus since the brand was founded? Malini Ohri: Yes, this has been the primary focus and I have not deterred from it at all. I truly believe that nature is precious and want to heal with natural remedies that have been tried and tested for centuries.
BEAUTY care and wellness brand was the next natural step to fulfill my dream of healing people.
Mishti Ohri: As a brand it’s important to source 100 per cent natural ingredients by being completely transparent about every element that goes into each product. Saa nté Selfcare focuses on healing through the power of natural herbs.
Mishti Ohri: I grew up in a household where both my mother and grandmother taught me the importance of selfcare and using clean, non-toxic products. My modelling days in the UAE further enhanced this philosophy where feeling good was an equal priority when it came to taking care of my skin and hair. With my background and experience in fashion, film and retail, I made it my mis sion to re-invent, restructure and strategi cally position the brand to meet the nuances of the new age conscious market. I wanted to present Saanté and its healing products to a global audience through a strong digital presence and educate consumers on the im portance of slow beauty.
What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routine? Malini Ohri: I start my day with two glasses of water from my earthenware pot to rehydrate my body and to flush out any toxins. The earthenware pot is an ancient Indian tradition that not only keeps the water cool but also balances the body’s pH due to its alkaline nature. I then go for a one-hour brisk walk and say my daily mantras.
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SUPPLIEDIMAGES: Malini Ohri, founder, and Mishti Ohri, CEO of Saanté Selfcare on launching a brand that adopts a holistic approach to wellbeing Heal
What lies at the heart, the DNA of Saanté Selfcare? Malini Ohri: My experiences, my journey and my mom’s very strong influence of healing and being ethical.
WORDS: SARAH JOSEPH
BEAUTY
Mishti Ohri: It was key to get our packag ing and branding right to manifest and re body and how it affects you physically and mentally. This is why it is so important for our communication to deliver this message and for Saanté to be positioned as a brand that prioritises wellness.
Mishti Ohri: Ayurveda approaches beauty as wellness, and a reflection of your inner health – something that is so important in today’s fast-paced life. Our products work in tan dem with a healthy lifestyle and are devoid of chemicals. We’ve harnessed the goodness of age-old ayurvedic ingredients like saffron, manjistha, sandalwood and more that work as key ingredients for healthy skin and hair. Your products emphasize on the eight pillars of self-care – can you elaborate? Malini Ohri: Our products are therapeutic as well as heal ing. They work on deeper levels to provide relief. Besides being devoid of chemicals and rooted in ayurvedic remedies and aroma therapy, we also use adaptogenic ingredients, which in herbal medicine, is known to help with stress and anxiety. Adaptogens work at the cellular level to improve the function and vitality of every cell in the body, and in being so, they help our products heal from within. The ‘holistic’ approach is something we take in every aspect of Saanté, and therefore cover the eight pillars of selfcare, that are physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, psychological, social, environmental and professional. Mishti Ohri: Whether it’s creating a therapeu tic and calming night care ritual for yourself or taking that time out at least once a week to massage your scalp with a blend of oils that activate the crown chakra, our products give you the means to follow a selfcare ritual that flect on the outside all that Saanté is about.
From our logo to the colours, the packaging is vibrant and full of life but also soothing, grounding and uplifting. What piece of advice would you give to your younger self? Malini Ohri: I wish I learned early in my journey that delegation and having key people on your team is a path to success. One cannot do everything as we all have limitations.
Mishti Ohri: Don’t sweat the small stuff. This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does this mean to you? Malini Ohri: The roots of the magazine are approximately as old as my journey in UAE, so to be part of this is sue is an absolute honour. Emirates Woman has always done such an incredible job sup porting women and I could not be happier to be recognised. One of the very first articles written about me was in Emirates Woman about 36 years ago, so it gives me a warm feeling to be featured again.
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Mishti Ohri: It’s an absolute honour to be fea tured among some of the biggest names in their respective industries and being able to help empower other women on their entre preneurial journey in some way through ours.
is sacred to you, giving you a multi-sensori al experience and a means to come back to yourself. Each product has a strong selfcare benefit that goes beyond topical benefits.
The brand is known for its ayurvedic ap proach. Can you expand on the importance of this and how it supports achieving flaw lessly clear skin? Malini Ohri: The brand is known for a combination of aromatherapy and ayurvedic formulas. Not only does, ayurveda, the ancient Indian healing sci ence recognize the healing powers of flowers, herbs and plants, but it also approaches ex tracting their goodness intricately, ensuring their nutrients are not lost. Aromatherapy also uses the essential oils from nature to cure innumerable ailments including both physical and mental. Together, the two help in bringing out your inner vitality in Saanté products. We use remedies and ingredients that have been part of ancient Indian tradi tions known for their medicinal properties to cure skin and hair issues but also make you feel good and calm from within.
Eventually, over time, Dubai has started offer ing raw materials and bottling and now as our quantities have grown exponentially I am able to ship from my suppliers overseas. Dubai has opened up its door to entrepreneurs and SMEs making the journey exhilarating.
What are the main hurdles experienced dur ing your career and how have you overcome them? Malini Ohri: When I started, I needed to bring all the raw materials and packaging from outside of the UAE. Getting the pack aging (labels) for each product was a hurdle.
The EntrepreneurCareSelf
What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routine? A workout fol lowed by 10 minutes of meditation. I often seek ways to be inspired and set a realistic self-nourishing routine. Self-care has done exactly that for me, where I feel I have start ed my day achieving something and with a calm mind, I am able to face and conquer the challenges of the day ahead. What inspired you to start Solace Home Spa and how did you know it was the right time? The idea came to mind when I was having dinner with some girlfriends, the main din ner topic that kept arising was how with all the pressures and demands in life we were not able to fully unwind and reset after a full day. There was not a sufficient balance and a soothing mechanism to create a personal, tranquil time to reinvigorate without mak ing it an additional burden. Plus, my hus band and I hardly ever get time together to relax and this gave us the wonderful idea. What sets Solace apart from other home services in the same arena? The vision in launching Solace has always been to rei magine the home experience through the lens of the client. How to create an unin trusive comfort at home and how to make it a habitual part of your day without add ing additional stress. I fully put myself in the clients’ shoes as a test case and we were extremely rigorous with the team we hired, their experience, and their client touch ver sus pushing volume. Our attention to detail from the beds and oil we use to the relax ation sounds and bespoke tailoring to the client’s needs are all part of our sound and fragrance curated experience. How does Dubai’s self-care industry differ to the F&B industry you previously worked in and have you learnt anything new? There are many similarities in focusing on refinement of the details and high standards of service around the customer experience. The res taurant background gives you that core. It has always been important to me to evolve and reach new audiences. In self-care you can focus even more on the client with less elements involved to achieve the full experi ence, versus hospitality that contains many steps from the kitchen to the final client ex perience. In both cases it is a narrative that comes with a lot of emotion and feeling. Thankfully with both industries I’ve been able to maintain the existing essential emo tional connection whether it is with food and beverage or personalised self-care. The hospitality industry took a hit during the pandemic, how did you navigate through this? I think the biggest challenge was deal ing with the realities of working from home, and not being able to collaborate in the same space as well as dealing with continuous vol atility and change. Personally, I find change
WORDS: EDWARDSHERMIONE
Panchali Mahendra has set her sights on elevating the home self-care experience with Solace Home Spa. We discuss what it takes to up the ante in a saturated market
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“I vastapproachesresponsiblefocusedmeansentrepreneurshipthinkbeingonforacommunity.”
SUPPLIEDANDGETTYIMAGES: try, and we owe it to the people to create a sense of responsibility to achieve bigger and better whether it is trying out a new recipe or recreating an already existing one. It is an industry that needs constant recalibration as the client needs are changing constantly too. What piece of advice would you give your younger self? To embrace change and enjoy the iterative process of creating, exploring and learning. This is the Entrepreneur Issue – what key as pects have you learned from launching your own brand and what does being an entrepre neur mean to you? I think entrepreneurship means being focused on responsible ap proaches for a vast community. You are cre ating and solving for a broad audience what ever your idea is. Entrepreneurship is also a feeling of creative freedom, joy, ease and nostalgia, which is grounded in optimism.
97emirateswoman.comBEAUTY energizing because it’s an opportunity to be creative. Looking back, I am so grateful for the tenacity and creativity of our teams, as we discovered new ways of working together and being creative while efficient. From being a Michelin star restauranter to having been featured in Power 50, how do you think these achievements has shaped you as a person? It is all about teamwork and shared purpose. Everyone contributes in some fash ion whether small or large. It all narrows down to having a collective mindset. Today, what I think is important is more about an attitude towards success and less about raw perfection – a distinct attitude that enables a sense of belonging to a team effort as well as capturing individual expression. Being in the hospitality industry for as long as you have, what has been your biggest take away lesson? It is a highly instinctive indus
BEAUTY called Nourished which made fresh soups and supplied the cast of Downtown Abbey. However, as they were on set, I realized there was a gap in the market for a grab and go microwaveable soup that people could en joy anywhere. Health and convenience have always been my passion and never more so since the onset of Covid. Food is medicine. You were previously a critical care nurse, what made you decide you wanted to make the transition into the food industry? Food is medicine and soup is absorbed into the body within 30 minutes, making it a really nutri tious easy meal or snack. It takes very little work for the digestive system to break down and I have always been fascinated how we can cure or kill ourselves with food. With the onset of fast-food culture, it is imperative that people don’t disconnect from what they are eating. There is a silent pandemic in the Middle East which has one of the highest in cidences of type 2 diabetes. This is not your DNA but your dinner. At one stage you had to sell your family home to launch the business. What was the gut feeling that led you to take such a risk and how does it feel 2 years later with a valuation of Dhs61 million? It was a now or never mo ment in 2019. My bank wouldn’t give me a small overdraft to start Re:Nourish even
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WORDS: EDWARDSHERMIONE
What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routine? I wake up at 5.30am with a cup of hot lemon and water and 20 minutes on my rebounder trampoline with my favourite music. This is great low impact exercise that really gets the lymph moving to start the day. What inspired you to launch Re:Nourish and how did you know it was the right time? Health has always been part of my DNA having worked as a critical care nurse at a busy London hospital. I had a company
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NicciRe:NourishClark,FounderofRe:Nourish is expanding her brand globally, having reached a Dhs61 million valuation in only its second year
What has been the biggest challenge to date and how did you overcome it? We are a fresh soup brand with limited shelf life, making distribution in different countries very dif ficult. The hardest part is finding trusted manufacturers who will make our soups to the exacting standards. We are privileged to be working with Alshaya in Dubai as our manufacturing partner as they have been in credible to work with. “If you have a great idea, research it thoroughly to make sure there is a demand for it then go for it. The greatest failure is not trying.”
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Being an entrepreneur you are generally a risk taker however never risk your health so always take time for yourself as running a company is fun but also stressful. bottles, caps and labels making it very easy to recycle as we don’t mix our plastics. You have received so much love by custom ers from all over the globe. How does it feel to now be the first fresh soup brand to launch in Dubai, Doha and Hong Kong? It’s definitely a pinch me moment seeing Re:Nourish in all these countries. We are launching in Aus tralia and Europe this autumn making it a very exciting time.
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If you don’t back yourself then how can you expect others to?! It was a huge risk espe cially as I had 2 boys aged 9 & 10 and worked 7 days a week for the last 3 years to make it a success. There has never been a plan B! Re:Nourish focus on fresh, plant-based in gredients, how does this affect the process of creating the product? At Re:Nourish we are all about functional health and hid ing nothing, hence our clear bottles. Soup has been around for centuries and we make sure we only use natural ingredients letting vegetables and their natural flavour shine through rather than adding sugar and addi tives. We are a trusted health brand, and we need to remain so! Your microwavable bottles are carbon neu tral as well as 100% recyclable, can you take us through the production process? It took over 9 months to design our clever little bot tle as we needed to make sure that the bot tles were fully recyclable and didn’t explode in the microwave. There is a lot of science behind the design of the bottle. Sourcing the right material – we use Polypropylene in our
though I had retail listings, great credit and a robust business plan. I didn’t want to give away 50% equity from the offset to an inves tor, so I sold my asset which was my house to give me the money to start Re:Nourish.
What has been your biggest achievement so far since launching Re:Nourish? Re:Nourish is the only global fresh soup brand, soon to be in 10 countries. That is pretty mind-blowing! What piece of advice would you give your younger self? Never doubt yourself and trust your instincts. This is the Entrepreneur Issue – what key as pects have you learned from launching your own brand and what does being an entrepre neur mean to you? If you have a great idea, research it thoroughly to make sure there is a demand for it then go for it. The greatest failure is not trying. You are also only as good as your team so make sure you have a great one with you who compliment your skill set.
With an easy build up coverage formula, this gives my skin a seamless glow and can be used for any occasion. Poudre D’or Eau de Parfum Dhs713 Mizensir I use this scent on a daily basis as it makes me feel sophisticat ed and fresh. This is an Invisible Serum Dhs85 Davines
This product is perfect for tam ing baby hair after a fresh blow dry. It makes my hair look tidy and less frizzy.
Incredible Milk Dhs79 milk__ shake I can’t live without this product as it has helped me recover my hair from all the bleaching.
It gives my skin a healthy glow while maintaining its pH bal ance.
The Beauty Shelf BY: SARAH JOSEPH
Sensual Matte 505 Rouge Dhs184 Dior It’s the perfect nude shade for me. Both the smell and the tex ture make me feel nostalgic and elegant. No Phenol Normal to Oily Skin Dhs924 Biologique Lotion P50
Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence Dhs92 COSRX This lightweight essence absorbs into my sensitive skin to give it a natural glow from inside.
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Plein Air Complexion Balm Dhs365 Hermès
OI All In One Hydrating Hair Milk Dhs125 Davines
This hair milk keeps my hair soft and ensures an anti-frizz mois turising effect all summer long. Teint de Neige Eau de Parfum Extra Dhs950 Lorenzo Villoresi I’ve incorporated this scent into The Beauty Society as it gives a sense of calm and a refresh ing feel to the atmosphere of the salon. Hot Gossip Lip Cheat Pink Lip Liner Dhs100 Charlotte Tilbury This coral lip liner gives a nice colour pop with its velvety-rich formula.
COMPILED
100 BEAUTYemirateswoman.com Wdeema Almheiri, co-founder of Dubai-based salon The Beauty Society, on her hero beauty products
AM TO PM BEAUTY
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Talk us through your morning routine. I’m nor mally awake before my alarm around 8-8.30 am and snuggle in bed for a few minutes. I jump into the shower and start my morning beauty routine. I try to stay away from the phone (texts, emails and social media) for one hour or so, as I think self-care and me-time are so important before kicking off a busy day. My next 45 minutes are all about preparing my skin. With no exception, I follow three steps.
MORRISOLIVIABY:COMPILED
Step 2: Masks. I use Shiseido Vital Per fection Uplifting and Firming Express Eye Mask. The masks themselves adhere per fectly to the natural shape of the under-eye, striving to minimize sagging skin for revital ized, healthy-looking results.
Step 1: I cleanse and I mean deep cleanse: I wash my skin morning and night; that’s very important for me to remove all oils from my face. I exfoliate at least three times a week.
Nawel Aderghal, Head of Marketing at Food Fund International and Founder of The TRUENUDE, talks us through her daily beauty routine
I use Pacifica Glow Baby face wash – the first step towards getting my radiant glow. I follow with an acid toner; my favourite is COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner. I am a huge fan of Korean and Asian products which I have been using for a while, and I am totally in love.
