Karim Yazbek the Vice President and Country Manager of Hill International Opines That in the Medium Term, Qatar’S Economy Will Outperform the Region As a Whole

Get your money’s worth The low-down on what investors should look for in a startup

Reaping the rewards Making history The MENA (literally) region’s Ronaldo achieving Mouchawar women Success, motivation, Souq.com’s co-founder and exceptional and CEO has changed enterprise conduct the MENA entrepreneurial strategies for landscape forever women in business

Expanding horizons Karim Yazbek The Vice President and Country Manager of Hill International opines that in the medium term, Qatar’s economy will outperform the region as a whole

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MAY 2017 | www.entrepreneur.com/me | QAR15

may 2017 CONTENTS

22 Karim Yazbek, Vice President and Country Manager, Hill International

16 28 22 70 INNOVATOR: INNOVATOR: INNOVATOR: MONEY: Making history Reaping the rewards Expanding horizons YOUR MONEY (literally) The MENA region’s Karim Yazbeck, Vice Get your money’s worth Ronaldo Mouchawar achieving women President and Country Erkki Aaltonen, Execu- Souq.com’s co-founder Success, motivation, and Manager of Hill tive Director of startAD and CEO has changed the exceptional enterprise International, opines that in by NYUAD, explains what entrepreneurial landscape conduct strategies for the medium term, Qatar’s investors should look for in in MENA forever. women in business. economy will outperform a startup. the region as a whole. 64 68 ‘TREPONOMICS: ‘TREPONOMICS: SKILLSET MARKETING Raising the stakes Brands on fleek Cadillac Middle East Man- Anne-Claude Wenger, aging Director Christian founder and CEO of Alston Soemmer believes that & Clayden, offers seven ensuring a stellar customer PR and marketing tips for experience is key for a brand luxury startups. to stand out.

16 Russ Grandinetti, Amazon Senior Vice President, International Consumer and Ronaldo Mouchawar, CEO and co-Founder, SOUQ.com

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72 48 START IT UP: TECH: Q&A SHINY Setting standards #TamTalksTech The co-founders of Al-Saeb Gadgets and doodads have built a smartwatch to that you might’ve missed safeguard Qatar’s blue- out on, sourced by a tech collar workers. aficionado. Yes, it’s okay to want them all… and no, 82 it’s not our fault. CULTURE: LIFE 50 Tissot Ballade Learning on the job Powermatic 80 SI Ahmed Moor, co-founder calibre 68 Seven PR and marketing tips for luxury startups and CEO, liwwa, believes that building a business 60 44 is about growing both the TECH: innovator: venture- and yourself. ONLINE ‘TREP reaping the rewards Measuring (online) success Up the career ladder and 52 Sekari’s Search through the glass ceiling ‘TREPONOMICS: Performance Director Suha Mardelli Haroun, ESQUIRE GUY Adrian Jennings lists four Regional Director of Less is more elements you need to Bayt.com, analyzes ways The Esquire Guy on what consider when setting up to empower the region’s not to do when you are a SEO campaign. women to lead. managing people.

38 Lama A. Younis, founder, Hissah Enrichment Center

6 Entrepreneur may 2017

CONTENTS may 2017

58 AI can’t solve all of our customer 54 service problems (yet) CULTURE: LIFE 74 The road to smarter choices FRANCHISE James Clear on five common The customer comes first mental errors that stop you Hassan Jawad, Divisional from making good decisions. Manager of Costa Coffee Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and 80 Saudi Arabia, on making the START IT UP: brand stand out in Qatar. ECOSYSTEM Off to a flying start 76 Scout My Car pitches its START IT UP: way to victory at STEP Q&A Conference 2017. Democratizing insurance UAE startup Democrance 58 makes insurance accessible ‘TREPONOMICS: for MENA’s low-income PRO 62 50 population AI can’t solve all of our ‘TREPONOMICS: CULTURE: customer service problems SKILLSET TRAPPINGS 66 (yet) Starting up smart ‘Trep gear TECH: Compareit4me.com co- Nabbesh.com founder The executive selection ONLINE ‘TREP founder and CEO Jon and CEO Loulou Khazen for the entrepreneur The future of e-commerce Richards, explains why AI Baz, explores how on your list that has Whoopey.com founder and still can’t beat good old- entrepreneurs can convert everything. Okay, maybe CEO Saad Khan lists five fashioned human interaction their vision into a viable for a little self-reward as trends to watch out for in when it comes to customer product. well. the digital space in 2017. service.

30 Dr. Amina Al Rustamani, Group Chief Executive Officer, TECOM Group

8 Entrepreneur may 2017 BLACK BAY BRONZE BRONZE CASE DIAMETER 43 MM WATERPROOF TO 200 M (660 FT) IN-HOUSE MOVEMENT Aluminium bronze alloy case. An aesthetic reference to historic ships and other diving equipment, this metal guarantees the development of a subtle and unique patina to match its user’s habits.

TUDOR in-house movement MT5601. Offering a 70-hour power reserve and regulated by a variable inertia oscillator with silicon balance spring, it is certified by the Swiss Official #TUDORWATCH Chronometer Testing TUDORWATCH.COM Institute (COSC). EDITOR IN CHIEF Aby Sam Thomas [email protected] SUBSCRIBE CEO Wissam Younane [email protected] Contact [email protected] to receive MANAGING DIRECTOR Walid Zok [email protected] Entrepreneur Middle East every issue DIRECTOR Rabih Najm [email protected] CREATIVE LEAD Odette Kahwagi MANAGING EDITOR Tamara Pupic SALES DIRECTOR Manu Parmar [email protected] SENIOR JOURNALIST Aparajita Mukherjee PO Box 502511 Dubai, United Arab Emirates STARTUPS SECTION EDITOR Pamella de Leon P +971 4 4200 506 | F +971 4 4200 196 COLUMNIST Sindhu Hariharan For all commercial enquiries related to COLUMNIST Tamara Clarke Entrepreneur Middle East contact COLUMNIST Shoug Al Nafisi [email protected] COLUMNIST Erika Widen EVENTS LIAISON Mark Anthony Monzon All rights reserved © 2016. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Opinions expressed are solely those of the contributors. Entrepreneur Middle East and all subsidiary Erkki Aaltonen Ross McCammon publications in the MENA region are officially licensed Loulou Khazen Baz Dorothy Mitchell exclusively to BNC Publishing in the MENA region by Fida Chaaban Aparajita Mukherjee Entrepreneur Media Inc. James Clear Ahmed Moor No part of this magazine may be reproduced or Suha Mardelli Haroun Jon Richards transmitted in any form or by any means without written Adrian Jennings John Small permission of the publisher. Saad Khan Christian Soemmer Spencer Lodge Anne-Claude Wenger

Images used in Entrepreneur Middle East are credited when necessary. Attributed use of Printed by Raidy Emirates Printing Group LLC copyrighted images with permission. All images not credited otherwise Shutterstock. www.raidy.com

In addition to our print edition, we’re bringing EntMagazineME you all sorts of industry news on our web mediums. Joining us online means getting @EntMagazineME MIDDLE EAST relevant business and startup content in Entrepreneur-me Access fresh content daily on our website! real-time, so you’re hearing about the latest developments as soon as we do. We’re looking EntrepreneurMiddleEast www.entrepreneur.com/me forward to interacting with our readers on all of our social media and web platforms- like any EntMagazineME thriving business, we’re looking to give and take. #TrepTalkME is already happening on all of our EntMagazineME digi platforms, and all good conversations go both ways. See you on the web! EntMagazineME

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Brioni Entrepreneur - SFP.indd 1 4/17/17 12:49 PM EDITOR’S NOTE

Get connected Entrepreneurship is a two-way street

ne of my favorite ecosystem, and that was something moments from this he needed to do as an entrepreneur year’s edition of STEP in this region. “Entrepreneurship is Conference was after a two-way street,” he told me. “You Souq.com co-founder have to build knowledge, [and] you Oand CEO Ronaldo Mouchawar’s ap- have to share it… People want to pearance on stage, when he stepped learn- they think you have done down and walked through what can a process that they might have perhaps best be described as an to go through. There are always adoring audience. It was a sight to learning pains, there are growing build the business, and continue behold as the affable entrepreneur, pains, there are experiences that to work with entrepreneurs,” he fresh off his company’s acquisition you learn [from]. And, I think, as says.) Mouchawar is aware of the by Amazon, weaved his way through much as we internally focus on value of what he does- as a Syrian the crowd, as they essentially the company and our customers hailing from the now-destroyed mobbed him with everything from (and that has been where we put a city of Aleppo, he knows that his heartfelt congratulations, to startup lot of our investment), I think you entrepreneurial journey that led pitches, to selfie requests. need to always be connected to this him to build a company that went What stood out to me was the ecosystem.” to Amazon, is something that can manner in which Mouchawar re- With an attitude like that, it’s provide hope to a lot of people in acted to all of the attention he was easy to see why Mouchawar has en- this region. And let’s be fair, hope getting: he calmly posed for every deared himself to MENA’s entrepre- is something we need to see more snapshot, happily shook hands neurs, and it’s a premise that others of in the Middle East- let’s take it with everyone, and responded with in this region should take to heart upon ourselves to bring it about. ideas, advice and tips for all the as well. Be it by speaking at a con- entrepreneurs that approached ference, or hey, by talking to media him. Mouchawar had no airs about outlets like us, Mouchawar is, by at him at all, and I was in awe of sharing his knowledge and experi- his patience and positive attitude. ence, playing a key role in helping When I met Mouchawar for the this ecosystem grow, while educat- interview that headlines this issue ing and inspiring others to follow of Entrepreneur Middle East, I in his footsteps. And yes, there are commended him on his behavior benefits for those who engage in at the event, but Mouchawar such interactions as well- Moucha- didn’t think he had done anything war claims that he’s lucky that he’s Aby Sam Thomas special- according to him, what he able to meet a lot of bright people, Editor in Chief did was just a matter of him giving and their energy rejuvenates him. @thisisaby back to the MENA entrepreneurial (“I have two passions: continue to [email protected]

12 Entrepreneur may 2017 IN 1934, BRITANNIA DIDN’T JUST RULE THE WAVES

On October 22nd 1934, two exhausted airmen landed on a racecourse in Melbourne, surrounded by cheering crowds. Flying a specially-built De Havilland Comet DH-88, Charles Scott and Tom Campbell Black set a new record, flying the 11,000 miles from England in just 71 hours. The Bremont DH-88 commemorates their aircraft and their achievement. Containing actual material from the record-breaking plane, the Bremont DH-88 is available now in a strictly limited edition. But it won’t be available for long.

FIFTY ONE EAST | DOHA, QATAR | T: +974 4436 1111 IN THE LOOP

“We are the champions!” American University In Dubai team bags first place at Microsoft’s UAE Imagine Cup 2017

Microsoft held the award ceremony for the UAE Imagine Cup 2017 earlier in April at Armani Hotel in Dubai, where teams Green Jam, B.A.S.S. and iBins, swept to victory. Imagine Cup, a global technology competition that aims to deliver educational, entrepreneurial and employment opportunities for youth by acquiring critical skills, was held under the theme of Smart Cities. This year, the event was sponsored by Emaar Properties, with the UAE Ministry of Education as Education Partner. The competition challenges RAK in the spotlight entrants (16 years or older or enrolled as a Ras Al Khaimah aims to attract investors permanent student) to collaborate in teams and submit imaginative ideas in the field of technology. with new RAK Economic Zone Competitors need to develop the concepts from n a bid to position Ras Al clients and prospective investors scratch and defend their usability and market draw Khaimah (RAK) as a world-class a platform from which they can to a panel of judges. This year, Microsoft’s Azure Iinvestment decision, the RAK access local, regional and global cloud platform was a mandatory tool for all the government has launched the Ras Al markets, and grant free zone and submitted projects. Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ), non-free zone licenses for compa- a public authority to “oversee, nies operating in diverse sectors. regulate and consolidate” the op- According to an official statement erations of its two main free zones- on the launch, RAKEZ will provide Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone “customizable facilities, enhanced (RAK FTZ) and RAK Investment levels of service through five di- Authority (RAKIA). Encompassing versified and strategically located around 33 million square metre of zones [RAKEZ Business Zone, Al land, and with plans to house over Hamra Industrial Zone, Al Ghail In- 13,000 companies (those currently dustrial Zone, Al Hulaila Industrial Team Green Jam, winners of 2017 Microsoft UAE Imagine Cup served by RAK FTZ and RAKIA), Zone and RAKEZ Academic Zone] RAK expects RAKEZ to emerge as for all types of business setups, Team Green Jam from the American University in one of the largest economic zones including startups, entrepreneurs, Dubai took first place for their project Green Jam, in the region. Like its counterparts, SMEs and manufacturers.” which was aimed at accelerating Dubai’s goal of RAKEZ will function to support the Commenting on the announce- being one of the world’s most sustainable cities vision of making Ras Al Khaimah ment, H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saqr through a reward system for recycling habits for a leading investment destination Al Qasimi, Chairman, RAKEZ, RAK UAE citizens. Second prize was won by Team for global investors, contribute to FTZ and RAKIA, says, “It is our firm B.A.S.S, of University of Wollongong for their the Emirate’s economic growth, belief that after nearly two decades project Smart Signal. The project is a smart city and make it easier for businesses to of operating independently, the initiative to ease traffic conditions dynamically. start and scale in RAK. time is right to leverage the com- Smart signal can think for itself, and make its own bined resources of RAK FTZ and judgments about what constitutes high traffic. RAKIA under one strong, unified This means that a signal with heavier traffic brand.” Ramy Jallad, Group CEO, would receive a longer period of staying green RAKEZ, RAK FTZ and RAKIA, adds as compared to its counterparts with less traffic. that bringing together the two free Team iBins from Dubai Women’s College received zones under the umbrella of RAKEZ third place for their project iBins, an IOT-based is part of the Emirate’s efforts to smart bin solution capable of monitoring the take customer experience to the fill-level at regular intervals to alert the staff ahead next level. The RAK government’s of time, ease maintenance and help maintain a H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Chairman, RAKEZ, RAK FTZ and RAKIA steps to merge its two primary free fresh, clean and hygienic environment. Green Jam, zones commenced last year when will now represent UAE at the Imagine Cup MEA Launched by HH Sheikh Saud bin the Board and management teams semi-finals in Lebanon this month, after which Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council were combined. Later, the admin- the winners will move to the worldwide finals in Member of UAE, and Ruler of Ras istrative functions of both enti- Seattle. Team Green Jam received US$15,000 Al Khaimah, in the presence of of- ties were also brought together to as prize money, while Team B.A.S.S from UOWD ficials, businesspeople, and clients, streamline operations and ensure received $10,000 and Team iBins received $7,000 RAKEZ will offer both existing service efficiency. for second and third positions respectively. Z, microsoft uae uae microsoft RA K E Z, courtesy images

14 Entrepreneur may 2017 images courtesy RAKEZ, microsoft uae innovator 16 Entreprn eur may2017 Souq.com Ronaldo Mouchawar, co-founder andCEO, pe opprtunities f and creating better using techn with pr c very simple;it’s “Our modelis onnecting pe ople ar oducts ound us.” ol ople ogy, or

Images courtesy oln | www.oln.net innovator

For an e-commerce platform that today hosts more than 8.4 million products and enjoys over 45 million visits a month, Souq started out as something quite different to what it is today. “We launched Souq as an open marketplace; [it was] a very simple listings site till about 2009,” Mouchawar says. “That’s how the business was.” Launched as a part of the Arabic web portal Mak- toob.com, Souq had a number of verticals on it which Making included everything from online auctions to real estate classifieds. Following Mak- toob’s sale to Yahoo in 2009, Souq came into its own as an independent entity, and that was when it began to pivot from its original model. “We felt [that] the bigger pie was retail,” Mouchawar re- history(literally) members. “Retail is 50% of many economies, especially with the consumer here [in this region] and their buying power. And so we took a very RONALDO MOUCHAWAR hard decision that, for us Souq.com’s co-founder and CEO has changed the MENA to be able to meet customer expectations and grow the entrepreneurial landscape forever B2C (business-to-consumer) By Aby Sam Thomas function, which is the area we wanted to focus on, we need to stop many things here’s a job co-founder and CEO Ronaldo large cannot be understated that were working at Souq.” and there’s Mouchawar, I couldn’t help either- it’s worth noting here Mouchawar notes that this passion. but marvel at how aptly that elevating the Arab world was a testy period at the The kind these words described the has been a goal that Souq enterprise- after all, those of passion singular spirit and ceaseless has been working toward facets of Souq that were be- that comes drive of this Syrian entre- ever since its 2005 incep- ing shut down, such as the from know- preneur. This conversation tion. “We had a mission- we online auction and the clas- ing you’re with Mouchawar takes place wanted to connect the Arab sifieds, were fairly significant part of something great, that about a month after news world,” Mouchawar remem- generators of both traffic and youT have a decent shot at broke of Souq’s acquisition bers. “We wanted Souq as revenue. But Mouchawar and making history, that you can by Amazon; a deal whose a marketplace, as a brand. his team stuck to the plan enchant customers and em- value hasn’t yet been pub- We felt we needed one; we that they had laid out for power businesses every day, licly disclosed, although should be able to build it and Souq, and began building up and that you can transform the Financial Times had re- break the borders between its retail section, with the yourself in the process. This ported it to have been in the the countries [of the region] primary aim being to ensure is Souq.com. Welcome.” range of US$650 million. For as best as we can, at least a comfortable shopping This is the message that the MENA entrepreneurial economically, for trade. experience for their custom- greeted me by the door of ecosystem, this was the exit Something politically could ers. “We started this journey Souq’s Dubai offices, and that it had long been waiting take ages. With tech, you are of [finding out] what our after my hour-long conversa- for, and at the same time, its able to do it faster, and just customers want, and how we tion with the company’s significance for the region at enable people all over.” can adapt.” >>> images courtesy souq.com souq.com courtesy images mages courtesy oln | www.oln.net | oln courtesy I mages innovator

“For a long time, we were this. In a statement released of unemployment that per- by Amazon, its Senior Vice vades the region today- as disadvantaged because we President, International Mouchawar put it: “We were were quite small, but we Consumer, Russ Grandinetti, able to create 3,000 jobs… said, “Amazon and Souq.com What could happen in the depended on technology to share the same DNA– we’re next 5-6 years?” As for Souq cross that hurdle and bring both driven by customers, itself, Mouchawar thinks the invention, and long-term platform by itself is going to together many merchants thinking. Souq.com pio- further evolve and grow- it’s to enable to provide an neered e-commerce in the got a good base and structure Middle East, creating a great now, sure, but Amazon will ecosystem that thrived and shopping experience for help it to continue to inno- became fueled by itself. And their customers. We’re look- vate in all sorts of capacities. customers liked it.” ing forward to both learning “We’ll continue to push that from and supporting them edge, in terms of things that with Amazon technology we have done, and continue Mouchawar recalls this pe- able to raise a total of $425 and global resources. And to do,” he says. “But I think, riod in Souq’s lifecycle to be million in two rounds of together, we’ll work hard to overall, customers will see a turning point for the com- funding from investors such provide the best possible more choice, that’s very pany, but building up and as Tiger Global Management, service for millions of cus- clear, because we’ll be able transforming the website’s Naspers, IFC Venture Capital tomers in the Middle East.” to hopefully tap into the product catalogue was, at the Group, and others. The deal is still being closed, global supply of Amazon, its time, a rather tough process Souq, however, wasn’t done and at the moment, Moucha- merchant base, and the part- for everyone involved at the growing yet, and the com- war reveals that discussions ners that they work with. startup. “It was not easy pany had begun looking into and processes are underway We already work with many when we went through the all of the available options to in learning how best Amazon of them in the region, but it transition,” he says. “We fuel its next phase. Moucha- can help Souq, and vice- [the acquisition] will put it got many calls from sellers war reveals that he and versa as well. on an accelerated path.” who were unhappy with the his team did wonder about When Souq’s acquisition As for the e-commerce ecosystem changing. But, raising another round of by Amazon was finalized, landscape itself, Mouchawar you know, we also tried to funds, and yes, going public it was his family to whom doesn’t seem to be worried explain to them that we was also a choice they con- Mouchawar told the news about competition in the were doing this because we sidered, but they were also to first, following which he region, be it with existing wanted the customer experi- looking at other enterprises touched base with his team, players in the market, or ence to improve. We want to Souq could perhaps join investors and shareholders. soon-to-launch entities like be able to understand pric- hands with, and an align- “The biggest thing I told the the billion dollar Noon.coming, product gaps, categories, ment with Amazon definitely team was that you should the Souq CEO believes that what customers like, how made sense. “When you do be very proud, because we each player will have their do you recommend other all the work and get to where just joined the most innova- own strategy, and their suc- products- and you cannot you are, and you look at who tive company in the world,” cess will ultimately depend do this until you structure are the potential matches or he recalls. “That was kind only on how they deploy and your work.” However, this fits for Souq, then suddenly, of what kept going on in execute it. “I think it’s quite was just the beginning of the list dwindles,” Moucha- my head- that, you know, already a fragmented market, Souq’s transformation into war says, noting the kind of this journey resulted in and there will be many play- the Middle East e-commerce like-mindedness in terms of something that, I think, will ers,” he says. “You just have giant it is today- once the how Amazon and Souq con- take us and the region to a to find what your customer company felt it had improved ducted themselves- after all, whole new level.” And it’s wants, and build your seg- the experience of the shop- there were already plenty of not just the retail sector that ment in that share. I think, per on its website, it then parallels drawn in the ways could benefit, Mouchawar globally, this is what hap- began to look at improving each of the two companies says- the road ahead for pens; there is always compe- whatever happened post- approached innovation and Amazon in the Arab world tition. On the internet, com- click, and that resulted in customer-centricity to fuel could perhaps see, say, the petition is even more fierce, major investments being their respective businesses. creation of a Kindle that can because customers don’t made in payment, logistics, From Amazon’s perspective, allow for Arabic content, or need to travel, so you’re not after-sales and other such it was looking to enter the an Amazon Prime division protected by distance. It’s areas of the customer jour- Middle East as part of its that produces videos catered a URL that you change, or ney. All of this took time, of international expansion- and toward the population an app that you switch. We course, and yes, funds too- Souq proved to be the per- here. All of this will also always compete also with by early 2016, Souq had been fect vehicle for it to do just help address the problem the offline world. For a long

18 Entrepreneur may 2017 time, we were disadvantaged and ultimately, there will businesses that seemed to be and draws my attention back because we were quite small, be many players. I don’t see a threat to Souq’s standing to the mission that Souq was but we depended on technol- that changing: global players, in the market- but Moucha- founded upon. “Our model is ogy to cross that hurdle, and local players, niche players, war and his team persevered. very simple; it’s connecting bring together many mer- and horizontal players.” “At every stage, we faced a people with products using chants to enable to provide Mouchawar’s vision for different challenge- every technology, and creating an ecosystem that thrived the future makes it clear step, there always was a better opportunities for and became fueled by itself. that there’s a lot of work solution. Because we’re a people around us. I think And customers liked it, it ahead for the Souq team, team of builders and innova- the opportunity part of it brought more customers, but then again, that’s the tors; so, you know, we had to always was a huge motivator, more merchants, more way it has always been at figure out what we need to because I have seen how our products, and suddenly, this homegrown enterprise. do. We have always focused team, our people, our sellers, when you look at it and see “You know, this came with a on our customers, not as our customers, have grown a nine million selection [on lot of hard work, and I think much on our competition, around us.” the site], and now, you are that’s the common theme. It which, I think, has helped On a more macro level, as bigger than the bigger malls. is people who have vision, us to always be ahead of a citizen of the Arab world, So I think we just live with people who have the will to everyone else.” At this point, Mouchawar is keen on seeing competition; everyone will work... Initially, it was never I ask what is it that drives change come to this region, have a strategy; everyone has about finance and rewards; Mouchawar to do all that he and he believes the tech customers. We would feel we we didn’t have that any way does- I am curious to know sector –and entrepreneur- know our customers in the to give.” There have been the source of this entrepre- ship per se- can be key to region… Customers come challenges aplenty- be it neur’s unrelenting enthu- realizing this. “If you think to this destination, but they with hiring people during siasm for what he does. In about it, this region needs go to other places as well, the early years, or with flash response, Mouchawar smiles these kind of companies and >>>

Ronaldo Mouchawar, co-founder and CEO, Souq.com innovator

jobs more than other types of jobs, because, we have human capital as a main resource, and getting them into this type of entrepreneurship, tech careers would do wonders for this region.” Mouchawar uses the example of India to illustrate his point. “If you look at India, 20 years ago, India was a big outsourcing center using technology for the West. Fast forward 10 years, there are a Russ Grandinetti, Amazon Senior Vice lot of entrepreneurs [there] President, International who have learned to scale Consumer and Ronaldo with the global players, and Mouchawar, co-founder became local entrepreneurs, and CEO, Souq.com and changed, I think, the way India is perceived globally as a tech hub. Today, many, their enterprises. “You have many of the tech companies “This will not be the first to believe in your mission,” are there, local companies and last global investment he says. “But sometimes it’s have scaled, [and] some of not the initial idea that you them hopefully will go global. in the region. These things had that would work out. So So you see how opportunity you have to be stubborn, but it created. We feel the same usually propagate, and we’ll flexible in how you execute.” could happen in Egypt, in see more of them.” As for whether the troubles Jordan, and other parts of the Arab world is currently the Arab world.” Mouchawar seeing should be seen as a is also hopeful that Souq’s because [they see] you can successful.” When I broach deterrent for entrepreneurs, acquisition by Amazon will do exits out of this part of the topic of funding in this Mouchawar, who hails from have a knock-on effect for the world.” region, Mouchawar declares: the now-destroyed Syrian the region’s entrepreneurial But for the entrepreneurs “Good ideas get funded.” city of Aleppo, chooses to ecosystem. “This will not in the region, Mouchawar He says that while all of us remain positive. “It’s pain- be the first and last global advises against building want to see more startups ful, for sure,” he says. “You investment in the region,” a business with the sole get funded, investors need want to focus on developing he predicts. “These things purpose of engineering an to be given their time to the region and the human usually propagate, and we’ll exit. “Before exits, build spot the ones that they want capital, so all this instability see more of them… I think, businesses that do scale to invest in. “It’s upon us creates setbacks for a lot of having global players set up using tech,” he says. “I think as entrepreneurs to get the people, which is very unfor- in the region, at this level of that’s the key, regardless investors to be comfortable tunate, and for me, person- technology, and availing that of how the exits pan out.” [with us], because it’s their ally, weights heavily on me, stack to so many people in According to Mouchawar, funds that they are investing. because I am from Syria… the region, it will definitely the past few years have seen They need to also see and But we have also learnt that change the way the region the ecosystem in this region understand the entrepreneur, we have potential in the re- works. When the Maktoob- develop and grow to such and be able to trust the eco- gion, and we just got to grab Yahoo deal took place, Souq an extent that it’s become system.” Mouchawar believes these opportunities, and you was an outcome; that’s where relatively easier for people to the landscape has changed can make a difference. And some of the investment went, set up businesses here, but quite a lot in this respect, the region needs us… We and that initial investment, one should remain prepared with a lot of seed money know the risk of the region, that phase was so critical, for hurdles that are inherent coming into the ecosystem- we are from the region, but, when we raised that first to this part of the world. “I the growth funds are still you know, this is our region.” US$5-6 million… But that think the challenge will re- lacking, sure, but that’s a And that sense of ownership came out of one exit, and main always that not every- scenario that could change for the region is motivation now, you know, we’ll have one can scale,” he says. “You soon as well. At the end of enough for Mouchawar to more to come. A lot of our need to find niches that make the day, Mouchawar says en- keep plowing ahead- and the investors will invest more, money. Not everyone can be a trepreneurs need to stay true rest of us shouldn’t think because they get encouraged, huge company, but all can be to the goals they lay out for twice about following suit.

