Ever since I was a kid, I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur. The rewarding feeling of making profit and positively changing someone’s life excited me and kept me motivated.
My professional life, however, did not start the way I exactly wanted. In fact, I made the mistake of listening to people who told me that I couldn’t start a business without having prior work experience in the corporate world. That stopped me from achieving some of my goals and put them on the back burner for a while. While working in the corporate world I continued to run a fashion line I had started a year before I joined, and also launched my consultancy.
Thankfully, I didn’t stop myself from becoming an entrepreneur, and soon jumped back into my new career. I ultimately quit my corporate job, and I am now happily managing a number of businesses full time.
Even though I always wanted to be an entrepreneur, making the transition from a full-time employee to a full-time entrepreneur wasn’t easy. There are many adjustments from losing a good steady source of income to changing your work routine and going from a fixed set of hours to your own flexible time.
Before you leave your nine-to-five job, make sure you consider a few key points:
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Read more:
Five steps to becoming rich before you turn 30
Launch a lifestyle business instead of a start-up
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Are you ready to be a full-time entrepreneur?
The decision to take that leap is not a light one. It took me a long time to make sure that this is something I can do full-time and that it’s not just a romantic idea floating in my head. It also took me a long time to completely understand that it won’t be easy, that it won’t be a predictable business, that especially in the beginning it will hard, and that I will be working often more than nine-to-five.
It is also important to ask yourself why you want to become an entrepreneur. Is it because you just want to quit your job, or you are genuinely passionate about your idea and want to bring it to life?
If your answer is yes to the first part of the question, then I’m sorry to say that starting a business shouldn’t be a reason just because you hate your job. It takes a lot of commitment, hard work, and more effort than what you may be investing in your current corporate job to start a business.
Better to start slow than fast
When I discuss my business with some people, they assume that it went somehow fast: that I got up one day, submitted my resignation letter, walked out the corporate door, never looked back, and the next month I made a whole lot of money. I wish it did, but that is just a fantasy, and reality is often different. I didn’t get up one day, rent an office, and hire a bunch of people. I started slow, steady, and built each stage with careful consideration.
In fact, this is how I believe it should be done: nice and steady goes a long way.
Fine-tune your idea
One of the hardest questions I had to answer in the beginning of my entrepreneurship journey is how to correctly describe what I do. It is a simple question, but one that has many layers. How is it different? Are there others doing it? If there are others, how are you different? Before you go ahead and print your flyers, think this part through. Have a clear and direct description of your business and what it stands for.
Essentially a business should be there to help solve a problem, or fill gaps in the market. My favourite businesses are the ones that make our lives easier, save time, and help us achieve our goals. Finding your differentiating factor will involve a lot of research, both on a local and at an international level.
I developed my business idea before I quit my job. I knew exactly what I wanted, and what would make a difference in the market.
If you are dreaming of becoming an entrepreneur, take my advice and learn from my experience. Take things slow and seek advice from those who have experience in the field. Be very sure that this is how you see yourself working for the coming period. It won’t be easy. But, believe in yourself. You can do it!
Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati entrepreneur, who manages her creative consultancy in Abu Dhabi.
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.
Company%20profile
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Monster Hunter: World
Capcom
PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Company%20Profile
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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 White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