Step 3: I make sure to moisturize and protect my skin. I start by applying Sheer Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 Skin Ceuticals. Living in Dubai and being exposed to the sun, I realized that it was really nec essary to invest in a good SPF. Some days I really don’t wear makeup. I don’t like to wear it every day. If anything, I’ll wear a tinted moisturiser such as Bali Body BB Cream, also with some SPF and some concealer. And how does your evening routine differ?
My sleep schedule has varied constantly over the last five years, so I make sure to deep cleanse and hydrate as much as I can to keep healthy skin. The cleanser and toner are the same as during my morning routine. To help my retinoid work better, I apply it directly after cleansing before any other treatment serum or moisturizer. I use Kiehl’s MicroDose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum with Ce ramides and Peptide. I will moisturize with SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight Cream to improve my skin’s overall appear ance, from time to time. What are your go-to beauty products? My es sential skincare products are: Sheer Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 SkinCeuticals,
for Good Girl Gone Bad by Kilian, a gorgeous floral peachy scent. Talk us through your hair routine. I have been using Gisou products for a while – from shampoo, conditioner, mask and oil serum. I like the hard work and dedication behind the brand. I visit my hairdresser once a month and get Hair Botox treatment to repair the sun damage. I get a haircut every three months. I make sure to have dry hair untied before sleep. I often do monthly biotin cure to help my hair grow. What is the most unusual item in your makeup bag? Since I moved to the region, I have been tinting my eyebrow with henna. But recently I have tried the Brown Sculpt from Refy to keep them in shape. I like to use it before a night out, I feel it gives a final touch to my look.
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103emirateswoman.com makeup. I would rather use soft, dewy make up, like BB cream and some concealer that contains ingredients to help my skin look hydrated and glowing. I would say that my skincare is more important than my makeup.
BEAUTY
Clockwise from top left: Vital Perfection Uplifting And Firming Express Eye Mask Dhs448 Shiseido available at sephora.ae; Retinol SkinRenewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum, 50ml Dhs325 Kiehl’s available at OUNASS; Mineral Radiance UV Defense SPF50 Sunscreen Protection 50ml Dhs249 SkinCeuticals available at lookfantastic.ae; Les Sables Roses EDP 100ml Dhs2,531 Louis Vuitton; Honey Infused Hair Oil Dhs104 Gisou available at sephora.ae; AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner Dhs80 CosRx available at That Concept Store
What can always be found in your makeup bag? My makeup bag is really small, most likely, we should be able to find Laneige lips balm, Laneige Radian-C Brightening Treat ment Essence and Tarte concealer that I al ways apply after lunch to refresh my look. Let’s talk fragrance. What are you loving at the moment? I am in love with Les Sables Roses from Louis Vuitton. It feels effortless, elegant and stylish. How do you choose your evening fragrance? Depends on the company and the impression I would like to leave but I would easily opt as I like to protect and hydrate my skin; Tarte Shape Tape concealer, is very, very good. I have never found a concealer as good as this. I don’t even wear foundation anymore as the concealer is so full coverage. I use Laneige Radian-C Brightening Treatment Essence to keep up with the pollution and the warm weather. I like to keep my skin smooth and bright; Gisou honey oil for my hair. Are you a fan of masks? I am an addict for face masks and hair masks. I like to keep my skin tone and firm as well as healthy hair. I usually apply masks over the weekend. My favourite face mask is from Clarins – the SOS Comfort Mask. How would you describe your approach to makeup? I barely wear makeup and only for a few occasions. I like minimalist, light
104 emirateswoman.com LIFESTYLE and became the match that ignited the adventure that has be come The Traveling Panther (An Experience Design & Cultur al Advisory Company). My company has recently celebrated its seventh anniversary this year. You co-founded The Traveling Panther in 2015. What is the story behind the business? On a trip to Cuba in July 2015 with my cofounder Manayer Al Sharekh and my closest friends, I picked up photography again. I was inspired by this land that seemed to stand still in time. Every night I would show them what amazing places and people I took photographs of. My friends kept trying to convince me to show them publicly on social media, but I had no real interest in that. One night, they took it upon themselves to give me a push and created a blog, nam ing it the Traveling Panther. My name, Fahda, means Panther. Manayer asked if she could post some of my photos on the blog, and the process intrigued me. On July 26, 2015, The Travel ing Panther Instagram account was born. There, I captured our travels around the world, and people started asking for our help to plan trips. Before we knew it, we had a travel consul tancy company, helping people go on the same adventures we had done. We especially took pride in connecting them with the companies, people, pho tographers, and artists we met along the way who made it so special for us. What inspired you to become an entrepreneur? I never thought of myself as an entrepreneur and didn’t truly look to build my own company, yet I always loved to create. Whether it was films, stories, or experiences, taking something from seed to inception has always fasci nated me. Collaborating with others to make each project the best it could be has always been a part of who I am. How did your childhood shape your outlook on life and ap proach to business? I grew up watching the person who I ad mired most, my mother HRH Princess Mashael bint Faisal (God Rest her soul), in her journey of discovery and love of life. Seeing her build herself, her business, her career and her community not only drives me, but I also find myself mimick I nspired by adventure and experiences, Her Highness Princess Fahda Bander Abdullah Al Saud founded The Traveling Panther (TTP) in 2015. What ini tially started as a blog quickly turned into an ex perienced-based travel consultancy through which Princess Fahda, along with her co-founder Manayer AlSharekh, has been able to share her love for adventure with many others around the world. Emirates Woman sat down with Her Highness to find out more about TTP and her love for travel. Talk us through your career. My career started during my last year at the University in Leba non, when myself and my film project partner started a small production company called Flix Films. Our first project focused on a short film which we pro duced two of, and was selected for a few European film festi vals such as Berlin & Locarno. I focused on the production part of the business, and after two years I sold my shares to my partner and moved on to fur ther my education in the UK. I then had a short career in my father’s holding company, a great learning opportunity for someone without any corpo rate experience. It also taught me that this was not the structure I thrived in. I then took a few years exploring my passions, travel & photography. I took every opportunity I found to go to places I have never seen, and learn from amazing travel photographers on their expe dition trips. One of my most memorable was when I went to the Arctic Circle with National Geographic. It truly was an incredible experience that guided me forward into developing my own path. In 2015, The Traveling Panther blog was born, WORDS: OLIVIA MORRIS SUPPLIEDIMAGE: Inspired by
This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does being an entrepreneur mean to you? It means I get to do what I love, and to build a legacy to be proud of. It also means I’m not afraid to try.
Would you say you’re more creative or business minded – or both? If you asked me a few years ago I would have said I was purely creative, however building TTP has opened my eyes to a business side of myself I never knew I had. I would say I am both, and I believe it takes a bit of both to be able to see the full scope of the business.
What have been the three key milestones of your career to date? We are very blessed in our milestones and the three that come to mind are: First, being able to establish The Traveling Panther HQ in Sau di after the the launch of Vision 2030 in 2017, and being in the front lines of this new industry in my country. Second would be TTP’s first large contract to guest manage the launch of the DGDA Turaif Opening ceremony which led to many opportunities, such as [the music festival] MDLBEAST and the Royal Commission of AlUla.
One would be learning a new industry, tourism, that I never worked in before. The second is managing a company and finding my own way to make it successful, and how to manage employees and not creatives, like I did with my film company. Thirdly, having to deal with Covid-19 as a startup in the tourism industry and finding ways to pivot and shift in an uncertain climate.
Do you have any mentors or guides who have helped you throughout your career? My mother will always be the most important, and her advice to always surround yourself and befriend people who are driven, successful, and accomplished was the best advice. I am blessed to have those people from family, friends, and peers who make me want to be better, and challenge me to do better. Those people, who are mostly women, have been the beacon to my success.
Adventure
What is a philosophy that you live by in your professional life? My favourite book as a child was Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. A conversation in it by Alice and the Cheshire Cat spoke to me in reference to all facets of my life: “Alice asks the cat: ‘Which road should I take?’ In reply, the cat says: ‘Where are you going?’ To that, Alice says: ‘I don't know.’ ‘Then it doesn’t matter which road you take,’ the cat says in response.” What I took from this passage is that you don’t need to bind yourself to the final destination, you never know what the journey will bring, and those unexpected detours are usually where all the magic happens. There have been major positive changes that have been made for women in Saudi Arabia. What are your thoughts on this? That is an understatement in my opinion. The shift in female representation in Saudi Arabia is awe-inspiring. Not only are we equal in our opportunities, but we are now present in industries that we never have been before, such as public sectors, defence, tourism, culture, aviation and the list goes on. It’s empowering and humbling at the same time. What do you think are some misconceptions that are made about women in Saudi Arabia? Unfortunately there are many, yet they are changing. I would say the idea that we as women are oppressed and not an equal part of the society, and that we don’t have a voice, which is farthest from the truth. What advice do you wish you had received at the be ginning of your journey to success? There is nothing shameful in failure and successes are not always ad mirable. It’s what you learn from them that builds growth, and how you act despite them that gives value. So be aware of your perceptions and don’t be too hard on yourself.
And third is consulting for major international firms and companies in our Advisory position in all matters of Saudi culture, and inte gration in tourism experiences showcasing our unique narrative and culture which I’m most proud of.
You’ve worked incredibly hard to get where you are today, where does your drive come from? I am moti vated by the possibilities I see and the abundance of opportunities we are blessed to have access to. But all that would not be achievable without my family and community, who not only support and challenge me, but work side by side with me. Which three key hurdles have you had to overcome in your career?
LIFESTYLE
105emirateswoman.com ing in some ways. Her adventures and curious nature saw her taking us around the world, doing daring things at a young age. Whitewater rafting in the Americas; explor ing volcanic tunnels in Africa; delving into global cultures and expanding our horizons by meeting tribespeople in the planes of Africa; gathering with artists & academics in Europe – she was a true lover of life and knowledge to such an extent that it became the basis of who we are as a family. When it came to business, I saw a woman who built herself through sheer will and dedication in bettering herself in all ways. Whether in education, business devel opment, community development, and even self-development, she loved to learn and grow in any way she could for the betterment or herself, her family, and her society.
FOUNDER – MKS @mksjewelleryJEWELLERY
SARA TAMIMI FOUNDER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR – SARA @saratamimiofficialTAMIMI
AMNA HABTOORAL FOUNDER –@arcadiabyamnaARCADIA
106 LIFESTYLEemirateswoman.com HER
SALAMA KHALFAN FOUNDER – SALAMA KHALFAN FINE @salamakhalfanjewelleryJEWELLERY
BINTSHEIKHAHIGHNESSMARIAMKHALIFABINSAIFALNAHYAN
What inspired you to become an entrepreneur? The dream of building my own fashion house. What are the most important habits to be coming a successful entrepreneur? Being active where possible; keeping an eye on what’s going on worldwide to stay ahead of the game; and act fast – there is absolutely no time to waste!
ENTREPRTHE
COMPILED BY: OLIVIA MORRIS
What inspired you to become an entrepre neur? Growing up and watching my father grow into one of the most successful entre preneurs in the UAE has been truly inspi rational. Until today, I’m in awe of how he overcame the many hurdles of entrepreneur ship while being a strong and loving father to myself and my siblings. I appreciate how he created greatness for himself and his fam ily. Likewise, I have always aspired to create something by myself and for my family too. What are the most important habits to be coming a successful entrepreneur? Of course, having a vision is great, but without a concrete plan, it would be very difficult for that vision to come to fruition. With that, being organized and planning your next step and ten steps after that thoroughly is needed to be a successful entrepreneur.
What inspired you to become an entrepre neur? I was in a transitional phase in my life that required me to take a step back. Upon reflection and careful planning, I architected a line of work for myself that would give me room to be creative which was something I always had and at the same time, enough business direction which is something that I understood and enjoyed very much. Jewellery has always been a big part of my life. From the admiring eyes of a child to the appreciat ing heart of a woman, I wanted to capitalise on my love for creation. It was a natural out come and conclusion. What are the most important habits to be coming a successful entrepreneur? A suc cessful entrepreneur knows that failure is normal. It’s never about not failing, it’s about how fast you can pick yourself up and get back on track. A successful entrepreneur also knows the importance of commitment and consistency. It’s about putting the effort in
What inspired you to become an entrepre neur? I’ve always believed that to be truly creative with your work and satisfied in life, you have to have a vision that gets you out of bed early each morning. When I found my calling in life I knew I wanted to turn it into a career, create a business and build a brand that I could be proud to call my own. It was these feelings, combined with the idea that a woman could stand on her own and write her own story in life, that inspired me to become the entrepreneur I am today. What are the most important habits to be coming a successful entrepreneur? Dedication, focus and creativity. Dedication is what ensures you never give up, even when you’re tired, overworked, or suffering a seemingly never-ending series of setbacks. Focus is what makes sure you get the task at hand sorted before moving on to the dozen other things you have to do that day. And creativity is that little spark of magic that allows you to stand out from the crowd. Put these three ingredients together, mix them up, and then stand back as an entrepreneur comes to life.
FOUNDER OF THE HUNDRED WELLNESS @thehundredwellnessCENTRE
What inspired you to become an entrepre neur? I was raised in an entrepreneurial family, and it has always been an inherent passion to follow that path and to create something that has meaning and purpose. Having the freedom to realize my dreams and transform my vision into The Hundred has been incredibly rewarding and fulfilling. I am proud and grateful that my purpose in life has translated and aligned into a success ful business. The Hundred Wellness Centre has been a wonderful catalyst to fulfilling my commitment to serve and give back to the community and support others to achieve a healthier and wellness-focused life. When you lead from your heart and find your pur pose and meaning, you can surrender to the outcome, that is when the magic happens.
What are the most important habits to be coming a successful entrepreneur? I be lieve that wellness – ensuring a balance of physical, mental, and emotional health is the most important habit and paramount to being successful as an entrepreneur. Pri oritising yourself and setting boundaries to ensure you have time for self-care – whether that is sleep, eating well, exercising, or pray ing, are all crucial to thinking, creating, and performing at your best. Writing your goals for the day ahead and what you wish to ac complish gives you wonderful structure, ac countability, and clarity to focus on your priorities with motivation and confidence. I am fully invested in the idea of focusing your efforts on the areas that will bring the most rewards. It is simply about working smarter and identifying the factors in your business that will be most productive and ensuring they are your priority. Trust in your journey, and enjoy it, it is part of your success.
107LIFESTYLE emirateswoman.com
What inspired you to become an entrepre neur? Ten plus years ago, variety within the
consistently, not just on days you feel like it, but most especially on days that you don’t.
ASMALOOTAHHILAL
OF ENEURSNOW
Inspiring female entrepreneurs share what they attribute their success to and what it takes to build and scale a brand
NORA RAMADHANAL CO-FOUNDER & CEO –APOTHECA@apotheca_beautyBEAUTY
What inspired you to become an entrepre neur? I’ve always been driven and deter mined to succeed since I was little, but it wasn’t until I started my fitness journey that I found my niche. I was constantly ordering activewear from overseas and getting frus trated by the lack of feminine activewear that didn’t compromise on fit and performance in the market. One day, my husband com mented that I should start my own brand af ter seeing all the deliveries piling up – which made me think, why not? I spent a lot of time researching until I was ready to take the plunge. That was almost three years ago now and I never could have imagined the growth in such a short amount of time. Three loca tions include a brand new boutique at Mall of The Emirates, constantly evolving products and an amazingly talented team. It has been an incredible journey so far. What are the most important habits to be coming a successful entrepreneur? Constant research is key in this industry, to keep ahead of trends, the best sourcing of materi als and taking into consideration what peo ple love to wear. Determination, it takes time and effort to grow a business and there are setbacks along the way but you must learn from them and keep going. You have to dele gate as you’re only one person and trust your team in their area of expertise. Attention to detail is also really important for me, and my brand’s development, to increase productivi ty so you know you’re getting a product that’s the best in the market and can be trusted in all areas of functionality, quality and style.