20 Entrepreneur may 2017

INNOVATOR

“Every client is unique and requires different things from us, and as Hill International, we try to fit the client’s requirements as much as possible.” Karim Yazbek, Vice President and Country Manager, Hill International

22 Entrepreneur may 2017 INNOVATOR

matter of great discussion, and Yazbek feels that each of the infrastructure projects related to the games is, in some way, a good stepping stone for achieving the roadmap for the country as laid out in the Qatar National Vision 2030, in addition to some other specialty areas such as the Expanding health services and research and development (R&D) with the government’s keenness to position and project Qatar as a regional hub for R&D. Citing one of their projects, horizons Yazmek mentions, “We are involved in the Qatar Founda- tion Research & Development Karim Yazbek that is based on Her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser’s the Vice President and Country Manager of Hill International, vision of investing in hi-tech in charge of its Qatar operations, opines that in the medium laboratories. They also are term, Qatar’s economy will outperform the region as a whole looking at options for stadi- ums that will be dismantled By Aparajita Mukherjee after the FIFA World Cup 2022 and re-built in develop- s the Qatar body that is responsible for Yazbek notes that Hill Inter- ing countries which will con- Country planning and infrastructure at national has been present in tribute to the legacy use.” Manager a nationwide scale, reporting Qatar since 2004, and has With respect to the region of one of to the Council of Ministers been involved in over 40 at large, Hill International has the largest in the government. Post that, projects in the country, which had a very robust presence in independent I joined Hill International in include the Qatar Financial the Middle East, and has been project man- 2006, first in the capacity of District, the refurbishment of involved in projects since agement consultants, Karim a project director and based the Sheraton Hotel, the Grand the mid-1990s in the Middle AYazbek, Vice President of Hill in Dubai. Then I moved to Hyatt Hotel, Mall of Qatar and East, with a bevy of large International, has a long and Bahrain in charge of the the North Gate Mall. “Among projects under its belt- in Abu varied experience in the re- country operations in 2008 our current commitments, we Dhabi, the Saadiyat Island; gion, having served in Dubai, and the eastern province of are on the National Museum in Dubai, the Palm Jumeirah; Bahrain and now, Qatar. This Saudi Arabia, post which I of Qatar which is designed the infrastructure of Al Ain; is his second tenure with moved back to Dubai in 2010 by the Pritzker Prize winning and the Bahrain Financial Hill International, which was when I was promoted to Vice architect Jean Nouvel, and Towers and the expansion >>> interspersed with a stint with President and was placed our 2000-villa contract for joint venture between Emaar in charge of the sales and Qatar Development Bank in Properties and a local devel- marketing in the Middle East, Al Wakrah, apart from one of The executive summary oper in Lebanon. Speaking except Saudi Arabia. My role the largest private residential A few of Hill International’s about his experience profile in was to promote the business developments in Al Waab projects in Qatar the Levant and the GCC mar- of Hill International through area,” Yazbek reveals. “On the kets, Yazbek mentions that contacting new clients. At infrastructure side, we are on > American School of Doha post his education at Canada the end of 2011, I went back the Green Line of the metro > Grand Hyatt Hotel and Villas and the US, “prior to joining to Lebanon in charge of a real with Qatar Rail as the project > Navigation Tower Hill International, I was work- estate development with a management consultant > Al Bidda Tower ing with the family business joint venture between Emaar (PMC); we are also the project > West Bay Lagoon Plaza in contracting and real estate Properties and a local Leba- manager for the Lusail Light > Palm Towers development and based in nese developer, and was the Rail Transit Passenger proj- > Silhouette Tower – Lebanon, which was followed general manager of that project.” With Qatar being heavily Intercontinental Hotel by a tenure with the govern- ect for four and a half years. invested in the infrastructure > Hamad Medical City – 2006 ment for three years at the After that, I rejoined Hill in around the FIFA World Cup Asian Games Athletes Village Council for Development and charge of the Qatar operations in 2022, legacy use of the www.hillintl.com/en Reconstruction, a parastatal in February 2016.” related projects has been a www.hillintl.com www.hillintl.com

may 2017 Entrepreneur 23 INNOVATOR

of the international airport of Bahrain; been very successful in offering project it is very rare that we stop midway– in Kuwait, four state-owned hospitals; management, construction management, we start with design and carry on the in Saudi Arabia, there are the Ministry design management, and less of project construction and to delivery, and with of Housing projects and the Ministry of management oversight (PMO), though Qatar being the second largest in terms Defence. “In Saudi Arabia, we are the we have PMO services too.” of revenue generation, it is one of our project managers for now may be more When asked about the company’s priority markets driven by the fact that than eight years in the Jabal Ammar de- preference for having the government its economy will be moving faster than velopment in Mecca, and the King Faisal or the private sector as clients, Yazbek the other regional economies.” Speaking Financial District in Riyadh; we are also says, “There are pros and cons to hav- about the role that risk management part of the JV for the metro in Riyadh; ing the government as a client and a plays in a construction company, Yazbek in Oman, the two huge airports are with private sector company as a client. A informs that the motto of the company is us, and a sea resort,” Yazbek notes. Com- private company is better placed and that “we are construction risk managers. menting on the service offerings of Hill more flexible when it comes to faster In the construction business, risks are International in Qatar, Yazbek says, “We decisions and on a fast-track project threefold– quality, time and cost. And it offer all our services in Qatar that can with private companies, it is much easier is a difficult balance in that: if we want be grouped under project management to manage with regard to processes and to squeeze the time, then we will have consultancy, and depending on what procedures since these companies are to let go of the quality; if we want very the client actually wants from us. Every faster in taking decisions. Whether it is high quality, the cost will be high, and client is unique and requires different the government or the private sector, the so forth. They are all interrelated, and things from us, and as Hill International, PMC relies a lot on the client representa- the major risks that need better care and we try to fit the client’s requirements tives’ decision-making power and their management is to take time for the de- as much as possible. In Qatar, we have ability to maneuver though the procure- sign, bring in quality contractors, which ment process changes a lot between the makes the prequalification checks very private and public sectors. The private critical, especially in the context of the “we start with design and carry on sector is more amenable to reviewing fact that a client will want to reduce the the technical aspects of the proposals tenure of the construction period, since the construction and to delivery, of a project and not purely rely on the that is a period of negative cash flow for and with Qatar being the second financial aspects which is more likely to him. Apart from this, getting the right largest in terms of revenue happen with a public sector entity.” budget, setting a realistic timeframe and generation, it is one of our priority Talking about their current corporate robust value engineering exercise are focus on Qatar, Yazbek says that they are some other factors that curb construc- markets driven by the fact that its looking at bidding on more projects in tion risks to a great extent.” economy will be moving faster than the country since the corporate philoso- With respect to the distinction between the other regional economies.” phy is that “when we start with a client, a Levant country’s construction sector and that of the GCC, Yazbek opines, “In a way, the Levant construction market is very different when compared to the GCC markets. The main difference is in the size of the projects and the complexities. The GCC construction industry is much more developed and way more professional compared to the Levant, where most of the projects were spearheaded by groups hailing from the GCC countries– for instance, in my second stretch at Lebanon, I was with a GCC group, Emaar. Additionally, the Levant construction market is more segregated, privately held and the government is more involved in the social and physical infrastrcuture creation. So it, in a way, is a stage behind than what the GCC markets are currently going through. Also, the major players in the Levant area are mainly local players, whereas in the GCC the players are of international origin– right from the design and consultancy point of view and construction contractors.” One other factor Yazbek mentions is the level of affordability with the GCC www.hillintl.com www.hillintl.com

24 Entrepreneur may 2017 Karim Yazbek, Vice President and Country Manager, Hill International

economies, having greater players, but it suffices for the 20-30% of that, which trans- Quick takes room on the back of their hy- market needs and the size of lates overall to a measly 0.6% Talking entrepreneurship drocarbon bounty, compared the projects that come within savings in the total budget. with Karim Yazbek, with those of the Levant their competence.” We try to explain to our Vice President and countries, “In Lebanon, of Discussing his Qatar market clients that in case you save Country Manager, Hill late, we do see some Middle outlook in the medium term on PMC, it will not automati- International Eastern developers bringing and what the local Qatari cally translate into an overall in international contractors clients feel about the role saving for the project budget. What are the kind of or signature architects, and of a project management However, unfortunately, in qualities an entrepreneur it’s a tough game as well, consulting (PMC) company, a market as competitive as must possess? since wherever one is, in the Yazbek is of the opinion that Qatar, the clients are less in- Vision, leadership, commu- market, one does need to be the construction market has clined to listen to the PMC, so nication, resilience, and the competitive. In terms of find- already become very competi- what we do is to provide very ability to manage cash flow. ing international contractors, tive, and some clients prefer efficient teams that we call it clearly adds to the cost, to cut costs, sometimes at ‘squeezed teams,’ with inbuilt What can Middle Eastern over and above a paucity of the expense of the quality of design review capabilities, governments do to help stability, since all the Levant delivery. “At the end of the which are partially deployed SMEs in the region? countries suffer from a lack day, PMC is a very small per- on projects, and these multi- Incubators, venture capital- of political stability, which is centage of the overall project skillset teams manage and ists, access to capital and a great plus in the case of the budget for a client. However, set the project on the right liquidity, encouragement in GCC countries. Also the Le- the impact that it has on the path. This is a fallout of stiff dealing with failure, so cush- vant area has more competent project as a whole in terms of competition where the tender ions need to be given. local players in the construc- the quality, delivery, time and is a very public one, and the tion market, which makes the budget control is tremen- likes of Hill International are What would be your advice it less of a necessity to get dous. If we assume that the competing with both interna- for a budding entrepreneur? international companies to PMC scope would be 2-3% of tional and big companies, and If you believe in your vision, come into the market, though the total construction budget at the same time, with smaller go for it. they do not have a matching and if you do away with the companies. This is anything power of the international PMC, you might save let’s say but a level playing field.” www.hillintl.com www.hillintl.com

may 2017 Entrepreneur 25 innovator

states that although a larger number of SMEs are venturing into industrial manufacturing, they predominantly populate the e-commerce, technology, event management, food and beverages, sports and fit- ness, healthcare, education, Engineering construction, and the fast food sectors. Dr. Al-Mulla is of the opinion that there are many chal- growth lenges that SMEs are facing Qatar needs a defined industrial strategy in sync with Qatar National within the GCC, particularly issues relating to infrastruc- Vision 2030 to catalyze SME growth, says Dr. Ali Hamed Al- Mulla, ture development, where it Assistant Secretary General for Industrial Projects Sector, Gulf lacks appropriate research and development (R&D) Organization For Industrial Consulting (GOIC) centers, testing centers, and By Aparajita Mukherjee well-developed infrastructure facilities for SME businesses to grow and eventually com- espite a historic ment, the KSA has the Public dium sized factories– of which mercialize. “In addition to energy bounty, Authority for Small and Me- 11,288 are small and 2,707 are some other pressing problems the Gulf Coop- dium Enterprises, and Oman medium-sized, approximately that SMEs are struggling with, eration Council has established Sharakah for accounting for 82% of the such as regulations, export (GCC) countries the development of SMEs.” total number of factories in support and cost of production Dare making all-out efforts to GOIC statistics, according to the GCC, and employing 45% or labor, there are also legal encourage SME growth, so Dr. Al-Mulla, show that the of the total industrial sec- and logistical roadblocks that much so that SMEs are seen number of SMEs currently in tor manpower. Commenting have emerged as impediments as one of the fastest growing operation within the GCC is on the sectors that the GCC for SMEs in the region, such as sectors in the region, accord- around 16,890 small and me- SMEs belong to, Dr. Al-Mulla high registration fees for busi- ing to Dr. Ali Hamed Al-Mulla, ness and licensing, ownership Assistant Secretary General structures, and complicated Dr. Ali Hamed Al- Mulla, for the Industrial Projects Assistant Secretary legal frameworks. Also, the Sector of the Gulf Organiza- General for Industrial human capital is not groomed tion for Industrial Consulting Projects Sector, GOIC properly causing a lack of stra- (GOIC), a pan-Gulf industrial tegic planning and decision- consulting body. GOIC was making skills at the opera- established in 1976, with the tional level. This is testified United Arab Emirates (UAE), by entrepreneurs with limited Bahrain, Kingdom of Saudi ability to present their ideas Arabia (KSA), Oman, Qatar clearly,” states Dr. Al-Mulla, and Kuwait, while Yemen agreeing in part to a premise joined in 2009. In support of that massive hydrocarbon rev- his belief, Dr. Al-Mulla cites enues have led to a neglect of several initiatives across the the SME sector earlier. It has GCC countries, noting “all the seen reversal in recent times countries have put in place with the GCC governments’ dedicated centers to assist and initiatives, primarily focusing support SMEs to grow. Each on SME legislation and mak- GCC member country has put ing it easy for new entrants, in place a regulator to encour- although he states there is age growth and development still room for more improve- for these entities- the UAE has ments. As a case in point, a dedicated council and deter- Dr. Al-Mulla cites the case of mined incentives for SMEs, Qatar, which has enacted the Bahrain has set up the Tam- Commercial Companies Law keen Fund, Kuwait has a na- No. 11 of 2015 and eliminated tional fund for SME develop- minimum capital requirements www.goic.org.qa

26 Entrepreneur may 2017 for the establishment of limited liability companies which gives partners the freedom to determine their own capital, thus encouraging SMEs. “The relaxation of minimum capital requirement has immensely helped new entrepreneurs with innovative ideas and business models to commence their startups even with small capital which was not the case earlier. Another example would be the Qatar Business Incubation Center, which, in this direction and GOIC is “GOIC is a strong supporter of a diversified since its inception in 2015, has trying to align the research robust economy for the GCC and has been graduated 247 lean startups initiatives and activities in the contributing in holding many initiatives to and 56 incubated companies. R&D centers with the strategic accelerate manufacturing activities in Similarly, Qatar Develop- interests of the GCC indus- the GCC at very grassroots level.” ment Bank has financed many tries. GOIC is also working on greenfield projects initiated by commercializing and licensing universities, including King of the day. There have been new local entrepreneurs and patents, which were developed Saud University and King many government initiatives this relaxation in minimum in the GCC-based R&D centers Abdulla University for Science advocating the same change in capital has provided a level and have economic value for and Technology (both in the policies of the GCC members playing field to all newcomers the industrial sector. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) for states, such as attracting in the market,” Dr. Al-Mulla case of QU, GOIC is work- propelling SME growth there. foreign direct investment says. ing on a couple of initiatives: When asked about the policy (FDI), privatization initiatives, In 2016, GOIC entered into one is an industrial invest- level recommendations that incubators and accelerators a partnership with Qatar ment opportunities forum to a body of GOIC’s stature can for new startups, particularly University (QU) to collabo- present investment opportuni- make for faster development for SME manufacturing, subsi- rate towards promoting the ties based on the university’s of SMEs in the region, within dized loans for new entrepre- economic and industrial sector technical achievements. The their capacity of a consult- neurs, and enhancing support in Qatar and the GCC. Com- second is a partnership with ing institution, Dr. Al-Mulla for an ecosystem that can not menting on the reasons behind the College of Engineering to believes that gone are the days only nurture but bring fresh this partnership, Dr. Al-Mulla design a program that involves when GCC members were only pool of talent into these sec- states that this partnership university professors, students reliant on hydrocarbon rev- tors that could help diversify has been born out of GOIC’s and GOIC experts to assess enue and were not nurturing the economy and the gross understanding that innovation a sample of local plants and other sectors. He points out: domestic product.” Comment- and human capacity building provide a practical approach to “There has been a consensus ing on GOIC’s position on the are essential for the diversifi- eliminating waste and improv- among member states that regional economies’ diversi- cation of the GCC’s industrial ing productivity and quality.” the non-hydrocarbon sector, fication efforts, Dr. Al-Mulla sector. He details: “GOIC’s GOIC also has a wide network predominantly led by private says: “GOIC is a strong sup- partnership with QU is a step of contacts with several GCC sector and SMEs, is the need porter of a diversified robust economy for the GCC and has been contributing in holding many initiatives to accelerate manufacturing activities in the GCC at very grassroots level. In particular, in Qatar we strongly feel that the country needs a very clear and defined industrial strategy that is in conformity with Qatar Na- tional Vision 2030, a strategy that expedites the industrial infrastructure needed to meet GOIC concluding the pace of work and support- the industrial ing legislation to incentivize classification and attract FDI in the SME training in Doha sector.”

may 2017 Entrepreneur 27 Reaping the rewards

Success, motivation, and exceptional enterprise conduct strategies for women in business

H.H. Shaikha Hessa bint Khalifa Al Khalifa Zainab Mohammed Nathalie Haddad Sonia Weymuller Amina Ahmadi H.E. Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi Carla Koffel Joy Ajlouny Ola Doudin Jumana Al Darwish Dr. Raja Al Gurg Aysha Al Mudahka Sarah Jones Lilian Barbosa Mona Tavassoli Dr. Amina Al Rustamani Jazia Al Dhanhani Lama A. Younis Haya Al Ghanim Daria Solovieva

28 Entrepreneur may 2017 Reaping the rewards The MENA region’s achieving women

Dr. Raja Al Gurg President, Dubai Business Women Council, and Managing Director, Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group

e have to be- by various enterprises. She lieve in our- is a member of the board at selves, we HSBC Bank Middle East, on have to be- the advisory board of Coutts lieve in our Bank, a Board Member and skills,W we have to find those the Head of the Auditing skills within ourselves, and Committee at the Federal we need to nurture them. Customs Authority, and Every one of us has got that Chairperson of the Board of leadership skills inside us, Directors of Al Jalila Foun- portunities to meet business workplace, is essential in en- but how [can you] bring it dation. She is also a member women and visiting political couraging this trend. While to surface? That’s your job.” of the Dubai Economic dignitaries, among others. she says that though there This was what Dr. Raja Al Council, Arab International In reference to the benefits are different ways in imple- Gurg said during her keynote Women’s Forum, National of joining DBWC, Dr. Al menting these approaches, address at a forum discuss- Advisory Council, and Col- Gurg says that the quality she reiterates that tackling ing gender balance and lege of Business Sciences. of training and speakers are these challenges, asking for diversity in businesses that Given that all that she does, highly beneficial for women changes, and pursuing roles was held by Dubai Business when asked what drives her in business- they just need depends on women’s deter- Women Council (DBWC), forward, Dr. Al Gurg replies: to grab these opportunities mination- there are enough United Nations Development “My work, my ambitions, that are being offered to roles spread among UAE’s Program and University of my achievements, and taking them. “We are giving every- society for women, she says, Wollongong in Dubai. With care of all the achievements thing on a plate of gold- now “but how to take it, what to her speech, she invigorated throughout the years- not who would like to eat from benefit from it, that is their the forum’s audience to to deteriorate, but to shoot it, that’s up to them, and job.” champion for gender parity up. Because once you stop who wouldn’t, there are so in UAE’s business sectors for somewhere, then you have many people who are really economic progress, with Dr. the start of your downfall- [trying to] hang [on] to it.” Quick takes Al Gurg insistent on women that is what I believe.” As someone who has Dr. Raja Al Gurg making the most of their It is this goal of spur- witnessed (and participated capabilities. ring women ahead in their with her role at DBWC) the On how senior management Looking at the many hats professional lives that Dr. burgeoning growth of roles can encourage women in Dr. Al Gurg wears, it is Al Gurg champions in her of women in leadership, business quite apparent that this role as the President of Dr. Al Gurg attests that the “Senior leaders need to speak accomplished lady practices DBWC. Established in 2002 gender parity in UAE society up as sponsors for the skills what she preaches. While under the Dubai Chamber is “closing day by day.” She of women. An organization’s Dr. Al Gurg spearheads the of Commerce and Industry, believes all of this to be the leadership needs to take on Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group as DBWC is led by the mission outcome of the country’s a responsibility to better its Managing Director, she to provide business and leadership’s keenness for distribute opportunity in also acts as the President professional women with the women to have their role between men and women, of DBWC. In addition, she support to make significant in society, and notes that [thereby] ensuring women can is also Vice Chairperson contributions in society, there’s hardly anything succeed as equal counterparts, and Executive Director of and dissuade perceptions of today that limits a woman’s making positive contributions Dubai Healthcare City, Board Arab women, whether glob- ability to achieve, and it is to society and the economy.” Member of the Dubai Cham- ally or influenced through up to women to make an im- ber of Commerce and In- tradition or culture. Besides pact in a leadership capacity. On achieving gender parity dustry and Dubai Women’s its networking platform to When asked on what public “General equality and Association, and also sits on exchange insights, mem- and private institutions can diversity should be received the Board of Trustees for the bers are offered access to do to facilitate and engage as a means to engagement, Mohammed Bin Rashid Al a variety of conferences, women in leadership roles, better performance and Maktoum Global Initiatives. workshops and forums, Dr. Al Gurg says training, innovation. This is not [just] a Her prowess in the business which include personal and education and providing nice [element] to have, but an arena has seen her industry professional development flexible hours, and perhaps absolute must-have.” acumen being sought after workshops, as well as op- even having nurseries in the

may 2017 Entrepreneur 29 Reaping the rewards The MENA region’s achieving women

launch of Dubai Industrial Strategy, aiming to elevate Dubai into a global platform for knowledge-based, sustainable and innovation- focused businesses. More recently, Dr. Al Rustamani has become the force behind Dubai’s efforts to become an innovative global fashion, design and business center by being ap- pointed as the Chairperson of the Dubai Design and Fashion Council (DDFC). In 2013, H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, formed the DDFC, a member of the Dubai Creative Clusters Authority (DCCA), with a mandate to raise the profile of Dubai as a regional and global destination for the National Media Council, design and fashion, develop Dr. Amina Al Rustamani Dubai Media Incorporated, local talent, and attract Group Chief Executive Officer, TECOM Group Dubai Healthcare City Au- companies operating in the thority (DHCA), Emirates fields of design and fashion Central Cooling Systems to the city. “Every project r. Amina Al and its leaders, for achieving Corporation (Empower), has its own challenges and, Rustamani, continuous success, both and the Higher Dubai Smart to be honest, this sector has Group Chief personally and profession- City Initiative Committee. been something completely Executive Officer ally. It was in 2001 that she Furthermore, she currently different for me,” Dr. Al of TECOM Group, joined TECOM Business serves as the President and Rustamani says. “I see a lot Da member of Dubai Holding, Parks, a part of TECOM a member of the Board of of opportunities in it, but opposes the usual clichés Group, as a project engineer, Directors of the Dubai Insti- at the beginning there were that women, especially and quickly moved up the tute of Design and Innova- many things in terms of those living and working in ranks, eventually taking con- tion (DIDI), an educational regulation and support that the UAE, allegedly have to trol of this umbrella organi- institution offering the first still hadn’t been established. contend with each day. “I zation for many of Dubai’s bachelor of design degree in So, it was more about how was exposed to different sec- free zones. In 2013, she came the region. Dr. Al Rustamani fast we were able to tick tors where I used to be the at the helm of the whole also launched Dubai Whole- all the boxes than about only female in the room,” TECOM Group, leading its sale City and supported the challenges and limitations. she says. “The challenges efforts to play a major role we often hear about, actu- in the UAE National Agenda ally don’t have anything to to achieve Vision 2021, and “The challenges we often hear do with the sector or the transform the country into culture, but it is all about an innovation-led economy. about, actually don’t have any- believing in yourself and The group has spearheaded thing to do with the sector or putting your efforts in to the development of 11 busi- really move forward. This is ness communities across the culture, but it is all about a piece of advice that applies seven industry sectors: believing in yourself and putting to both males and females: information technology, enjoy what you do.” design, media, education, your efforts in to really move Dr. Al Rustamani is proof science, wholesale and forward. This is a piece of advice of how important are a cast- manufacturing. iron belief in oneself and, as Today, Dr. Al Rustamani that applies to both males and in her case, in one’s country is also a board member of females: enjoy what you do.”

