Building a multi-million dollar business from scratch requires an understanding of the market and bold ambition while becoming a revered pop star can feel more like a beginning than a culmination – these are just some of the insights to be gleaned from Maharat, a new online Arabic platform dedicated to the region.
Similar to the popular American subscription platform MasterClass, Maharat features a range of high-profile Arab personalities offering their own experiences and tips through a series of curated courses.
Available online with subscriptions starting at Dh25 per month, Maharat launched six classes featuring mentors such as Toufic Kreidieh, executive chairman of Brands for Less Group; celebrity make-up artist Bassam Fattouh; and singer Ragheb Alama. Palestinian chef Salam Dakkak and Iraqi singer Rahma Riad also offer courses based on their respective career success.
Maharat chief executive and co-founder Arman Khederlarian states the platform was created with a regional audience in mind, with careful attention given to the diversity of mentors' nationalities and the presentation of courses. This also involves discussions with industry leaders and companies across the Gulf and the Levant to ensure the content is relevant and meets demand.
“We collaborate with instructors to ensure that their masterclasses are delivered in a dialect that feels authentic to them while also being widely understood throughout the Arab world,” Khederlarian tells The National. "[Arabic] subtitles also help to fill in any gaps between dialects.
“Whether it’s music, acting, business, beauty, or cooking - we are curating content that is native to the dynamics and nuances of the Arab world and we then extract learnings that can be generalised to as wide of an audience base as possible, so that it speaks to the aspirations of all Arab audiences from the GCC to the Levant.”
One of the main motivations for Kreideh in taking part in the platform is to offer practical insights and hard-earned advice gained from real-life experience.
“My goal with this masterclass is to provide a practical, step-by-step guide to building and growing a successful business in today’s competitive market," he says. "I want students to walk away with real-world strategies they can apply immediately – whether they’re launching a startup, scaling an existing business, or simply looking to develop an entrepreneurial mindset.
“I want my students to feel motivated, confident and prepared to take action in their own entrepreneurial adventures.”
Khederlarian sees the Maharat model not as a replacement for traditional educational courses in business and the arts, but as a means of reaching students who are unable to access these institutions due to various reasons.
“While in-person education will always be valuable, online learning allows us to eliminate financial, geographic and societal barriers, giving more individuals access to previously unattainable expertise,” he says. “In today's digital age, platforms like Maharat are critical to the future of education in the Arab world."
Kreidieh says it's that combination of innovative thinking and hard work that will help a new generation of Arab start-ups achieve success. “Many people think that great businesses are built overnight or that entrepreneurs are simply born with a special gift,” he says.
"The reality is that success comes from continuous learning, calculated risks, and the ability to evolve. The business landscape is constantly changing, and the most successful people are those who are willing to embrace challenges, learn from failures, and stay committed to their vision.”