YASMIN AL MULLA
108 LIFESTYLEemirateswoman.com beauty space was seriously lacking. Large, global beauty conglomerates were widely available in the Middle East, however young, trendy high-growth beauty brands were hard to come by. We were then inspired to collabo rate with these beauty entrepreneurs that were popping up across the US and UK, in an effort to offer more variety than what had been available in our market for years. We worked to bridge the gap in the Middle East between the local demand for niche beauty, and the desire these brands had to expand into our region. At Apotheca we focus on speciality beauty, as we place a heavy weight on the criteria of what we believe it takes for a brand to translate successfully into the re gion – that includes: quality and innovation. We focus on companies that specialize in a particular category of beauty, and therefore, have supreme quality in regard to what the market has to offer. In return, we solely dis tribute beauty and wellness brands, investing all efforts into what it takes to successfully penetrate into the region. What are the most important habits to be coming a successful entrepreneur? In ad dition to an enormous amount of self-disci pline, dedication and endurance, to become a successful entrepreneur clear priorities should be established to reach a set goal. As an entrepreneur, you can be pulled in several directions numerous times a day, however, understanding what the priorities are and the ability to have a semi-flexible schedule allows you to cautiously direct your efforts to where they need to be. At work, I have clear schedules and plans for every day – 50 to 70 per cent of the tasks actually get accom plished on any given day, but I am okay with that. It is important to feel confident about yourself and what you can do. Therefore, you avoid being consumed with the feeling of guilt and remain motivated and empowered.
NATASHA SIDERIS FOUNDER & CEO – TASHAS GROUP
“The key to achieving true expertise in any skill or business is simply a
HUDA KATTAN FOUNDER & CEO – HUDA BEAUTY @hudabeauty What inspired you to become an entrepre neur? Although I didn’t know that makeup could really be a career for me, I was obsessed with it from a very young age. By the time I was 14, I started doing the eyebrows of Alya, my older sister, and all of her friends. I was so fas cinated with the idea that I could make some one feel more beautiful with just one small technique! My sisters and online community were definitely the biggest drivers throughout my journey as an entrepreneur. Whether it was trying out different beauty hacks on my sisters, to Mona pushing me to start my blog, to Alya financing me $6,000 to start things up, to my followers asking for my lashes – all those things were such major motivators for me! As I started my career, I just found a lot of gaps in the market, and honestly, not a lot of people looked like me. Because I didn’t see the representation of people like me almost any where, this pushed me 10 times harder, and I was set on making a mark in the beauty world. With Huda Beauty, I wanted to create a safe, embracing, beautiful space that welcomed and uplifted people around the world no mat ter who they were, where they came from, or what they looked like. The Huda Beauty com munity welcomes people from all around the world and it’s incredibly super important that we empower through beauty, spread love, pos itivity, and acceptance, and make you feel like the best version of you! What are the most important habits to be coming a successful entrepreneur? Trust your gut! I think that your very first, deepdown instinct will most likely lead you to the right decision for you. Another important practice for me is self-love. Loving yourself is a discipline that I take very seriously in both my personal life and work life. Not only will it leave you feeling really good, but also stay creative, live comfortably and most impor tantly be present!
LYNDSAY DORAN FOUNDER & CEO –@lcoutureofficialL’COUTURE
What inspired you to become an entrepre neur? The chance to make a difference in spired me to become an entrepreneur. I saw the opportunity originally to change the casual dining landscape but what became evident was that I was also able to make a difference in people’s lives – those of our customers and our team members. What are the most important habits to be coming a successful entrepreneur? Focus on what you love – As an entrepreneur, you are going to have to commit an extraordinary amount of time, effort, and energy to build your business. Make sure you are doing what you love. It will give you the passion and the energy to go the distance. Put in your 10,000 hours – The key to achieving true expertise in any skill or busi
FOUNDER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR – YMN DUBAI @ynmdubai What inspired you to become an entrepre neur? My inspiration is being able to com bine my passion into a career. My ultimate goal is to always connect the beauty of my Emirati traditions with today’s mindset. Through my designs and collaborations my aim was and will always be to connect the beauty of the brands (brands we relate to, and grew up endorsing) to the legacy of the local community – merging both cultures is a celebration by itself. Representing our beau tiful country globally is the best way to pay back to this incredible society. What are the most important habits to be coming a successful entrepreneur? It is to always remember that there is room for ev eryone – we rise by lifting others!
What inspired you to become an entrepre neur? We have always wanted to start our own business in a field we’re so passionate about, which happens to be fashion. Coming from an entrepreneurial family has always inspired us to take a step in turning our dreams into reality so it felt right to step into the fashion world and make our own name and identity in this market. What are the most important habits to be coming a successful entrepreneur? One of the most important steps is to learn every step of your business so that you’re familiar matter of practice. Keep focused and keep learning.”
109LIFESTYLE emirateswoman.com ness is simply a matter of practice. Keep fo cused and keep learning. Don’t let a lack of funding deter you – one of the biggest challenges as an entrepreneur is finding the money you need to start and grow the business. When I approached the bank in 2005 to open tashas, they wouldn’t lend me a penny as I didn’t have a proof of concept. So, I had to be creative in how I funded the busi ness in the early days. Choose the right people – surround yourself with people that share your passion, values, and vision. I am honoured to be sur rounded by an extraordinary team who are passionate and completely committed to our vision as a Group. We never rest on our lau rels and are committed to the never-ending pursuit of Protectexcellence.yourtime: Time is your most pre cious commodity. Make sure you spend it wisely.
What inspired you to become an entrepre neur? Being of value. Being able to add more value and do something that creates change or provides an opportunity without limitation. What are there the most important habits to becoming a successful entrepreneur? Cu riosity and consistent yearn for knowledge; consistency and commitment; and delegat ing my weaknesses.
MONA MIRZA CEO –@bioliteuaeBIOLITE
PETRU VAN ZYL FOUNDER –@phformula_dubaiPHFORMULA
SHEIKHA AL MHEIRI FOUNDER – MAKE A DIFFERENCE (MAD) INVESTMENTS
AMAL AL RAISI FOUNDER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR – AMAL AL @amalalraisiofficialRAISI
What inspired you to become an entrepre neur? Working on something I love is what inspired me to become an entrepreneur! This constantly inspires me to work harder, face challenges with a positive mindset and raise the bar for myself. What are the most important habits to be coming a successful entrepreneur? Selfmotivation and resilience are key to becom ing a successful entrepreneur. This helps you keep an open mind, listen to advice and en courage you to take risks.
FATMA TAHER & MAHIN AL M. CO-FOUNDERS & CREATIVE DIRECTORS –@theofficialmaureenMAUREEN
– Natasha Sideris
What inspired you to become an entrepre neur? I first became aware of my passion for skincare when I developed acne in my late teens. I became a qualified skincare therapist and skin specialist and worked hard to un derstand the skin, skin disorders as well as the science behind formulations that work. I was so inspired by the impact and positive change in my life that this became an inten tion-led focus to develop a result-driven sk incare line for professionals. What are the most important habits to be coming a successful entrepreneur? Being an entrepreneur requires a lot of resilience. I have learned over the years that we can be either result-orientated or have an intention-led approach. Always ask yourself the question: “What is my intention?” Knowing your inten tions is more powerful than any results. Even when the result of an effort didn’t turn out the way I hoped for, my intentions will always take me back to my true inspirations.
What inspired you to become an entrepre neur? Becoming an entrepreneur was not by chance but instead an act of deep passion and knowledge. From a young age, I had an overwhelming desire to create a difference and do the best we can for ourselves, our cli ents and the larger audience. With RollDXB, the sole influences were inclusivity, braveness and uniqueness to ensure long-term clients and at the same time, appeal to new potential customers and never forget the past; open a new chapter to create a sense of belonging in a communal setting. What are the most important habits to be coming a successful entrepreneur? Being able to connect with our customers. One thing that has been a dream of mine is to be able to build an existing emotional con nection. But more than that is having a rich history of marking moments in people’s lives, the kind of memories that people will have for years and remember RollDXB as keepsakes and pass on to the next generation. With this, I remain hopeful for a successful future inspiring meaningful and positive processes and ways of working.
What inspired you to become an entrepre neur? The spirit of entrepreneurship was in grained in me from a very young age, it’s in my DNA. My father was a first-generation Brit ish Asian entrepreneur in London and grow ing up in his shadow and seeing the rewards of a “can do” mindset, the hard work and risk taking, grit, and determination was incredi bly inspiring. Even as a little girl, I knew there was no other path than this for me. What are the most important habits to be coming a successful entrepreneur? Never give up or doubt yourself when things don’t work out the way they should, every entrepre neur will stride through challenges and hur dles of self-doubt, but it is important not to allow the fear of failure to inhibit your poten tial success. You must be prepared to evolve and stay ahead of the curve. Research, read ing, and continuous learning are key tools that inspire and motivate me in my business and ignite my creativity as an entrepreneur. Ensuring that I have a strong professional network around me is also incredibly pow erful and valuable – the support, knowledge and potential opportunities are paramount for business growth. It is imperative to remember that nothing incredible happens within your comfort zone and there is no room for complacency. When I feel I’m stagnant or too comfortable, I know it’s a sign I need a challenge, as uncomfort able as that may be. Some of the most lifechanging and exciting business opportunities have happened in unfamiliar circumstances. The reward and fulfilling sense of satisfaction of delivering an idea is an incredible buzz. Whilst an entrepreneur’s lifestyle may look glamorous from the outside, it is incredibly demanding and requires a lot of dedication, persistence and sacrifice.
ALIA AL BANNA CO-FOUNDER & GENERAL MANAGER OF@rolldxbROLLDXB
ARWA ALKABI FOUNDER –@amarahofficial_AMARAH
What inspired you to become an entrepreneur? I always knew I wanted to be a gemologist since I was 16 years old, it was my calling card. My father was my greatest source of inspiration to be an entrepreneur, he instilled in me as a child the desire to be something, be someone here in our journey in our lives, and that it doesn’t matter if we were to become a baker, a dancer, or to running our own business, but whatever path we choose we must strive to do our best and make it a success. He really guided me in my early days and encouraged me to stand on my two feet and do my best every single day. It is thanks to him I am where I am today. What are the most important habits to be coming a successful entrepreneur? Disci pline. Determination. Organisation. Vision and direction to know where you want to go; being very specific in exactly where you see yourself and where you want to be. Self-belief and inner confidence – learning not to second guess yourself – your gut instinct is part of your natural immunity and it’s always right. Do what you need to do for your brand! Don’t get carried away with what trends are or what others say, they can be fleeting; stick to your brand DNA. Be kind and enjoy your team; they are your greatest asset.
What inspired you to become an entrepreneur? I was always a dreamer. And have had a lifelong itch to create something unique and bring it to life. I was waiting until I was ready. Readiness is a factor of finding that project, that vision that you must get out to the world AND per sonal readiness from a mindset and capability point of view to take on the challenge. I did 20 years in beauty before jumping and creating Waldencast which we dreamed as a global bestin-class beauty and wellness platform that is the home of high growth purpose-driven brands of tomorrow – out of a big identified gap in the industry – and also created whind as a beauty brand like no other, anchored in our incredible beauty heritage with a modern twist. What are the most important habits to be coming a successful entrepreneur? Being a dreamer and a maker. A dream is only an idea until you make it a reality but you have to be lieve in it to work hard to bring it to life. Also entrepreneurship is hard. It is not for every one. It is all-consuming and intense but so worthy for those that are made for it. Dream. Passion. Grit. Repeat.
What inspired you to become an entrepre neur? I’ve always known I had a passion for jewellery design and one day, it just clicked in me that I was ready to start my own jewellery line. It was an idea that I had been brewing for many years and last year, I decided it was time to make it happen. The world of jewel lery was always so intriguing and captivat ing to me and I knew I was meant to be in it, maybe even potentially make a name for myself in the process as well. That sheer pas sion and drive propelled me into following my dreams of bringing my own brand to life and the result was XOIA Fine Jewellery. What are the most important habits to be coming a successful entrepreneur? Fo cus and determination. In the time that I launched the business, I’ve realized that it takes absolute focus to bring your creations to life. You have to be unwavering in your focus and keep your eye on the goal you set out to achieve because you will face plenty of challenges and hurdles in the process. You have to put a plan in place, implement strategies, follow through, even if you make adjustments along the way, but stick to your path and do whatever it takes to make sure you don’t stray from the end goal and ambi tions you set for yourself and your brand.
What inspired you to become an entrepre neur? Despite having an engineering degree from university, my passion for fashion has been the driving force behind my involvement in this world. It was a childhood ambition that grew into a passion which I fuelled after graduation to make it a job that I am excellent at. So, I was determined from the beginning to train myself to create distinctive and beauti ful designs that attract attention while keep ing abreast of contemporary and traditional styles. I am currently in the process of enroll ing in a master’s programme in Rome, which will provide me with an opportunity to explore knowledge, creativity, and innovation, as well as the latest fashion lines. It will also give me a unique perspective and a broad-minded vi sion of what I will be in the future.
AISHA BIN HENDI FOUNDER – TOI FINE @jewelrybytoiJEWELRY
MONA LAJAM FOUNDER AND DESIGNER – XOIA FINE JEWELLERY@xoia.ae
KATINA CHAUDRIE FOUNDER – K&CO @kandcolondonJEWELLERY
FOUNDER –@whindWHIND
110 LIFESTYLEemirateswoman.com with the ins and outs of it. A key habit would be to keep yourself updated with the market trends whilst staying true to your identity. Finding the balance between what is trend ing and your identity by translating it into your own creation is what makes you unique.
What inspired you to become an entrepre neur? I believe my passion to express my in ner creativity, to translate my thoughts and ideas into something tangible is what in spired me to follow the path of entrepreneur ship. It opens doors to new opportunities to grow and most importantly, it is a way to engage in the community and give to society. What are the most important habits to be coming a successful entrepreneur? One of the greatest habits is to visualize yourself when you started this journey – the enthusi asm and spark you had will push you to con tinue going that extra mile. Having a balance between work and personal life is also key as it will help boost creativity and energy. Most importantly, never underestimate the power of surrounding yourself with the right people who inspire, encourage and enrich you. This has an invaluable impact in shaping our thoughts and reaching our goals.
WAFA BALASWAD FOUNDER – WAFA @wafabalaswadBALASWAD
What inspired you to become an entrepre neur? Entrepreneurship is within everyone – I believe it just comes at the right moment. I launched my brand within three months and it was just meant to be as everything fell into place – even if it was planned it wouldn’t have turned out the way it did. What are the most important habits to be coming a successful entrepreneur? Believe in God, believe in yourself and be consistent and do it your way because I always say, “What comes from the heart is truly felt by everyone.”
What are the most important habits to becom ing a successful entrepreneur? Having un limited passion and great ambitions together with unwavering determination is indeed what makes any female entrepreneur successful. They have to have a strong resolve to turn their dreams into a tangible reality. I feel incredibly blessed and lucky to be a member of a na tion that works hard to eliminate any barriers standing in the way of any woman’s success. If you look around here in the UAE, you will see successful women in all professions. I person ally believe that breaking down inner barriers and having the guts to make brave decisions and transform a pastime into a craft are es sential for success! Therefore, I always look forward, through my designs, to reflecting the bold and ambitious Emirati personality with out sacrificing the traditional spirit that we value. Furthermore, I am always on the look out for creativity, innovation and uniqueness.