30 Entrepreneur may 2017 Reaping the rewards The MENA region’s achieving women

The fashion community is the next level.” The DDFC What skills do today’s growing in a significant way Membership will enable de- working women need to and the interest in design, signers to participate in lo- Jazia get noticed and excel in even of the wider society, cal and international events the workforce? is growing, so it is now the and awards, but it will also Al Dhanhani “The skills I would say any matter of keeping pace with support more established CEO, Dubai Design and woman needs in the work- the potential that we have design companies in Dubai place are having confidence here. Many things have hap- and the region by offering Fashion Council in the capabilities they can pened in the last four years them access to young talents offer, an open mind to help and I hope that we will con- across various fields and them overcome and continue being able to deliver. segments of design. The rea- quer any challenges that It is very exciting, and what sons for Dr. Al Rustamani’s they are faced with, and is nice about it is that the work on facilitating this finally, a curiosity that al- whole fashion community cooperation are plenty- the lows them to continuously is interested to be a part of MENA design sector is still ask questions. Not only this. I really appreciate that, a predominantly import- should this help them grow, and that is why we are suc- oriented industry where lo- but it should allow them to cessful.” cally produced design goods attain the skills to always Dr. Al Rustamani has also and services account for think ahead.” championed the develop- approximately 35% of the ment of Dubai Design Dis- total market size, according What are the most com- trict (d3), a purpose-built to the MENA Design Outlook mon problems of today’s creative destination for the study, released by DDFC in working women living in region’s design industry. collaboration with d3. this region? It is at d3 that we met for When it comes to nurtur- “Women in this region are the launch of the DDFC ing and supporting local “one way of finding excelling at building and Membership, a platform to talent, she again states and sustaining a joining the workforce, but support UAE-based design- that gender is of little im- positive work-life I think there is still an inher- ers through talent develop- portance. “I see significant balance is through ent fear that their careers ment and business support interest from local female a strong support may impact their personal initiatives. “Designers are designers,” she says. “I was system that decisions and lives, and engineered in a different actually surprised because encourages growth vice versa. I think one way way,” she says when asked in our culture you would in the both personal of finding and sustaining a how resilient local designers expect to find more male and professional positive work-life balance are when facing criticism. designers. We have a few aspects of your life.” is through a strong support “They love to try something very interesting success system that encourages new and they are not scared stories of male UAE nation- growth in the both personal of failure. Design is all about als as jewelry designers, and aining a wealth and professional aspects of practice and you can see so on. However, I see here of experience your life.” that in their nature and how that the interest of female at some of the they deal with things. They designers is much higher most reputable What is your advice for don’t shy away from taking than expected. In any case, I companies in UAE-based women on that risk. What is important always say that gender does theG UAE, including Smart- how to achieve their goals and what we would like to not matter, it is all about City, Emaar Properties, in 2017? focus on with this member- talent and the right support and Sharjah Investment “My key piece of advice ship program is the support for it to develop.” and Development Author- would be to stay focused for their different needs. “I think it is very impor- ity (Shurooq), Jazia Al and be persistent despite Every designer has different tant for women to support Dhanhani joined the Dubai the constant challenges you needs, but what I see to be other women, to connect Design and Fashion Coun- will face. By ensuring you common for all of them is with them, share the ex- cil (DDFC) team to raise apply achievable and mea- the lack of financial and perience and knowledge,” the profile of Dubai as a surable actions, you will be business skills. We also need she adds. “That is very regional and global desti- able to reach your goals, to connect them with the important. Each one of us nation for design and fash- pausing to assess your suc- right networks. So, that will has a different journey, but ion. Serving as the CEO, cesses and learnings along be our focus from now on. we are all very much blessed she’s spearheading several the way. I would also say Of course, for example, some with the support women get of DDFC’s key initiatives, that it’s not always about of them have the talent and from the government here. proving that women in the end goal but all the suc- you can see it, but they need And, you have to earn it. It’s the region are leading the cesses (or tribulations) that to shape their knowledge not that you will get it just workforce in many impor- happen along the way that and skills to take them to because you are a female.” tant industries. will make you stronger.” Reaping the rewards The MENA region’s achieving women

have the opportunities to re- tablish an institution to ca- alize their potential. Sharjah ter to this entrepreneurship and the UAE in general have ambition and development, H.E. Sheikha Bodour Bint made such a dynamic prog- we wanted to position our- ress in a short time; we now selves more as incubators Sultan Al Qasimi play major roles in many for innovation than just an Chairperson, Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) aspects of global affairs. I entity that supports startups have every confidence that and SMEs. We wanted to our future will be equally in- make successful examples f one were to put mind that nothing is more dustrious, and we will have out of people’s creative together a list of the important to a nation than our youth to thank.” ideas, and support their many champions for its continuity, its next gener- business plans, as well as youth in the MENA ation,” Sheikha Bodour says. “Ultimately, Sheraa will empower them as strategic region, there is abso- “Without the proper invest- be a regional one-stop in- contributors to our exist- lutely no question that ment in its youth, economic stitution for ‘all things ing economy.” And given theI UAE’s H.E. Sheikha Bo- and social evolution comes entrepreneurial,’ espe- that Sheraa’s first cohort dour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi to standstill. It is vital that cially for students and of entrepreneurs have now would easily find a position we provide our young people individuals who envision graduated, Sheikha Bodour on that compilation. After with the means to thrive as a life as job creators is quite hopeful about how all, the Chairperson of Shar- individuals and make the instead of job seekers.” the institution will shape up jah Entrepreneurship Center most effective contributions in the future. “Ultimately, (Sheraa) has long been a to the society. We have the It is with this mindset to Sheraa will be a regional vocal proponent for the resources to nurture a highly enable the UAE’s entre- one-stop institution for UAE’s youth, and has been talented, highly educated preneurial youth that led ‘all things entrepreneurial,’ initiating programs aplenty pool of students and young Sheikha Bodour to establish especially for students and to help enable them to har- entrepreneurs, and my Sheraa in 2016. “Sheraa individuals who envision a ness their full potential. personal mission is to help reflects our faith in the abil- life as job creators instead “We must always bear in these gifted young people ity of our youth to make a of job seekers,” she says. difference, and to contribute “Our community of entre- positively to the prosper- preneurs, industry leaders PUT YOUR CREDIT CARD AWAY SEVEN WAYS TO FUND YOUR STARTUP ON THE SLY ity of our economy and the and innovative youth has the development of our society,” potential to lead informed she says. “Sheraa was discussions and work closely conceived with an aim to with the government on harness the entrepreneurial policies that positively af- skills of the region’s youth. fect SMEs. We also plan to Incubating Through my interactions expand our outreach efforts with young entrepreneurs to educational institutions, innovation over the years, it became and collaborate with similar TURNING SHERAA CHAIRPERSON increasingly clear that initiatives across the region H.E. SHEIKHA they had so much to offer, to exchange best practices HEADS especially with regards to and inspire communities, as HARMEEK SINGH BODOUR The founder and Chairman developing the economy of they aim towards building of Plan b is all about BINT SULTAN differentiating his brand- Sharjah through innovation. a strong entrepreneurial and always staying AL QASIMI ahead of the game HARNESSING When we felt the need to es- ecosystem.” ENTREPRENEURIAL POTENTIAL IN THE UAE “We must always bear in mind that nothing is more important SHOW ME to a nation than its continuity, THE MONEY! its next generation. Without the MENA FINTECH STARTUP NOW MONEY WANTS proper investment in its youth, TO HELP EVERYONE GET ACCESS TO BANKING economic and social evolution comes to standstill. It is vital that we provide our young people with the means to thrive as individuals and make the most effective MARCH 2017 | WWW.ENTREPRENEUR.COM/ME | UAE AED20 contributions to the society.”

32 Entrepreneur may 2017 Reaping the rewards The MENA region’s achieving women

ness set up and scaling pro- and what the outcomes of cess. She’s also involved with the mentoring relationship the Global Mentoring Walk will be.” She urges mentees in Dubai, a global initiative to understand that a men- by Vital Voices, where they tor is neither a coach nor a match mentors and mentees problem solver. “You need to to walk together, and discuss do a lot of homework before challenges and opportunities. you approach them, you need Additionally, through Mom- to know your questions, be preneurs, she enables the able to explain your situa- network’s businesswomen tion, and how you intend to to leverage the group’s social go forward, then allow the media platforms to gain ex- mentor to guide you based on posure for their ventures. their experience.” Ask Tavassoli why she be- As for Tavassoli’s personal lieves strongly in the need to mentoring style, true to her Mona Tavassoli create a close-knit fraternity advice, she prefers to be a Founder and CEO, Mompreneurs Middle East for women, and she draws at- guide for her mentees, “let- tention to the challenging life ting them figure out their entrepreneurs lead, and how own solutions, and offering reating a stronger cially those juggling business it’s tougher out there for the advice” whenever they need community of fe- with motherhood) “to find lady bosses. Not surprisingly, it. “In my opinion, a mentor male entrepreneurs balance and success in their Tavassoli is a strong advocate needs to encourage their will only make it personal and professional of utilizing mentorship to mentee, and celebrate their easier for more lives.” change the scenario, and victories, but still be tough Cwomen to join the fold.” A look at some of the initia- offers a few pointers on how and objective when there That’s how Mompreneurs tives she’s involved with will you, as an aspiring women is a decision to be made,” Middle East founder and convince you of her determi- entrepreneur, can get the she says. “I also make sure CEO Mona Tavassoli explains nation towards this cause. best out of such a relation- to have a mentor, and be a her passion for mentor- Among other things, as ship: “Both parties [mentor part of a mastermind group ing businesswomen in the founder of the Mompreneurs and mentee] need to make every year. It makes a huge region, and as the women network, Tavassoli helps their expectations clear right difference to our growth entrepreneurship platform’s organize a two-month en- from the beginning: how when we surround ourselves mission statement reads, trepreneurship course called much time they intend to with like-minded women Tavassoli feels strongly about “Mompreneur Rising,” which dedicate to the mentorship, entrepreneurs, executives empowering women (espe- takes women through a busi- how often they will meet, and mentors.”

مجموعــة لخريــم لألعمــال 3مليــارات دوالر وفنــادق تدخــل المنطقــة ألول مــرة wasl Asset Management Zainab Mohammed launched the wasl Karama Chief Property Management and Marketing Officer, Bazaar in Dubai, a nonprofit event that allowed wasl Properties 28 Emirati entrepreneurs زينب رائد األعمال بندر بافقيه to showcase their products محمد »الحدث األهم المدير التنفيذي إلدارة العقارات في حياتي إطالق والتسويق في وصل للعقارات سلسلة »صب واي« ainab Mohammed, being the recipient of the at stalls for free within »من يمكنه العالمية« اللحاق بأحالم Chief Property Man- Emirates Women Award in wasl buildings at the دبي؟« agement and Marketing 2014, wherein she was rec- Karama Central Market, it حسين النويس Z رائد الصناعة Officer at wasl Properties, ognized by the Dubai Quality was yet another instance في دولة اإلمارات a subsidiary of wasl Asset Group in the Professional of Mohammed showcas- Management Group, is easily Category under the Leader- ing wasl’s commitment to one of the most prominent ship criterion. In her role at building up Dubai’s social women in Dubai’s property wasl Properties, Mohammed fabric. “This initiative is sector, having worked in the leads more than 150 employ- just one element of a com-

Emirate’s real estate industry ees in more than 10 major prehensive wasl program, 9 7 7 2 3 1 3 1 7 3 0 0 9 > for more than 14 years. For divisions, while also oversee- which aims to support the APRIL 2016 | WWW.ENTREPRENEURALARABIYA.COM her illustrious career, she ing the operations of the wasl UAE’s 2017 Year of Giving has received accolades and Call Centre and wasl Owners’ initiative,” she said. “This se- cal entrepreneurs that make awards, with perhaps one of Association Management. ries of activities will support such a valuable contribution the most noteworthy ones Earlier this year, when the small-to-medium size lo- to the national economy.”

may 2017 Entrepreneur 33 Reaping the rewards The MENA region’s achieving women

and delivery team. In addition, our infrastructure and team are being developed in line with the growth that we have been experiencing, and we have been developing the skill sets accordingly.” However, Haddad adds that staying true to the company’s core values and beliefs has remained one of the most important aspects at Right Bite. “Our vision is to be a go-to expert team for all things health and nutrition-related,” she says. “Customer satisfaction is one of the most important criteria that our business growth strategy had to sat- isfy as happy customers who have achieved their health goals have been our biggest advocates. Word of mouth is the most powerful tool in our industry.” A pioneer were indicative of her having in the UAE healthy meal built a scalable business delivery market, Haddad has Nathalie Haddad model. developed various programs Founder and Managing Director, Right Bite Nutrition “Our strategy was based on to cater for different custom- and Catering Services organic growth and focusing ers’ needs, including Renew on the details in everything You, Balanced Mom Fuel we do,” she says. “The Up, Selective Plus, Mighty hen it comes Born in Abu Dhabi, Had- infrastructure required for Lunchables, and Right Bite to women dad was educated abroad, the growth phase of Right Cleanse, and Low-Carb. who have obtaining a bachelor of Bite was strongly reliant on Most recently, Right Bite pushed science in nutrition and our internal team. It was Express, the company’s boundaries dietetics degree from the about ensuring that all the demand delivery service, and andW challenged preconcep- American University of Bei- team were aligned with our Nathalie’s Coffee & Kitchen, tions, it is often evident that rut, Lebanon, and a Master’s company values, focusing a coffee and kitchen concept shattering glass ceilings has of Science in nutrition from on being customer-centric launched in 2012, were not been a goal for itself, McGill University, Canada, and providing a high level of among 13 food establish- but a mere consequence before returning to the UAE service, from the nutrition ments that received Full of their hard work. With a in 2001 to start counsel- consultations with our dieti- Restaurant Certification 12-year-long entrepreneurial ing people on how to make cian to the food that we pre- by the Dubai Municipality journey behind her, Na- educated food choices. Right pare and deliver every day, during the pilot phase of its thalie Haddad, founder and Bite Nutrition and Catering and to our customer service Eat Healthy, Live Healthy Managing Director of Right Services started as a meal Bite Nutrition and Catering plan delivery service, but Services, the mother com- it has since grown into a “The biggest challenge was pany of Right Bite Express specialized center for expert being clear on the strategy and and Nathalie’s Café, explains nutritional consultation and that building a holistic bespoke gourmet healthy focusing on one aspect of the nutrition and healthy cater- meal delivery service. Had- business rather than diversifying ing company, with nutrition dad explains that a continu- education at the center of ous year-on-year growth in into different channels or its operations and business, revenue, customer acquisi- verticals. Once I was able to has been a gradual process of tion and a high percentage her tirelessly responding to of customer retention were achieve this, everything else fell customer needs. some of the parameters that into place.”

34 Entrepreneur may 2017 Reaping the rewards The MENA region’s achieving women

campaign. The two food core business and its biggest challenge was being clear on [and] look at where you want outlets are now privileged strength throughout the the strategy and focusing on to be three to five years from to use the municipality’s years. one aspect of the business now,” she replies. “There is Healthy Food Logo on their “Transitioning from a rather than diversifying no right or wrong answer, menu card. Committed to startup to a scaleup is very into different channels or but it depends on what you, health and wellness of her much in line with being a verticals. Once I was able to as an entrepreneur, want for consumers, Haddad says that startup again, revisiting the achieve this, everything else yourself and for your team. she will continue focusing company strategy, the team, fell into place.” Her tips for Based on that, make sure on the nutrition consul- our offering and systems, her peers in the ecosystem? that your team is aligned, tancy and personalized meal and ensuring that they can “My advice to other entre- and that you have the right packages since these have take you to the next level,” preneurs would be to take a people to help you to get to remained both the company’s Haddad says. “The biggest step back from the business, where you want to go.”

Aysha Al Mudahka CEO, Qatar Business Incubation Center

ysha Al Mu- social media, e-solutions, dahka, CEO of food and beverage– which Qatar Business inspired her to get more in- Incubation Center volved in this realm, and she (QBIC), began ended up joining a program at herA professional life at Qatar Carnegie Mellon University Financial Center, which was, in Qatar (CMUQ), related to at that point of time, work- corporate innovation and en- ing on a new project aimed trepreneurship. “It is at that at promoting Qatar globally, stage that I realized my true as the ultimate upcoming calling- to focus on women’s destination for business development in the work- investments. “It was a great force, alongside innovation learning experience for me, and entrepreneurship. From and I had the chance to net- that point, I became more work and connect with busi- involved with entrepreneur- ness leaders and influencers.” ship. It has been eight years From there, the next destina- now that I have been working tion was to Wharton Busi- in this field, and being part women’s participation in we want a smarter economy, ness School of the University of its development and really labor markets in the MENA “not merely an economy of Pennsylvania, in the US laying the foundations for equaled that of men’s, the trying to play catch-up with for an executive course that a strong private sector, has regional GDP could rise by America regarding working lasted for a month, followed made my career so much 47% over the next decade, women while America plays by an internship in one of more worthwhile.” and the MENA region alone catch-up with Sweden, then the largest insurance broker Given her current position could realize US$600 billion the economy has to reflect companies in New York at and her career trajectory, it annually in economic impact the way we do things here. the peak of the financial should come as no surprise (US$2.7 trillion by 2025). It has to be a transformation crisis in 2008. “It was a very that Al Mudahka is a role “This shows that there is taking us towards our own challenging time for me to model for many women, and actually more of an opportu- ideal society, not someone be involved in this sector, she doesn’t hesitate from nity for women to start their else’s. The economy is a and from my experience, I speaking up for her peers own business than to join the function of human interac- decided that insurance was as well. She sheds light on workforce, because the latter tion and transaction. It is not the path for me,” she a white paper produced by requires 100% commitment,” not separate from culture, remembers. But the stay in Education For Employment Al Mudahka notes. “Unlike history, religious practice, so- New York City exposed Al in collaboration with Bayt. a full-time office job, entre- ciety’s expectations, people’s Mudahka to a number of com and YouGov entitled, preneurship grants women behavior. All of that means startups –this included small First Jobs for Young Women the opportunity to work that women in the Arabic boutiques, small projects in the Middle East and North from home, or from a place world can and should work if in the field of arts, culture, Africa, which says that if of comfort.” She adds that if they want to.”

may 2017 Entrepreneur 35 Reaping the rewards The MENA region’s achieving women

all, as Al Khalifa -who’s also a hours, go to the schools once a H.H. Shaikha Hessa bint member of Bahrain’s Supreme week, and teach our program.” Council for Women, as well In terms of future plans for Khalifa Al Khalifa as the Chairperson of Al INJAZ Bahrain, Al Khalifa is Salam Bank’s Board of Direc- keen on increasing the organi- Executive Director, INJAZ Bahrain tors- proudly states, INJAZ zation’s reach in Bahrain. “We Bahrain’s programs, which aim to continue to reach as ’m a Bahraini citizen, Khalifa to do all that she does has its volunteers educate many students as possible, to and I firmly believe in in her role as the Executive students on workforce readi- engage as many volunteers as citizenship- what your Director of INJAZ Bahrain, ness, financial literacy and possible, because the program country has given to a non-profit institution that entrepreneurship, have, so far, has two sides to it,” she ex- you, you have to give she founded in 2005. Since reached 108,000 students in plains. “When the volunteer Iback to your country.” That’s its establishment, INJAZ the country- and it’s pretty teaches the program, the the response we got when we Bahrain, which is a part of certain that this number is volunteer gains skills as well; asked about what drove H.H. the global JA Worldwide only set to grow in the future. it’s not only the student. So Shaikha Hessa bint Khalifa Al network, has been, for more Given that volunteers teach both parties are benefiting. If than 10 years, building INJAZ Bahrain’s programs, Al the volunteer did not take the

Beating the odds Five lessons to take with you on your entrepreneurial journey on its vision “to inspire Khalifa is extremely cognizant program as a young person, a generation of Bahraini of their contributions in real- the program itself will en- youth to use their natural izing the organization’s vision. hance the volunteer’s commu- talents, inspirations, pas- “We tell them they are our nication, presentation, time sions, and determinations partners in the program,” she management skills, etc. At the THE RECAP MAKING IT to become the business says. “Without the volunteers, same time, the students are INDIAN INNOVATOR leaders and entrepre- we cannot open a class. So, gaining a lot of information, AWARDS COUNT H.H. SHAIKHA HESSA neurs of tomorrow.” Sure, our team -we are a team of 10 learning how to communicate, 2016 BINT KHALIFA AL KHALIFA INJAZ BAHRAIN’S EXECUTIVE it’s a decidedly large un- people working in the orga- and learning about the global DRIVEN DIRECTOR WANTS TO PREP THE COUNTRY’S YOUTH FOR dertaking to take on- but nization- try and outreach to economy. So the program has BY IMPACT THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC CAREEM EGYPT’S LANDSCAPE MANAGING DIRECTOR looking at all that INJAZ as many people in the com- benefits to both the volun- WAEL FAKHARANY Bahrain has accomplished munity as possible to join us, teers and the students. So so far with young people and support our mission. And we are trying to get as many in Bahrain, it seems fair it’s been very good- the board people to volunteer with us, to say that Al Khalifa and of directors has been very as many students to join with her team are very much effective in releasing their vol- us... We want to train a lot of in line with the realiza- unteers [from their respective volunteers, and we want to JANUARY 2017 | WWW.ENTREPRENEUR.COM/ME | UAE AED20 tion of that vision. After companies] during working train a lot of students.”

relevant and timely informa- Daria Solovieva tion to them and connect Founder, ella them to other like-minded women… We’re speaking aptivating an audi- MENA media landscape, Solo- to their minds, what they ence is a constant vieva launched ella, a curated want to do with their lives.” pursuit for any biweekly newsletter providing Taking in her own 10-year media business- and news insights, featured stories background as a journalist for entrepreneurC Daria Solovieva and events in MENA specifi- outlets including The Wall believes that perhaps, the cally catered for women. Street Journal in Moscow and best way to do so is through Though a novel idea for the Bloomberg in Dubai, Solo- focusing on email newslet- MENA region, if you were a vieva says she noticed the lack ters. She points out how our keen news junkie, you would of quality content for young inboxes are an integral aspect have heard about theSkimm women in particular, and so career growth as fast as they of how we consume news, and other similar curated her approach with ella was in should, and that perhaps, and with the rise of fake news news services. So what makes consideration of the target au- with the requisite information and diminishing readers’ ella stands out? The founder dience’s interests. She notes and inspiration, Solovieva be- trust becoming hurdles for points out as a female-focused how the young generation of lieves they could be nudged to media platforms, it’s now publication, their focus is not women in Middle East, in- move ahead further. It’s with more essential for curators to on usual fashion and beauty cluding driven women among this mindset that ella has establish trust with readers. tips, but rather to, “speak to the growing expat population, also started producing offline Seeing the opportunity in the young women directly, deliver aren’t accelerating their events and workshops for

36 Entrepreneur may 2017 Reaping the rewards The MENA region’s achieving women

their readers to connect with “30% month-on-month,” stagram and Snapchat. “[Ac- individuals, not shame them like-minded driven people to with a particularly high Insta- cording to their research], or tell them what they should further challenge them. gram engagement rate. Their only 40% of news publica- look like,” she says. “There is Curating news from print offline engagement events tions in the GCC are present a clear demand for smarter and online publications, local have also been received with on Instagram,” says Solovieva, content, and we’re catering to and international titles, ella’s good response- the founder and this, she believes, is a this global demand that’s not subscribers are primarily states how they had 25 definite opportunity for them. specific to the Middle East. expats, with readers in UAE, people signed up within less The startup leverages this Secondly, wherever there is a KSA, Egypt and wider MENA than two days for their latest advantage by tailoring and considerable market demand and other regions. Solovieva workshop on career develop- producing stories specifically and an engaged, fast-growing describes their readers as ment, all without marketing for those social media chan- demographic, advertisers CEOs, managers, and women investment. On the operations nels, which has proven to be a find multiple opportunities who have recently graduated, front, they bypass traditional smart move as a lot of readers to engage and market to their transitioning between jobs or website publishing almost end up subscribing to the target audiences. We’re just seeking inspiration. It’s early completely, solely focusing on newsletter after discovering it getting started, but what gets days, but so far, the feedback the newsletter and delivering on Instagram. me up in the morning is to see has been positive- Solovieva content to subscribers twice As for her personal motiva- a profitable, innovative media says that readers recognize a week and unlike traditional tion as an entrepreneur, company that makes women their “distinct editorial tone, media settings, ella doesn’t Solovieva is definitely a priority and caters to how we take news content publish on its website first. purpose-driven. “First, I’d them every single day across seriously, but have fun with Another approach they’ve like to see young women multiple channels. Women it too.” As of last month, decided is directly engaging grow up and see more media are fighters, they are half the according to Solovieva, their in platforms where their outlets speak to them and world’s population, and they readership has been growing audiences are, which are In- engage them as smart, capable shouldn’t be an afterthought.”

