There are few better places to start a business venture than the UAE. With the advent of major co-working spaces, such as Astrolabs Dubai and Impact Hub Dubai, it’s never been easier to start a new business on a budget here. What’s more, Dubai is home to...
It seems strange to be planning to exit your business before you even get started. But this is something that all savvy entrepreneurs do when preparing to launch a new company. It only makes sense. You owe it to yourself, your employees, and your other stakeholders to...
SME profit margins are under pressure. If you’re running a small or medium-sized company and seeing your profit margins eroded all round, you’re not alone. Dubai is often seen as a hotbed for SMEs in our region – even globally – yet comparing it with other centres...
There are millions of smart business ideas out there – millions of entrepreneurs setting up companies to deliver a brilliant product or service. Dubai has more than its fair share of exciting startups, which means the culture here is ripe for business success. Yet we...
Starting a new business is a gamble. You can have a great idea, research your market, draw up your business plan and burn the midnight oil, but you can’t be certain how things will unfold. As a centre of innovation and entrepreneurial spirit, the UAE is replete with...
Note this article also appeared in Entrepreneur Middle East and can be viewed here. Running your own business takes sacrifice. For some, it is the loss of a social life as long hours, late nights and working weekends become the norm. For others it is a financial...
Note this article also appeared in Entrepreneur Middle East and can be viewed here. Is startup failure looming on the horizon? Sometimes it’s hard to know if what’s up ahead is just an obstacle to get past or something that could truly threaten your new organisation....
We talk a lot about the sheer number of businesses setting up in Dubai, but what’s equally impressive is the incredible diversity of industries in which they are working. The Brookings Global Metro Monitor ranks metropolitan economies around the world and puts Dubai...
Note this article also appeared in Entrepreneur Middle East and can be viewed here. Raising venture capital is tough. With so many success stories in the business pages about the latest and greatest startups attracting investment, you would be forgiven for thinking...
Starting and then running a business can often feel like navigating a minefield. There is no exact science to define what makes a business success, while the list of factors that can cause one to fail rivals War and Peace in length. What’s more, no matter how...
When you see the obvious signs of wealth on display in the UAE, you might be forgiven for thinking that just by launching a business here you'll be on your way to fame and fortune. Perhaps it's one of the reasons so many entrepreneurs are setting up shop in the...
While one might think a big ego is actually a common trait among over-achieving business people (or over achievers in general), the truth is that an out-of-control ego is anything but conducive to success. So what are we talking about when we say ‘big ego’? Well,...