HIND SEBTI
Tell us more about the Academy and who can enroll in this programme? The Apple Devel oper Academy is designed to equip aspiring coders, creators, and entrepreneurs with the full suite of skills they need for careers in the thriving iOS app economy. The nine-month programme teaches the fundamentals of coding, along with professional skills, mar keting, design, and more. The Academy is open to all women over the age of 18, no prior coding experience required. Can anyone build an app? At Apple, we believe anyone with a great idea should have the op portunity to build an app and share it with people around the world. The iOS app econo my supports millions of jobs across the globe, and the app developer community is incredibly diverse. We believe with the right tools, anyone can create an app and change the world.
I’ve done it all and I’m willing to do whatever it takes in my current role to get the job done!
Do you need to be based on site or is digital learning possible? We started the first cohort remotely due to COVID-19 considerations, but were so thrilled to welcome learners to the Academy for in-person instruction earlier this year. The passion and energy from the students at Princess Nourah University is incredible, and it has been such an honour to watch the teams work together to bring their apps to life.
How have your previous roles supported your current role at Apple? Prior to my almost 18 years at Apple, I ran one of the Marketing Communications teams at Applied Materi als, a semiconductor manufacturing com pany, where I worked for almost 10 years. I learned a lot not just about managing people and teams, editorial and advertising func tions, conference logistics and marketing presence, but also how to deal with often really challenging external factors, and how to think on my feet and adapt quickly. I also spent a lot of time volunteering and work ing on advocating for children’s rights, and realized how important it was to me to help build a community of like-minded folks fo cused on improving the gender imbalance of women in technology. Before that I was also a coder for a brief period, and a market analyst. And of course growing up I did all the character-building jobs that I believe are equally important in building tenacity and drive to succeed: I had a paper route deliver ing newspapers, was a dishwasher as a teen ager on the weekends, waitressed, and more.
Apple’s Developer Academy in Riyadh – launched last year in partnership with Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones, Tuwaiq Academy, and Prin cess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University –celebrated the graduation of its first class of students. The all-women programme pre pares participants for careers in the growing iOS app economy. We spoke to Esther Hare, Apple’s senior director of Worldwide Devel oper Marketing about creating opportunity and supporting talent in the region and a new generation of entrepreneurs.
What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like/your morning routine? Coffee! I can’t do anything until I have this, no matter how much sleep I’ve had. After that I’m typically getting ready to workout. On the days I’m at home I do a quick yoga workout on Apple Fit ness+ or a stationary bike ride. On the days I’m in the office I like to drive in early before the commute hours and run around the beau tiful grounds of Apple Park with my work running colleagues. I find that days that I’ve prioritized my mental health first thing, I’m calmer, more centred, and have more energy to attack the fun things that get thrown my way.
Apple recently opened an Academy entirely dedicated to women in Riyadh, what’s the Academy about and how will it expand further within the region? Last month, the first class of women graduated from the Apple Devel oper Academy at Princess Nourah bint Ab dulrahman University. These talented and
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theCodingFuture
WORDS: AMY SESSIONS
passionate developers, creators and entre preneurs represent the future of app devel opment in the region, and we can’t wait to see how they’ll use their skills and experience to leave their mark on the world. Applica tions remain open for the next class, which is available for women from across the region, and we’ve seen tremendous interest from the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. What is the Apple Entrepreneur Camp? How different it is from the Academy? What does the programme offer? We’re committed to supporting developers – and aspiring devel opers – through every step of their journey, and we want to ensure the global app develop ment community has the tools and resources to build apps that change the world. With the Apple Developer Academy, we provide the foundation for women to find or create jobs in the app economy by teaching introduc tory coding, as well as core professional skills,
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113emirateswoman.comLIFESTYLE design, and marketing. Apple Entrepreneur Camp takes that to the next level, by providing support and guidance for women and mem bers of other underrepresented communities once they have a functional app. Through En trepreneur Camp, developers receive one-onone code-level guidance from Apple experts and engineers to help accelerate their apps – along with mentorship, inspiration, and in sights from the company’s leaders. What makes the Apple App Store different from other app markets? With the launch of the App Store in 2008, we helped created an entire new ecosystem for creators and entrepreneurs, and we’re proud that the iOS app economy has be come one of the fastest-growing sectors of the global economy. The App Store is the safest and most trusted place for users to get apps, and an incredible business opportunity for de velopers to innovate, thrive, and grow. How do you further prepare students in “At Apple, we believe anyone with a great idea should have buildopportunitythetoanappandshareitwithpeoplearoundtheglobe.”
This is The Entrepreneur Issue. What does this mean to you? When we launched the App Store in 2008, we ignited an entirely new app economy and provided a platform for entre preneurs to reach customers around the world. I am in awe of the millions of app developers and entrepreneurs who use the App Store to share new ideas, create new businesses and drive for change in their communities.
terms of the bussness side of launching an app? The Apple Developer Academy is re ally focused on preparing young women for careers in the app economy, and so we’ve designed a robust curriculum with this in mind. From public speaking and business planning to marketing and project manage ment, Academy participants graduate with a strong foundation to create their own app and launch their own business. Have some of your graduates already re ceived VC funding and which ideas were these for? Several women from the first class of graduates at the Apple Developer Academy at Princess Nourah University have received funding to support their App concepts, and many others received on-the-spot job offers at the Academy career fair. I had the pleasure to attend graduation and hear the women talk about so many inspiring app ideas –from apps that help startups collaborate and organize projects in a simple and efficient way to apps that help users find verified re views and recommendations for customized skincare routines – and I can’t wait to see many of them come to life on the App Store. What advice do you have for women wanting to get into app development? There’s no time like the present to learn a new skill and be come part of the thriving app economy! We believe anyone with a great idea can build an app to reach people across the world. At Apple, we’ve built tools and resources to support developers at every step of their journey – from learning to code to growing their business on the App Store.
What do you think are the existing barriers women face in coding/programming or tech in general? Research shows that women –and other individuals from underrepresented communities – face unique challenges in industry. We know women need access to more opportunities to break into the field, and through programmes like the Apple De veloper Academy, Entrepreneur Camp, and more, we’re committed to helping open doors for women across the world. What have been the biggest challenges to date and how did you overcome them? As a woman in an industry that is typically male dominated, it can be easy to feel like you don’t belong. But my message to all the aspiring technologists and entrepreneurs out there is that you are powerful, creative, and inspired –and I urge you to keep following your dream.
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What defines good PR for you? I believe in consistency, an always-on approach that ensures brand messaging is heard, noticed, and absorbed by our audiences. It is so im portant to set goals and objectives that can be tracked and monitored, and I believe in adapting and adjusting on an ongoing basis to secure the best opportunities for exposure.
Our focus is to develop integrated strategies across media, social and digital platforms that enhance brand reputation, educate au diences, and ensure messages are seen and heard by the right people. This is what se cures conversion, drives sales and footfall.
OFPOWERTHEPR
Did you find scaling difficult in terms of letting go and what helped you to do this? I think all change takes a little time to adjust to, but there is no better feeling than working with a team that you trust and have complete confi dence in. I am so lucky to work with talented, driven people that just get it. Do you create bespoke offerings for all your clients and is a 360 approach something which is required today? I.e., Do you find them additionally wanting content creation etc? We curate bespoke, integrated PR and marketing offerings for every concept. It is so
The power to build a brand through PR is in credible. Which platforms do you see most traction with these days and how long does it take to build a global brand? In my opinion, the platforms that will be most effective for each brand will depend entirely on the tar get audience, brand values and objectives.
What sets you apart in terms of approach to your clients? We are a true extension of our clients’ in-house teams, with a personal and empathetic approach that allows us to meet and exceed any brand objectives. Genuine relationships are at the core of our culture, and I am so grateful to work in such a posi tive and encouraging environment. With a people-first approach, the personalities we work with are at the soul of each of our cam paigns and we have just launched a bespoke one-to-one PR & publicity coaching service, to give entrepreneurs the tools to craft their own personal brand and profile.
We speak to the founders of PR firms in the region on how the perfect spin can directly drive revenue
TikTok, for example, generates an incred ible reach and impressive viewing statistics, but often it is much more effective to develop targeted campaigns for smaller audiences, to reach people that will purchase products, or book our experiences. Global brands need clients and customers in every country, so raising awareness is always the aim, but we also must make sure it is leading to effective ROI and generating sales in each market.
How do you balance the creative and com mercial sides of the business and which do you feel most drawn to? I am a creative at heart and I believe we achieve the best results and campaigns when we are aligned with the people we work with and have the freedom to create and explore. I have learned that a com mercial balance is really important because it gives us the structure from which we can grow.
What has been the biggest challenge to date and how did you overcome it? Owning a business is a bit like a fast-track for challeng es that we need to overcome for our growth at a soul level. It shines a light on our biggest insecurities and shows us what we need to work on in ourselves to be happy, and to be able to serve others. My challenges are mainly around confidence and having the courage to be sensitive, kind, creative and authentically myself in a competitive industry and market.
WORDS: SARAH JOSEPH
Christina Maroudias
FOUNDER OF CM COMMUNICATIONS MIDDLE EAST When did you found your agency and what is the DNA of the brand? I started CM Comms two-and-a-half years ago now with the aim of developing consistent, curated communi cation campaigns for luxury brands, places, and personalities. We believe in PR that ele vates experiences, across hospitality, dining, wellness, and beauty landscapes.
From a brand management perspective and in the interests of consistency, we find it is easier for clients to keep these brand elements inte grated in one house. We have content produc tion, graphic design, and social media teams all in-house. Internally, we call the social me dia and content teams “The Future”. PR is only one brand communication function, and it is smarter to have a consolidated approach to branded content, marketing activity or visual communications alongside the strategic media output. All brands should have fresh content going live regularly. Content is king.
115LIFESTYLE emirateswoman.com important to listen to the requests we receive to provide a tailor-made approach. In addi tion to PR services, we now offer content cre ation, social media management, marketing campaigns, as well as one-on-one PR and publicity coaching. This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does that mean to you? To me, an entrepreneur is someone that creates business opportunities that align with their personality and skills, as well as filling a market need. It means being free and able to manage our life, our sched ules and finding a line of work that feeds our personal growth and development.
Colin Hutton FOUNDER OF WhenCOMMUNICATIONSUMAMIdidyoufoundyour agency and what is the DNA of the brand? I founded Umami Comms in October of 2016, but I hired our first employee in July 2017. The DNA of the brand is rooted in managing leading F&B and hospitality brands and over the course of time we have pivoted into other lifestyle and FMCG sectors. We are a people first, creative commu nications agency that is bold, honest and car ing. We believe in good taste, hence the name. What sets you apart in terms of approach to your clients? We are human first, so relation ships and service are of paramount importance at Umami. We then dive into creating a strate gy to communicate what makes a brand unique and special. Our team em beds with our clients during onboarding and from there it’s a very collaborative pro cess. After we have become part of the brand it’s about being creative, organised and tactical to bring special sto ries to a wider audience. If a brand direction isn’t obvi ous or defined, we try to find key touchpoints that may have been overlooked or un dervalued to weave a mean ingful fabric with the brand and its audience. What defines good PR for you? It’s storytelling above all else, and honest storytell ing at that. I don’t like to en gage in “spin” per-se. When a brand communicates out bound, on any channel, it should be with a truth. That truth should be beautiful and relevant to its audi ence. A good PR team will find those beautiful truths to entice the media and con sumers to want to become a part of the story. If there is a “crisis”, to put it simply; don’t hide and be honest. The power to build a brand through PR is in credible. Which platforms do you see most traction with these days and how long does it take to build a global brand? I believe that great PR for brands is all about third party validation and non-paid endorsements, so word-of-mouth is still the best PR and I in clude organic social media sentiment in that category. The caveat here though is that the public is still getting key information of what a brand is about via trusted and independent outlets or influencers. People share the “Have you heard about X, Y, Z?” line or reshare a story online based on some form of persua sion from a variety of channels. Publications are the original tastemakers, and their read ers still trust their opinions and taste. Funda mentally, publications also in-turn influence the influencers. To answer your question; all the platforms in the media space are equally important for traction. It’s an ecosystem. They all feed off each other. I consider adver tising to be more “look at what we are doing” whereas good PR is other parties saying “look at them, we think they’re great” – influenc ers, media and opinion leaders. A brand can be built quickly with advertising, but it needs to be a great product or extremely innovative with a great management team with desire and the capacity to really go global. Building a brand with PR alone is difficult. There are so many channels to be considered for a full com munications and marketing strategy, not just PR. There are exceptions of course; take Huda beauty’s fast-track to success as an example of PR lightening in a bottle sprinkled with some very smart influencer engagement. There is no formula and no way to determine how quickly a brand can go global. There are way too many factors to consider, including luck. How do you balance the creative and com mercial sides of the business and which do you feel most drawn to? I really enjoy contrib uting to the macro creative elements, but there are much more creative people in the agency than me who can manage this better for our clients. I’m an entrepreneur and the founder of the agency foremost, so I feel that the com mercial side is where my responsibilities have a heavier weighting now. My job is really en suring that we do what is right for our clients and that we have great talent with a winning culture. I love the creative side, but I need to make sure that everyone takes home a salary. What has been the biggest challenge to date and how did you overcome it? There have been numerous challenges – especially through the pandemic – but last year we had the core management team changed in a very short period, so me and the remaining leader ship core rolled up our sleeves and we got back in the trenches help the team fill in gaps. It felt like a startup again, which was exciting, and it helped me, and the team refocus, and we suc cessfully got through a busy period and grew the agency together. We have since appointed an exciting new leadership team and we are all committed to go to another level. Did you find scaling difficult in terms of letting go and what helped you to do this? You never really let go when it’s your own business, but I have a great business partner and a team that I trust. This allows me to focus on some strategic objectives for the agency. We have recently added new offerings like advertising campaigns and full branding services to our suite. Every new vertical, service or depart ment is like mini startup so you can never let go, even when you are scaling up. Do you create bespoke offerings for all your cli ents and is a 360 approach something which is required today? I.e., Do you find them addition ally wanting content creation etc? Absolutely!
Dana Abdelhadi FOUNDER OF WhenCOMMUNICATIONSEXPOSEdidyoufoundyour agency and what is the DNA of the brand? I launched Expose Communications in 2009 at a time when homegrown brands were emerging in the re gion and luxury brands wanted to enter the market, which was an incredibly inspiring time. The company was born with a valuesdriven mission at its core, representing dis ruptors, providing strategic counsel, and remaining agile in an ever-changing media landscape and we have stayed true to that over the past 13 years. The agency is boutique in size, female-driven, and with an incredibly tight-knit team, which I’m honestly incred ibly proud of building. We work with brands and talent that offer their community more than just a commercial exchange; an oppor tunity to align shared values. What sets you apart in terms of approach to your clients? We get personal. We wanted to blur the traditional lines of the agency-client relationship, bringing the in-house approach to each client, and it has created exceptional relationships with every brand we work for, allowing us to be more dynamic and really deliver for each business. The beauty of our approach is that each and every one of our clients feels like we are an extension of their company, sometimes even their family, and this sets the tone of a great working rela tionship that entails longevity and incred ible results. We really understand what a brand needs, and what an owner aspires for its business and deliver innovative, strategic, smart, and results-driven work. What defines good PR for you? Growth in a business. Effective PR gives businesses a human side – it’s what connects humanity to a business, resulting in true growth and core customers. When a business is saddled in the right tone of voice and communicat ing not only consistently but effectively, with value at its core – and not just trying to keep up with competitors for an Instagram story that has been and gone within 24 hours. it builds community. We are incredibly invested in our clients to ensure every strategy that we present always ties back to the brand’s DNA and core messaging, which naturally fosters ROI. The power to build a brand through PR is incredible. Which platforms do you see most traction with these days and how long does it take to build a global brand? It goes without saying that social media is the fastest way for a brand to be seen, however, without a presence in prestigious magazines, brands will struggle to find true credibility – an effective communications strategy really is a 360-degree ap proach while all working in alignment with one another. Events are key. As much as screen time and virtual events are on the rise, noth ing quite builds a community than an in-person gathering as this is a moment for con sumers to get a feel for the brand/products, and to build that trust, and relationship is very important. Even with the right strat egy, messaging, and brand values, it can still take years to reach a global level – even those that look like they have had overnight success have spent years in hard work and consistency to take their brand to the next level.
