Entrepreneurship has been one of the most rewarding and exhausting journeys for me. Like most experiences in life, I learnt my lessons through trial and error and by seeking advice from my mentors. As some might be pondering the entrepreneurship track this year, here are a few tips to keep in mind.
Find your niche
As great as your business may sound to you, it must be beneficial in one way or another to your customers. What problem is your business solving? How does it improve the lives of customers? And how does it make the community better?
Go online
Many of the businesses that shut down during the Covid-19 pandemic did so because they didn’t invest in digital infrastructure or grow online communities that would have helped them serve their customers amid lockdowns. Social media and digital tools can help you rapidly build an online presence. Starting with an online presence only is also very cost efficient and you can then expand to have a physical presence, including pop-ups from time to time.
Networking is key
We have a saying in Arabic that translates to: “You can’t clap with one hand.” Growing up, I was an extremely shy person, but pursuing entrepreneurship encouraged me to step out of my shell and connect with people. You would be surprised by how many people are willing to support and help. Though networking events usually take place physically, luckily professional networking also takes place online, such as on Twitter Spaces or LinkedIn.
Collaborations help you grow
While you can achieve your target with the help of your team, you would get there faster by collaborating or partnering with other entities. For instance, if you are in the art industry and planning an event, approach an art space that would be willing to collaborate with you to host your event. That way, you may get the space free of charge and tap the art space’s audience. Think of on-boarding other partners that can help cover other costs. For instance, as an art event organiser, you may partner with media companies in exchange of covering the event, and team up with a leading printing house that can cover the expenses of any printing for the event. What I appreciated most about collaboration over the years, is that it helps your business reach new heights faster, and it’s almost always a win-win for all partners on board.
Focus on PR and word of mouth
I always believe that advertising your business is easy. If you have the money, you can advertise anywhere and create a buzz. But that won’t necessarily help your business grow or boost your audience. Focus instead on word of mouth and public relations. That means having a media plan in place that highlights your business across different news outlets and talking to right people about your business. So instead of paying a random influencer with the highest number of followers to talk about your business, look for a credible influencer whose opinion matters to their followers. Ask them to present case studies and share their insights. I would also advise that you focus on engagement rather than the number of impressions. You want an influencer’s followers to be engaging with the content they share. That way you will have your content exposed to more audiences.
Networking, embracing technology and finding a niche can help those looking to start a business.
Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati writer and communications consultant based in Abu Dhabi. Twitter: @manar_alhinai
Results
United States beat UAE by three wickets
United States beat Scotland by 35 runs
UAE v Scotland – no result
United States beat UAE by 98 runs
Scotland beat United States by four wickets
Fixtures
Sunday, 10am, ICC Academy, Dubai - UAE v Scotland
Admission is free
A Prayer Before Dawn
Director: Jean-Stephane Sauvaire
Starring: Joe Cole, Somluck Kamsing, Panya Yimmumphai
Three stars
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RACE CARD
6.30pm: Baniyas Group 2 (PA) Dh 97,500 (Dirt) 1,400m.
7.05pm Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,200m
7.40pm Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,400m
8.15pm Handicap (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,400m
8.50pm Rated Conditions (TB) Dh 120,000 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm Handicap (TB) Dh 95,000 (D) 1,200m
10pm Handicap (TB) Dh 85,000 (D) 2,000m
'Nope'
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The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
RESULTS - ELITE MEN
1. Henri Schoeman (RSA) 57:03
2. Mario Mola (ESP) 57:09
3. Vincent Luis (FRA) 57:25
4. Leo Bergere (FRA)57:34
5. Jacob Birtwhistle (AUS) 57:40
6. Joao Silva (POR) 57:45
7. Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) 57:56
8. Adrien Briffod (SUI) 57:57
9. Gustav Iden (NOR) 57:58
10. Richard Murray (RSA) 57:59
The years Ramadan fell in May
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
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TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
THE BIO
Favourite author - Paulo Coelho
Favourite holiday destination - Cuba
New York Times or Jordan Times? NYT is a school and JT was my practice field
Role model - My Grandfather
Dream interviewee - Che Guevara
What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre V6
Power: 295hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 355Nm at 5,200rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
Price: Dh179,999-plus
On sale: now
PSL FINAL
Multan Sultans v Peshawar Zalmi
8pm, Thursday
Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