sports, and I wanted to be you.” And for what Lilian Barbosa, comfortable while exercising. it’s worth, it certainly Plus, I wanted friends to join does seem like Oola Haya Al Ghanim, me. If they can’t find the right Sports has been a Amina Ahmadi clothes to exercise with me, pioneer in whatever they don’t even make it for an it has set out to do Co-founders, Oola Sports outdoor run, for example. The so far. In less than a more I looked into ways to year, Oola has grown It’s a common thing for solve this challenge, the more to be a brand that has entrepreneurs to start up a I realized how big of a market achieved recognition business to solve a problem it is. That led my partners, in Qatar and the that they personally face, Amina [Ahmadi], Lilian [Bar- region, with the first batch of As for the road ahead, Al and that seems to have been bosa], and I to work together its activewear collection hav- Ghanim has set her sights exactly the route Oola Sports on finding a solution, and ing hit the market in the last high. “The crowdfunding cam- co-founder and CEO Haya Al we decided to launch Oola quarter of 2016. “We came paign has raised my bar for Ghanim took when starting to provide more women with together for a common goal– new hires,” she says. “Going up her venture that offers access to outdoor sports by gearing up for the launch, forward, for 2017 onwards, we women “loose-fitting and not providing modesty-inspired, accepting the challenge to be will be looking for new team revealing, yet contemporary loose-fitting activewear.” agile, and quick to act on a members to join us, only if and elegant sportswear.” Explaining the name of her crowdfunding campaign on they can have the same agility, According to Al Ghanim, her company, Al Ghanim says, Indiegogo with the teaser, responsiveness and selfless company’s activewear line “In Arabic, oola means the ‘Oola Sportswear: Activewear giving of quality work for the is for women who are like first, the pioneer. We believe That’s Got You Covered’ that overall betterment of the team her- passionate about staying every woman is a pioneer in was started in the beginning and Oola. Secondly, our goal healthy, but want to stay true her own life, and our brand of October 2016. This experi- for 2017 and onwards is to to their individual values reflects this belief. Oola is ence reshaped my expecta- not only continue to be good while doing so. a revolutionary brand that tions of the new hires on the listeners to our customers’ “It all came from my per- caters to the active woman Oola team, and in the end, needs, but also when it’s sonal need,” she remembers. who chooses to maintain an after 30 days on Indiegogo, we time to make decisions, we “I had the desire to enjoy the active, healthy lifestyle, while raised a total of US$33,790 would refer to their valuable great outdoors, while stay- choosing to maintain her in- from 115 backers. This was insights. That’s our priority, ing in line with my values dividual values. Our garments over and much beyond our and a determining factor in and culture. I love outdoors are made for the pioneer in expectation of $25,000.” making decisions.”

may 2017 Entrepreneur 37 Reaping the rewards The MENA region’s achieving women

esting statistics- women constitute 46.6% of the UAE labor market, with 66% in the public sector, of whom 30% hold leadership roles. Furthermore, around 20% of representatives in the UAE Federal National Coun- cil are women, and eight of the country’s ministers are women. Looking specifically at the private sector, the country has 23,000 registered businesswomen running investments worth Exceeding around US$15 billion. On the list of achievements, which is by no means exhaustive, is also the fact that the UAE is the first country in the Arab region to introduce a mandatory female presence in corporate expectations boardrooms, with a target We ask seven female entrepreneurs in the MENA region to explain how they are getting their voices heard in the ecosystem of 20% by 2020 for listed companies. By Tamara Pupic A common thread connecting the seven women I inter- viewed to capture a snapshot or three years the Gender Balance Guide: which measures progress of on-the-ground experi- in a row, the Good Practices for UAE towards parity between men ences of what empowerment UAE ranked first Organizations, a compre- and women in four areas means to women working in the world hensive set of guidelines and every year -educational in the MENA region today for treating concrete actions for UAE attainment, health and sur- is that they all, although women with organizations to adopt a vival, economic opportunity being of different origins and respect, as per a gender-sensitive approach in and political empowerment- hailing from different con- global social progress index their workplace. showed that the region has tinents, call the UAE home. developedF by the World The goal behind all of these closed over 95% of its edu- Contrary to the generation Economic Forum’s Global efforts is to raise the UAE’s cational attainment gender of their equally educated Agenda Council and Harvard ranking to one of the top 25 gap. mothers, they have opted Business School Professor countries in the world for Traditionally, the MENA to climb up the corporate Michael Porter. Indeed, the gender equality by 2021. In countries have been popu- ladder and later hop off the country has made significant just a few years, the UAE lated by women who value treadmill to form companies progress towards parity be- aims to move up 99 spots in education highly. Not cut that are more aligned with tween men and women, with international rankings made from the same cloth, the their values, or embarked on one such initiative being the by the World Economic UAE has gone an extra mile an entrepreneurial journey formation of the UAE Gender Forum (WEF), as it is cur- by breeding a young and from the outset. Lastly, they Balance Council in 2015 to rently placed 124th out of educated female population, all point out to changes –not enhance women’s roles as 144 countries. The WEF’s which is also capable of em- challenges– when talking key partners in building the Global Gender Gap Report bracing leadership positions. about how today’s women country’s future. Then, in of 2016 revealed that the In enabling women, both ensure their voices are 2016, the council adopted GCC nations are among the local and expat, to exploit heard. the UAE Gender Balance lowest ranked countries in their economic power, the Ola Doudin, the founder of Program, with a mandate the world, with Qatar being UAE has managed to attract BitOasis, a Dubai-based fin- to review existing legisla- the highest ranked Gulf na- ambitious females from tech startup allowing Middle tion, propose a new set of tion (119th), Kuwait (128th), around the globe who are Eastern users to safely buy regulations related to gender Bahrain (131st), Oman driven to better their com- and store bitcoins online, balance, and oversee their (133rd), and Saudi Arabia munities. As a result, the explains that education has implementation. Most re- (141st). Yet, the WEF’s 2016 UAE Gender Balance Council been a priority for women cently, the council launched benchmarking exercise, today presents some inter- in her Jordanian family

38 Entrepreneur may 2017 Reaping the rewards The MENA region’s achieving women

across the MENA region, and first female criminologist this includes the tradition- in the Middle East, decided ally most conservative Saudi to establish the Hissah En- Arabia. Lama A. Younis, a richment Centre only four Saudi children’s rights activ- months after obtaining her ist and founder of Hissah PhD in childhood studies Enrichment Center, a Dubai- in the UK, both Doudin and based child abuse prevention Weymuller gained business and care center, explains experience in corporations that technological advance- before venturing out on their ments have given rise to own. As a testament to the cultural differences among innate leadership skills of generations of Saudi women. women in the UAE, a report “Saudi women have always by Accenture states that been creative, but they have they are more likely than had to be creative behind their male classmates to closed doors,” Younis says. aspire to senior leadership “Now, there has been an positions, (67% versus explosion of creativity and 62%, respectively); almost they can showcase it to the as likely to have a mentor, Sonia Weymuller, world much more easily. My (69% compared to 70%); Founding Partner, mother’s world was smaller, or choose an area of study VentureSouq unplugged, and the women that they believe offers high of her era felt a greater earning potential (42% “Going into the corporate world is pressure to assume more versus 37%). According traditional roles, especially to Weymuller, joining the actually really important because you in a collectivist culture like corporate world is a good learn a lot about yourself. It’s like ours. Their choice of lifestyle starting point for enabling an MBA. A solid corporate experience was limited and their lives these skills to develop to back you up does give you a sort of were framed by stricter further. “Going into the societal rules, values and corporate world is actually credibility in entrepreneurship.” morals. A greater proportion really important because you of women from my genera- learn a lot about yourself,” throughout the generations. union at her university in tion are university educated. she says. “It’s like an MBA. >>> “My mother and my aunts Lucknow, India,” Weymuller We have the are all university educated,” says. “She spent her lifetime opportunity to Lama A. Younis, she says. “But, there was no fighting for women’s rights, study in the GCC or founder, Hissah sort of drive to realize your which transpired down the abroad. For many, Enrichment Center potential in terms of going generations. My French living abroad, in a out into the workplace, get- grandmother was involved different culture, ting a job that aligns with in the Resistance and ended has broadened our your values and makes you up at the Ravensbrück con- perspectives, and wake up every morning eager centration camp. She is an it has opened our to work. However, I think extremely strong woman. minds to exploring that is not related to women However, when I look at my the many career, alone, but that the genera- mum’s generation, the idea business, and life tion of my parents in general of entrepreneurship was not choices that are valued stability over creating the first thing to come to available to us. We new businesses that change mind. Yet, it has nothing to are risk-takers. the way people live.” do with gender, but the men- While having Sonia Weymuller, Founding tality. The Indian side of my greater freedom is Partner of VentureSouq, family, who are closer to the beneficial it is also a Dubai-based early-stage Arab culture, thought I was confusing at times equity funding platform, also crazy for wanting to leave as it challenges our grew up among the examples my corporate job to do my beliefs. However, of strong, educated, and own thing. So, I think it is the upside of this principled womanhood. “My more of a generational gap, is that it makes Indian grandmother was than a gender issue.” us stronger in our the first woman and first Although not uniform, faith and values.” Muslim to head the student progress has been steady While Younis, the Reaping the rewards The MENA region’s achieving women

of stuff later on. I realized Ola Doudin, that, ultimately, I am more a founder, people person. While I cher- BitOasis ished and appreciated the numbers-driven experience that I had, I didn’t want to be stuck behind my laptop.” BitOasis founder Doudin quit her job as an IT Associ- ate at Ernst & Young London in the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crash, moved back to Jordan where she worked on entrepreneurship be in the Middle East, where initiatives with Fadi Ghan- my roots are.” dour, Executive Chairman Analyzing whether cor- of Wamda Group, before porations promote policies establishing her company that encourage higher in 2014. In hindsight, she achievement by women says, joining a corporation is a part of the mandate seemed as the only option of the Pearl Initiative, a for an engineering graduate Sharjah-based organiza- she once was. “I studied en- tion fostering a corporate Carla Koffel, Executive Director, gineering at the University of culture of accountability and The Pearl Initiative Birmingham. A natural thing transparency. Its two GCC- to do was to go to a career focused reports -Women’s center, which was where I Careers in the GCC: The CEO “We see a lot of change in the realized that, for an engineer, Agenda (2015) and Women’s consulting jobs in technol- Careers in the GCC - Four region in that it is becoming more ogy were highly paid, and Good Practice Case Studies a common place for women to be London was a great place to (2016)- revealed that even working, and also to be working start your career, so I ap- though three quarters of plied to all consulting firms. over 600 surveyed women, in different types of roles.” Entrepreneurship wasn’t occupying managerial posi- even a part of the career tions, felt that their families A solid corporate experience were no startups recruiting center. No one really thought were supportive of their to back you up does give you at universities at that time, about entrepreneurship education and career, they a sort of credibility in entre- only banking or consulting being a viable career path. were still hampered by preneurship. People work in companies. I kind of fell In a corporation, you learn a traditional role models. As a different ways, for some it into corporate work because lot on the job as a graduate. result, the first report stated, is more important that you while I was doing my mas- During the first year, it was around half of the women went to a good school and ter’s in London, which is an all new, and I was learning chose to opt out by taking had an amazing experience expensive city for students, so much, but in the second career breaks, starting their work-wise, whereas others I wanted to make some year, once I learned all the own businesses, or becoming do not care whether you are money, so I took a contract basics, I felt I was just re- self-employed. “We see a a college drop out or not.” job with Microsoft and peating everything, but with lot of change in the region Educated at Yale University joined their Strategy M&A twice as much work. That is in that it is becoming more and the London School of team which reported directly when I became aware that a common place for women Economics, Weymuller to a CFO in Seattle. I was 22, a corporate environment is to be working, and also to be started her career at Micro- and it was a sink or swim very structured and, specifi- working in different types of soft, which was followed by situation, but I learned a lot cally in consulting, it doesn’t roles,” says Carla Koffel, the stints at Viacom and Turner due to my amazing mentors encourage you to think out- Executive Director of The Broadcasting. In 2013, she who really sat by my side side of the box. While I was Pearl Initiative. “However, co-founded VentureSouq, and walked me through considering what to do next, a lot of companies here are which has grown from an everything. I liked what I was the whole entrepreneurship at the start of their journey informal investor group of doing, although it was very wave started springing up and some of them haven’t friends to a network of over numbers-driven, but it was in Europe and the Middle focused on the issues, such 650 people investing more important for me because East, and then I decided that as flexible working or how than $6 million in 13 portfo- it was a base that I needed if I wanted to start my own to provide facilities for their lio companies. “Sadly, there in order to understand a lot business, it should definitely employees’ children, and so

40 Entrepreneur may 2017 Reaping the rewards The MENA region’s achieving women

on, yet. There is no easy so- In addition, a failure to lution to this and each com- translate relevant policies pany needs to identify what into action leads to the is going to specifically work same results- women leav- for that organization. It de- ing the workplace. A report pends on what business they conducted by Hopscotch. are in and the demographics ae shows that women seek- of the people who are working to join the workforce ing in that organization, and feel the need for support in then what is best suiting for terms of flexibility (79%), both the workforce and the competitive pay (58%), objectives of that organiza- childcare (53%), maternity tion. It also means that quite leave (49%) and mentorship a bit of time needs to be and training (46%). One invested into asking these example of a woman seeking questions so that something to strike a balance between that is going to work can her professional and per- be applied. We have also sonal demands is Jumana Sarah Jones, found that it is important Al Darwish, founder of The founder, Sprii.com to, firstly, bring men into the Happy Box, a lifestyle brand, conversation, and secondly, and The Happy Studio, a to look at middle managers pop-up community space Sarah Jones, founder of Sp- was the company’s inability who have such big impact recently opened in Alserkal rii, a curated online lifestyle to be agile. They can’t move on the career development Avenue. The 35-year-old hub for women launched in quickly. If a junior has got of women. They often make Jordanian had worked in the Dubai in 2014, started her an idea or even if partners decisions about promotions, public and nonprofit sectors, career at Deloitte London have got an idea, it has to go they often make decisions including The Executive Of- which led to an interna- through 17 different levels of that affect the policies that fice (TEO)-Dubai School of tional secondment in the approval. I was buzzing with apply throughout the organi- Government, The Executive Middle East just a few years ideas every day. They don’t zation, so it has been seen to Office (TEO)-Mohammed later. “The main challenge want that from an assistant be very important.” Bin Rashid Al Maktoum of being a woman in the manager. They want people Foundation (MBRF), and finance world is that you are to come and do their day job, “When I started my Dubai Cares, for 10 years be- expected to work extremely but I wanted to be able to own enterprise, I was fore co-founding The Happy long hours and that is the think of and implement an forced to be on the Box in 2014. “The price of norm,” Jones says. “It is easy idea on a daily basis.” front line and hence success when I was working when you are 21 or 22, but if A daughter of a Palestinian had to overcome in the public sector was you do want to start a family, refugee, San Francisco- many of my personal family,” she says. “Though I this might be a challenge. born Joy Ajlouny is now an barriers and fears worked for incredible enti- There were [a] few [women], internationally acclaimed to be able to position ties that granted me flexible just one or two, senior e-commerce veteran. and grow my brand.” time, I was still very much partners at Deloitte when I However, since her early away from my family and worked there. It is virtually twenties, Ajlouny has not suffered greatly from guilt impossible for most women shied away from jumping Jumana Al Darwish, when I became a mother. [to succeed] in those com- into the unstable waters of founder, Now, as an entrepreneur, I panies because how can you entrepreneurship headfirst. The Happy have more ownership over lead a team of 20, who are all A risk-taker by nature, Box my schedule. However, I men and who are all happy Ajlouny first opened a fash- feel that as an entrepreneur to work till 2 a.m. every day, ion store in New York, and I have neglected myself when you have a family as later founded Bonfaire, a US- greatly. Entrepreneurship well? They tell you that you based e-commerce discovery can be an incredibly lonely can, but it is just incredibly platform for luxury footwear journey, and without the hard to gain the respect of and accessories, which was right support from family your colleagues because you acquired in 2013 by fashion and friends, one can end are not there [as much as e-commerce giant Moda up losing themselves in the they are]. That is the chal- Operandi, owned by LVMH process. I have to continu- lenge that one faces, and has and Condé Nast. Bringing her ously remind myself that I to accept in a big corporation vast experience to the region, am human and need time off like that. However, my big- Ajlouny co-founded Fetchr, a to take care of me and that gest reason for wanting to GPS-tracked parcel delivery is okay.” leave and start my own thing app, in Dubai in 2013. >>>

may 2017 Entrepreneur 41 Reaping the rewards The MENA region’s achieving women

In her opinion, women always used to being a foot jump because you are never larger funding amounts from entrepreneurs rarely face soldier, someone behind the going to know everything.” most prestigious interna- discrimination in the Middle scenes. That had an impact Likewise, Doudin opines tional venture capital firms. East. “I find that being a on my growth professionally. that the lack of self-doubt is Furthermore, she has done woman entrepreneur in When I started my own en- what evidently differentiates it more than once- in addi- the Middle East to be an terprise, I was forced to be male entrepreneurs from tion to successfully exiting advantage actually,” she on the front line and hence their female counterparts. Bonfaire, she closed a fund- says. “When negotiating, a had to overcome many of my “Men pitch as if they did it ing round for Fetchr, raising man on the other side of the personal barriers and fears already,” she says. “It is ei- over $11 million in Series table is not going to confront to be able to position and ther confidence that projects A. Ajlouny hopes that the you, or be as ego-driven as grow my brand.” Weymuller trust in the other person or success she has seen -and he would be with another adds, “I think that there is a some do it arrogantly, but the work that she has done man. However, it is about fear, which is more prevalent either way, it works. There to get it- will encourage how you conduct yourself... amongst women, of not is a certain way of present- more women in the region The same applies to men. knowing enough, that either ing yourself, your body to take advantage of the It works both ways; it’s not it’s not the right time [to language, the words and the opportunities accorded to just a woman thing. There is start a business] because, tone that you use, that men them, and not turn a blind a way to conduct yourself to for example, they need to have perfected a lot more eye to them. “When I travel, be taken seriously.” work in a corporation a bit than women.” I often see women from the When asked whether more before they make the Pitching to investors is Middle East having a photo eventually taking the switch, or because they are something Ajlouny knows of a wedding dress on their entrepreneurial route has still a bit green and there well. She is among the 1% cell phone, and then when I empowered them to reach is more to learn, and so on. of female entrepreneurs congratulate them on getting their potential, Al Darwish, Yet, you just need to take the worldwide that have raised married, they often answer: Weymuller, and Doudin ‘No, not yet, but this will be all agree that the greatest my wedding dress,’” Ajlouny burden that could be a de- “I think that it is really important explains. “So, they are not terrent to success of today’s as women that we accomplish getting married, and might women entrepreneurs is, not even have a boyfriend at essentially, inside of them. things for ourselves. You get your all, but they have a photo of “Personally, fear held me self-esteem and your happiness their future wedding dress back for many years,” says Al on their cell phones. Arab Darwish. “I was terrified of from the goals that you have set women traditionally get being in the frontline. I was and accomplished in your life.” education, but just to find a better husband. They don’t get education to actually use the learning. Yet, Arab women have just as much the brains and the passion to go after what they believe in. Again, it is not just an Arab thing. You are considered a success story worldwide if you find a husband and have children. I think that it is really important as women that we accomplish things for ourselves. You get your self-esteem and your happiness from the goals that you have set and accomplished in your life. It is good to have a husband and children too, but you still need something for yourself. Therefore, my message to women is that they can do both. You can have both, but don’t lose Joy Ajlouny, co-founder, Fetchr yourself; don’t lose the es- sence of who you are.”

42 Entrepreneur may 2017

Reaping the rewards The MENA region’s achieving women

Every company that is truly interested in finding the best employees should hire based on the job requirements, as well as what is most likely to improve the performance of the company in whole. This means looking at and evaluating skills and competencies, relevant work experience, and Up the career ladder past performance. Gender should play little to no role when it comes to these essential objectives. and through the glass ceiling In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the Empowering women to lead By Suha Mardelli Haroun opinions are nearly split. The Bayt.com Working Women in the Middle East and North Oftentimes, many e are half of Women employees have to Africa Survey revealed that female employees your workforce, fight their way uphill towards less than half (47%) of the have the potential, if not more. We a promotion or a leadership respondents feel that job offers the drive, and the have the capac- role. Indeed, moving up the are based on experience and interest in assuming leadership roles and ity to fill just career ladder is a competitive qualifications and gender plays Wabout every position in your process regardless of gender no role in the decision. Less working their way up the career ladder. company, from technology and everyone has to work hard than half (47%) have never However, many are and engineering, to marketing and show true commitment for been asked questions that often disadvantaged and sales, and all the way to it. Nonetheless, there are many made them feel discriminated when it comes to finance and management. We ways to ensure that advance- against as women during a job skills and training. are often tasked to juggle nu- ments and promotions as well interview. But the opposite is merous roles and responsibili- as the overall work environ- true for the other half. ties between our professional ment is free of discrimination Even beyond hiring, employ- and personal lives. And, as far or bias. ers who seek to help all of their as we all know, we are equally Companies that are in- employees succeed and assume valuable and productive as our terested in maximizing the more leadership roles ought to male counterparts. productivity of their entire remove gender barriers when it Yet, research consistently workforce and ensuring comes to training, promotions, shows that women in our employee satisfaction and salary raises, and the day-to- region are still significantly retention must give the same day matters at work. behind when it comes to op- value and attention to their portunities for career advance- female employees, as to their research consistently shows ment and promotions as well male counterparts. You can that women in our region are still significantly behind when as several other factors such as help your female employees it comes to opportunities salaries and benefits. who possess the drive and the for career advancement and We conducted the Bayt.com leadership potential to find promotions as well as several Working Women in the Middle their opportunities in-house, other factors such as salaries East and North Africa Survey, instead of having to quit their and benefits. in which the gender gap at the jobs and search elsewhere. workplace was still reportedly Foster your leadership wide. Although many com- Adopt an equal potential through training panies and startups may not opportunity environment Oftentimes, many female intentionally adopt discrimi- This is one of the most es- employees have the potential, natory policies, they often sential elements to securing the drive, and the interest do not provide their female higher productivity, satis- in assuming leadership roles employees with the resources faction, and even retention and working their way up the and tools to help them excel for all employees. Adopting career ladder. However, 9many and achieve the business goals discrimination-free policies are often disadvantaged when as well as the employees’ own starts as early as your strategy it comes to skills and train- professional objectives. for sourcing and hiring talent. ing. More than a third (35%) infographics courtesy bayt.com bayt.com courtesy infographics

44 Entrepreneur may 2017 Reaping the rewards The MENA region’s achieving women

of females who responded to Accommodate employee impact of having children on women’s career the Bayt.com Working Women needs in the Middle East and North When it comes to the day- Don’t know/ Africa Survey stated that the to-day challenges and life can’t say lack of sufficient job training circumstances, women may 4% and coaching is their main be put under more pressure at challenge at work. work. For instance, pregnancy, Not at all Affected to a large One of the ways to help marriage, and child-care are affected extent women succeed at work frequently perceived as barri- 27% 30% and pursue their leader- ers for promotions and assum- ship potential is to provide ing leadership roles and that them with more training and should not be the case. Seven Affected to some development opportunities, in 10 women surveyed in the extent some of which can be targeted Bayt.com Working Women in 40% for what female employees at the Middle East and North a particular company spe- Africa Survey said that their cifically need. Whether it is decision to have children has negotiation skills, manage- affected their career, at least ment skills, or other technical to some extent. The survey such as paid maternity leave Bring your role models to know-hows that are essential also showed that only 8% of and flexible work hours, in the spotlight for higher positions, it is vital women working in the Middle compliance with the labor law, Mentorship is one of the that female employees, at East are satisfied with their and in order to enable female most effective techniques for least, have the opportunity to company’s maternity leave employees to get back on track professional development and learn about and develop these policy. and reach their desired career for encouraging employees to competencies. Employers should be aware level. perform their best and work By providing sufficient train- that many of these life This process starts by work- their way towards their career ing and career development circumstances are bound to ing collaboratively with em- goals. Sometimes, women opportunities, you could also happen but they should not ployees, planning leaves and may be hesitant to even ask complete your succession interfere with the employee’s replacements ahead of time, for a promotion or a leader- planning, map out your next career progression. In fact, it opening communication chan- ship position if they do not see key employees and leaders, is the employer’s responsibil- nels among teams, and offering other women leaders who are and bolster your retention ity to provide accommoda- more flexibility for working empowered and are succeeding strategy. tion for such occurrences, mothers. in their roles. >>>

treatment of men vs. women at workplace ? Men and women Men treated less Women treated Don’t know / treated equally favorably less favorably Can’t say

Recruitment and selection 44 9 34 14

Career progression 38 8 43 11

Advice and support 50 9 28 12

Salary 43 6 40 11

Benefits 44 10 34 12

Working hours 64 16 14 6

Training and development 58 5 23 14 infographics courtesy bayt.com bayt.com courtesy infographics

may 2017 Entrepreneur 45 Reaping the rewards The MENA region’s achieving women

various challenges women face in their work environment

Less opportunity for job promotions

Stressful and demanding work environment

Lack / insufficient job training and coaching Top 5 challenges

Lack of flexible work timings

Lack of job stability / security

Limited opportunities to perform

Lack of benefits (medical, maternity, etc.)