Did you find scaling difficult in terms of letting go and what helped you to do this? Scaling was tough for our agency, and not only was this due to the pandemic, but I had personal ly outgrown the new breed of the industry and felt I needed a restructure to give the agency a facelift. As much as there was a lot of uncer tainty, it allowed me to see things through a new perspective and really home in on what expose communications really is about – val ues-driven and building community.
Do you create bespoke offerings for all your clients and is a 360 approach something which is required today? I.e., Do you find them additionally wanting content creation etc? In our opinion, public relations does not work in isolation, that’s why we offer a truly bespoke service to each client. We combine communi cations with marketing, copywriting, social, and retail strategy alongside influencer and celebrity outreach services to generate brand growth and increase awareness. This year, I have restructured the agency to only have top-level management single-handedly man age a brand/client from A – Z, allowing for even stronger communication and engage ment with clients. This has also allowed the team and me to effectively lean in and think laterally about how to take them to the next level, and from just this change alone, we have seen incredible results, exceptionally
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How do you balance the creative and com mercial sides of the business and which do you feel most drawn to? I’m drawn to all sides of the company – I love the A to Z of running a business. From business develop ment, meeting new potential clients to pitch ing strategies, and securing coverage, that feeling of seeing your work come to life never gets old for me. What has been the biggest challenge to date and how did you overcome it? My company changed drastically the year that I became a mother. I had run the top line of the business and had left the creative bits and relation ships aside, which took a toll on my company. I saw my agency take a back seat to the rest of the industry and at that point, I was dis appointed and felt let down but now I think that was the biggest blessing and I truly be lieve everything happens for a reason. Now, I am not interested in the way the industry changed and I found a new approach to how I want my agency to uniquely run in the re gion, and with the support of a great team, we are able to differentiate ourselves and run in a way that is true to our beliefs and allows us all to have a wonderful work/life balance.
Issue – what does that mean to you? What advice can you give to others? It’s never easy being an entrepre neur but I am proud to have created a culture and do what I love with a wonderful team and fantastic clients. I always wanted to create a business and it took me a long time to find my gap. I must thank my wife for giving me the courage and confidence to go for it. Strong emotional support is necessary as an entre preneur. On a practical level, if you have an itch to start a business someday you should be enterprising in your job first. Find gaps in your current organisation and look to create something new whether it be in the bottom line, in the culture or even in a process.
Did you find scaling difficult in terms of letting go and what helped you to do this? At times yes, but having the chance to be a part of some one’s career journey is pretty special – and so taking a step back to see how you can contribute positively to some one’s career goals, rather than holding on to control, is much more rewarding for me. I’d hope our team says the same thing, as it’s very important for me to create amazing op portunities for them, on an ongoing basis. Do you create bespoke offerings for all your clients and is a 360 approach something which is required today? I.e., Do you find them additionally wanting content creation etc.? Absolutely. Each and every client we work with, from hotels, to private members clubs to iconic destinations is unique in their own space and have different goals and reasons to engage a PR or Brand Communications agency. Having a ‘one size fits all’ approach is also incredibly boring, and not at all fulfilling for us, as we much prefer having new oppor tunities to flex our creative muscles. This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does that mean to you? I had the privilege to work at some of the world’s best agencies and ho tels before setting up MAIA, which meant I was exposed to a lot of inspirational leaders. Offering our team the chance to have similar experiences is a crucial part of my entrepre neurial journey. I’m very lucky to have such a hardworking and creative team around me, and truly hope I can continue to create oppor tunities that propel their professional and per sonal development. Having the chance to do things differently with an independent spirit is of course extremely liberating. There is no
When did you found your agency and what is the DNA of the brand? MAIA was set up in October 2019 with the vision to become a boutique yet strategic brand communica tions agency for luxury hotels, hospitality and design brands. Having worked at a num ber of global agencies and in-house at a hotel group, I knew very well what traditional life style agencies could offer but wanted to set up a hospitality-specific boutique business that goes against the grain from the traditional way of doing PR, to support clients with stra tegic communications (not just limited to PR) but with impeccable execution at the same time. Now, three years on – we have evolved from being a one-woman (who was and still is crazy about hotels), to a growing team of brilliant communications specialists, cover ing brand communications, content strategy, social media, and brand partnerships, for an incredible collection of luxury clients.
Shadi Moazami FOUNDER OF MAIA
117LIFESTYLE emirateswoman.com happy clients, and even greater team support.
This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does that mean to you? What advice can you give to others? I feel incredibly grateful to be given this opportunity to speak about my business. As a professional that promotes other entre preneurs, I rarely shed light on myself or my business and have always remained behind the scenes and let our clients be at the forefront of everything I had spoken about. However, I do believe so strongly in PR and I feel ready now to shed light on my own business and the great work we do as a team for our clients and educate the industry on our approach that I genuinely feel is unique to the industry.
What set you apart in terms of approach to your clients? The MAIA team and I are all truly passionate about the hospitality indus try, and love what we do and who we work with. We have very strong personal and pro fessional values and work very closely together to ensure we support our clients in a respectful and supportive way, as we would with our own colleagues. We dislike acting as ‘suppliers’ and work hard to maintain solid and support ive relationships, whilst also delivering on the strategic and commercial goals of the business we all work with. This is certainly a core value of MAIA, but it’s our personal values and work ethic that we believe sets us apart.
What defines good PR for you? Long con sidered a traditional tool, PR is sometimes wrongfully omitted from wider marketing or commercial decisions and is only consid ered at the end to add ‘the icing on the cake’. However, communications should be consid ered as integral to any business decision – be that creative, or commercial. We place brand equity and growth very high within our goals, which can only be achieved with solid mes saging and positioning that is built to last. This is what PR is to us. The power to build a brand through PR is in credible. Which platforms do you see most traction with these days and how long does it take to build a global brand? Anyone work ing in communications will explain that it’s an ever-evolving industry that has multiple platforms to work with. Rather than suggest just one platform, we focus on understanding our clients’ audiences to ensure we support with regular campaigns and stories, across a number of broadcasts; online, social and print platforms to keep their brands front of mind, regularly. Offline platforms should also not be forgotten, particularly in a city like Dubai where one’s network and offline influence can be a very strong asset. With hospitality brands and experiences, it’s also crucial to integrate with marketing goals, as ultimately, anything a consumer sees or feels is what we should all be focusing on. How do you balance the creative and com mercial sides of the business and which do you feel most drawn to? This is the best bit. There is no PR without creativity. Having the chance to be interested in absolutely everything is such an amazing part of the work we do. We have the chance to talk, learn from and engage with so many interesting and eclectic people on a daily basis. Merging this with the goals of clients only makes it more fulfilling. Working towards a shared goal, and seeing it achieved (be that performance-led or financial), is one of the most liberating elements of being an entrepreneur. What has been the biggest challenge to date and how did you overcome it? The MAIA team and I are natu rally very optimistic and ambitious people, and so our biggest challenge is perhaps seeing the good in everything we could do – particularly when we have the chance to work with so many incredible luxury hospitality clients. I’ve learned that maintaining a balance of excitement and re alism works well, as an entre preneur at least. Sometimes saying no is also the better option to maintain your in tegrity (after all, it is your own most effective PR too).
118 LIFESTYLEemirateswoman.com right or wrong in entrepreneurship, but there is a chance to continue to learn and evolve. If you are the type of person that thrives off the chance to experience life to its fullest and are committed to feeling the amazing, the terrible and sometimes the mundane, then entrepre neurship is a journey you absolutely have to try. I have not regretted it once and am beyond excited for the potential to do more.
Shawn Stephens FOUNDER OF STEPHEN PR When did you found your agency and what is the DNA of the brand? After working with various luxury focused PR agencies for 13 years, I decided to set up STEPHEN PR in 2017. STEPHEN PR is a luxury boutique public relations agency that specializes in representing fashion, luxury, lifestyle, well ness, arts, culture, and fine jewellery brands regionally and now more recently internation ally. The perpetual passion of telling remark able stories of exceptional brands is our DNA and what drives the growth of the agency. What set you apart in terms of approach to your clients? We are storytellers, creating ex periences, and how you tell the story is where the magic lies. Our secret to building or re inforcing global brands in the Middle East region and creating compelling narratives is a key approach for all our clients. There are amazing and credible agencies in the region and to stand out you must add value to the brand that no one else can. As an agency, our strength lies in the 25 years’ experience in the region the entire STEPHEN PR team brings to any client we partner with. This experience is one of our strengths as to how we as a team understand the cultural sensitivities, likes and dislikes of the citizens from diverse nationali ties that live in the region. With this progres sive knowledge of the Middle East along with the diverse ethnic backgrounds that our team come from, we integrate these with the luxury brand stories to curate PR & Communica tion strategies to raise the profile and enhance their positioning in the Arab World. What defines good PR for you? Today, PR is not just about sending out press releases, scheduling interviews and having a few influ encers wear the brand you represent. Firstly, PR is about living, sleeping, breathing, eat ing and reflecting the brand you work with and making it a part and extension of your own lifestyle. Secondly, one must have great relationships with the top tier print and on line press, influencers, KOL’s and engage with consumers of the brands you are part nering with to enable you to curate a tailored strategy that resonates with their DNA and the individuals they are targeting. The power to build a brand through PR is in credible. Which platforms do you see most traction with these days and how long does it take to build a global brand? As Bill Gates rightly said, “If I have one dollar left, I will use it on PR”. That’s the quote STEPHEN PR has on its website. One cannot underesti mate the power of PR. Whether its negative or positive, PR is a force to reckon with and can either make or break a brand. As highlighted above, PR is a combination of many different things. The digital space has leveled up and tops the traction with the pandemic being a great catalyst. The social media space con tinues to be on the forefront of every strong PR campaign. Someone like me who has lived life with and without social media believes a balance of traditional, social, and digital PR makes a successful recipe for great PR strat egy. One must never forget the element of hu man emotion is what makes any PR strategy slay! Hence no matter how evolved the human race may become with technology, traditional PR and print will always have a role with any successful PR strategy. How do you balance the creative and com mercial sides of the business and which do you feel most drawn to? Finding a balance in between the creative and commercial side of the business helps a PR agency sail thru all crises. For a creative to be successful, one needs the commercials to set it right. What has been the biggest challenge to date and how did you overcome it? “Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new centre of gravity. We must not fight them and just find a new way to stand”. Two years into es tablishing STEPHEN PR, the pandemic was a chal lenge that struck all of us by lightning. Learning to sail throught it was a learning curve for me and my entire team. As an entrepreneur, I remembered the quote I read in the book by Henry Ford, “When everything seems to be going against you, re member that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” This resonated with me strongly and I knew that I had to rise above the challenge of the pandemic. Do you create bespoke of ferings for all your clients and is a 360 approach something which is required today? I.e., Do you find them additionally wanting con tent creation etc? Today, the client is well travelled and aware of exactly what they want in terms of PR & Marketing support to el evate their brand in the Middle East. Most of them want a complete 360-degree approach and would appreciate that as an agency we look after every aspect of PR & Marketing including support in content creation and ideas that are not that mundane. This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does that mean to you? What advice can you give to others? As an entrepreneur, one must have the vision and believe from the very start that you are creating something that is going to stand the test of time, change the world and the people you engage with and in the process changes ourselves. As an entrepreneur, I nev er wanted to compete with any other agency but to create something different and bring together a team of likeminded, passionate and beautiful individuals. “Come on a jour ney with me” – that’s my line to the team when they join STEPHEN PR.
Dima Ayad FOUNDER OF DIMA AYAD CONSULTING (DAC)
When did you found your agency and what is the DNA of the brand? I founded DAC Com munications during the pandemic in March of 2020. Being on the client side for many years and knowing what was lacking in the PR world, the brand’s DNA stems from the un derstanding of hospitality, food, and fashion. What set you apart in terms of approach to your clients? I think what sets us apart is our
The power to build a brand through PR is in credible. Which platforms do you see most traction with these days and how long does it take to build a global brand? Truly, the power of PR is incredible. We see it espe cially with newly launched brands and how people discover a place, and how it quickly and magically unfolds before your very eyes. The process is beautiful. The utmost trac tion lately are most definitely credible ar ticles and reviews in addition to social me dia where viewers rely on news via platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn to read what the press has to say about a product/ser vice. The viral effect eventually comes into play. The time it takes most definitely varies from product to service. Should everything be consistent, in a competitive market like Dubai, brands need a solid six months to a year to be solidified here and not perceived to be a honeymoon period fantasy.
This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does that mean to you? This Entrepreneur Issue is personal. It’s speaking my language. It re ally makes me feel like we’re not alone. The trials and tribulations of the startup world make me feel resilient, empowered, and sur rounded by incredible like-minded women in our society. It shows others that they can do it – with all that’s said and done, I wouldn’t want it any other way. There is something so beautiful and fulfilling about being an entre preneur. Grateful to be on this journey.
119LIFESTYLE emirateswoman.com deep understanding of the operational side of our clients’ businesses. This is coupled with our ability to come up with inventive ideas that make magic happen for them. What defines good PR for you? Incredible and consistent storytelling. It’s important to stay relevant at any moment in time.
Sonia Leretz FOUNDER OF REVALUE When did you found your agency and what is the DNA of the brand? After five years at a PR agency, I founded the company in 2015. There was a context, and I saw an op portunity and a necessity to build a 360 marketing and communication tool at the service of business devel opment. A more global and custom-made approach to brands. Our DNA revolves around one logic, which is we are not in the commu nication field, but within a business ecosystem we build for brands. What set you apart in terms of approach to your clients?
There is a holistic, human and interactive approach to our business and towards our clients. We are a “People Company”. We like to inter twine the above by being very much hands-on and by adapting quickly. We are very attentive, we deep dive into contexts or subjects, we understand problematics. We love to study all of what is at stake from a brand, re tail, distribution and business perspective and accordingly, implement the levers. What defines good PR for you? It is under standing the adapted marriage between cre ative, educative and business solutions. PR needs to be endorsed with a business vision, and a solid ROI for brands. ROI is not only measured in events or AVE but by the influ ence network you chose, the experience you offer, and the connection you create between the brand and its consumers. There can be as many individuals as there can be content, but if the content is not qualitative or educative, then the brand will not achieve its objective of connecting with its audience. The power to build a brand through PR is incredible. Which platforms do you see most traction with these days and how long does it take to build a global brand? I would not speak of platforms, I would refer to an ecosystem that we create for brands. De pending on the brand audience, vision and context, we develop a bespoke ecosystem. Authenticity and quality are key, and this is a fundamental traction for us to build brands sustainably. How do you balance the creative and com mercial sides of the business and which do you feel most drawn to? I’m drawn to both, quite equally. I could not function without the creative, nor the commercial as they complement each other and inspire one an other. It is, I think, a perpetual quest to find the right balance between both because the
How do you balance the creative and com mercial sides of the business and which do you feel most drawn to? Incredible ques tion. In all honesty, we swayed towards be ing more creative than commercial when we first started. It still holds true today, but we strive to ensure that we consider the com mercial aspect as well. Some projects we sign on are passion projects – for the love of the brand and/or its purpose. The true realization with time is how much time an account actually takes to make it successful, and that’s when the commercial hat comes in as we need to ensure we find a balance. Personally, we’re always drawn to creative first, commercial second. What has been the biggest challenge to date and how did you overcome it? On the client side, one of the biggest challenges comes when the entire team you have become ac customed to working with suddenly changes and the brand approach changes 180 degrees.
