In honour of this month’s International Women’s Day Abu Dhabi Week decided to sit down with some of the capital’s businesswomen to hear their inspirational success stories and words of wisdom
Seema Shetty
Founder and managing director of BiteRite, Zari Zardozi, Foodworld and Dancing Bird.
Managing successful restaurants, healthy and economical cuisine options and a jewellery line didn’t happen overnight. Shetty’s initiation into the business world started early, with visits as a teenager to her father Dr B.R. Shetty’s office, attending meetings and doing odd jobs.
“I learnt that any organisation has to be disciplined itself, a contributing member of the community and that true skills come with the ability to master the art of absolute customisation and care.”
Starting so young proved to be one of her main challenges. “Winning the confidence of my peers was more of a challenge than anything else. It was tougher to sell ideas.”
Women, Shetty states, can easily succeed in leadership positions. “We understand the importance of team work – that every person has an important role to play in achieving goals, no matter what the position. This automatically gives us the instinct to respect others and therefore, be respected.”
Shetty was quick to surround herself with experienced people and met mentors at the Toastmaster International sessions as a teenager. She adds, “As an entrepreneur, you need advice and mentoring from all angles because your role is, in itself, multi-faceted.
“It is important to remember that you never know everything. This humbles you and forces you to strive for self-development. There will come a time when things look tough, but try and see it as a way of providing opportunities you would have otherwise not considered.”
Susan Shawwa - Khalil
Palestinian origin, set up Swisslinx in 1999.
What is Swisslinx?
Swisslinx is an educational consultancy firm. Our aim is to introduce students to a wide range of programmes in schools and universities, located primarily in Switzerland.
How did you set up your business?
After my son graduated with a Hospitality Degree in Switzerland, I noticed that students in the GCC were not aware of the career opportunities that such a degree could offer.
After extensive research, we acquired our license to operate and began recruiting students within the GCC to elite hospitality universities in Switzerland.
As a woman setting up a business in Abu Dhabi, did you encounter any difficulties?
Difficult does not exist in my dictionary. I have always told my children that there is no difference between being male or female when it comes to achieving your dreams. It may be more challenging, but there are always bumps in the road and it’s up to you to stand up, brace yourself and move forward.
What advice do you have for women who are thinking of setting up a business?
My advice is to write a business plan and act on it. Find out what you need to open your business and put it on paper; this is very crucial and will solidify your ideas.
- Networking is the best and cheapest marketing strategy.
- Treat each client the way you want to be treated - with respect and professionalism.
- It’s time to stop thinking ladies and start writing your business plan!
For information visit www.swisslinx.org
Alanoud Tahlawi
Managing partner of Ember Lifestyle Management, her motto in life is to ‘live life above and beyond the ordinary’.
Tell me about your business.
Ember is an exclusive lifestyle management service. We offer the highest level of personalised services to people who value excellence and seek exclusive living experiences. We facilitate connections to prestigious products and services. We make travel reservations, party arrangements and deal with wealth management. We also accommodate unusual demands such as reserving seats on a space shuttle or tracking down a rare species of fish in
the Bahamas.
How did you set up your business?
I have always wanted to set my own trends rather than follow the crowd.
When I visited Abu Dhabi I was very impressed. Its affluence has helped it evolve into a truly cosmopolitan and dynamic market.
I felt that Abu Dhabi was responsive to the changing business scene in the region with great potential for growth. The business climate in the capital was investor friendly and the infrastructure was perfect for entrepreneurial success.
As a woman setting up a business in Abu Dhabi, did you encounter any difficulties?
On the contrary, I believe being a female gave me an unfair advantage. As an entrepreneur and being new to this country, I had uncertainties about the success of my venture but they were soon laid to rest, thanks to the support and assistance of all those I approached during the initial period, in particular the Abu Dhabi Business Women’s Council.
What advice do you have for women setting up a business in Abu Dhabi?
I share the same view as that of tennis legend Martina Navratilova, who says that the key for women is to not to set any limits. We are naturally endowed with the powers of inner strength and resilience; these are valuable inputs for the success of an enterprise.
Abu Dhabi has a young, highly dynamic market with a remarkable resource pool and potential for growth. Added to this is the proactive role of the government in promoting women’s participation in economic progress.
In the past many women have realised the tremendous potential of Abu Dhabi and we have heard their inspiring success stories, now it’s time for us to create our own story.
For more information visit the website: www.ember.ae
School start-ups
Abu Dhabi Week sat down with Hend Al Nuaimi, 21, finance student and founder and president of Zayed University Entrepreneur Club, to find out some more about how young women in the capital are dipping their feet into big business.
“We started this club to inspire students to learn more about entrepreneurship. As women, we are so lucky in the UAE right now to be educated and have this passion and drive for success. With the government supporting us, we’re trying to develop students now so that they’ll be able to help in the future.”
With 15 officers and over 190 members, we’re sure we’ll be seeing great things from these girls soon! To find out more about how to get involved in the club, please email:
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Catriona Doherty and Sawaiba Khan