Unsympathetic management style

Pay gap with male counterparts Discrimination 2% Heavier workload than male counterparts Other Work demanding constant travel challenges

None of the above

Employers should encourage are enhancing team synergy Otherwise, women who are not that there are several notable their senior female employ- and dynamics, you are provid- trusted at work may feel dis- improvements and positive ees and managers to have ing useful and cost-effective empowered and could perhaps signs of women empower- these discussions with other training opportunities and you disengage or seek better work ment and satisfaction at the female employees, see what are creating a cohesive and opportunities elsewhere. workplace. Especially when it their goals and needs are, and goal-driven work culture. Take Bayt.com as a case comes to labor laws, working start providing them with the study. The job site has very hours, as well as the recruit- right tools. Build a culture of Show confidence and strict anti-discrimination ment and selection process, mentorship, pair up employees empower policies to protect applicants more and more women are on based on interest or career At the end of the day, employ- and employees. Applicants are their way to securing a bal- trajectory, and allow them to ees need to feel trusted to lead only recruited based on their anced position with their male share their knowledge and or assume a more challenging skills. There is no discrimina- counterparts. Nonetheless, the help each other advance. role. Employers need to show tion based on race, age, color, survey also points to several confidence in their female gender, religion, or national areas, such as salaries and One of the ways to help employees by giving them origin. As a result, women are promotions that women are women succeed at work and more difficult tasks, accepting employed at Bayt.com across still not fully satisfied with. pursue their leadership their request to work on new all roles and departments, Progress can be achieved and potential is to provide them projects, helping them explore including technology, market- the steps are easy to imple- with more training and new areas of their jobs, and ing, human resources, finance, ment. Young companies and development opportunities, enabling them to lead, even if sales, and leadership. The startups, in particular, have some of which can be targeted for what female at a small scale as a start. top management and execu- the leg up in this equation; employees at a particular For example, assigning your tive board has a very healthy more flexibility to challenge company specifically need. female employee as a team gender ratio. the status quo, to enhance and leader or a manager for a The truth is: women have encourage female participation In doing so, you are hitting specific project will help them achieved great progress in in the workforce, and to be the multiple birds with one stone; develop more managerial the workplace over the past industry leaders in welcoming you are identifying your poten- skills. Ultimately, they will be decade. The Bayt.com Working female leadership and gender tial leaders, you are celebrat- more confident and competent Women in the Middle East and balance to their company ing your current leaders, you to apply for a higher position. North Africa Survey showed cultures.

Suha Mardelli Haroun is the Regional Director of Bayt.com, one of the leading job sites in the Middle East with more than 40,000 employers and over 27,500,000 registered job seekers from across the Middle East, North Africa and the globe, representing all industries, nationalities and career levels. infographics courtesy bayt.com bayt.com courtesy infographics

46 Entrepreneur may 2017

Nasma_11296_Launch_Campaign_20.3x27.3cm_Eng.indd 1 3/27/17 6:54 PM infographics courtesy bayt.com bayt.com courtesy infographics

Gadgets and doodads that you might’ve missed out on, sourced by a tech aficionado. Yes, it’s okay to want them all… and no, it’s not our fault.

A galaxy of opportunities Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+

Samsung is making quite and anti-blur photos. They Need an assistant? Sam- a splash with the launch of also include beloved Galaxy sung’s new intelligent plat- the Galaxy S8 and S8+ smart- features like IP68 water and form, Bixby, is designed to phones- both devices are big- dust resistance, Micro-SD help you get more from your ger and better than ever! The support up to 256GB, always- phone. Press the Bixby button S8 sports a 5.8-inch Infinity on display and fast wireless and you’ll be able to conve- Display,Phab 2 Pro while Fingerprint the S8+ has a charging. And if that’s not niently scroll through services slightly larger 6.2-inch Infinity enough, Samsung has added and apps using touch, vision Display. With Corning Gorilla new technologies too. For or text commands. Bixby of- Glass and smooth, continuous instance, you can extend the fers personalized help based design, the devices give you a use of your Galaxy S8 device on what it learns about

seamless viewing experience. using Samsung DeX, a unique your interests, situation and LG Levitating The Galaxy S8 and S8+ are solution that transforms your location over time. Another Portable Speaker equipped with an 8MP Smart smartphone into a desktop addition is Samsung Pay, autofocus front camera and computer. Samsung DeX al- which turns your Galaxy S8 a 12MP rear camera for tak- lows you to easily display and and S8+ into a digital wallet ing the best low light, zoom edit data from your phone. that can be used instead of a debit or credit card. With more than 870 worldwide banking partnerships, you can Samsung Galaxy S8 use it just about anywhere. Last but not the least, the brand has improved security Samsung Galaxy S8+ as well. The devices are built on Samsung Knox, a defense- grade security platform that allows you to choose from biometric security options to secure your device. You can use facial recognition, the iris or fingerprint scanner to unlock your Galaxy. These are certainly devices that are living up to their names- and opening up “a galaxy of opportunities.”

Power up Belkin Mixit Metallic Power Pack 6000 Draw like the pros Google’s AutoDraw can transform With the Belkin Mixit need a boost. It features a your doodles to art Metallic Power Pack four-light LED battery status 6000, you can now charge indicator, a huge 6000 mAh up anywhere. Simply use battery and two USB ports. the 6-inch micro USB cable That means you’ll be able that comes with the device to power up yourself and to charge it up before leaving a friend at the same time. home. Then, while you’re Although the power pack out and about, plug in your comes with a cable, you can phone or tablet when you upgrade and pair it with the MIXIT DuraTek USB-C Cable. It’s encased in DuPont Kevlar fiber- the same fiber that’s used to protect firefighters. The double-braided nylon fibers form a flexible jacket that absorbs stress from If you find your drawing skills machine learning to analyze and bending to avoid breakage laughable and your expertise in guess people’s doodles, and get and repels heat just in case this department only extends better as it self-learns too. It’s you keep it in the car. The to stick people and random pretty straight forward to use: bonus: they both come in a shapes, then perhaps this new you can start by doodling your variety of coordinating colors. technology from Google is your best attempt of a house or a cake, shot at redemption. Launched then the AutoDraw suggestion by Google’s A.I. Experiments -an tool would guess what it closely Picture perfect open source platform showcasing resembles from your squiggles Nikon D7500 creative uses for machine learning- and replace your amateur doodle AutoDraw is a tool which analyzes with a more refined version. The Nikon D7500 features never miss a moving subject and pair your doodles to similar Clearly a nifty and fun tool, it’s the high performance either with a high-speed (and quite accurate) drawings free to use on a phone, tablet or EXPEED 5 image- continuous capture of up to of professional artists to replace computer, so doodle away fellow processing engine, 4K UHD 50 shots with each burst of it and help you draw fast. The wannabe artists! And if you’re an video recording and an approximately 8 frames- tech behind it is a cool insight to artist yourself, creatives are also updated Nikon DX-format per-second. D7500 is made AI’s capabilities- it utilizes one of welcomed to submit drawings for 20.9-megapixel CMOS for you to capture and share Google’s AI experiment projects others to use with AutoDraw. sensor. It’s an updated with SnapBridge and built-in called Quick Draw, which uses aiexperiments.withgoogle.com/autodraw version of the D500- but is Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. All of it worth the upgrade? Well, these features are packed the new Nikon DX-format into a redesigned camera sensor has a native ISO range body that is lighter and of 100 to 51,200, which more compact, so it can go

provides minimal noise in low wherever life takes you. Nikon D7500

light situations- making it literally a snap to take great photos in the dark. Capture X PERIMENTS your subject more precisely with Auto Focus (AF), Auto Exposure (AE) and auto in, AIE bel k in, on, white balance performance delivered by the 180K-pixel RGB sensor and 51-point AF : samsung, ni k samsung, : System. With D7500, you’ll COURTESY IMAGES

#TAMTALKSTECH Tamara Clarke, a former software development professional, is the tech and lifestyle enthusiast behind The Global Gazette, one of the most active blogs in the Middle East. The Global Gazette has been welcomed and lauded by some of the most influential tech brands in the region. Clarke’s goal is to inform about technology and how it supports our lifestyles. See her work both in print regional publications and online on her blog where she discusses everything from how a new gadget improves day-to-day life to how to coordinate your smartphone accessories. Visit www.theglobalgazette.com and talk to her on Twitter @TamaraClarke.

may 2017 Entrepreneur 49 CULTURE business unusual | LIFE | TRAVEL | DESIGN | TRAPPINGS

‘Trep trimmings The executive selection From better goods to better wardrobe bests, every issue we choose a few items that make the approved executive selection list. In this issue, we present the Digel SS17 line, a retro addition for your timepiece lineup, and a worthy pick from a cool skincare range.

Tissot Ballade (Gent)

Tissot Ballade Powermatic 80 SI calibre

BLAST FROM THE PAST TISSOT Fresh out of Baselworld 2017, the famous annual international watch and jewellery exhibition staged in Switzerland, Tissot’s Ballade has caught our eye. With expertise dating back since 1853, the Swiss brand has definitely earned our trust when it comes to chronometry. The Ballade yellow gold straps. And if you pays homage to Tissot’s history look closely enough, there’s that of antimagnetic watches and im- peculiar Clous de Paris detail on proves upon the Powermatic 80 the bezel, giving off that old- automatic movement. Available school vibe, and making it an easy for both ladies and gentlemen, it timepiece to sport at both meet- Tissot Ballade offers seven styles of black, white, ings and social scene gatherings. (Lady) stainless steel, grey, brown and www.tissotwatches.com

Editor’s pick NIOD If your skin often feels tight and in need apply evenly all over the face day and/or of that hydration hit, it’s worth giving night, or even between flights for a hydra- NIOD Hydration Vaccine a try. It protects tion pick-me-up. Keep one at home, and the skin’s natural moisturizing factors one in your travel essentials to use during against hydration loss, and supports the your next business trip or weekend geta- production of those same elements within way, and give your skin that much needed the skin. After your cleansing and toning boost staving off dehydration. Moisturize, regime (or post shave, for the gents), friends, moisturize! www.niod.com images courtesy tissot, niod, digel digel niod, tissot, courtesy images

50 Entrepreneur may 2017 DIGEL SS17

LINE BY LINE DIGEL SS17 The summer months are ahead, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to slack off. Digel’s SS2017 line presents a look that suggests that you mean business. Bright tones and minimalistic suits are domi- nant in this collection, paired with smart cuffs and clean edges. And though we’re sure you want to make an impression in the boardroom, the German brand also encourages its clientele to mix and match, meaning repurposing your jacket and trouser combina- tions to create everyday casual ensembles. www.digel.de

DIGEL SS17

DIGEL SS17 DIGEL SS17

may 2017 Entrepreneur 51 TREPONOMICS ETHICS | ESQUIRE GUY | SKILLSET | MARKETING | PRO

Less is more The Esquire Guy on what not to do when you are managing people

By Ross McCammon

f the tools at a manager’s managing is as philosophical as it disposal -meetings, delega- is practical. 20 or so years ago, he tion, assistants, fear, the typed up some thoughts about be- Okey to that one closet that ing an accountant and about being a no one else seems to have access manager, and when I was in college, to- restraint is probably the most he shared them with me. underrated. Discretion. Holding Many of the items are specific back. Not doing things. There’s a to his profession, but there are whole industry set up for how to other more general rules about the actively manage employees. There workplace and life. The only one are books and websites and “learn- I remembered until rereading the ing systems” and seminars. What document recently was: no touch- there aren’t enough of are guides to ing. Of employees, of customers, of being less of a boss. This is gonna vendors, of peers. Anything other be about that. than a handshake is outside the My father started out as an ac- boundaries of professionalism. countant at Apple in the ‘80s, then I’ve always loved the “no touch- became CFO of various other tech ing” rule. At first it seems a little companies. (In general, I would sug- repressive, fussy and small. But like gest that anytime a writer invokes all great “don’t” rules, it’s actually either of his parents this early in a freeing. While it places a limit on a story, you should immediately stop manager’s behavior, it has the effect reading that story. In this case, I of eliminating all kinds of mixed humbly ask you to bear with me.) messages that can confuse people As you can imagine from some- and stifle work and creativity. one who came up with Steve Jobs It suggests that the manager early on, my father’s approach to should be professional and discreet

KEY TECHNICAL MATTERS Things a manager should never do No scornful e-mails. No pauses for longer than five No touching. That includes high- No e-mails that would someday look seconds. fives, hugs, two-handed forward- really embarrassing or criminal if read No employee friend requests on facing shoulder grabs, back rubs, out loud in a court of law. Facebook. cheek pinches, noogies and all other No trying to solve personal problems No employee friend requests in forms of touching, excluding the between two employees. They got in person. handshake. the mess. They can get themselves No threats. No berating of an employee in front out. No winking. of others. No soliciting employee input on your No threats of winking. In fact, no berating ever. own personal problems. No compliments about employee’s Also: no berets. Unless you’re No planning after-work outings style of hair, fit of pants, clarity of managing a battalion of Green without first asking yourself, “If I skin, choice of spouse, duration of Berets. In which case you should also were an employee, would I want to restroom visit, etc. feel free to openly berate ... sir. spend time with my boss outside of Compliments about cut of jib are fine. No playful e-mails. work?” Easy on the thumbs-up.

52 Entrepreneur may 2017 cannot tell certain people even if they ask. But you have a responsi- Spot the differences bility to tell them that you cannot A bad manager e-mail tell them. Don’t be responsible for other peo- Steve! I hope you had a glorious ple’s careers. If these people are in weekend. Great pair of pants today. the organization that reports to you, Where’d you get those? Listen, you are responsible only for their about that thing we discussed the jobs, not for their careers. other day--the thing where we were Don’t take credit. And don’t ever thinking maybe it could be perceived place blame. as money laundering or mail fraud or that other kind of fraud? Anyway, Things a manager should never I think we should at least explore our do, according to a person who options on that. I’m sorry for yelling isn’t my dad at you the other day, by the way. In the interest of doing a little reporting that involves someone other Sometimes I get a little hot under than one’s own father, we called the collar. But at least you know Claudine Cheever, who is today my boiling point. Best not to push the Global Head of Marketing and things that far. How’s the wife? Media at Amazon, to find out what’s Enjoyed seeing her at the picnic. on her “don’t” list. You really traded up from your last Don’t rely on the same people to one. Anyhoo, let me know about the do the same things. “Once someone thing. And the pants. performs on something, there’s a temptation to use that same person A good manager e-mail again, but that demotivates the Steve, can you come into my office? whole team. Stretch people to do different things so you have a team Thanks. with diverse talents; creatives are happy when they’re challenged.” Don’t always listen to the loudest “Money is really important, but recognition and joy are person in the room. “The person equally important. Often with the loudest voice isn’t always times when people quit, it isn’t the person with the best ideas.” because they got offered a Don’t assume that only money job with more money.” makes people happy. “Money is really important, but recognition Some more “don’t” advice from and joy are equally important. Often extremely famous managers and, more important, should never times when people quit, it isn’t We looked back at the Esquire do anything that might compromise because they got offered a job with archives and found these pithy the professionalism and discretion more money- that’ll be the rational nuggets: of employees. Which is the key to alibi- but it’s because they lost con- Jack Welch: “Don’t linger.” the whole philosophy of being less nection to the organization.” Carol Bartz: “Don’t work with as- of a boss, really. Don’t wait for employees to come sholes.” My father’s document had other to you when they’re unhappy. “You Richard Branson: “Don’t put out “don’t” rules: should know when they’re unhappy crap.” Don’t fall in love with companies. before they’re unhappy.” (Another thing a manager should People last. Your company may not. And one of the best rules we’ve never do: use the term “pithy nug- Don’t try to fix problems between ever heard: gets.”) two people. Whenever you try to fix Don’t try to have a good meet- The best part about the “don’t” this kind of problem, you create a ing. “Sometimes you have to have approach is that it requires less new problem that can be fixed only a bad meeting to get to greater time, effort, money, meetings, team- by getting out of the way. creativity, because you’re trying to building exercises, doughnuts, etc., Don’t bail people out. They will create change. Don’t coach people than the “do” approach. In fact, learn only that you will bail them to always please the client and it requires none of those things. out, and you will end up doing their always have a good meeting. Don’t You’re doing without doing any- job. tell them to be good little boys and thing at all. And in business, there’s ee this article in its entirety at E ntrepreneur.com at entirety its in article this S ee Don’t lie. There are things you girls.” no better deal.

may 2017 Entrepreneur 53 CULTURE business unusual | LIFE | TRAVEL | DESIGN | TRAPPINGS

1. Survivorship bias because of it. For every Bran- Nearly every popular online son, Gates, and Zuckerberg, media outlet is filled with there are thousands of other survivorship bias these entrepreneurs with failed days. Anywhere you see projects, debt-heavy bank articles with titles like “8 accounts, and half-finished Things Successful People degrees. Survivorship bias Do Everyday,” or “The Best isn’t merely saying that a Advice Richard Branson Ever strategy may not work well Received,” or “How LeBron for you; it’s also saying that James Trains in the Off-Sea- we don’t really know if the son,” you are seeing survi- strategy works well at all. vorship bias in action. When the winners are re- Survivorship bias refers to membered and the losers are our tendency to focus on the forgotten, it becomes very winners in a particular area difficult to say if a particular and try to learn from them strategy leads to success. while completely forgetting about the losers who are em- Survivorship bias refers to ploying the same strategy. our tendency to focus on the There might be thousands of winners in a particular area athletes who train in a very and try to learn from them while completely forgetting similar way to LeBron James, about the losers who are but never made it to the employing the same strategy. NBA. The problem is nobody hears about the thousands of athletes who never made 2. Loss aversion it to the top. We only hear Loss aversion refers to from the people who survive. our tendency to strongly We mistakenly overvalue the prefer avoiding losses over strategies, tactics, and advice acquiring gains. Research of one survivor while ignor- has shown that if someone ing the fact that the same gives you US$10 you will The road to strategies, tactics, and advice experience a small boost smarter choices didn’t work for most people. in satisfaction, but if you Another example: “Rich- lose $10, you will experi- Five common mental errors that stop you ard Branson, Bill Gates, and ence a dramatically higher from making good decisions Mark Zuckerberg all dropped loss in satisfaction. Yes, the out of school and became responses are opposite, but By James Clear billionaires! You don’t need they are not equal in magni- school to succeed. Entre- tude. like to think of myself Psychologists and behavio- preneurs just need to stop Our tendency to avoid as a rational person, ral researchers love to geek wasting time in class and get losses causes us to make silly but I’m not one. The out about these different started.” decisions and change our good news is it’s not mental mistakes. There are It’s entirely possible that behavior simply to keep the just me- or you. We are dozens of them and they all Richard Branson succeeded things that we already own. all irrational. have fancy names like “mere in spite of his path and not We are wired to feel protec- IFor a long time, research- exposure effect” or “nar- ers and economists believed rative fallacy.” But I don’t The survivorship bias that humans made logical, want to get bogged down in well-considered decisions. the scientific jargon today. In recent decades, however, Instead, let’s talk about the researchers have uncovered mental errors that show a wide range of mental errors up most frequently in our that derail our thinking. lives and break them down Sometimes we make logi- in easy-to-understand cal decisions, but there are language. many times when we make Here are five common emotional, irrational, and mental errors that sway you confusing choices. from making good decisions. figures © jamesclear.com jamesclear.com © figures

54 Entrepreneur may 2017 tive of the things we own and then people will buy twice as that can lead us to overvalue much product compared to these items in comparison saying “No limit.” with the options. In one research study, vol- For example, if you buy a unteers were asked to guess new pair of shoes it may pro- the percentage of African vide a small boost in pleas- nations in the United Na- ure. However, even if you tions. Before they guessed, never wear the shoes, giving however, they had to spin them away a few months a wheel that would land on later might be incredibly either the number 10 or the painful. You never use them, number 65. When volunteers but for some reason you just landed on 65, the average can’t stand parting with The availability heuristic guess was around 45%. them. Loss aversion. When volunteers landed on Similarly, you might feel hear about rape and murder close to my hometown that is 10, the average estimate was a small bit of joy when you and crime every day? Why known for gourmet burgers around 25%. This 20-digit breeze through green lights is everyone talking about so and cheeses. On the menu, swing was simply a result of on your way to work, but many acts of terrorism and they very boldly state, “LIM- anchoring the guess with a you will get downright angry destruction? IT 6 TYPES OF CHEESE PER higher or lower number im- when the car in front of BURGER.” mediately beforehand. you sits at a green light and Welcome to the My first thought: This is Perhaps the most preva- you miss the opportunity to availability heuristic. absurd. Who gets six types of lent place you hear about make it through the inter- The answer is that we are cheese on a burger? anchoring is with pricing. If section. Losing out on the not only living in the most My second thought: Which the price tag on a new watch chance to make the light is peaceful time in history, but six am I going to get? is $500, you might consider far more painful than the also the best reported time I didn’t realize how bril- it too high for your budget. pleasure of hitting the green in history. Information on liant the restaurant owners However, if you walk into a light from the beginning. any disaster or crime is more were until I learned about store and first see a watch widely available than ever anchoring. You see, normally for $5,000 at the front of 3. The availability before. A quick search on the I would just pick one type of the display, suddenly the heuristic internet will pull up more in- cheese on my burger, but $500 watch around the The availability heuristic formation about the terrorist when I read “LIMIT 6 TYPES corner seems pretty reason- refers to a common mistake act of your choice than any OF CHEESE” on the menu, able. Many of the premium that our brains make by newspaper could have ever my mind was anchored at a products that businesses sell assuming that the examples delivered 100 years ago. much higher number than are never expected to sell which come to mind easily The overall percentage of usual. many units themselves, but are also the most important dangerous events is decreas- Most people won’t order they serve the very impor- or prevalent things. ing, but the likelihood that six types of cheese, but that tant role of anchoring your For example, research by you hear about one of them anchor is enough to move mindset and making mid- Steven Pinker at Harvard (or many of them) is increas- the average up from one range products appear much University has shown that ing. And because these slice to two or three pieces cheaper than they would on we are currently living in the events are readily available of cheese and add a couple their own. least violent time in his- in our mind, our brains as- extra bucks to each burger. tory. There are more people sume that they happen with You walk in planning to get 5. Confirmation bias living in peace right now greater frequency than they a normal meal. You walk out The grand daddy of them all: than ever before. The rates actually do. wondering how you paid $14 confirmation bias refers to of homicide, rape, sexual We overvalue and overes- for a burger and if your date our tendency to search for assault, and child abuse are timate the impact of things will let you roll the windows and favor information that The survivorship bias all falling. that we can remember and down on the way home. confirms our beliefs while Most people are shocked we undervalue and under- This effect has been simultaneously ignoring or when they hear these statis- estimate the prevalence of replicated in a wide range devaluing information that tics. Some still refuse to be- the events we hear nothing of research studies and com- contradicts our beliefs. lieve them. If this is the most about. mercial environments. For For example, Person A peaceful time in history, why example, business owners believes climate change is a are there so many wars go- 4. Anchoring have found that if you say serious issue and they only ing on right now? Why do I There is a burger joint “Limit 12 per customer” search out and read stories >>>

James Clear writes at JamesClear.com, where he uses behavior science to share ideas for mastering your habits, improving your health, and increasing your creativity. To get useful ideas on improving your mental and physical performance, join his free newsletter JamesClear.com/newsletter. To have James speak at your entrepreneurial event contact him jamesclear.com/contact

may 2017 Entrepreneur 55 CULTURE business unusual | LIFE | TRAVEL | DESIGN | TRAPPINGS

Scale up Ensuring (really) good customer experiences can about environmental con- formulate a hypothesis and help your business grow in the UAE servation, climate change, then test various ways to and renewable energy. As a prove it false. Instead, it is By Spencer Lodge result, Person A continues far more likely that we will to confirm and support their form one hypothesis, assume The UAE has proven its I’ve prepared a few questions current beliefs. it is true, and only seek out strength across a multitude businesses need to ask if they Meanwhile, Person B does and believe information that of business areas. However, want to improve their bot- not believe climate change is supports it. Most people an area that’s sadly not kept tom line through improved a serious issue, and they only don’t want new informa- up to speed with the country’s customer service: search out and read stories tion, they want validating dramatic progression is the that discuss how climate information. customer experience. What this 1. What is the customer change is a myth, why scien- has created is an opportunity journey? Know where their tists are incorrect, and how Where to go from here for businesses to take the lead journey starts and create touch we are all being fooled. As a Once you understand some and really own a large section points along the way. result, Person B continues of these common mental of market share. to confirm and support their errors your first response A shining example of progres- 2. Who is your target current beliefs. might be something along sive customer service, and audience? Is the type of the lines of, “I want to stop as a result market share, in person or business you are confirmation bias refers to this from happening! How the Emirates is Careem, the hoping to attract the same as our tendency to search for car booking app. Careem has you are currently attracting? and favor information that can I prevent my brain from confirms our beliefs while doing these things?” cleverly identified its top 10% simultaneously ignoring or It’s a fair question, but of clients and makes personal 3. What are the right devaluing information that it’s not quite that simple. calls to them every month to platforms to use? This is contradicts our beliefs. Rather than thinking of these ask their opinion as to how largely based on where your miscalculations as a signal they might improve their ser- customer’s journey starts- is it Changing your mind is of a broken brain, it’s better vice. Out of this, Careem Kids the moment they step into your harder than it looks. The to consider them as evidence was born. Customers didn’t shop, or is it the moment they more you believe you know that the shortcuts your want to have to carry car seats type the name of your service something, the more you brain uses aren’t useful in all around with them so Careem into Google? filter and ignore all informa- cases. There are many areas launched this new (and quite tion to the contrary. of everyday life where the brilliant) service, which has 4. What is the right You can extend this thought mental processes mentioned made lives easier for parents frequency of engagements? pattern to nearly any topic. If above are incredibly useful. and increased its offering and No one likes getting spammed, you just bought a Honda Ac- You don’t want to eliminate customer base, all in one. nor do they appreciate five cord and you believe it is the these thinking mechanisms. Companies should be rein- members of staff assaulting best car on the market, then The problem is that our vesting budget into designing you with the same questions you’ll naturally read any brains are so good at per- customer experience journeys one after the other. article you come across that forming these functions and focusing on creating praises the car. Meanwhile, -they slip into these patterns memorable interactions with 5. What is the right if another magazine lists so quickly and effortlessly- their customers. Overall it is message? Know and a different car as the best that we end up using them in more cost and time effective understand your audience pick of the year, you simply situations where they don’t to create a repeat customer, before you approach them. dismiss it and assume that serve us. than to constantly attract the editors of that particular In cases like these, self- new business. That said, the 6. What are the core magazine got it wrong or awareness is often one of touch point that needs the interests of your audience? were looking for something our best options. Hopefully most focus and can make or Find out and capitalize on different than what you were this article will help you spot break the customer relation- them. looking for in a car. these errors next time you ship is the one that’s often not It is not natural for us to make them. given enough importance. A 7. What is your cost per company’s frontline employees acquisition? If you consider The confirmation bias often hold the organization’s this against your client reputation in their hands- over retention cost, this will give time, brand reputation really you a much better financial does come from how custom- yardstick as to the value of your ers are treated. customers.

