Teach Middle East Magazine Jan-Feb 2016 Issue 3 Volume 3 | Page 41

A Moment With Bin Sulayem positive and keep running. It is a lot like an endurance race, you need to continually pace yourself to reach the finish line. When did you start your business as an Emirati Woman? I started in 2006 as a "one woman show” providing strategic consultancy. In 2010, I decided to quit my job and focus on building my company. I now have a very skilled and diversified team in Abu Dhabi. Did you have any support from local government, women business councils or associations that empower women? I never accepted financial support. I wanted to build something of my own. I wanted to set an example that with enough hard work and determination one can organically develop a successful business without government assistance. I also wanted to change the stigma that comes with individuals who come from family business backgrounds. I wanted to start something from scratch by myself without support from anyone to prove a point that you don’t need to inherit a business; you can start your own. How do you manage your professional and personal time? In the beginning it was a bit challenging. Now that we are more established, I make work and life balance a priority. Being a business owner is completely different from being an employee. I have my business, so that I can have a personal life that suites me best, not the other way around. Many people start businesses because they want to be business owners. I want to be an entrepreneur who is actively involved in every aspect of my business. There was a time when I was the CEO, Account Manager, and Office girl. I’m proud of that! How do you effectively reach your target market? My team and I invest a lot of time in this area, its very important that we continually strive to understand the developments throughout the market. This is especially important in a place like the UAE, where we see big changes everyday. We are very involved with the community, business and social activities so we can keep ahead of the developments and find unique opportunities. What expansion model have you adopted to extend the brand’s presence? We work with quite a number of government and semi-government bodies, while our private players include companies with an established level of success that are looking for the same quality of senior communication that a large agency would offer but with more personalised service and competitive rates. We have experienced strategists and a talented bunch of taskmasters. We liaise with half-adozen associates who work with us at any given time. Our flexible team model works well. We've got bench strength to work on larger and more complex projects, while keeping things simple and streamlined. We will continue to focus on our team model for the next five years. Our goal is to expand our offices in some of the other GCC and European countries over the next 10 years. How do you relax? Recently, a very close friend introduced me to Transcendental Meditation. I didn’t believe in it at first, but now I can’t stop. I do it twice daily for 15 minutes. It relaxes me and makes me more focused. Share one of your main achievements. I would say my best achievement to date in terms of business was working on developing the concept for Fashion Fever Grand Prix. I have been working on this for the past 3 years. We recently hosted the second edition of this (copyrighted) event in Abu Dhabi. Fashion Fever Grand Prix is the only by invitation red carpet fashion show in Abu Dhabi. Share with us a major business goal. We are in a good position and we’re growing at a fast rate. My philosophy has always been to pursue one's passion, be brilliant at what one does as an agency and profits will follow. With our agency’s work philosophy, our aim is to be one of the most distinguished SMEs in the PR & Communications sector of the region, continually contributing to future development of the UAE and its people. What is the best advice that you’ve received? The best advice I received was from my late father. He used to say, choose your friends and business partners carefully. It’s not about how long you know them but how well you know them. After The Bell | | Jan - Feb 2016 | 39