Blog
Five signs that you are not ready to be an entrepreneur
Note this article also appeared in Entrepreneur Middle East and can be viewed here. It has never been easier to become an entrepreneur. But are you ready? Modern technology has connected us to the point where it is feasible to run a startup business with no office...
Benefits of setting up a company in Umm Al Quwain Free Zone
Free zones are tempting propositions for anyone starting a business in the UAE. But that’s not to say that every free zone is the same. To give an insight into the specific benefits of popular UAE free zones, today we will focus on just one: Umm Al Quwain. Located in...
Five ways women entrepreneurs have an advantage
I know what you are thinking – yet another “battle of the sexes” article. But not so. Nor is this a piece about how women are coming closer to equality in the corporate world (a quick look at the stats show us that just 4.4% of CEO positions at companies in the...
Five signs that you have a great business idea
It may come to you while you’re working late, travelling to the office, or even when you’re struggling to sleep at 2am, but there’s no mistaking the amazing feeling that hits you when you believe you've just come up with a great business idea – the "game...
The top five challenges of doing business in Dubai
When you’ve lived and worked in Dubai for as long as I have, you would be forgiven for becoming almost desensitised to the rapid acceleration of the city. Barely a week goes by without word of another new development, or murmurings of the next big startup that’s about...
What are the office requirements for my UAE company?
Office space. Not exactly a word pairing that gets the entrepreneur’s heart racing. For many in fact, it’s a term that brings about feelings of dread – particularly for entrepreneurs who are familiar with the potentially high costs that come with any new office. But...
Five key traits of the successful mumpreneur
Every entrepreneur needs a toolkit packed with skills and character traits to help effectively navigate what is one of life’s greatest challenges (that is, building a business). And when we are talking about the mumpreneur who is also juggling a busy parenting role...
Do you need a local partner to do business in the UAE?
Note this article also appeared in Entrepreneur Middle East and can be viewed here. There is often a lot of confusion around the different types of companies that can be set up by foreign entrepreneurs in the UAE. To the outsider looking in, you could be forgiven for...
Nine reasons for entrepreneurs to set up in UAE free zones
Back in 1970, Harvard professor Howard Stevenson summed up entrepreneurship as ‘the pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled.’ In other words, entrepreneurs have a clear vision and the determination to succeed – even if the environment...
Seven things salespeople get wrong – and how to fix them
What’s the difference between a great salesperson and a mediocre one? A 2016 report looked into the behavioural traits that separate ‘world class’ salespeople from everyone else. Responses were gathered around the world, talking to everyone from account managers to...
How to choose a name for your UAE company
Note this article also appeared in Entrepreneur Middle East and can be viewed here. What’s in a name? About USD 100m in the case of Accenture, which reputedly spent that sum in transforming its brand from Andersen Consulting way back in 2001. Okay, not all of that...
Five consultancy ideas for the entrepreneurial-minded mum
I would say there is probably only one job tougher than running your own business, and that is being a full-time parent – especially in those early years. But how about combining the two? Well now you are just asking for hardship. Or are you? While it may seem...