Spencer Lodge is the Managing Director of Make It Happen, an online sales training system that teaches you the tools you need to break through your barriers, smash through your sales targets, and achieve the massive success you deserve. Make-It-Happen.com

56 Entrepreneur may 2017 Bring your business to life Accelerate your business starting from AED 299 down* and get the latest technology and oﬃce devices - laptop, printer, projector and more – at zero upfront cost.

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may 2017 Entrepreneur 57 *T&Cs apply TREPONOMICS ETHICS | ESQUIRE GUY | SKILLSET | MARKETING | PRO

I’ve always said that innova- that you’re dealing with a tion is great, but innovation legitimate company. for innovation’s sake isn’t A year down the line, and going to get you far. You need precisely because we have to consider the market that well-trained, impartial call you’re operating in, and jump- center agents guiding custom- ing on the chatbot bandwagon ers through the car insurance doesn’t take into account the comparison and purchase pro- nuances of the UAE market. cess, we’ve got repeat clients For example, in the UAE, happy to insure all of their businesses have to contend cars through us. A recent cus- with the fact that a large tomer used us to buy a policy percentage of customers like for one his cars, and because to deal in cash. So if you’re we had such good interaction selling something online and with him, he proceeded to buy AI can’t solve all of our customer you’re not offering a cash- policies for his eight (!) other service problems (yet) on-delivery option, you’re cars through us, too. The cus- alienating a lot of people- and tomer wouldn’t have gotten While efforts to use artificial intelligence missing out on their business. such good interaction through to drive customer service mean well, And it’s the same thing a simple AI chatbot. at this point, you still can’t beat good, with chatbots. We’ve got old-fashioned human interaction real evidence to show that finTech startups have By Jon Richards customers in this region want the answers to consumer problems, but banks have interaction with a real human. all the trust. So to gain that Over the last year or so, than a human. The responses They want the trust that trust as a fintech startup, we’ve seen consumer-facing started out as placehold- being able to reach some- you’ve got to do things more companies, both international ers, letting the customer one on the phone instantly like a bank. and local, jump on artificial know that they’re about to provides. When we launched intelligence (AI) like it’s an be served, and that their our insurance comparison That human-to-human inter- all-encompassing answer to messages are important to platform a little over a year action is especially valuable every customer service woe the business. But as chatbots ago, the system was largely when you’re talking financial out there. The big draw, pro- have advanced, they’re now designed to be automated and products, which often need ponents of AI say, is chatbots able to respond to a pretty online. Pretty soon, though, it explaining to consumers. and voicebots that are able wide variety of questions and became clear that we needed There’s a reason why banks to respond to basic queries queries based on pre-deter- a call center to guide cus- still invest heavily in big without you needing a human mined keywords. For example, tomers through the process. call center to service their to oversee things. at compareit4me, we’d be able We invested heavily into a customers– people want the And on paper, it sounds to program a chatbot to fetch call center and our conver- trust that having another, great. You create an AI information on credit cards sion rates for insurance sales in-the-know human on the chatbot for next to noth- and loans. We’re always field- jumped by 500%. That’s the other end of a phone provides. ing, and instead of having to ing questions from custom- value that real human interac- As I heard at a conference employ dozens of customer ers on things like minimum tion provides. recently, fintech startups service agents to interact with salary requirements for this There’s a reason why banks still have the answers to consumer your customers over menial credit card or that loan. And invest heavily in big call center problems, but banks have all requests, the bot will handle from an insurance point of to service their customers– the trust. So to gain that trust the basics for you. This means view, customers constantly people want the trust that as a fintech startup, you’ve got that the agents you do employ ask if one policy comes with having another, in-the-know to do things more like a bank. can spend their time speaking off-road cover, or if another human on the other end of a None of this is to say that phone provides. to customers requiring more policy comes with passenger there isn’t a place for AI or advanced assistance. cover. It’d be relatively easy to Indeed, we’ve seen cases chatbots in the Middle East- Consumer-facing firms have take the information from our where a customer has re- ern market. I have no doubt bought into AI chatbots in a insurance policy documents, quested cash on delivery by at all that companies will find big way. These days, if you plug it into a bot, and have ticking a box online, but as applications for AI that are interact with a company via the bot answer these sorts of soon as they’ve spoken to a suitable for use here. Howev- chat through its Facebook queries. customer service agent on er, as things stand, you really page, or through a live chat The thing is, in this re- the phone, they’ve offered can’t beat good, old-fashioned window on its website or gion, I’m not convinced that their credit card details to human interaction. And that app, the first response will AI chatbots would help to us– totally voluntarily. That’s won’t change for the foresee- likely come from a bot, rather improve customer service. entirely down to having trust able future.

Jon Richards is the co-founder and CEO of compareit4me.com, a finance comparison site in the Middle East.

58 Entrepreneur may 2017

Traffic is an excellent indicator of the performance of organic search. If traffic from organic search goes up after SEO work has been done on a website, we can deduce that these improvements are working.

traffic to the website. This was said because the top 10 positions in the search engine results traditionally received 95% of the clicks, and therefore, the traffic. However, with search engines evolving all the time, we can no longer focus solely on rankings. We see rankings as a base measure to see how the campaign is performing, and, more importantly, rankings are a check to see if something has gone drastically wrong, with big drops in rankings representing a problem with the website or a penalty. The reason we use rankings this way instead of as a KPI is that the search engine results page has changed in several ways in the last few years. Firstly, with the Hum- mingbird Algorithm change in 2013, Google started to recognize the seman- tic relationship between keywords- for example, in usinesses of all as results take time, and the past “motor insurance” Measuring sizes are now there are several different and “car insurance” were quite aware of elements to consider when completely different key- (online) the benefits measuring success. However, words, and these would have of an effective it is worth considering the very different search results. success SEO strategy, following when setting up However, this changed in The four elements and they are goals for your campaign: 2013 as Google saw that the you need to consider keen to employ rankings, traffic, impres- user would consider these the services sions, and ROI and attribu- two keywords and prod- when setting up of SEO agen- tion. By considering these ucts as the same thing, and your SEO campaign cies to increase elements together, we can therefore, the same websites By Adrian Jennings their rankings in search create a clear picture of how should rank for these two Bengines. However, with many a website is performing in keywords. Knowing this, smaller organizations, where terms of organic search. there are endless combi- digital knowledge is often nations and semantically more limited, little consid- Rankings similar keywords that could eration is given to creat- Traditionally, search engine be ranking, and showing a ing a clear strategy that is marketers would prioritize report with one or two key- SMART– specific, measura- rankings as the number one words ranking doesn’t tell ble, achievable, realistic and measure of SEO success with the whole story. time-bound. SEO campaigns high rankings for selected Secondly, the actual layout can be difficult to measure keywords representing more of the page has changed

60 Entrepreneur may 2017 dramatically over the years. in reality, this might be due > Click-through rate goals can be set up using We have gone from 10 simple to above-the-line activity The ratio of users who click the monthly SEO retainer as search results (10 blue with more people search- through to your website who spend. This can be extremely links) to maps, images, and ing for your brand in that have seen your results helpful as it gives the mar- knowledge graphs and these month due to a TV or radio keting team a clear indica- are constantly changing. commercial. Therefore, you > Position The average tion of performance, which This means that for a given have not gained traffic from ranking or position of your can be easily justified. keyword, a website might better rankings, but because website for a given keyword When setting up ROI goals, be the first organic result on of increased interest in your it is important to consider the page, but due to several brand. SEO as a marketing Impressions attribution, as it is very rare other types of results, it is channel focuses on gaining The number of impressions that one click equates to pushed down to below the traffic from non-branded is becoming a far more vital one sale. Users tend to go fold, and thus does not gain keywords (any keyword performance indicator for us, through a purchase funnel the traction normally as- that does not contain your as it merges your visibility with multiple clicks to the sociated with a high rank- brand). Naturally, your web- in search engines with the website before making a ing. Therefore, even though site will rank for your brand amount of times your listing purchase. These are general a high ranking is being unless there is something is being presented, thereby clicks from different digital reported, we can see that not drastically wrong with it. giving you an indication that marketing channels. It could much traffic is coming from you are not only increasing be made up of PPC, social this keyword, giving you a When there is an e-commerce in rankings, but for the right media, display and organic element and e-commerce false sense of performance. key phrases as well, which search. The default setting tracking has been set up, there is an opportunity to have a lot of searches taking in analytics is assigned to Traffic set up KPI’s based on revenue place. Of the information all the revenue, to the last Traffic is an excellent indica- generated from organic included in Google Search click at the time of purchase. tor of the performance of search. This means that ROI Console, impressions are a Therefore, your SEO cam- organic search. If traffic from goals can be set up using the clear indication of perfor- paign might be leading to organic search goes up after monthly SEO retainer as spend. mance on a keyword level. sales, but when the last click SEO work has been done on By saving the data monthly is from a different channel, a website, we can deduce Analytics however does not (Google deletes it after this revenue is not reflected that these improvements are report traffic on keyword 90 days), we can compare in organic search. working. This can easily be level anymore, as Google impressions and track By adopting an attributed tracked through analytics, hides this data. It is there- improvements over time. As model for e-commerce track- with traffic being split into fore extremely difficult to search visibility increases, ing, we can assign a percent- pre-determined channels accurately report on branded impressions should increase age of the revenue to each of within your account. It is versus non-branded traf- as a result. If we are seeing the clicks along the users’ best to compare this on a fic. For this reason, it is an increase in position and click path. This gives you a year-on-year basis to make important to use the Google rankings, but impressions better idea of which channels sure seasonality is taken into Search console to view your are not increasing with are performing well and how account. It is also a good results on a keyword level. If these improvements, it is they are working together. idea to compare to the previ- your SEO campaign is work- likely that the wrong key- The way SEO is measured ous month to make sure that ing, you will be able to track words have been targeted. has changed from very sim- you understand your traffic improvement through clicks, An increase in impression ple rankings data, to consid- patterns- if it has increased impressions, click-through share should be the result of ering keyword performance or decreased dramatically, rate, and position. These increased search visibility, not only from rankings, but you can investigate why. terms can be explained as and using impressions as a from increases in impres- One problem with taking follows: metric should be reflected by sions and clicks. With the traffic as a KPI on its own these improvements. advance of e-commerce is that it can be affected by > Clicks The number of tracking and attribution other factors that are out times each keyword gener- ROI and attribution modeling, we have a much of your control from a SEO ated a click through to your When there is an e-com- clearer picture of how or- point of view. As a brand, website merce element and e-com- ganic search works together you might see dramatic merce tracking has been set with other digital channels, increases from organic > Impression Every time up, there is an opportunity and should therefore be able search in terms of traffic, your website appeared in to set up KPI’s based on rev- to create much more measur- and this is reported as your the search results for a given enue generated from organic able and integrated digital SEO campaign working, but keyword search. This means that ROI strategies.

Adrian Jennings is the Search Performance Director at Sekari, a search optimized content agency that focuses on search, content and performance marketing. Adrian is responsible for leading client strategy across Sekari’s entire client portfolio delivering overall performance across all search, content, and paid media channels. Adrian’s ten-year SEO career has seen him run complex SEO accounts in the UK, RSA, Nigeria, KSA and the UAE, with high-profile clients including Royal Bank of Scotland Insurance, Citibank, and Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai Parks & Resorts and Gulf News.

may 2017 Entrepreneur 61 TREPONOMICS ETHICS | ESQUIRE GUY | SKILLSET | MARKETING | PRO

1. Write it down, map it 3. Set a budget- out and visualize it and multiply it by 3 When the eureka moment If I had a dollar for every time strikes and your heart is an entrepreneur tells me “I consumed with passion for an want to have impact on a idea, start by putting together budget.” Well, don’t we all? But a wireframe. What is this prod- that is an oxymoron. While I uct going to look like? What understand that entrepreneurs features does it have? What is need to be frugal, you need to my customer journey? What prioritize where the money has type of operation is required to go and there are areas that to support the business? What require a proper investment to is my go-to market strategy, get the intended results. If you and the list goes on. Basically have a small budget, reduce you need to map out how your your feature set, and build product is solving a consumer an MVP instead of trying to problem and what you need to build a spaceship, which won’t build to get you there. At this have the necessary fuel to lift stage it is highly advisable that off. It doesn’t have to be this you get some validation from way- read the book The Lean stakeholders and especially fu- Startup. ture customers. Do not, and we Starting up smart often stress on that, do not be Here’s how you convert your vision scared about sharing your idea and getting feedback. It is the into a viable product only way to highlight potential By Loulou Khazen Baz gaps before wasting precious resources (time and money) on building something irrelevant. The recent sale of Souq.com and hasn’t yet started assimi- has certainly increased the lating. 2. Do not expect the degree of pontification about While building technology agency/freelancer to the value and potential scale of products has become more af- do your work technology startups in MENA, fordable due to the various off Once you know what you want with opinions varying on the the shelf solutions, the truth and decide to approach an timing and value of the deal. No remains that building a scalable agency or a bunch of freelanc- one however could deny the sig- and custom solution is going to ers, you need to be clear on nificance of this deal on boost- require a fairly large invest- what it is you need. Do not ing (the morale at least) of an ment. It is much more than expect the service providers to already burgeoning ecosystem, hiring a developer to build a build your product specifica- 4. Set a timeframe, and giving investors and found- website or an app. tions, work on your copywriting and be realistic ers a weapon to add to their We’ve had many entrepre- or add images on your behalf, Let’s face it, things take time, arsenal as they raise funds. neurs looking to build products and honestly for them to care and there is no reason for The news will certainly attract approach us at Nabbesh, and beyond the fact that you’re a entrepreneurs to set unrealistic more people to tech entre- we often find ourselves having client and they are there to expectations and rush the idea preneurship, but the reality to educate these entrepreneurs deliver a service for you. Take incubation process. Whilst remains that transforming ideas about transforming ideas into control of the outcome right speed is important no doubt, into products would require products. Our recommendation from the outset by having a there is a difference between much more than a stellar to entrepreneurs is always the clear idea of what you want or building something fast due education or a fancy corporate same, before you approach us brace yourself for some nasty to efficiencies and clarity of resume. It requires a mixture of or any other supplier or even surprises. brief versus rushing an agency market readiness, capital, a bit any potential hire, you need to or freelancers for the sake of of luck, and most importantly, think long and hard about what If you have a small budget, creating a sense of urgency. You startup experience- something you’re trying to build and why reduce your feature set, want speed? Put more planning that a nascent ecosystem is still and we often ask them to do the and build an MVP instead of and more bodies on the project in the process of accumulating following. trying to build a spaceship. and it will move faster.

Loulou Khazen Baz is the founder and CEO of Nabbesh.com, the Middle East’s first online work marketplace which connects businesses with top quality freelancers from the world’s emerging markets with a focus on the Middle East and North Africa region. Baz founded Nabbesh.com out of Dubai with the vision to fill the gap between talent demand and supply pockets, as well as to encourage local businesses to hire experts from the region, creating more job opportunities and therefore a positive economic impact on local communities.

62 Entrepreneur may 2017 5. A developer is no expectations, as this is the job we need to work together on all you wannabe entrepreneurs magician of three, or maybe four, people. raising the bar when it comes to on the right track of building I have developed a lot of sym- Building a product requires UI building world-class products something sustainable for the pathy for the developers in our experts, product experts (this and executing on a well-defined long run. Good luck! region. The poor guy/girl is of- is generally the entrepreneur), vision. New entrepreneurs ten expected to work on design, multiple developers depending need to leverage the knowl- the truth remains that wireframes, writing product on whether it is a custom or off edge of other more established building a scalable specs, coding, writing content, the shelf solution and copywrit- entrepreneurs who have had a and custom solution is finding images, and unit testing, ers, graphic designers etc. few battle scars. As an entre- going to require a fairly while of course falling in love preneur who’s looking to share large investment. It is with the client’s project- but As more people in the business knowledge and learn from the much more than hiring that just isn’t going to happen. world jump into entrepreneur- ecosystem, I hope the afore- a developer to build a We must learn to manage our ship (and it is a welcome step), mentioned points will help put website or an app.

person when putting together rate naturally complex materi- the below tips for modernizing als, lots of different shapes, your workspace. Emotionally, forms, patterns and textures. how people feel in the space, was considered important along 4. Embed performance with employees’ physical health The most inviting and inspir- and people’s ability to focus and ing spaces need to help people solve problems. With a view make meaningful progress on of workers’ holistic well-being, their work. Integrate technology Steelcase’s team of designers that makes it easier for people created six suggestions for how to collaborate, that encourages to update your workplace for movement and makes it easier the office renaissance: to get into focus. Help people Excite and engage find their favorite places to get Six tips to update your workspace 1. Democratize the space work done and provide a feed- for the office renaissance Similar to a healthy ecosystem back loop to the organization in nature that is bio-diverse, about what spaces work. ake a moment and comfort and emotionally sup- create a range of spaces that describe what comes to port busy workers. Mobile tech- support different types of work 5. Add needed privacy Tmind when you think of a nologies promised workers the that people can choose to work Balance the desire for open- modern room. Your brain may ability to be productive on the from, regardless of where they ness with the human need for conjure up images of thin, sleek go. But it’s not enough. Needs fit within the organization’s solitude. Create spaces that furniture, and minimalist decor. for collaboration, team building hierarchy. Large team meet- support focused work as well Now, instead of thinking about and individual focus are just a ings, small group conversations as rejuvenation. the room, turn your thoughts few of the reasons employees and private moments to focus to the modern man or modern are coming back to the office. all support the modern worker’s 6. Promote personalization woman. He or she may be The elevated importance of the needs. Create spaces that feel bespoke rushing to the next meeting, all workplace is creating an office to the organization and the while preparing mental talking renaissance. 2. Support multiple postures individual. Prioritize self-ex- points, answering a text mes- As employees return to the and movement pression and authenticity over sage and having a “casual” yet office, the workspaces of Incorporate spaces that allow perfection. critical offline conversation with yesterday won’t meet the needs people to work in whatever a co-worker. Is your image of a of today. The spaces for the posture works for them– loung- Modernizing the workplace modern room supporting the new office need to combine an ing, standing, perching, walking doesn’t need to feel intimidating modern worker? updated look with an authentic or sitting upright. or overwhelming. By keeping When designing spaces for employee. Beautiful spaces are the holistic wellbeing of people today’s employees, the best only worth investing in if they 3. Take cues from nature in mind, your workplace can be result is human-centered, a are also productive. More than just adding plants at the forefront of the office workplace crafted to mentally The Steelcase Design Studio -which is important– seek vari- renaissance, becoming a place excite and engage, physically considered the entirety of the ation over uniformity. Incorpo- where everyone wants to be.

John Small is Director of Industrial Design, EMEA, Steelcase, the global leader in the office furniture industry. Small leads the EMEA team responsible for product design and development as well as the design of Steelcase workspaces across the EMEA region.

may 2017 Entrepreneur 63 TREPONOMICS ETHICS | ESQUIRE GUY | SKILLSET | MARKETING | PRO

tential buyer see and imagine the car they are considering, with drawers and walls filled with different colors, leathers and trims for them to combine and choose from. With more and more brands competing for the same customers, keeping them as customers for life has become a standard target for many au- tomakers. One of the biggest Cadillac CT6 factors to allow this is the at the annual quality of aftersales service: International Autoshow 2017 the industry here has also in Chicago changed and adapted. Many now offer shorter service times, replacement vehicles Brought to you by and ambitions. This is done while your vehicle is being on a global, and a local level. serviced or repaired, and same Customers’ buying deci- day appointments– all in the sions no longer depend on the interests of providing a better brand or the vehicle itself, customer experience that puts but the experience they have convenience for the customer outside of the vehicle. Smart first. The stakes are high in a customers will also judge connected world, where one your brand and your products dissatisfied customer can tell based on the experience they the world of their experience Raising the stakes receive. Hence, it’s critical to and cause major brand repu- In today’s competitive market landscape, provide a seamless, consist- tation damage. ensuring a stellar customer experience is key ent, and premium experi- In the coming years, the for your brand to stand out ence from the moment they industry will begin to see big visit your website, to when shifts and an even tougher By Christian Soemmer they enter your showroom to competition between brands purchase a vehicle, through to to capture customer atten- ver the past five to of models to choose from, when they take their vehicle tion. This is good news for any ten years, the auto- now have options offering to be serviced. car buyer, as they will have motive industry has better quality and technology, The ownership experience the luxury of choice know- seen huge interest without necessarily paying is now playing more of a role ing that each brand is vying Oacross the region. Established a high price for it. With the than ever in influencing a to retain them for life, and brands in the Middle East product quality and technol- person’s decision whether hoping to sell them the latest have increased and adapted ogy gap slowly closing with or not to purchase a vehicle. model to come off the produc- the products that they bring the exception to the ultra- Knowing whether or not you tion line. to the market. They’re offer- luxury brands, this has caused can expect to have a good or Customer service is not ing more technology, luxury, further saturation, and an bad experience with a dealer something that is perfected and modern design than ever abundance of choice for the is becoming just as impor- overnight, brands have to before. It’s not limited to the buyer. tant as ensuring the car itself continually make sure that old hierarchy of European or What this all means is that meets your needs. every step and decision taken American companies, with as automotive manufactur- Again, this is where the is made with the customer Japanese and Korean counter- ers, we have had to adapt and battles are won and lost for in mind. We all know that parts also offering exceptional change. When we sell a cus- many brands. You can see premium vehicles packed quality with very competitive tomer a car now, we sell them now across the GCC and with the latest connectivity pricing. a lifestyle. At Cadillac, for Levant, upgrades and renova- technologies can be (and are What this has caused is example, we take people on tions taking place for many being) manufactured, and so, an even more competitive a journey of various experi- showrooms, elevating the the deciding factor is now on market, and this is great news ences that they identify with, customer’s perception and the experience the owner has for customers who, as well as making them proud to drive a experience. New technologies outside of the vehicle- not getting an even wider choice Cadillac as it mirrors their life are introduced to help the po- just in it. k shutterstoc / ov

informative, educational, and motivational, which then reflects significantly on sales and brand loyalty. As a marketing strategy, too, it’s also one of the most cost-effective, efficient, and impactful solutions to generate ROI. That being said, content should not be restricted to just the written word, in fact, multiple forms must be targeted to suit varying consumer preferenc- es. For example, videos, infographics, tutorials, podcasts, are some of the interesting ways to create a stronger connect with the audience.

