There must be millions of different brands in the world. And if you take the stance, as branding expert Oksana Tashakova does, that we are all brands, then there are more than 7 billion.
“Everything you do and say makes an impression on others,” she says. “You have effect. You are always sending a message.”
Ukrainian-New Zealander Ms Tashakova, 35, is the founder and managing director of Wealth Dynamics Unlimited, a training, events and e-learning company focusing on entrepreneurship.
She has just run the second annual Millionaire Summit in Dubai, where some 550 wealth-seeking attendees learnt about generating second incomes and part-time businesses, making money on the stock markets, the psychology of buying and selling and, of course, personal branding.
Ms Tashakova certainly has a strong personal brand herself. She left Ukraine at 18, unable to speak English, and moved to New Zealand, getting a degree in accounting and finance and becoming a marketing manager. She set up a $2.5 million property investment company at the tender age of 23 – then lost it and nearly went bankrupt three years later.
She became a practitioner of neurolinguistic programming and hypnotherapy, moved to Dubai in 2009, founding the coaching firms Design Life Coach a year later and Executive Coach, for business leaders, in 2013. Wealth Dynamics Unlimited was established two years ago, and the multitasking Ms Tashakova also consults as a business start-up strategist.
She says the UAE has a “brisk business environment” for small and medium enterprises; the Dubai Economic Department says some 22,000 were established in the emirate just last year, a leap of 18 per cent year-on-year. The sector contributes 60 per cent of the country’s GDP today, a figure expected to rise to 70 per cent by 2021, according to the Ministry of Economy.
“The government is obviously making every effort to create more avenues for entrepreneurs, facilitate their progress and turn UAE into a hub of business growth,” Ms Tashakova says.
But, she adds, while there has been “fantastic growth”, entrepreneurs have also had to face a number of challenges, particularly in terms of funding.
“Contrary to popular belief, successful entrepreneurs don’t just make a leap of faith and come up with handfuls of gold,” she says, which is why branding will help an aspiring entrepreneur to understand what they have to offer.
“Then you must do your research, testing and validating your idea to figure out whether there really is a market for your business,” she says, adding that you don’t need to leave your job to become an entrepreneur or decide which avenue to take.
If you work as a property manager, write a guide for buyers or other property managers. If you work as a teacher, write a monetised blog for other teachers or parents. If you love to shop, partner with someone to create an app for sales at big stores. “Can you create a course or get paid to speak or write about a topic? Is there a recruiting or sales process you might create, patent and sell?”
Even once you have a solid idea for a new business, she advises entrepreneurs not to rush into it full-time. Create a website or even just a landing page, launch a Kickstarter campaign, create a prototype and get people to test it, conduct surveys on social networks or write a free e-book to gauge interest. “This research becomes a mini- launch for your business; it is how you build interest and a client base before you quit.”
The world, says this entrepreneurial educator, is ‘“Vuca” – that’s volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. This was a US military acronym used to describe the global landscape and the type of strategic leadership needed, co-opted by the private sector after the 2008 financial crisis.
“It so well describes the business environment today. The Vuca world requires businesses to be agile and constantly innovating and evolving. It requires leaders to have emotional intelligence, magnified networking skills, open minds and out-of-the-box thinking.”
There are also many ways to create passive income streams – rental properties, affiliate adverts on your website, how-to guides.
“But before you can successfully build your business outwards, you must understand and strengthen the core value of your brand,” Ms Tashakova insists. “Branding is what helps you – and others – understand your value.
“The most important part of personal branding is taking self-inventory. You often have to dig deep to get to the real you. Once you understand the unique constellation of characteristics that make you, you can begin amplifying your most important attributes. Manage your brand online and in real time, making sure that all you do build your brand.”
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Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Indoor Cricket World Cup
Venue Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE squad Saqib Nazir (captain), Aaqib Malik, Fahad Al Hashmi, Isuru Umesh, Nadir Hussain, Sachin Talwar, Nashwan Nasir, Prashath Kumara, Ramveer Rai, Sameer Nayyak, Umar Shah, Vikrant Shetty
THE SPECS
Engine: Four-cylinder 2.5-litre
Transmission: Seven-speed auto
Power: 165hp
Torque: 241Nm
Price: Dh99,900 to Dh134,000
On sale: now
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
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What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
England's lowest Test innings
- 45 v Australia in Sydney, January 28, 1887
- 46 v West Indies in Port of Spain, March 25, 1994
- 51 v West Indies in Kingston, February 4, 2009
- 52 v Australia at The Oval, August 14, 1948
- 53 v Australia at Lord's, July 16, 1888
- 58 v New Zealand in Auckland, March 22, 2018
The%20Iron%20Claw
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The team
Photographer: Mateusz Stefanowski at Art Factory
Videographer: Jear Valasquez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Model: Randa at Art Factory Videographer’s assistant: Zanong Magat
Photographer’s assistant: Sophia Shlykova
With thanks to Jubail Mangrove Park, Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
More coverage from the Future Forum
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
MATCH INFO
Schalke 0
Werder Bremen 1 (Bittencourt 32')
Man of the match Leonardo Bittencourt (Werder Bremen)
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
World Cricket League Division 2
In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday February 8, v Kenya; Friday February 9, v Canada; Sunday February 11, v Nepal; Monday February 12, v Oman; Wednesday February 14, v Namibia; Thursday February 15, final
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
MATCH SCHEDULE
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tuesday, April 24 (10.45pm)
Liverpool v Roma
Wednesday, April 25
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid (10.45pm)
Europa League semi-final, first leg
Thursday, April 26
Arsenal v Atletico Madrid (11.05pm)
Marseille v Salzburg (11.05pm)
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Jawan
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Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
