Growing up, my aunt was an entrepreneur I looked up to.
By the time I woke up at 10am — when I spent holidays at her home ― she would have prepared us a scrumptious breakfast, visited our grandmother, planned her working day, had phone meetings with her fashion production house and was ready to take on the world.
My cousins and I often accompanied our aunt to her fashion business, where she managed inventory and reviewed customers’ orders.
To me, she juggled both her fashion business and household so efficiently that nothing seemed to be falling behind.
Her business thrived, with clients from across the GCC region, and she also made sure that she spent time with her children and made precious memories.
As an adult, I ventured into entrepreneurship.
I went through numerous challenges and often remembered my aunt, wondering how she was able to balance things better than me, when I did not have five children and a household to manage.
I realised that mothers have what it takes to not only start a business, but to also build a thriving one.
Motherhood and entrepreneurship have many things in common.
For my aunt, time was the most precious commodity. While some entrepreneurs would waste their mornings scrolling on their screens, my aunt knew that she could get most things done before her kids woke up.
Mothers are professional multitaskers, a skill equally important when managing a business.
My aunt took us on visits to her fashion business to check on her production and clientele, and she would follow that with a trip to the ice cream parlour for our summer treats.
But the most important skill of all? Mothers are great negotiators, and they are in a constant negotiation mode with their children.
In business, negotiation is an important skill to master, whether it’s dealing with vendors or clients.
In fact, I learnt my negotiation skills from my mother, who often told my siblings and me that being a mother means you have to constantly motivate, inspire, advise and sell an offer or an idea.
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, many mothers around the world who had been furloughed or laid off from their jobs resorted to entrepreneurship as it provided them with the flexibility to be financially independent and close to their children.
Mothers make great entrepreneurs. They can multitask, negotiate and manage their time efficiently.
This is not to say that it is easy, or that all mothers are able to juggle both so efficiently.
Being a mother is one of the most challenging jobs in the world, and entrepreneurship is no easy feat. Both require constant attention and care to grow and thrive.
As we celebrate Mother’s Day in the UAE tomorrow, it is important to think of ways we can support mum entrepreneurs and help them be financially independent, while contributing to the economy.
Mother's Day 2022 — in pictures
Data by the Boston Consulting Group reveals that if women and men participated equally as entrepreneurs, the global gross domestic product could rise by 3 per cent to 6 per cent. This would boost the global economy by $2.5 trillion to $5 trillion.
Thus, empowering mum entrepreneurs makes good business.
Entities could support them by opting to work with mothers who offer freelance services.
Entrepreneurship funds could launch mentorship and networking programmes specifically tailored to empowering mum entrepreneurs.
On an individual level, we could support mum entrepreneurs by highlighting their businesses or services on our social media channels or simply referring them to entities or individuals looking for a particular product or service.
Entrepreneurship is a challenging adventure, but mothers are equipped to take it on. Supporting them will not only help them thrive, but the global economy as well.
Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati writer and communications consultant based in Abu Dhabi
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-AMG C63 S Cabriolet
Price, base: Dh429,090
Engine 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission Seven-speed automatic
Power 510hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 700Nm @ 1,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.2L / 100km
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Specs
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Power: 659hp
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
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- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Sri Lanka Test squad:
Dimuth Karunaratne (stand-in captain), Niroshan Dickwella (vice captain), Lahiru Thirimanne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Janith Perera, Milinda Siriwardana, Dhananjaya de Silva, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Chamika Karunaratne, Mohamed Shiraz, Lakshan Sandakan and Lasith Embuldeniya.
Company profile: buybackbazaar.com
Name: buybackbazaar.com
Started: January 2018
Founder(s): Pishu Ganglani and Ricky Husaini
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech, micro finance
Initial investment: $1 million
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2 (Benzema 13', Kroos 28')
Barcelona 1 (Mingueza 60')
Red card: Casemiro (Real Madrid)