The future of e-commerce 2. Consumer fragmentation Five trends to watch out for in the digi space in 2017 By Saad Khan turning challenge into opportunity The opportunities rom hailing a before, during, and after a Owing to the greater con- created by various cab to ordering purchase. venience digital media brings, social media food, from buy- As businesses seek ways to consumers today have access platforms, the ing pre-owned prosper in the transforming e- to more buying opportunities rise of analytics kids’ clothing commerce landscape, it’s im- than ever before. Our smart- studies of devices to procuring portant to keep a track of all phones, which are an integral and multiple services online, the recent trends in the sector part of our daily “decision- payment options, we have seen so that you can best compete. making” lives, provide us and the challenges of consumer how cheaper connectivity Here are five trends that we instant access to a plethora of fragmentation are Fand growing penetration of at Whoopey.com expect the retailers where the good and some of the major smartphones can transform e-commerce industry will the bad get sifted by a ruth- trends we expect businesses and lives. The experience in the year 2017: less competition in a matter to play out in 2017 e-commerce market in the of just one swipe. and beyond. GCC countries is expected 1. Compelling content So, giants find this fragmen- to grow to US$20 billion A visually alluring website tation a Herculean challenge (AED73.4 billion) by 2020 and an interesting array of to deal with because niche from $5.3 billion in 2015, as products are not just enough boutiques are well positioned online shopping grows in the to stand out among the crowd to gain market share. On the region, according to a 2016 in your consumers’ memory. flip side, smaller firms plug report by global consultancy You require an armory of this challenge quite easily as AT Kearney. compelling content, which is there are lower barriers to Without doubt, a vari- presented in unique ways that market entry and growth. ety of ongoing developments not only manages to grab the are feeding into the overall customer’s attention, but that 3. Same-day delivery growth of the e-commerce also helps in engaging them The evolutionary sector. Businesses are not just and forges an emotional con- “express” era focusing on a digital store nection with the brand. So, As the title suggests, the selling some nice-enough it’s not just the product and easiest explanation of this items, but instead they’re service descriptions that need service is: you can place trying to create new markets, creative content, but also so- an order for a product or a plug the unexplored terrains, cial media posts, blogs, press group of goods and have them create a shopping experience releases, advertisements, and delivered within a 24-hour that consumers can enjoy as more. time frame on any day of the they browse, provide round- Interesting content is one of week. Why does the concept the-clock services and meet the major reasons why people have the potential to funda- the overall customer service follow brands on social me- mentally revolutionize the expectations at all times- dia, as it helps them by being industry?

66 Entrepreneur may 2017 for online retailers, the Finally, the model also offers edge and have a more meth- new generation customers, option of same-day delivery immense opportunity for odological approach to fresh engage and reward existing helps in increasing purchase business development and conversions are now looking customers, and showcase conversion while limiting job creation across logis- at multiple devices to collect the best your brand has to cancellations and consumer tics providers- who are the data and draw consumer offer. Without doubt, your switch to a large scale and, as the fast-tracked model natural partner for same-day insights. social network profiles and provides little to no time- delivery on a broad scale due the content you share are window for consumers to to their existing network 5. Social e-commerce as important as a busi- explore further and have a strength. Social media is now an ness’ storefront signage and subsequent change of heart integral part of almost every product displays in today’s on their purchase. 4. Measuring connected consumer’s online habits. connected era. devices Statistics abound about its But businesses must realize Most often, consumers don’t popularity and potential that leveraging the complete stick to a single device when as a means of driving new potential of social media buying from you. In fact, visitors. Perhaps one of the requires a more focused they switch between devices, biggest trends last year was approach and a broader un- from the web to mobile to the inclusion of e-commerce derstanding of the medium. apps, before turning into in social networks, such as The concept of commerce paying customers. Device- Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, using social media tool box, driven analytics not only Instagram and Pinterest. in many ways, take us back provide e-commerce ven- One of the major reasons to the origins of retail, one tures with a deeper insight for inclusion of commerce where merchants were fa- into assessing their audi- in social media platforms is miliar with their clients, and ences better, but also assist strong internet penetration correspondingly shoppers es- For starters, the introduc- in leveraging this informa- across tier-I, tier-II and tier- tablished deep relationships tion of same-day delivery tion to predict subsequent III audience, where availabil- with the merchants they buy will take the online shopping purchases and personalize ity of low-cost smartphones from. This return to small experience of customers to the consumer shopping ex- and low rates of data plans commerce, with the help of a new level of convenience. perience. So, businesses that have played a pivotal role in social platforms, will contin- Consumers clearly attach want to gain a competitive expanding the markets. ue to play an important role value to the meticulous An old marketing adage for both- the networks and integration of convenience Without doubt, your says, “Go where your cus- the retail industry. Staying of online retail with the social network profiles and tomers are!” For e-commerce ahead of the curve, however, immediacy of bricks-and- the content you share are ventures, effective social me- will clearly be defined by mortar stores, which same- as important as a business’ dia engagement represents how e-commerce ventures storefront signage and day delivery concept brings real value. These platforms experiment and innovate to product displays in today’s in. Reduced delivery time, connected era. offer innovative methods interact and connect with improved access to products, to reach first-time and their customers. higher convenience, and low- The opportunities cre- er prices of online shopping ated by various social are some of the key factors media platforms, the rise of that can be attributed to the analytics studies of devices said concept. and multiple payment op- Secondly, for online retail- tions, and the challenges of ers, the option of same-day consumer fragmentation are delivery helps in increasing some of the major trends we purchase conversion while expect to play out in 2017 limiting cancellations and and beyond. They represent consumer switch to a large- both big opportunities for scale and as the fast-tracked those that move fast, and model provides little to no enormous risks for those time-window for consumers that fail to address them. to explore further and have a For retailers, our message is subsequent change of heart simple: engage, stay focused on their purchase. and move fast.

Saad Khan is the founder and CEO of Whoopey.com, an online e-commerce portal that offers brands a 360 approach with an end-to-end marketing and distribution solution. Prior to founding Whoopey.com, Khan led the retail and corporate business at Redington Gulf, managing a portfolio of more than $250m. His industry accolades include management of leading brands, such as HP, Dell, Apple, Lenovo, Microsoft, Logitech, i-Life, and Targus. An Indian native residing in the UAE, Khan holds an MBA-International Business & MIS degree from Cardiff Business School, Wales, UK.

may 2017 Entrepreneur 67 TREPONOMICS ETHICS | ESQUIRE GUY | SKILLSET | MARKETING | PRO

2. Create exclusivity Luxury brands thrive on the perception of exclusivity, constantly reaffirming their position as an elite, aspirational force. From Swiss master watchmaker Patek Philippe, to extreme car manufacturer Koenigsegg, to British-built Rolls-Royce, exclusivity is a consistent theme. Rolls-Royce makes no more than 2,000 cars per year, every one bespoke and hand-finished. Buying into these brands allows consumers to become part of their world and feel that they belong to an exclusive club, which is an expression of their personality and taste. To build exclusivity, consider inviting select customers to exclusive VIP events, set up an invitation-only VIP membership or offer exclusive access to limited run and bespoke products.

3. Employ a sophisticated team People who regularly buy luxury items or Brands on fleek services are shrewd and sophisticated. They are connoisseurs. They demand seniority, Seven PR and marketing tips for luxury startups experience and expert knowledge. Make By Anne-Claude Wenger sure your sales people –at every level– are elegant, well-trained, and intelligent as o you have the ultimate luxury Furthermore, your potential customers are well. This includes your PR and marketing product, and are now building a more sophisticated, with greater confidence team, who must also be sophisticated to luxury brand, something beautiful, in their own judgment, less brand loyalty, have insights into the taste and desires of sumptuous, inspiring, something and ever higher expectations of bespoke your target customers. Sclose to your heart. The good news brands that offer real experience, real is that the Middle East is an exceptional knowledge and real storytelling. If you can 4. Build community market for luxury. In a shaky global envi- provide these things, you can win custom- The main difference between traditional ronment, luxury retail developments in the ers away from even the gold-standard and internet marketing is the level of region continue to thrive and expand. The luxury brands. Here’s how. interaction between you and your custom- retail market in the UAE alone has grown ers. Thanks to social media, consumers to more than US$35 billion with continued 1. Build a powerful narrative are accustomed to interacting with their growth anticipated at more than 5%, and Luxury today is defined by three key ele- favorite brands and with other followers top consultants like Deloitte continue to ments: scarcity, exclusivity, and prove- of their favorite brands, and a good PR and recommend the region, pointing out that nance. Your marketing narrative and brand marketing strategy needs to take this into it presents a big opportunity for luxury story must convey all three. The most suc- consideration, online and off. As a luxury brands. cessful luxury brands tend to be very story- brand, the internet is the best way to reach The bad news is that growth in global rich and any content you put out must be your customers and keep an eye on your luxury retail sales has slowed from 8% to imaginative, authoritative and relevant. competitors. A strong web presence can be a more modest forecast of 4%, making a Most importantly, it must stir the imagina- a much faster (and cost-effective) way to highly competitive sector even more com- tion and resonate with your target audi- build community through blog posts featur- petitive. Additionally, this is a disrupted ence’s dreams and ambitions. Every brand ing ‘ambassador’ customers, social media market segment, with social media bringing has stories, so find the most exquisite and interaction, and influencer marketing. the most change. Many tried-and-true ap- evocative ones and make the most of them proaches to marketing luxury are no longer with image- and narrative-rich content 6. Use social media effective, and even the most venerable about what makes your brand unique: rare Luxury brands should not overlook the luxury brands –the ones that used to dic- materials, skilled craftsmanship, authentic impact of social media. Instagram is an tate fashion to consumers– are scrambling provenance, new technology, creative tal- especially powerful tool for this market for fresh ways to interact with customers. ent. Imagination matters. segment. Of course, you want to include

Anne-Claude Wenger is the founder and CEO of Alston & Clayden. Based in Dubai, Anne-Claude Wenger is a marketing and communications specialist with more than 20 years’ experience in building iconic FMCG, automobile, luxury brands and financial institutions across EMEA and Asia. She has worked at Procter & Gamble, Swatch AG, and most recently as a Client Services Director at Tag Worldwide London. Prior to this, Anne- Claude was Head of Investor Relations at HBK Investments Advisory in Geneva, a niche fund of funds focused on HNWIs. She is a mentor of the e7 Daughters of the Emirates entrepreneur program in Dubai. Anne-Claude holds a BA in History of Arts from the University of Geneva, Switzerland.

68 Entrepreneur may 2017 Visualize it! stunning images and content Six simple tips for designing stunning infographics about your products, but don’t By Dorothy Mitchell neglect to vary your content beyond obvious self-serving sales Infographics remain one of the best forms of 4. Stop using typography as a crutch images or your followers will visual content in the digital world today. They Fancy typography has its place, but it’s often lose interest and confidence in catch the eye and they can publicize a great deal used incorrectly. Often, typography is used what you have to say. If you’re of information in a short span of time. to highlight a big number, rather than any selling, say, crocodile handbags, But not all infographics are born equal. You real visual design. There’s a big difference like Ethan K, include mouth- can’t use a free tool and generate a five-star in- between using a picture and just using an watering content about art and fographic every time. It takes a great deal of care enlarged font to make a point. Sadly, the sporting events like Art Dubai, and thought to create an infographic that people latter is what commonly happens as designer images of the designer’s mood are going to respond to. Here are a few tips that fatigue sets in. As a result, make sure you’re board and places that inspire will help you to design stunning infographics: always asking whether you’re using typogra- him, as well as images of the phy as a crutch. bags and brand ambassadors. 1. Make the purpose clear Infographics can allow you to give your readers 5. Give it a storyline A strong web presence a lot of information fast. But you don’t want to Think of an infographic in the same way as can be a much faster overload them with information. An infographic a short story. It should have an introduction, (and cost-effective) should be as specific as possible. Even if the a middle part, and an end. The first part way to build community various facts and figures can apply to multiple of your infographic should state what the through blog posts subjects, they should be positioned and placed issue or problem is. The middle part should featuring ‘ambassador’ in a way that all joins on one point. A clear detail the process by which that problem customers, social purpose will allow you to hit your target audi- or issue is being addressed. And the end media interaction, and ence and will prevent confusion. It’ll also make it should show what can and should happen influencer marketing. easier to make more infographics out of limited after that issue has been addressed. Here’s resources. an example: study this one and see how its 7. Use influencer storyline quickly grabs the reader’s attention. marketing 2. Make every part of it clear You should consider adapting this style to There is nothing that influences You should never have to explain what a part suit the stated purpose of your infographic, people as much as other people, of your infographic means. Infographics are de- but the same principle will apply practically and a few select people have signed to be consumed in a matter of minutes. every time. the power to influence millions Your point should become clear right from the or even billions. Look at Kate headline and with every piece of information 6. Leverage the infographic for ROI Middleton: nearly every dress within the infographic. It should be immediately Once you’ve created your great infographic, she is photographed in sells out obvious why you’ve included a certain point. you need to think about where you’re going within hours. This has been If you find yourself hesitating or questioning to go next. Every infographic should lead into nicknamed “The Kate Effect,” why something is there, that means it’s too something else, whether that’s giving some- and it’s estimated to contribute complicated. Remove it or think about how you thing away or asking people to subscribe to £1 billion to the UK fashion can position it in a way that will make it less your email list. Too many companies craft industry. We have had similar complicated. a fantastic infographic only to have it go results for our clients, but the nowhere. You should always think about how key to successful influencer 3. Make the colors fit in your infographics fit into your overall market- marketing is to choose the right Colors are an important part of catching some- ing campaign and sales funnel. Once you do influencer, using well thought- one’s eye. The colors you choose will determine this you’ll soon see that your infographics out analytics, not just Google, the psychological response you receive. When become more valuable and they net you a or ask a famous friend to be a choosing your colors, you should first limit your bigger return on your investment. brand ambassador. The other choices to two at the most, and one of them will key to successful influencer nearly always be black or white. Any more colors Infographics are no silver bullet. They need to marketing goes back to my first than this can create confusion. You should con- be well-placed and they have to blend into the point: create superb content sider how the colors of your infographic blend rest of the content on your website. Always true to your brand narrative. in with the background of your website. This is have the big picture in mind and you’ll be Work closely with your brand one part of designing an infographic that people designing infographics that give you a huge ambassadors on the content frequently forget about. return on your investment. they post about your brand, and post complimentary content on your own accounts and as- Dorothy Mitchell is a freelance business writer and social media marketing consultant. She sociated accounts to create a has worked as a writer, researcher, social media manager and business consultant with several layered effect and build excite- companies, including Fortune 500 companies like LinkedIn, Microsoft, Cisco and PepsiCo, and startups that’ll soon become big players. She has also ghost written pieces that got published in ment. Forbes, The Economist, Entrepreneur, Inc., Content Marketing Institute, and dozens more reputable publications. Connect with her on her website, DorothyMitchell.me or on Twitter @DorothyExpert.

may 2017 Entrepreneur 69 money ask the money guy | vc viewpoint | your money | ECON

Get your money’s worth Here’s what investors should look for in a startup

By Erkki Aaltonen

The key determinant of not considered fundable. This fundable in the eyes of other THE MARKET funding for angel investors is something important that potential follow-on inves- Good investors love mar- (or any investor in general) is investors need to keep in mind tors. Failing this, the investor kets that structurally do not to understand if the company before moving forth on an faces the risk of ending up as present a hindrance to hyper they are interested in is fund- investment, because startups the only investor in the next growth. able or not. The key thing to typically need to go through financing rounds. Typically, the overall global remember here is that it is rel- several funding rounds before So, what should investors market of the startup you atively easy to raise money for they hit it big or even become look for in a startup? There want to invest in should be a company that is fundable. It cash flow positive. So it is are essentially three focus ar- north of US$10 billion, and is close to impossible to raise critical that investors evaluate eas: the market, the product, have an addressable market funding for a company that is and understand if a startup is and the team. of more than $1 billion on

Erkki Aaltonen is the Executive Director of startAD, the innovation and entrepreneurship platform at NYU Abu Dhabi. Erkki has more than 15 years of diversified rich experience in various investment and corporate development roles at Nokia Ventures, VTT Ventures, KAUST Innovation Fund, and Shenzhen Leaguer Venture Capital. He is the co-founder of five startups and has carried out close to a 100 funding rounds, mainly pre-seed, seed stage, some Series A and Series B, and has helped fellow entrepreneurs raise venture capital north of US$100 million.

70 Entrepreneur may 2017 ask the money guy | vc viewpoint | your money | ECON money

entry. This means that own- build something together, be- time as the company evolves instance, one independent ing 10% slice of the address- yond mere PowerPoint slides. and fine tunes its direction, cowboy instead of a cohesive able market makes a $100 It reduces perceived and as well as increases the matu- group. million revenue company. If actual risk for the investor. rity in the given direction. the market is either a niche or When developing new inno- At the end of the day, while totally new, you can start by vations, startups normally go Nimbleness The market is going through a startup’s evaluating the total address- through an evolutionary path competitive; the team must investor deck, make it a point able market at a few hun- from feature, to product, to be able to go-to-market on to evaluate if the startup dreds of millions (or zero), company. As an investor you a timely manner against the can present their fundable but the expectation has to be should not be afraid to look competition. company in a form of story that the startup will quickly at startups which only have with interesting narrative. grow because of the competi- a “feature,” as opposed to a There are red flags to con- A great plan is one that can tive advantage, becoming an full-fledged product, as long sider here as well: be distilled to a very simple undisputed market leader. as they have a realistic evolv- Team structure Team compo- proposition, without losing When evaluating this par- ing roadmap on how to move sition is lacking, for instance, its attractiveness. If a com- ticular focus area, here are a onwards from the initial fea- a product lead is missing or is pany’s plan is not simple few red flags you should be ture towards the real product not good enough. enough to be described in aware of: and the company. two sentences, it probably is As for red flags, be wary of Division of equity The equity too complex to be communi- Size Some markets are a lack of laser focus in the pie has not been divided fairly cated effectively to customers, simply too small to justify product, business model or or is otherwise weird. employees and shareholders. a VC level investment. They go-to-market strategy. Substance is far more im- might still be good opportuni- Corporate culture Issues portant than images and the ties for a lifestyle company, THE TEAM with team culture, for color of the lines. or an angel-funded feature Product and market are far that is either sold or reaches more important determinants breakeven at relatively small of a startup’s meteoric suc- amount of money of less than cess than a team; however, a million dollars. both these features are way Be in the know more difficult to measure in VentureSouq and StartAD to host Competition Some markets the early days, thus mak- Angel Rising 2017 in May are extremely overcrowded. ing the team an important qualifier. Without a good and With study after study mencing with a welcome by Readiness Some markets are dedicated team, everything pointing to the importance Ramesh Jagannathan, MD, not ready right now. will go south quite quickly. of a well-developed seed and startAD at NYU Abu Dhabi, Each opportunity is distinct early-stage financial support this year’s agenda features Risk Some markets require a and calls for a different com- for MENA entrepreneurs, the talks by Omar Christidis, Minimum Viable Product that position and backgrounds for absence of a mature angel CEO & Founder, ArabNet, is too large and too risky for a the ideal team. But desirable investor class in the region’s on state of MENA invest- startup. characteristics would be: ecosystem is often raised as ment landscape, the linkages an issue. In order to develop between fintech and angel Flexibility Some market Drive The founders must “a broad, sophisticated class investing explained by Angela spaces offer tremendous have sufficient energy and of investors,” and to guide Strange, Partner, Andreessen potential for pivoting whereas conviction to carry them those with a keen inter- Horowitz, a panel discussion others are too rigid. They only through the ups and downs est in investing in startups, on the investor food chain, offer feasibility if the initial they will inevitably face. early-stage funding platform sessions on impact invest- product or go-to-market VentureSouq and New York ing, among others. Vikas angle succeeds. Communication Founders University Abu Dhabi’s Shah, Visiting Professor of must also be able to com- (NYUAD) entrepreneur- Entrepreneurship, MIT Sloan THE PRODUCT municate their drive and en- ship program startAD are School of Management, Najla A quality product at the right thusiasm to their employees back with the third edition Al-Midfa, General Manager, time and place can make or in such a way that it becomes of Angel Rising on May 13, Sheraa - Sharjah Entrepre- break a company’s fortune. contagious and part of the 2017 at NYUAD. Open to all, neurship Center, Aby Sam Simplicity is key. The basic company’s culture. the annual symposium hosts Thomas, Editor in Chief, rule of thumb is that custom- informative sessions on key Entrepreneur Middle East, ers will initially only buy a Agility They must be able to topics related to angel invest- and Sabah Al Binali, Chief simple product with a sin- swiftly execute against the ing, and believes that “the in- Investment Officer, CEO gular value proposition. The market opportunity. vestor base needs to mature Credit, SHUAA Capital, are product shows to the team and evolve in lock step with a few other speakers set to itself and the investor that Dynamicity The ideal team entrepreneurs,” for a startup share insights at Angel Ris- this specific team can actually composition changes over ecosystem to flourish. Com- ing 2017.

may 2017 Entrepreneur 71 start it up ecosystem | who’s got VC | Q&A | STARTUP FINANCE

for the prospective buyers. The trial units were installed in two main sectors- construction and maintenance.” Prior to actual application, the system was initially tried in small-sized construction projects, and the feedback that the duo got was positive. “The monitoring system was given to the safety officer of the concerned projects, and the construction workers felt that they had a direct connection to the safety officer,” Alkuwari notes. “This whole connection experience made the foreman very conscious of the workers’ safety, apart from contributing to increased productivity by cutting the time that is Setting standards required to take attendance since all that the workers had Rashid Al-Mohanadi and Saoud Alkuwari, to do was take their desig- the co-founders of Al-Saeb, have built a smartwatch nated watch from the charg- to safeguard Qatar’s blue-collar workers ing panel and they registered their presence for the day… By Aparajita Mukherjee This is also very critical when mustering is in operation.” he idea of Al-Saeb at sea, and ensures his safety by Al-Mohanadi says, “We have Detailing out the trial phase, came to us when we pulling him out of water when run several trials of the system Alkuwari continues that out of were obtaining our he needs to breathe or needs in medium-sized construction all the features of Al-Saeb, the engineering degrees any other help. We thought projects, and Al-Saeb will be SOS button has been the most in the UK, and there that this name coincided beau- used in several other major used, since it gave the work- was a great focus on tifully with the purpose of the projects very soon. The system ers a chance to call for help the health, safety and system.” has shown that it is instru- when required, or if they were well-being of laborers The co-founders describe mental in ensuring the safety not sure what they were doing Twho are working on the major Al-Saeb as a total solution for of workers and increasing their was safe or not, thus linking 2022 FIFA World Cup projects construction workers’ health productivity, in addition to the them directly to the people by international media outlets,” and safety. “The system con- fact that organizations have in charge of their health and says Rashid Al-Mohanadi, sists of a smartwatch, which to put more focus on people, safety and not through their co-founder of Al-Saeb. “The is connected through Global as they are the most valuable work supervisor. “These trials Middle East has a very harsh Satellite Mobile to a server resource they have! We have have helped us fine-tune and climate and the safety con- which has our software inbuilt installed several trial systems optimize our system, and it has cerns of the project workers and the system monitors heart in Qatar as a proof of concept made us more confident in its are real. We wanted to show to rate, movements (falling down, effectiveness on the work site,” the world that we, as Qataris, not moving at all, abnormal notes Al-Mohanadi, adding are committed and have the movements) and locations,” that their pricing is made on a innovative capabilities of Al-Mohanadi explains. “The case-by-case basis, since not all solving any challenge that may system also has a SOS capabil- Rashid construction sites are the same. come on the path of achieving ity for the worker to call for Al-Mohannadi, “The opportunity arises after our nation’s vision, and so we help if he/she needs it. We can co-founder, a customer purchases Al-Saeb, Al-Saeb developed Al-Saeb.” also send a message directly to and wants to use it on another Co-founder Saoud Alkuwari the watch, and this is criti- site. We can very quickly adjust adds, “Since we are very at- cal if we need to evacuate the the system to the new site tached to our culture and histo- site. In addition, the system conditions, even though the ry, the name [of the company] has labor management capa- system is designed and devel- was chosen because it is the bilities such as attendance and oped entirely in Qatar with the name given to the person who headcount.” Commenting on manufacturing facilities located holds the rope of a pearl diver the current status of Al-Saeb, abroad.”