The speed at which we would need to pivot and recommunicate a different concept en tirely. The second one is growing pains. That’s an oxymoron since growth should be a great thing. It is, but you need to be equipped to do so – time, resources, and letting go as a founder since you can’t personally be on ev ery account every minute of the day anymore. Did you find scaling difficult in terms of letting go and what helped you to do this? Scaling was definitely a challenge for me. Overcom ing this was purely a matter of trust being established over time, and I’m pleased to say that my team has become family. There’s a sense of trust, understanding, and incredible creativity that keeps us going every day. Let ting go is hard and I don’t think I can fully do that. It gets easier with time and a realisation that an entrepreneur can’t let go too much. It’s my baby and will always be. Do you create bespoke offerings for all your clients and is a 360 approach something which is required today? I.e., Do you find them additionally wanting content creation etc.? We do create bespoke offerings. Some clients prefer a one-stop-shop environment whilst others prefer to diversify every seg ment – it completely depends. Everyone wants and needs content creation which has been growing in demand on a daily basis.
This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does that mean to you? What advice can you give to others? Honestly, I am all about support ing women, especially those in the industry.
The customer is becoming a marketing tool, with the use of their phones and platforms such as Instagram and TikTok – which has both positives and negatives when it comes to brands. The ability to publicly shame or sup port a brand has become all too easy. Building a global brand is all about strategy and mak ing sure that the focus is on the right people. Ensuring journalists, influencers and every day people are given the right tools to promote brands accordingly is a must. I would say TikTok and Instagram are the strongest mar keting tools, with everything focused on the digital world, online publications and social media channels are meaning brands can be pushed out quicker than when we relied solely on print. I still love the concept of a magazine, having something that isn’t digital to read – I really hope we don’t lose that completely. How do you balance the creative and com mercial sides of the business and which do you feel most drawn to? I will always be more attracted to the creative side of the agency, as that’s what our clients pay for. There’s nothing more exciting than coming up with a fun idea and getting the client excited about it too. Of course, the commercial side is massively im portant and with our recent agency expansion, it’s vital that both aspects are focused on. What has been the biggest challenge to date and how did you overcome it? I always said I didn’t want KeenePR to be a big agency, I didn’t want staff, or to be responsible for vi sas and salaries. However, after seeing the de mand for PR in Dubai and having big brands asking us to pitch to them, I had no choice.
This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does that mean to you? Today more than ever, it means that I am in the present, owning my vision, my actions, and my truth. I do not separate the way I live my life, from the way I run my business. They are built on solid foundations of bringing value, authenticity, and transparency. It’s only when I became an entrepreneur that everything became more meaningful. There’s nothing more re warding in life than to be able to create and for those creations to resonate and some how find relevance.
It’s a very competitive and sometimes ruth less industry, so supporting each other is vi tal. There are so many incredible agencies out there, mostly run by women, so I take my hat off to those who are making their passion a success. I never thought I would be the person to start an agency, especially in the Middle East, but here we are, I am extremely proud of how far I have come in just three years and I am grateful for my friends and family for their ongoing support – I think I have some rather incredible cheerleaders out there.
The power to build a brand through PR is in credible. Which platforms do you see most traction with these days and how long does it take to build a global brand? The world of PR is definitely evolving, it’s more than just press releases and reviews with journalists now.
There was a time I was contemplating turn ing down these big pitch opportunities, to fo cus on smaller brands. I made the decision to take a risk and hire more staff, pitch to bigger brands (and win) and change my vision for the agency. This was something I found challeng ing, as the affect it had was lifechanging – it was the best decision I ever made.
Did you find scaling difficult in terms of letting go and what helped you to do this? Hiring peo ple and delegating was something that didn’t come naturally to me, because I had been a one-woman band for a while. But after hiring some of the best PR professionals in Dubai and putting my trust in them, it was easier to let go and use my energy to focus on new busi ness and the financial side of the agency.
Do you create bespoke offerings for all your clients and is a 360 approach something which is required today? I.e., Do you find them additionally wanting content creation etc? We focus purely on PR; however, I have found more recently that the lines get slightly blurred when it comes to Marketing, PR and social media. We offer our clients support with social media content, as well as the market ing plan, to ensure everything is aligned and on brand. Because our clients often outsource PR and Social, we work closely with their teams to ensure we’re all on the same page.
Khalil Tawil FOUNDER OF K CONSULTANCY When did you found your agency and what is the DNA of the brand? K Consultancy is a proj ect I’ve been thinking about starting for several years. Then during the lockdown in late 2020, I decided to go for it. It turned out the pandemic had a positive outcome for some! We offer solu tions from “K to Z” and we care about win-win relationships with our clients.
Ellie Keene FOUNDER OF KEENEPR
When did you found your agency and what is the DNA of the brand? KeenePR launched in 2019, the agency represents my personal ity – fun and approachable. We like to take the unnecessary fluff out of PR and put some personality into our work. KeenePR focusses on the F&B industry, but we also have some lifestyle brands too. What set you apart in terms of approach to your clients? We like to make things fun and give the PR world a little personality. PR doesn’t have to be pages of press releases, you can take something that sounds a little dull and turn it into something fun that stands out in the crowd. We like to encourage clients to think out of the box and go against the grain of what is deemed normal in the Dubai F&B scene. Our approach is the opposite of corporate comms, we are a little quirky and do everything with a little something extra. What defines good PR for you? Obviously pag es and pages of coverage will always look like a job well done. But I think there’s something deeper than just great coverage when it comes to PR. It’s all about strategy for us, creating a message and campaigns that do more than sell, is extremely important to us at KeenePR.
120 LIFESTYLEemirateswoman.com creativity generates sales, and the sales in spires creativity. This is why we are not into a push-marketing approach but on an on-de mand generation approach, where creativity is at the genesis of any action. What has been the biggest challenge to date and how did you overcome it? I like to think that the challenge we face in business and in life is somehow the same, the one to adapt to a given context, and to a social collective change. Your company, your people and your vision are always being challenged, on a daily basis. The most important is to remain mo bilized and to accept the challenge in order to quickly see it as an opportunity. My new challenge now is to durably establish Revalue in Saudi, a market I profoundly am attached to, and I am truly thrilled. Did you find scaling difficult in terms of letting go and what helped you to do this? I am a big fan of change, as this means to me that we are forever growing. We are fostering new ver sions of ourselves and how the business could progress continuously. This means letting go of the old, to welcome the new. Every day. Do you create bespoke offerings for all your clients and is a 360 approach something which is required today? I.e., Do you find them additionally wanting content creation etc? I specifically funded Revalue to provide a 360 strategic approach to companies and brands. PR is no longer a classic communication tool. It has become a business development tool. Having said that, it is fundamental to under stand the whole value chain (strategy, busi ness, production, content, distribution, sales, training) in order to ensure solid PR results.
Social Studio are our sister company and we often pitch for accounts together offering both social, content creation and PR. Our clients see us as part of their marketing family, so we act as an extra pair of hands to help with any thing that isn’t strictly PR. In recent years, PR has also included influencer marketing, which is something more than traditional PR. Clients will always ask us to engage with in fluencers as part of the proposal now, giving the campaigns something a little extra.
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When did you found your agency and what is the DNA of the brand? I founded The Comms Club at the end of 2017. The vision was to cre ate an agency that acted as an extension of our clients – no longer would we be tied to a desk, hiding behind a screen – we would work closely with our clients, from their ca fes, hotels or offices, offering hands on and collaborative communications support. “If you have a creative mind, you can find a story in almost anything and that’s what top PR professionals are able to do.”
This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does that mean to you? I am extremely honoured to be part of the Entrepreneur Issue. It is a great motivational message to all other en trepreneurs who wish to pursue their dreams.
What sets you apart in terms of approach to your clients? Honesty! When receiving a brief, if I don’t believe it’ll get the coveted results, I’m not afraid to challenge it. Having worked in PR for over 14 years, I’ve seen businesses struggle to find the right kind of PR support. This often leads to broken relationships and brands feeling disillusioned by what PR could actually do for their business. An honest agency – one that knows what works and how to do it well – will tell you the truth every time. What defines good PR for you? A good story, and one that’s understood universally. Story telling is an art and an important asset of stra tegic communications. Sometimes a client’s stories are obvious and other times they require story finding – a crucial step that comes before storytelling. If you have a creative mind, you can find a story in almost anything and that’s what top PR professionals are able to do. The power to build a brand through PR is in credible. Which platforms do you see most traction with these days and how long does it take to build a global brand? With the con stantly changing media landscape, PR agen cies have had to adapt and adjust their strat egy accordingly. But what doesn’t change is first considering a client’s target audience, then you can start to get into their heads and figure out where and how they get their in formation. For instance, the Gen-Z are more likely to hang out on Instagram or TikTok rather than read a newspaper. When build ing global brand awareness, it’s important to use a fully integrated PR approach to achieve coverage across the board. How do you balance the creative and com mercial sides of the business and which do you feel most drawn to? With the agency being less than a year old, I’ve had to have my hands in every aspect of the operations. On a dayto-day basis my role shifts from accountancy to business development to customer service, and of course, PR! Being super organised has been key, allowing myself the space to be cre ative and proactive with my business goals. What has been the biggest challenge to date and how did you overcome it? The biggest challenge was taking the leap to leave my previous job as Head of PR to launch my own agency and learning all of the non-PR aspects of running an agency e.g., finance and law. Luckily, I have a supportive network of women – female entrepreneurs who have been in my shoes and happy to share their own knowledge and experiences. Do you create bespoke offerings for all your clients and is a 360 approach something which is required today? I.e., Do you find them additionally wanting content creation etc?
– Lianne Walsh
Each client is unique, after listening to what they need I will create a bespoke package to suit the scope of work and of course their budget. I offer a broad range of PR services, but if the client needs a wider service e.g., content creation, I have a little black book of small companies and freelancers that I rec ommend and collaborate with when needed.
Maryanne Haggas
FOUNDER OF THE COMMS CLUB
What set you apart in terms of approach to your clients? We truly connect with our clients and experience the brands we work with. We have a 360 approach when it comes to growing a brand, as we involve ourselves in all details from ideation to execution. Whether it’s on a Media, Marketing, PR, Branding, Events, Influencer Marketing, or Concept Design level, we make sure we tack le every aspect needed with creative solutions to make sure the brand shines. What defines good PR for you? The ability to maximize excellent brand awareness and deliver a viral consistent message and seed ing concepts. The aim is for all our work to translate into positive word-of-mouth and fully booked venues. The power to build a brand through PR is in credible. Which platforms do you see most traction with these days and how long does it take to build a global brand? Today, we live in a digital world, and content creation is taking over the traditional marketing tech nique, so the priority today is definitely to have a brilliant online personality and image for the brand, across social media and online platforms. There is no specific time to build a global brand, it depends on the product, the context in which the brand is growing, and most definitely the resources. How do you balance the creative and com mercial sides of the business and which do you feel most drawn to? Both are extremely important and work together. Understanding the commercial sides of the business is cru cial as it helps us define and translate what we need to achieve via our creativity and ideas, and the commercial side is key when it comes to execution. Personally, I am more drawn to the creative side of course. I love cracking ideas and sharing them with the cli ents and see their eyes glowing. What has been the biggest challenge to date and how did you overcome it? The challenge today is competition, many exciting new concepts are opening in Dubai and the UAE every day, so the goal is always for our brands to get the best visibility and shine. Our ad vantage is that clients trust me and know that I reach this goal every time. Did you find scaling difficult in terms of letting go and what helped you to do this? There is a proverb that says, “If you want to fly, you have to give up what weighs you down”. It is never easy to let go, most times, we know it’s for the best. However, one must remain posi tive and look at the future. Do you create bespoke offerings for all your clients and is a 360 approach something which is required today? I.e., Do you find them additionally wanting content creation etc? Of course, every brand is different. We always rec ommend a 360 approach, but in certain cases we have to focus on specific aspects depending on the brand’s situation. In all cases, our tar get is to ensure consistency with the message we’re delivering. My team is very dedicated, motivated, and always goes the extra mile to provide any support needed to the client, even if it’s outside the agreement or scope. Our cli ents’ success is eventually our success.
Lianne Walsh FOUNDER, PALM PR When did you found your agency and what is the DNA of the brand? With 14 years of PR experience across London and Dubai, I took the leap in November 2021 to launch Palm PR. A boutique lifestyle communications agency based in Dubai, specialising in restaurants, bars and hotels. The DNA of the brand in cludes passion, creativity and innovation.
This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does that mean to you? For me, entrepreneurship is about freedom. To be able to take control of my life, be the master of my own destiny and reap the rewards of my endevours.
Like many, the biggest to date was the onset of COVID-19 and lockdown which none of us could have imagined or prepared for. Luckily, and with experience and tenacity we were able to pull together on behalf of our clients and remain agile – still able to deliver and weather the storm, albeit a lot more creatively! Since then, our revenues and staff count has grown 50 per cent year on year for two years running alongside some lovely award wins too.
Did you find scaling difficult in terms of letting go and what helped you to do this? It is hard to ‘let go’ when you are so attached to your business and what you do best. It’s impos sible to scale anything alone, and the idea of having many more creative, entrepreneurial minds around me as an agency, with the help of my brilliant MD, Polly Williams means that we can deliver bigger, and better quality for our clients – the idea of this means that ‘let ting go’ becomes a need, rather than a choice.
Natasha Hatherall FOUNDER OF WhenCOMMUNICATIONSTISHTASHdidyoufoundyouragency and what is the DNA of the brand? I founded TishTash in 2012, the brand DNA is most definitely in producing creative, playful, and quality work that delivers awareness, consumer demand, and importantly, return on investment. What set you apart in terms of approach to your clients? From starting alone to now as a team of 42 from three different countries and growing, my personal high standards of deliv ery, innovation and an expert consumer insight has evolved throughout TishTash to deliver to client objectives by always going the extra mile for them, and from a place of passion that tru ly cares for their bespoke objectives. What defines good PR for you? Good PR is placing your brand or business in front of the key target audience, whether campaign by cam paign, or as thought leadership and all via the right platforms, the ones where their customers are watching and listening. It’s about knowing exactly where target customers are and speak ing to them directly with a laser focus.
What has been the biggest challenge to date and how did you overcome it? Running a business always has its challenges and it is honestly the hardest thing I have ever done.