72 Entrepreneur may 2017 Detailing out the pricing which are not very easily ob- ogy Park for developing the Saoud Alkuwari, mechanism, Alkuwari mentions tainable.” Having said that, the minimal viable product under co-founder, that a single watch is priced duo is currently developing a the technology accelerator Al-Saeb at less than QAR350, “but we model that is optimized for the program, which focuses on both are not selling a watch alone. oil and gas and the manufactur- the technical and the business What we are selling is an entire ing industries with the required development of the venture. solution from the watch to the features and certifications. At the end of the program, we connectivity to the server, and Speaking about the hurdles were able to develop a business from the server to the different they had to face, Al-Mohanadi plan which focused initially on monitoring options (web app, states, “The main challenge the construction sector, and mobile and tablet app), so that ahead of us was securing fund- with further development we this solution can be tailored ing, and developing the supply can extend the product to ex- entirely to customer require- chain, with the high manufac- tend on to other sectors which ment.” Analyzing their strength turing and component costs in require something similar to factors, the duo are confident the GCC. This left us no option our product.” that it comes from the twin but to develop an effective and Commenting on the next stage advantages of having developed efficient international sup- of their product development since after having developed the entire system from start to ply chain for our product and cycle, Al-Mohanadi says, “The the solution to a greater extent, finish which enables them to herein comes the role that our next stage was to evolve from a and winning the Best Smart easily provide all the changes partnership with Qatar Naviga- prototype to a working product. Consumer Solution award at in-house and the fact that the tor, a technology startup in the This was mostly self-funded the recently held QITCOM 2017 system has been designed hori- area of household appliances since most funding programs in event, they have received sev- zontally, defining which they and business solutions, played. Qatar have very rigid guidelines eral funding offers. Currently, say: “We have allowed place for This is a local SME with great and unlike the local programs the startup is finalizing an add-ons and variations depend- experience in similar projects that have adapted from similar agreement with Ooredoo, which ing on the customer specifica- and technology development programs in tech startup hubs, they hope will open channels in tions and site conditions.” and has been instrumental such as Silicon Valley, it is a Kuwait and Oman. “However,” When asked what made in helping us with a model to fact that not everything adapt- adds Al-Mohanadi, “the most them work in the construction work on.” ed from abroad will work here logical market to address after sector, when they both have a Analyzing the reasons behind and I think this poses a chal- Qatar is the UAE, and we are professional background in the the plight of technology entre- lenge not only on tech startups, planning to start marketing our energy sector, Al-Mohanadi preneurs in Qatar, Alkuwari such as us, but everyone who product in the UAE by this year says that the oil and gas sector mentions, “The policies and is aspiring to get funded. Qatar end.” Going forward, Alku- and the construction sector are frameworks put in place for needs to develop a culture of wari and Al-Mohanadi plan to very alike in several respects- accelerating and encouraging entrepreneurship that fits with implement Al-Saeb in several both have people doing manual technology entrepreneurship the realities here and avoid major projects in Qatar as well work in one way or another are still immature in the region copying programs from else- as to develop a newer version and both are associated with as a whole. This meant that Al- where abroad since they were of it, with industry-specific risk. “The main reason why we Saeb was initially self-funded. developed for societies where applications with reference chose construction over oil and We also secured a fund from ground realities are different.” to healthcare, oil and gas and gas to start with was because Qatar Science and Technol- The duo are now optimistic infrastructure maintenance. of the difference between the two sectors. The willingness to adopt new technology that might increase productivity, reduce loss and mitigate risk is higher in the construction sector, compared to the energy sector. In the oil and gas sector, new technology adoption takes more time compared to the construction sector.” Alkuwari adds, “The entry requirements for any electronic equipment in the oil and gas facilities are very high, since understand- ably, these facilities have a very volatile environment and require proper anti-spark and anti-explosion certifications, www. al-saeb.com al-saeb.com www.

may 2017 Entrepreneur 73 franchise

Costa Coffee, Jawad notes that the partnership came to be because his company wanted to join hands with a brand that had the same qualities that the Group knows customers love and value. “Costa has been voted the UK’s favorite coffee shop brand for seven years running now, and is synonymous for great tasting quality coffee,” he explains. “Costa is a British brand with a strong heritage customers here can relate to, there are a lot of synergies with Doha and London- we know that Qatar is also a nation of coffee lovers and so we wanted to partner with a coffee brand that values the care and quality taken from every bean roasted to every cup of coffee served.” A masterclass session that Costa Coffee organized for the media in Qatar Jawad notes that Costa’s heritage is built on the unique Mocha Italia blend used in the espresso, The customer comes first which is the base for all of the core drinks. Detailing out how Hassan Jawad, Divisional Manager of Costa Coffee Bahrain, Qatar, Oman Costa prepares the unique and and Saudi Arabia, on making the brand stand out in Qatar signature coffee for every cup, Jawad mentions that every bean By Aparajita Mukherjee is roasted in Paradise Street, the Costa roastery in the UK, “but we grind and handcraft each “We [...] have a strong coffee locally. We tailor the store training program “When it comes to coffee, customers are real connoisseurs environments to suit the Qatari and standards on we believe in putting the cus- and are looking for something customers, ensure the service all aspects of the customer experience tomer at the heart of everything new and exciting to try in their style fits the local customer and and coffee-making we do,” says Hassan Jawad, Divi- usual coffee. We thought Old select locations that we know process from how sional Manager of Costa Coffee Paradise Street would be the are convenient or well-loved by to check the grinder, – Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and perfect addition to add to their all customers – where else in the extract espresso the Saudi Arabia, as he explains the repertoire with caramel and world can you enjoy a cool iced recipe for each drink USP of the coffee brand, which almond notes to give a new twist latte overlooking the beautiful and the crockery in was launched in Qatar by The on their favorite coffee.” Doha Corniche..!” which it is served so customers get Jawad Business Group in 2003. With respect to the Jawad Since staffing a key require- the same fantastic “That is why we handcraft ever Business Group’s alliance with ment in all customer-facing experience each and cup of coffee, this means that every time they visit.” we are able to tailor each drink to the exacting needs that our customers wish, whether that be an extra flavor, a bit more of our delicious chocolate dusting, or trying our new roast– Old Para- dise St No. 19. Qataris have an eye for detail and like to be able to have coffee in the way that is right for them and our skilled baristas are able to deliver this for them. Qatar is a coffee loving nation, who has a passion for great tasting coffee. We see that A masterclass session that Costa Coffee organized for the media in Qatar

74 Entrepreneur may 2017 businesses such as Costa, the stores have softer seating to Jawad Business Group puts give a comfortable environment a great deal of emphasis on that customers want to relax training. “All our baristas go and enjoy themselves in, greet- through rigorous training being our regulars and remember- fore they serve their first cup of ing their favorite drink, to serv- coffee to a customer. They will ing customers at speed when then train up to our Barista we know they are in a rush. Maestro program learning thor- Everyone’s needs are different, ough information about coffee and the trick is understanding and how to serve irresistible each individual customer, and coffee at speed that leaves our making sure you leave them customers smiling. We also run smiling each and every time.” A masterclass session that Costa Coffee organized for the media in Qatar coffee ambassador workshops to teach our teams how to “All our baristas go through be an ambassador of Costa rigorous training before Standing out and run Latte Art workshops they serve their first cup Hasan Jawad looks into Costa’s key USPs bringing out the artistic skills of coffee to a customer. They will then train up of our baristas to customize Quality of coffee blends, our founders, the to our Barista Maestro drinks to different customers. program learning thorough “GennaroPelliccia is the Mas- Costa brothers chose Mocha We even run masterclasses for information about coffee.” ter of Coffee for Costa, and is Italia for its rich and smooth customers for those who want responsible for safeguarding taste. Mocha Italia proved to to learn more about coffee and Comparing Qatar to the other the excellent standard of our be so good, it’s still the blend the secrets of becoming a great markets that lie under his su- coffee across the world. Our we use today. The recipe is barista.” Part of being a barista, pervision, Jawad says, “We see team of experts led by Gen- a closely guarded secret. So Jawad notes, is knowing how that across our markets while naro who verifies the taste closely guarded in fact that to turn Costa’s great quality all our customers are coffee profile of every batch of cof- it wasn’t until recently that it beans into an equally perfect lovers, there are some unique fee to make sure it’s true to was written down. All we can cup of coffee for each and every variances, for instance Qatar the original recipe. Due to his tell you is it’s an irresistible customer, be it in Qatar or and Oman, we see that custom- expert tasting skill, Gennaro’s blend of Arabica and Robusta anywhere else in the world. ers tend to enjoy our delicious tongue was even insured for coffee beans that gives it “We know how Qataris like handcrafted cappuccinos and £10 million!” a smooth, round and rich to travel and expect the same lattes as part of their mid- taste.” high-quality coffee from Costa, morning break, while in Saudi Handcrafted- every coffee, no matter where they are in the Arabia, our customers have a every time world,” he says. “We, therefore, preference for an frothy treat “We craft our coffee by hand have a strong training program in the evening. However, there by skilled baristas who train and standards on all aspects are some universal trends, for long and hard to deliver the of the customer experience instance, as we move into the best most personal service to and coffee-making process hotter weather, we know that our customers. Over 4,000 from how to check the grinder, our customers across markets team members, craft one extract espresso the recipe for are looking for some refreshing million cups of coffee per each drink and the crockery in and indulgent iced drinks to year at our 25 Costa Barista which it is served so customers help them cool down.” About Academies around the world get the same fantastic experi- Costa’s Qatar 2017 plans, to ensure that the perfect ence each and every time they Jawad is of the opinion that handcrafted coffee is served Hassan Jawad, Divisional visit.” they will continue to focus on in all our stores.” Manager of Costa Coffee Bahrain, Narrating the Costa Coffee the customers and put their Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia journey in Qatar and the les- needs first. “We will look to Freshness counts sons that the Jawad Business continue our growth across Qa- “We only ever use fresh milk Heritage matters Group has learnt about the way tar to make getting a great cup used in all our coffees and “Established in 1971, Costa a business based on customer of Costa coffee even easier, and not UHT, as we believe this is a UK brand with over 40 satisfaction in Qatar, Jawad bring new and exciting drinks give a superior flavor and years’ experience in crafting says, “Understanding our to the market. Globally, the texture to our coffees that the perfect cup of coffee, we customers’ needs is imperative Costa brand plans to double customers love.” believe we have the pas- and acting on them to delight in size over the next five years, sion, skills and dedication to customers at every step of their and we look forward to greeting The Mocha Italia blend deliver the best cup of coffee visit to Costa to ensure that new and loyal customers alike “Having roasted and ex- to all our customer around they have a positive experience. with their favorite handcrafted perimented with 112 different the world.” Whether this means ensuring drink.” images courtesy costa qatar qatar costa courtesy images

may 2017 Entrepreneur 75 start it up ecosystem | who’s got VC | Q&A | STARTUP FINANCE

because of lack of innovation, technology readiness and short-term priority, I had no choice but to do it on my own!” Stressing on the problem the startup aims to solve, Grosso points out that the low-income population’s lack of access to basic risk protection tools, such as social security, healthcare, and personal savings, drove him to float the company. So how does the startup try to correct this issue? Grosso explains it to me from the point of view of the end-users: “They only need their mobile phone to get insured, pay for insurance and use their policies. Our Left to right: Democrance CTO Damiam Dimmich, COO Alberto Perez, CEO Michele Grosso, technology also helps insur- and Lead Software Engineer Aarno Tenhunen ance companies manage those high numbers of low-premium policies by automatizing Democratizing insurance the whole value chain- they wouldn’t be able to do it with Democrance makes insurance accessible for MENA’s their current manual and op- low-income population erationally heavy processes.” With the insurance sector By Sindhu Hariharan (like all other industries) moving towards digitization, Democrance helps n the MENA region (and “two of every three deals in Grosso says Democrance insurers to go perhaps the world over), 2016” took place at the early- helps insurers to go digital digital nimbly by ask fintech entrepreneurs stage. Be it through the appli- nimbly by offering a platform offering a platform about their startup’s core cation of artificial intelligence that does not need any com- that does not business, and chances are in insurance, or by facilitating plex integration to their exist- need any complex Ithat it’s likely to be around microinsurance, this new ing systems, while unlocking integration to their existing systems, digital payments, peer-to- breed of fintech startups are the potential for an entirely while unlocking the peer lending, or blockchain. beginning to make their pres- overlooked population of potential for an While these fintech business- ence felt. consumers. Grosso notes that entirely overlooked es have dominated investor One such entrepreneur the number of SIM cards in population of and funding action for a while who has entered the MENA the region is more than its consumers. now, one can’t exactly say the region’s insurance sector population, and with that same for innovations happen- is Michele Grosso, founder being the case, Democrance ing in the insurance space. and CEO, Democrance, an partners with insurance com- However, globally, upstarts insurtech startup based in the panies on one side, and tel- are emerging to change this UAE. Given his passion for ecom operators on the other, scenario, and the insurance microinsurance (a model fo- to utilize the mobile phone as industry is seeing increased cused on insuring low-income a tool to reach the low- and collaborations between the people) and its impact on middle- income segments, old and new guard. According society, Grosso was surprised which can then just use to CB Insights data, the annu- to learn that the concept was their mobile phone to “buy, al deal activity in the insur- “simply not available” in the pay for and use insurance ance-technology (insurtech) region. “When I moved to the products.” Having worked for space clocked US$1.69 billion Middle East, I experienced some of the largest insurance in 2016, with the number of that first-hand,” he explains. companies in the world like deals rising 42% on a year- “And once I realized insur- AXA and MetLife in France, over-year basis. Not just that, ance companies wouldn’t Egypt and the UAE, Grosso in a positive sign for aspir- be able to venture in these left the corporate world to ing insurtech entrepreneurs, segments by themselves, launch Democrance in 2015,

76 Entrepreneur may 2017 and the company is now in telcos, Grosso insists that the process of implementing the model is a win-win for their first pilot projects in everyone involved- profit- the UAE, which Gross ex- able for both the insurer and pects will bring in their first the mobile operator, while revenues. As for building the protecting the vulnerable core team, Grosso met Alber- population who need it the to Pérez and Damian Dim- most. Not surprisingly, for mich (Democrance’s Chief ventures in the insurtech Revenue Officer and Chief space, strategic partner- Technology Officer) at the ships with large corporates AstroLabs co-working space (be it insurance companies in Dubai, where the two or other industries) are a were working on different critical requirement to scale. projects and instantly “fell in Luckily for these upstarts, the eight global startup fi- upgrade our technology love with the idea and pur- insurance companies too nalists. Collab attracted over platform.” pose” of Democrance. “Their seem to be realizing the 135 applications from 34 Even with the financial and background and experience value in such collaborations. countries around the world. partnerships momentum [Perez had previous stints For instance, Accenture’s “It is a great experience to going in its stride, work- with telcos in Sub-Saharan Technology Vision for Insur- be exposed to the insurtech ing with large established Africa, and Dimmich had ance 2016 revealed that 44% ecosystem in Asia and to players in the sector is not experience in financial tech- of global insurers intend learn how startups can without its hurdles, and nology] are the perfect fit,” to “pursue digital initia- work with one of the largest Grosso sheds light on one adds Grosso. tives with startups from the insurance companies in the such challenge he anticipates And how do they cre- insurance industry over the world,” says Grosso, com- in scaling up Democrance. ate awareness about their next two years.” menting on the Collab expe- “One of the challenges is the business proposition among And it’s a testament to rience. Further, Democrance speed and time to market of the target population? “We the quality of Democrance’s is also about to close their our insurance and distribu- leverage on the brand they product that the startup has first round of external fund- tion partners- at the end of already know, and interact managed to win the en- ing, with “almost all of it al- the day, they’re huge cor- with [them] as customers dorsement of the insurance ready subscribed by leading porates and we are a small or employees (for instance industry too. LumenLab, regional and European angels startup, so it is normal that a telco, remittance house insurance major MetLife’s and venture capitals.” Grosso we work on different time or taxi company) to market Singapore-based innova- expects this external funding frames,” he notes. Luckily the products and to create tion center, announced eight boost to help the company for Democrance, the com- awareness,” replies Grosso. finalists for its inaugural fuel its “business develop- pany’s founder is not alien Interestingly, in taking up insurtech pitch program ment efforts, accelerate the to the corporate world, and the role of a strategic partner Collab in February 2017, and implementation of our first understands the nuances of for insurance companies and Democrance was one among partnerships, and constantly working with the other side- >>> www.democrance.com www.democrance.com

may 2017 Entrepreneur 77 entrepreneurs ME-innovation--startup- eng.pdf 1 3/17/17 10:42 AM start it up ecosystem | who’s got VC | Q&A | STARTUP FINANCE

‘TREP TALK Michele Grosso, founder & CEO, Democrance

How has your experi- the ecosystem develops. ence been in building and For entrepreneurs in growing your company in any industry or region, I the UAE? would tell them to remain “The UAE was the committed to their passion, natural choice for us to without worrying too much implement a product about what everyone else targeting emerging says. Investor interests are MENA markets and the cyclical, but what matters emerging consumers of at the end of the day is to large corporates from the bring your idea forward and region. When compared to stay true to your value and the rest of the region, the beliefs.” Members of Democrance team UAE gives you access to clients, investors, talent and a trait that has helped him “One of the challenges resources you wouldn’t find grow his startup. “You’d hear is the speed and time to elsewhere. The region holds a lot of entrepreneurs criti- market of our insurance and so many opportunities and distribution partners- at the cizing the corporate world, is unique in so many ways, end of the day, they’re huge C although most successful corporates and we are a I don’t understand why entrepreneurs wouldn’t be small startup, so it is normal entrepreneurs would want M successful in growing their that we work on different to migrate to the West or ventures if it was not for time frames.” try to implement copycats Y Michele Grosso, founder and CEO, the skills and tools learnt here from the West!” Democrance CM in enterprise,” says Grosso. which they believe is get- MY Admitting that it was quite ting there to be on par with What is your opinion What are your top three a struggle for him to adapt global insurtech markets. on the startup-funding tips for an entrepreneur CY

to the startup life, he notes Grosso says that by stick- scenario in MENA, and to start a business here in CMY how “there’s no down time ing to MENA, as one of the globally for insurance- the MENA region? as you’re always there trying very few insurtech players technology, and what “Passion, passion and K to make it happen, whether in the region, Democrance is would be your advice for passion: passion is an working, thinking or wor- enjoying a lot of visibility as aspiring entrepreneurs ever-lasting source of rying about it! There’s also an early-mover. He adds that pitching for funds in this strength and focus; passion no rest time either, as you their decision is also guided region? can guide you through the constantly need to drive your by the supportive environ- “Insurance technology difficult times that you’ll team, clients, partners and ment offered by regulators startups are raising a inevitably face during your investors towards your vi- in the UAE for new innova- lot of interest among journey as an entrepreneur. sion- and that requires a lot tions in general, and fintech investors globally. MENA Your initial passion will be of energy!” He advises entre- in specific. Thus, keeping in is catching up, and it may there to guide you when preneurs to be ready to put mind that fintech requires a take a bit longer, but it will everything and everyone in “the mental and physical “longer-term approach” than definitely get there too as else will try to distract you!” efforts required, [which are] other startups, Democrance similar to no other corporate has set itself a target to job.” provide access to basic life As industry data and and health insurance to “15 research points to a huge million low-income people potential for insurtech, across the MENA region” by quite a few global compa- the year 2020- a population nies are working to solve the segment in which major- same need as Democrance ity have never been insured (such as European players before. Suffice to say the Microensure and BIMA), company’s ambition is and hence the UAE-based impressive- and its potential startup has been smart social impact is even more enough to focus solely on so, making it a venture to the MENA market for now, watch in this region.

78 Entrepreneur may 2017 entrepreneurs ME-innovation--startup- eng.pdf 1 3/17/17 10:42 AM

CMY

K start it up ecosystem | who’s got VC | Q&A | STARTUP FINANCE

Scout My Car co-founders in service recommendations Omar Benseddik and ‘TREP TALK and conversions. On the Alexander M. Kappes with Alexander M Kappes, founder the STEP 2017 award company’s value proposition and CEO, Scout My Car he says: “We help the buyer understand the true condi- Used cars marketplace tion of the car, how it’s been as a business model is a serviced, what it will cost to crowded one, especially repair any issues and dam- in the UAE. How have you ages, what the car is worth, differentiated yourself and what we think about from your competitors? buying this car.” He adds that “Our partnerships have the startup’s biggest benefit been critical in establishing is that it “provides context” credibility, targeting to the problems uncovered customers, and growing helping buyers take the right the business. Our first decision. And if you are a partnership was with Careem, seller, you can benefit from who offer the sellers a Off to a flying start the enterprise too, since discount on Careem rides, Scout My Car pitches its way to victory at Scout My Car shares results while their car is in the garage with us. Since then we have STEP Conference 2017 By Sindhu Hariharan with sellers as well, and says that the context they provide partnered with several service buyers is often useful for the apps, such as Helpbit, and As a serial entrepreneur, Car prompted so many smiles sellers too. The founder also MrUsta, and most recently, and a tech business execu- and nodding heads, that it felt believes that the fact that users and customers tive for over eight years now, easy from there on.” they arrange for the “inspec- of DriveArabia.com and it’s hardly a surprise that The idea for Scout My Car tion, pick-up and drop-off Carmudi.ae can book a car “launching businesses” is came to Kappes as a result of the car, and keep in touch inspection direct from the one of Alexander M. Kappes of his own bad experience in with our customers through- car listings pages. Both sites primary passions. However, buying his first car. “Despite out the inspection process have over two million page in September 2016, the entre- the car being under warranty, via Whatsapp” is another views per month, and we add preneur decided to link this and serviced exclusively by key benefit and reasons why value to their services, while passion with his love for cars the dealership, I ended up customers choose (and should they create awareness and by launching his newest tech paying almost AED10,000 choose) Scout My Car. drive traffic for Scout My Car.” startup, Scout My Car. In a within my first month to The experience of pitching large used car market such as service the car,” he says. The in front of the ecosystem at What are your top tips for that of the UAE, Scout My Car experience prompted him to STEP, and the ensuing victory MENA entrepreneurs to wants to be a service provider research more on how the is sure to be a shot in the arm push forward with their that helps buyers differentiate scenario could have been for the upstart, which is in startup in the initial years between a reliable used car, avoided, and that’s when he the process of preparing for of its launch? and well, a dodgy one before noticed a real need for “a fund raising, with potential “A lot of the key lessons have purchase. transparent and convenient investors already having been out there for years, but Just six months into its way” to get used vehicles “reached out” to them. “The focus all your efforts on your launch, guided by positive inspected before purchase. As fact that Scout My Car caters mobile presence. Do market user reviews and thanks to he put his plans in motion to to an existing demand, while research with customers the founder’s smooth pitching launch Scout My Car, it took a a lot of startups are still try- and businesses to validate skills, Scout My Car bagged chance introduction followed ing to create a demand, will your idea. Always listen to the Best Growth Stage startup by just a few meetings to get hopefully help us in convinc- customer feedback, and pivot title at STEP 2017’s pitch co-founder Omar Benseddik ing investors that together if necessary, and be your best competition, conducted in (a graduate straight out of the with them, we can build a marketer.” partnership with Cadillac American University of Shar- great business,” says Kappes. Arabia. Commenting on the jah) on board, who, according win (it was the startup’s first to Keppes, stood out “due to time at STEP Conference), his drive, enthusiasm, and founder and CEO Kappes work ethic.” says: “The pitch competition Backed by investor Rocket itself was exciting, [and] de- Internet, the startup says it spite working in tech startups has been powering ahead with for over six years, I’ve never “word of mouth” as its key had to pitch in front of a large customer acquisition strategy, audience. But the reaction to with Kappes noting that posi- my introduction of Scout My tive user reviews have helped Scout My Car inspection images courtesy scout my car car my scout courtesy images

80 Entrepreneur may 2017

CULTURE business unusual | LIFE | TRAVEL | DESIGN | TRAPPINGS

required for questioning old ing the characteristics of non- lessons along the way. I’ve performing debt. also learned that culture mat- It all sounded good, but ters- and so does consistency. then he looked at me and Finally, accountability grows said, “You want to hand out with a growing business. $175,000 to strangers to When I think back on the generate defaults?” past few years, I have no His point was well taken- problem cataloguing the new our ideal experiment would skills and facts I’ve learned blow up the business (at that over time. I’ve learned about early-stage). diversification, account- I’ve also learned that cul- ing, and liquidity and cash ture -the way you talk about management. I’ve learned and do things with other peo- about human resources, the ple- is a powerful technology. fair price of office space in It’s a self-replicating code of Amman and New York, and conduct (your values) that the difference between profit- directly impacts your quality ability and favorable unit of life and the lives of those economics. around you. For us at liwwa, a good culture is based on learning, particularly fast learning, requires both mutual respect, transparency, discipline and skepticism. fairness and individual re- There’s no paradox; sponsibility. That all sounds you have to be able to very good, but it’s hard to assimilate new lessons manage in practice. The only Learning on the job even as you question things you believed you knew. thing that consistently guides us is our values statement. Building a business is about growing- both Yet, what underpins all of So it’s important to get your the business and yourself By Ahmed Moor these lessons is learning that, values right, and down on well, learning is a skill. One paper. hen my good But you do have two things simply cannot go from the Finally, I was one of the friend and co- going for you: it’s a relay- so idea stage of a company to a people who believed that founder Samer you do it with other people. point where that company is starting a business meant Atiani and I And, you’re totally ignorant generating real revenue with- that I’d be independent, and decided to start of the racecourse, prior out developing new skills. I still do. Building something our lending busi- knowledge of which may keep Building a business is about you love with people you Wness, liwwa, we had a limited you from ever crossing the growing- both the business admire is a wonderful way to understanding of what kind starting line. and yourself. And learning, spend your time. However, it of commitment we’d be liwwa is still an early-stage particularly fast learning, is not a way to escape respon- making. As people with some company. After operating for requires both discipline sibility or attain total free- experience, we thought we’d two years, we’ve underwrit- and skepticism. There’s no dom (whatever that means). be able to draw from prior ten about 140 loans amount- paradox; you have to be able As your business grows, as knowledge gained at work or ing to roughly US$4 million to assimilate new lessons you accept investor money, school. in debt in Jordan and the even as you question things as you hire people and make But building this company UAE. Our portfolio accounts you believed you knew. It’s a good on your obligation to has been unlike any other for a very tiny portion of the humbling process. provide health insurance and experience. Analogies exist; market opportunity we’re For example, in our first a positive work environment, it’s kind of like running a targeting. In other words, we board meeting, I remem- your responsibilities grow. marathon, people say. That still have a very long way to ber telling one of our most You pay the price of growth turned out to be partly true. go. supportive investors, Ali and professional independ- It’s been more like running Despite that, I feel that I’ve Al-Husry of DASH Ventures, ence in a different kind of a marathon-length relay learned a handful of lessons that we aimed to experi- currency- responsibility and triathlon. Or, it’s like running about building a business. ment with borrower profiles accountability to the people a marathon-length relay tri- Primarily, one has to have a to generate more informa- who’ve agreed to join you on athlon as a small child, before love of learning, the discipline tion on defaults. That would your journey. you’ve learned how to ride a to implement new lessons help us produce more robust And for me, that’s also been bike or swim. over time, and the skepticism statistical models highlight- a pretty good thing too.

Ahmed Moor is the co-founder and CEO of liwwa, Inc., a technology-enabled SME lending company. He received a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an MPP from Harvard University. He has written for Al Jazeera, The Guardian, The Washington Post, and other publications.

82 Entrepreneur may 2017

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