The power to build a brand through PR is in credible. Which platforms do you see most traction with these days and how long does it take to build a global brand? Regionally, the appetite for Instagram and now TikTok is un abated, it is entirely dependent on the brand as to which platforms work best. Strategy and ‘call to action’ creates the traction. Brand visibility can be built or bought overnight, but it is the consistency in communications and connecting with the right people at the right time that builds a clear, truly global brand. How do you balance the creative and com mercial sides of the business and which do you feel most drawn to? I would be lying if I said I started an agency for the administra tive delight of finance and HR. It is most def initely the creative side and I still get a thrill delivering top tier coverage against a client’s goals. Of course, we are a business, so the targets are there to be hit, and there is a com mercial responsibility to paying more than 40 salaries too, but the passion has always been for the results we can deliver and making a client happy. I always say when I stop feel ing excited about securing a front cover for a client, a big award win or an event that’s the talk of social media, then it’s time to retire.
in terms of approach to your clients? We serve as advisors, am bassadors and brand strategists, generat ing meaningful dialogue and identifying unique partnerships on behalf of our clients. We are flexible with our working scopes and can adapt based on different campaigns and business needs. We understand consumer dy namics, key feeder markets, seasonality and segmentation and this knowledge is comple mented by our regional insights and our abil ity to influence the media in the Middle East. What defines good PR for you? A great story is key, Market contacts are also essential. The power to build a brand through PR is in credible. Which platforms do you see most traction with these days and how long does it take to build a global brand? Fundamentally, the length of time it takes to grow a global brand depends on the strength of the brand itself, however with clever campaigns and launch strategies, you can introduce and grow a brand within a few months. How do you balance the creative and com mercial sides of the business and which do you feel most drawn to? I enjoy both and at The Comms Club, they sit side by side and go hand in hand with one another.
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emirateswoman.comWhatsetyouapart
What has been the biggest challenge to date and how did you overcome it? You’d be sur prised how often clients delay payments es pecially to small businesses. To avoid this, we now invoice clients at the start of each month and they are required to pay 20 days later. If they are late on payment, we stop working on the account immediately until payment has been settled. Did you find scaling difficult in terms of letting go and what helped you to do this? Unlike other PR agencies in the UAE, we haven’t had any desire to massively scale the agency - I always wanted to be hands on and be very involved in each and every client and I still attend every meeting/am involved in every campaign and activation. Do you create bespoke offerings for all your clients and is a 360 approach something which is required today? I.e., Do you find them additionally wanting content creation etc? Each client we work with has their own, tai lor-made scope of work based on their needs and goals. Due to our database of top media and influencers, we have unrivalled access to valuable resources, relationships and market expertise, which enables us to identify and implement unique media and brand opportu nities for our clients. With our unique rela tionships and aim to change the way people consume information, we continually strive to grow brands through multi-platforms, stunning photography, cool websites, exciting collaborations/partnerships and great stories – we also work a lot with key opinion leaders and people of influence to support campaigns and generate brand awareness. Our aim is to always contribute passion, deliver results and innovate strategy by spending face to face time with our clients – gone are the days of multiple email chains – we want to be a part of each brand and every story. This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does that mean to you? It is a huge honour to be part of The Entrepreneur Issue. As a mum of two, the last few years have been a juggle, try ing to grow the business whilst learning how to be a mother. It really does show that you can do anything you put your mind to, and I hope other mums or mums-to-be realise there is no limit to what we, as women, can achieve – the sky is the limit, and anything is possible – don’t let becoming a mum slow you down or put you off reaching for your goals.
Do you create bespoke offerings for all your clients and is a 360 approach something which is required today? I.e., Do you find them additionally wanting content creation etc? There is always room for specialised niche work, which is why at TishTash we have a team of departmental experts across the whole comms spectrum from media relations, to digital, content creation and design. All clients have a bespoke scope of work – to suit their needs, and the beauty of offering the 360 approach as an agency is that we can keep all disciplines under one roof and maintain quality and truly integrated communications.
This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does that mean to you? What advice can you give to others? An entrepreneur is somebody who is constantly evolving and innovating – bringing others up and along with them and looking ahead. This is definitely how the journey looks for me. It’s not easy and it is not for everyone, but an entrepreneurial spirit is not just reserved for business owners. Em ployees with the desire to move ahead, build great products, services and deliver best in class experiences are as vital as the leader ship in the success of any enterprise. En trepreneurship in the UAE is infectious and there is no better place in the world to start.
What has been the biggest challenge to date and how did you overcome it? Being the sole founder and owner has been one of the biggest challenges I have faced, they say it gets lonely at the top and that’s true especially when fac ing difficult times such as the pandemic. But without any challenges there is little opportu nity for growth! Being part of the HBS OPM community, Harvard Alumni and the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) has enabled me to meet so many inspiring people and build a strong network of like-minded entre preneurs and leaders who are always happy to support and share their experiences.
What set you apart in terms of approach to your clients? We have always taken the ap proach of quality over quantity with clients. We would never take on a client who we weren’t confident that we could service to the highest standard and we ensure that each member of the team is fully invested in each client from A to Z. We pride ourselves on be ing true experts in our field and are not afraid to provide constructive feedback if we believe a change would be beneficial to our client’s business and communications strategy.
Did you find scaling difficult in terms of letting go and what helped you to do this? Learn ing to let go was initially a challenge for me. Having built the business from the ground up and being so hands on with every aspect for many years, it required a mindset shift for me to achieve this. However, I knew if I wanted the business to grow, I had to learn to delegate and trust my team. I focused on understand ing where my contributions were really re quired and prioritising my time accordingly.
123LIFESTYLE emirateswoman.com Zeina El-Dana FOUNDER OF Z7 COMMUNICATIONS
When did you found your agency and what is the DNA of the brand? I founded Z7 Commu nications in September 2007, and it has since grown to be the leading integrated luxury com munications agency in the Middle East. We are experienced, hands-on, and agile, offering bespoke communications strategies for our clients to help them tell their story and uncover new levels of success. Our diverse and worldclass team of skilled professionals guarantee a high level of personalised services and quick thinking, with a spark of creativity and the right attitude. We genuinely care about our cli ents and are known for thinking different and acting with integrity. From working with influ encers, key opinion leaders and top tier media in the region, to creative storytelling, concep tualising creative digital and PR strategies and experiential events, our comprehensive range of expertise ensures excellence always.
What defines good PR for you? Good PR lies in correctly understanding the core require ments of the clients and being able to advise and implement a strategy that is impact ful, relevant to the market and helps meet their ROI successfully. This could vary from a traditional and digital PR approach tar geting key media and influencers to content creation, social media amplifications, KOL campaigns, experiential events and more. The power to build a brand through PR is in credible. Which platforms do you see most traction with these days and how long does it take to build a global brand? As we have seen globally, digital media has been receiving a lot of traction with brands keen to invest in social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok to create local and authentic con tent that resonate with the regional audience and ultimately build a loyal customer base.
Our media landscape is very diverse, and a lot of the print titles have strong reach with their digital and social media channels as well. When we propose media collaborations to our clients, we ensure there is a win-win situation for both sides through a creative and inclusive approach. Building a global brand takes time as we need to be able to adapt their messag ing to the local audience and build relevance through targeted communication and create storytelling moments. We would advise our clients on collaborations that are more impactful as opposed to go ing the conventional route. How do you balance the cre ative and commercial sides of the business and which do you feel most drawn to? We have always encouraged and empowered our dynamic and growing team to express creativity in everything they do. With such a talented and creative team beside me, I have been able to allocate more of my time to focus on the growth of the business from a strategic level while also having the opportunity to pursue and complete a three-year executive leader ship and management pro gramme at Harvard Business School called OPM (Owner President Management pro gramme). This course has enabled me to really enhance my leadership skills and given me the knowledge and confidence to further drive the commercial side of the business. Education and knowledge not only help me with the business, but they also make me feel fulfilled, and push me to work for continuous growth and personal evolution.
Focusing on my spiritual journey, educational development and my personal wellbeing re ally gave me headspace and clarity to be able to learn to let go and continue to further em power my team to take initiative and help me pave the way forward; and I have found a great sense of freedom since learning to let go!
Do you create bespoke offerings for all your clients and is a 360 approach something which is required today? I.e., Do you find them additionally wanting content creation etc? We offer a 360-degree approach covering be spoke and tailor-made services to each of our clients depending on their requirements. Our services include press office and brand com munication, digital marketing, brand part nerships, talents and influencer engagement and campaign management, experiential events, digital and social strategy, as well as content creation in the region. Over the past years, we have seen an increase in requests for digital activations, content creation and influencer campaigns and an increased need to localise content and make it relevant and different in each country in the GCC.
This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does that mean to you? What advice can you give to others? To me being an entrepreneur means being able to lead, empower and help others to grow. Supporting, empowering, and mentoring young talent has always been an important and rewarding part of my role as an entrepreneur. I am very proud to lead a team of fantastic young and talented individ uals at Z7 Communications and offer them a platform to learn, grow and evolve in their careers. Giving back to others is what makes all the hard work worthwhile.
Finally, travelling around the world from a young age. It be came a tradition for me and my siblings to tour with my parents around the biggest university campuses such as Harvard, Oxford etc. which pushed us to dream big and shape our goals since we were kids. It became a major source of inspiration throughout the years while growing up and I learned with time even during my business travels how to capitalize on those experiences and how to grasp the best out of them to add to my learning journey.
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Would you say you’re more creative or business minded (or both)? I definitely have both the creative and the business mind – it takes this combo to create something innovative and disruptive and to become a successful entrepreneur. I have always enjoyed interfering in all aspects of the business – this what builds the sense of ownership and leadership that is required to build a successful product or a brand. What is a philosophy that you live by both in your professional life? “My network is my net worth” is my philosophy and it applies to all aspects of my life, hence family, friends, colleagues, partners and more are the most important as sets that I always invest in maintaining and strengthening. People are your support system and source of inspiration.
This is TBN’s mission, to continue to bridge Emirati talents with international brands to maintain a dialogue between creative industries through such initiatives driven by the same cultural values. Being exposed to all these tal ents, I believe we are ready to become exporters and creators of luxury on an international scale and this is why, in the ef fort of being the first mover towards this step, I launched ELEVENiSH.com in May 2021. It is an online community and e-commerce platform for niche emerging designers seeking global exposure. Proudly we have today more than 80 designers and brands on board and we continue to thrive with the support of our community.
goes way back to 2007 when I decided to publish a directory magazine that would in clude all the local businesses founded by Emirati women using different mediums such as home delivery, home service and online. I always had this passion of supporting women in my community and local talents, and it was always at the core of everything I do in my career journey.
What inspired you to launch Tea Before Noon and ELEVENiSH. com? Can you talk us through both of the concepts? The name
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Firstly, growing up surrounded by a family driven by the pas sion to contribute to the community and to achieve, made it a mission of mine to build a career and a brand that gives back to my community and empowers its talents. Secondly, leadership is not something you are born with, it is a skill that you can grow from early childhood. I was blessed to be given great opportunities to handle responsibilities, to be independent and to lead throughout my childhood by being part of school scouts, theatre and more. That shaped my per sonality to become the independent person I am today, taking risks to start my own company, building and leading a team.
The story of the name goes back to an old tradition when in every neighbourhood in the Gulf, women used to gather around 11am while their husbands are at work and their lunch was being cooked, to network and update each other on all trends at that time, beauty, fashion and food over tea! Now that women have become more outgoing and started their entrepreneurial journeys, the Tea Before Noon tradition has become stories that we hear about from our grandmothers and simply this is where the name came from. In 2018, I relaunched TBN as a platform to bring women of the same likes together to enjoy localized branded experiences. The need for human interaction and engaging the consumer in a more curated and personalized experi ence became a must, especially for luxury brands in this re gion. This is where Tea Before Noon fills the gap by bridging those two words in various formats.
What made you want to become an entrepreneur? I have always been an entrepreneur at heart and by practice even throughout my corporate journey. My approach to building a brand or a product has been always a startup approach, innovative and disruptive. Creating something new whether it be a product or a marketing campaign or a service etc. was always driven by passion and by persistence in succeeding.
How did your childhood/growing up shape your outlook on life and approach to business? I believe different factors contrib uted to shaping my career goals and my approach to business.
The Innovator Hala Al Gergawi has turned the luxury space on its head and is a trailblazer in her own right. With an innate sense for storytelling and impeccable entrepreneurial skills, she is the founder of the region’s first luxury consultancy firm Tea Before Noon (TBN). With a firm and disruptive approach to brand building, she is making waves for luxury labels the globe over.
What are some of the key lessons you would like people to take from your career? Problem-solving is one of the main skills that every entrepreneur should master. Walk your own path, innovate, lead, don’t follow. Don’t hesitate when you should act. Expe rience what you have learned and follow your guts. In your opinion, how does the luxury and fashion in dustry differ in this region to the rest of the world and why is it so important? How will we continue to see the luxury space thrive in the UAE and GCC? The Middle East is a complicated region for brands to navigate as local customers have a very personal ized approach to luxury. Brands know how finan cially powerful the Arab market is and how much purchasing power people here have, so they’re tar geting them in a better and smarter way through localized content.
· Localize right! There is a very thin line from doing it right or going very cliche and offending the target audience.
Localization has been a major strategy of the luxury brands’ direc tion for the past three years and we are proud at TBN to be the first to disrupt the market this way; we can notice the awareness that is growing on both regional and international offices on the need of localizing their communication and marketing strategies to resonate with their tar get audience. The difference between brands though varies between how much support and trust they have from their headquarters, what local ization means to them i.e. launching a Ramadan capsule collection, creat ing one-off campaign with an Emir ati influencer etc. There are main key factors that affect the success of this strategy, one continuity and consis tency, two understanding the target audience in the various markets in the GCC region and profiling them correctly, three associations with the right influential profiles. This understanding and defini tion of localization is what differen tiates the brands we decide to work with because simply we either do it right all the way or we don’t. Luxury brands will keep thriving in the UAE and GCC, especially those who are following the golden rules:
· Continuity and consistency with your localization strategy. A one-off editorial campaign or event will not guarantee con versions and building loyalty with the target audience
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· Capitalize on storytelling – we are a community where storytelling is part of our cul ture and traditions. Consumers will definitely engage with stories that are real and au thentic and they create connection and loyalty on the long term.
· Segment your target audience in the region and curate your launches for the regional calendar and events. Who are the mentors that have helped you throughout your career? I always had my mother, siblings and friends as my support system and my mini focus group through out my career journey. This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does being an entrepreneur mean to you? Being an entrepreneur means you have a clear mission you want to achieve, and you have the persistence and patience to achieve it, and the willingness to take risks. It is a bold step to leave corporate life and start your own business, it is a rough journey with a lot of risks but definitely a worthy one once you start hitting your milestones.
What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routine? My daily routine is the only part of the day that remains con sistent. I wake up with a gratitude prayer, as soon as I’m awake or even with my eyes closed, I say, “thank you for today.” I then follow this with a prayer and ten affirma tions. It’s something I’ve learned from Steve Harvey to give gratitude, first thing in the morning. I then proceed to having my morn ing hot water with cinnamon and lemon and a meditation session for 15 minutes. What led you to launch IAM Entertainment and how did your previous roles support your ability to do this successfully? I didn’t want my wings clipped within a corporate struc ture. I was grateful to receive a roadmap into the industry, the teachings and structure, but knew I wanted ownership and the cre ative freedom to delve into more than one aspect of the entertainment industry. Setting up IAM gave me the opportunity to bring my best practices to the industry and be creative and more importantly learn and absorb ar eas I wanted to focus on at my pace. You’ve had a phenomenal list of clients from Mariah Carey and Alicia Keys to Tony Rob Sonal Vara-Parmar has successfully built IAM Entertainment, one of the region’s most renowned international artist management companies with a portfolio of global
A large part of the success of the campaign was Kevin’s own input, creativity and trust in the vision of our client, the UAE government. In the same way we conceptualised Alicia Keys first musical motivational event with her for the “Achieve the Unimaginable” event. She used music and her songs to tell and inspire the story of her life.
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What are some of the creative ways you’ve found to success fully bring talent to the region? IAM prides itself with innova tive concepts and ideas that don’t colour within the lines, and that’s the exciting part of what we do. Creating innovative out of the box concepts like Kevin Hart’s MarsShot campaign at the height of COVID-19, was something we are very proud of.
The events industry is growing rapidly. How do you scale with out compromising on quality of both talent and deliverables? I think each project where talent is concerned is very individual and focused. We could be working on a concert, or a brand campaign or talent in movies, each segment’s needs are so dif ferent that there is no conflict and compromising. Addition ally, when you own your own business, you can also choose to prioritise, hand-pick your projects to maintain the integrity and quality of the work we deliver. Giving the team ownership is equally important to maintain a high standard of work. How has social media supported growth and which plat forms do you feel are most successful? The pandemic really helped the growth of the entertainment industry to grow social media. It was really the only tool to stay connected. Smart celebrities understood this and remained very pres ent and connected to their fan base. They found innovative ways to stay engaging. They no longer had to be paid to be present, and this was a gamechanger for the entertainment industry. Celebrities are now much more candid, available and engaged with their fans and audience which makes in teracting with them even more exciting. After years of not being on social media Jennifer Aniston broke the internet in 2019 when she joined Instagram. It’s evident she under stood the changing times, and the connection she needed with her audience. Did you have a mentor and if so, what advice did they impart? I’m lucky enough to have Venus Brown, music producer, expresident of SongBMG. as my mentor. He’s mentored and worked with the largest names in music from Justin Tim berlake, Bruno Mars, the Black Eye Peas. He has taught me in order to sustain and have longevity you have to build a brand. To achieve this, you need to have a great team around you to help execute, deliver and build so the company isn’t based around a single person but a multi-functioning entity that will hopefully outlive you. What piece of advice would you give your younger self? Do not let anyone disparage you from your dreams. Stay confident and true to yourself. Believe in God or a higher power and always be grateful and humble for what you have. Thank God every day, meditate and manifest. Your vision board is your greatest ally and your superpower. This is the Entrepreneur Issue – what does that mean to you? I think a true entrepreneur stays in the game, no matter the success or failures, it’s part of the journey as a busi ness owner. Being recognised as an entre preneur solidifies IAM Entertainment and I am in the long game to build something both unique but hopefully inspirational too. bins. Black Eye Peas, Steve Harvey and Sad hguru who you recently bought to the region. How did these relationships begin and what values are key to retaining them? As a Li bran, I function and believe in balance. As a business owner, I have an obligation to both my clients and my talent. Trust plays a large part in this, and therefore your network is everything. More often than not the rela tionship begins by someone endorsing or vouching for me or my team that is close to the talent, so there is a level of trust already there, it’s our job to honour this and nurture and respect that relationship.
WORDS: SARAH JOSEPH
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THE TRIUMPH
IN PARTNERSHIP
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On the opposite end of the spectrum, what have been the key mile stones? As a writer and through my social media platforms, I have been able to help many women by sharing my experiences. I have re ceived numerous messages sharing their experiences and their thanks.
Do you have any mentors who have helped you throughout your ca reer? My inspiration has been from the strong women working in dif ferent fields. It made me think about myself, to focus on becoming the person I have always dreamt of being and forgetting about the negative thoughts, to learn about my potential and how to develop it.
What are your plans for building your own business? I have started this from a passion of mine which is natural skincare. Going back to our roots to nature, my brand will avoid using chemicals that are bad for our health in the long run. Thus, I started building a connection with suppliers mostly in the tropical countries that are the richest when it comes to organic herbs. The brand is also focused on helping women in their communities. We are now focusing on the marketing side of the business, which focuses on the importance of using organic products, which are also cruelty-free. We aim to have our products available online before the end of 2022.
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How has your life impacted the message you hope to share with others? My rough start as a teenager made me an activist for women’s rights, especially in the Middle East. It led me to write my books to highlight the issues that many women face on a daily basis. On my social media platforms, I also focus on many taboo subjects to show women they are not alone and that they will be able to make it someday. Part of my work is also dedicat ed to my infinite love of animals since they don’t have a voice to express the injustice they face. These matters led me to base my future company on helping women and make them my suppliers, especially since I had to match it with products that are cruely-free with no animal testing.
129emirateswoman.comLIFESTYLE husband and children as an adult, disregarding all her hopes and dreams. What inspiration do you hope people take from your books? My mis sion is to shed light on the issues that all women are facing, especially the taboo subjects that no one is highlighting in this region including depression, addictions and the effect of “fake” social media. I aim to give hope to others by sharing real stories and ideas for a brighter and more successful future for women in our region. I also hope to aim to shed light on the serious issue – one that is close to my heart – of animal cruelty, that many humans neglect most of the time. The ideas explored in my books are inspired by my own experiences in life. Un fortunately, no one at the time helped me realise that I am not alone and gave me the strength I needed to continue with my fight to reach my goals, so I hope I can be that inspiration to many.
Looking back over your career, can you tell us about three challenges you’ve had to overcome? My first and the biggest hurdle I’ve had to overcome is going against society’s rules. I’ve had to free my thoughts and forget bad situations that I encountered as a teenager. The sec ond is putting my feelings aside when it comes to business. As women, we can be sensitive creatures and to survive in the business world, we must be tough. Finally, the biggest challenge has been to put myself first and then help others along the way because as I grow, my help will be more impactful and meaningful.
This is The Entrepreneur Issue – what does being an entrepreneur mean to you? In my opinion an entrepreneur is a person who dares to follow their dreams and will do everything in their power to make it happen.
M
As a successful author, you’ve penned two books After Midnight and Viva. Can you expand on the topic of these? After Midnight is a biography of my life as a working teenager and the challenges that a young woman faces by the mindless and heartless men that manage or attend the night scene in a country which takes advantage of young women that are try ing to go through their hard life and try to make it in this world. The story sheds light on my life after the nightmares of the night life slav ery and how a person can still make it, conquering all obstacles in the way. This story is mainly addressed to young women who are confronted with these tragedies, to let them know they are not alone Viva is a story of a young woman facing challenges to achieve her goals to be successful and the problems she faces with her family and so cietal pressures. The young woman comes from a family that struggles with financial hardship. In order to escape this quickly, she marries her husband, but it ends up being an unhappy marriage. It tells the story of her finding her feet, focusing on her dreams and believing in her potential, leading her to financial stability and independence. The choice is hard, especially for a young woman where her main duty in society has been to make others happy; her parents and siblings as a young girl and then her
Being able to help people is the biggest milestone.
What is a philosophy that you live by in your professional life? My phi losophy is not to be afraid to live up to your dreams and focus only on your goals. Those who love you will be by your side and toxic individu als may try to disrupt your plans, but they will never succeed. Always trust yourself.
irna Trad is an individual with an unwavering spirit, determined to succeed. Despite the obsta cles she has faced, she has gone on to write two impactful books, using her own life experiences to inspire others. She’s also set to launch her own skincare brand later this year. In this interview with Emirates Woman, Trad shares the highs and lows of her entrepre neurial journey and how she hopes to help others all around the world. Talk us through your career. My career started at a very young age due to financial issues in my country and family. I started as a waitress at the age of 14 and continued working in the hospitality industry until I graduated from college. I then moved into the corporate world work ing for hospitals and construction companies and that lead me into a managerial position, but it didn’t fulfil my potential and dreams. However, I was afraid to take the first step, but once COVID-19 start ed it was a sign that I needed to focus on myself and fulfil my goals. Thus, I decided to make my first dream come true – becoming an au thor. Due to lockdown, I wrote my two books in a short period of time. The first book, After Midnight, is a biography of my life as a working teenager. The second is Viva, which tells the story of a young woman facing the challenges of following her dreams to success and the problems she faces with her family and society. Currently, I’m deeply com mitted to two important subjects I’m passion ate about: female empowerment in the Middle East and animal welfare which still needs a lot of education in this region. My plan is to orga nize seminars in the future, be it virtual or live, related to these two subjects. I’m also estab lishing my skincare brand which will be organic and cruelty-free. The brand is inspired by natu ral beauty and the resources of the tropical environment in countries such as Thailand and Nepal. The brand, which will be called ‘Everly Ever After’, is also dedicated to women all over the world. How did your childhood shape your outlook on life and approach to busi ness? Since I was a teen, I was convinced that I would never achieve anything without a fight as my family’s financial situation wasn’t per fect. I was also working in the hospitality industry, especially in the night scene, in a country that takes advantage of young women that are trying to make their lives better. Thus, these situations shaped me to be a very goal oriented person that faces any challenge head-on, trying to find the best solution to succeed.
“In my opinion an entrepreneur is a person who dares to follow their dreams.”
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How do you think your interior reflects you/your brand? I cre ated my home interior around my lifestyle, which I like to maintain as healthy, neat, and peaceful. I love the white in teriors, which exude a holistic effect, Zen, and oodles of posi tive Thereenergy.are also influences from art, vintage pieces, and my fashion choices to a certain extent. My style is minimal ist, but I like mixing patterns and colours to add warmth. Similarly, my home’s mini mal, white base is layered with splashes of colours and details, and I am always on the hunt for new, stylish, and subtle items I could add to my house. Being an ardent traveller, I’ve collected unique pieces throughout the years which add a personal touch to my space and reflect my journey. I love the charming old yet minimal istic design of the house overall. Describe your taste in three words. Minimalist, bohemian and evolving!
How long have you lived/worked in this space? I moved to this house five years ago after a long hunt of over 40 different villas. I fell in love instantly as this space felt like home when I walked in. The light, the bright feel from the double-height ceiling and windows and the lush green garden resonated with the ele ments that I was looking for. I am very close to the beach, the vibrant cultural communities in Dubai as well the Z7 offices in Dubai Design District. Did you have a clear concept from the outset, and which key pieces are your favourite? Given my busy schedule, which in volves a lot of travelling, finding my happy place was vital. I con sider my home to be my haven, where I can recharge. I was on the lookout for an airy, bright space with an open living area where I could host my friends and family. I also like to be surrounded by nature and my home strikes the perfect bal ance with natural elements such as wood, plants, and flowers in the interiors and the beautiful garden where I enjoy spending the winter months in the warm company of my friends. Some of my favourite inte rior pieces are the collector’s Sumo edition of Murals of Ti bet from Taschen, signed by the Dalai Lama, a vintage tribal carpet from Tribal Rugs in Bei rut, and of course the art pieces I’ve collected over the years. Have you custom-built any be spoke pieces? My square red dining table was custom-made by The Line Concept and the marble bar that an independent designer in Dubai created. Both are unique pieces that stand out in the space.
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this magical city wake up from an outstandingly opulent palazzo full of history WORDS: AMY SESSIONS
AMANWanderlustTheVeniceallowsyoutowatch
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The Dining Arva is Aman’s tribute to Italy’s rich culinary heritage – an inventive and sustainable ap proach to cooking using the finest ingredi ents of the season. Its name is taken from the Latin term for ‘cultivated land’, a reflection of the kitchen’s philosophy of making the best of soil and sea. Each day at Aman Venice, Arva’s chefs bring their instinctive under standing of flavour to produce sourced in and around the lagoon, to prepare bold, heartwarming and authentically Italian dishes that can be shared among family and friends. The Experience Curated and led by the foremost experts in their fields, whether art historians, archi tects, chefs or engineers, Aman Venice’s pri vately guided excursions allow you to fully appreciate and absorb the magic of this re markable ‘floating city’, without the crowds.
Set in Palazzo Papadopoli, one of the city’s eight monumental palazzos on the Grand Canal, Aman Venice embodies all that is sumptuous and sensuous about La Serenissima. Rococo works of art are offset by the contemporary restraint of Jean-Michel Gathy interiors, while private gardens – rare in this floating city – are over looked by opulent dining venues and spacious suites. Just a short walk away from Piazza San Marco, Aman Venice offers the perfect place from which to explore this romantic venue, and to discover the hidden gems of the city while floating on a traditional gondola.
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The Stay Aman Venice’s Rooms and Signature Rooms, which vary in size and configuration, feature works by a number of Italy’s great est artists – including 16th-century architect Sansovino and 18th-century painter Tiepolo. Contemporary furnishings complement au thentic silk wall coverings, chandeliers, wood panelling, chinoiserie and painted ceilings, while many Suites offer Grand Canal views.
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WORDS: OLIVIA MORRIS The Outliers The best independently run resorts around the globe
The story of ÀNI Private Re sorts began back in 2010, when the group was founded by arts patron and philanthropist, Tim Reynolds, bringing the mean ing of bespoke, private travel to the next level. The resort group now consists of four properties in Thailand, Anguilla, Sri Lan ka and the Dominican Repub lic. ÀNI Dominican Republic is located on the island’s north coast, offering an ultra-exclu sive stay for up to 28 guests. With a team of 30 staff mem bers, the concept of each ÀNI stay is to fine-tune it to the standalone group’s needs from dining experiences to immer sive cultural experiences, spa treatments, fitness and more. dominican-republicaniprivateresorts.com/aniThe Goring Hotel –London, UK The Goring Hotel was founded by Otto Goring in 1910 and has been run by the family for over a century. The hotelier had his sights set on a plot of land right near Buckingham Palace, which officially became the home of The Goring Hotel on March 2, 1910. Now under the leadership of Jeremy Goring, the hotel has also been a favourite of royalty throughout the years and even had a Royal Warrant granted back in 2013. Complete with 69 luxury suites and rooms, it embodies true “English luxury” right in the heart of the coun try’s capital city. thegoring.com
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Masseria Torre Maizza – Puglia, Italy Luxury hotel group Rocco Forte Hotels was founded by siblings Sir Rocco Forte and Olga Po lizzi in 1996. With 14 luxury properties located across Eu rope, one of the group's newest hotels is Masseria Torre Maiz za, which opened in 2019. Lo cated in Puglia, Italy, the resort blends the heritage of its sur roundings with contemporary luxury. With the suites designed by Polizzi herself, a luxury spa and impeccable views of the Italian Adriatic coast, a stay at this resort is one for the books. resorts/masseria-torre-maizzaroccofortehotels.com/hotels-and-
Habitas Tulum –Mexico Luxury hotel group Habitas was founded by Oliver Ripley, Kfir Levy and Eduardo Castillo back in 2014 with the aim to bring a like-minded community together with a love for travel, connection and authentic ex periences.
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“We were building something for ourselves, an experience that didn’t exist,” Ripley previously told Emir ates Woman. The first loca tion the group opened was its Tulum property, back in 2016. The property features a mixture of jungle rooms, pool rooms, ocean front rooms and ocean breeze rooms, all of which are designed to “coexist with na ture”, built with sustainability in mind, using materials with no impact on its surrounding environment. The Tulum-based resort encourages its guests to immerse themselves in the local culture and experience through music, wellness, adventure, art and more. Eight years since launching, the group now has five properties under its name, with six more set to open soon. ourhabitas.com/tulum/ The Mark Hotel –New York, New York
The Mark Hotel, located on the Upper East Side of New York City, has nearly a century-long history. First opened in 1927, the hotel underwent a major revamp in 2006 after being purchased by Turkish entrepreneur Izak Senbahar of Alexico Group. Complete with 106 rooms and 46 suites, the hotel regularly plays host to A-list guests, particularly for the Met Gala, such as Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Emily Blunt and more. Described as the city’s “most boldly lavish hotel”, a stint in New York City isn’t complete without a stay at The Mark. themarkhotel.com
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