Hannah Swales is a yoga teacher and the co-founder and owner of TheHotBoxKit.com, the UAE’s largest independent activewear company, which she launched in 2013. The Briton, 33, has lived in the UAE for seven years.
Describe your financial journey so far?
I started my journey by planning classes, doing dance jobs and freelancing to save for my yoga training in California. My real turning point was deciding to go from being a salary earner to starting my own business. Running a business requires a completely different mindset, and although it has its own challenges it has helped me grow tremendously.
Are you a spender or saver?
Even when I was earning very little at the beginning of my yoga career, I was a saver. It’s a habit I’ve observed and learnt from my parents. Everyone needs a little rainy day fund in case of unforeseen emergencies and expenses.
What is your philosophy towards money?
It has changed over the years and is something I had a lot of difficulty with in my youth. I used to think financial success and independence were out of reach and unattainable. I also used to think about money as a scary hindrance that could make or break my life. Now I see money as a tool that allows you freedom to pursue true passions and interests in life. I also used to think about businesses as vehicles existing for the sole purpose of financial gain. But as soon as I started my business I realised money was secondary.
Have you made any financial mistakes along the way?
Everyone does. I used to not keep track of expenses and not budget. I used to underestimate how much money I needed for each month, made purchases I regretted and sometimes didn’t save enough. Even at TheHotBoxKit.com, my partner and I have made miscalculations on profitability, expenses and investments. But the thing to remember is as long as you do not pile on unsustainable debt and manage your cash flows all mistakes are fixable.
If you won Dh1 million, what would you do with it?
I would immediately buy my parents a very nice holiday, spoil my newborn nephew rotten and put a down payment on a very nice little cosy villa for my dogs and myself. I might also buy a couple of pairs of high heels.
What has been your best investment?
My business, by far. The investment is more than just financial gain from selling activewear. It forced me to learn so many things in so many areas, from accounting, sales and marketing to technology, online retail strategies and business in general. It has changed me as a woman and continues to challenge and educate me along the way. It has been an investment financially, but really it has been an investment in my personal education and growth.
Do you plan for the future?
Of course, but as my business partner says, planning is educated estimation, and humans are awful at estimation. I try to have a plan of how to grow the business in the next one, three and five years – what sales targets we need to hit, which markets we need to look at, how to increase our client base and how to keep our costs manageable while we grow. This is my first vehicle towards complete financial independence and I hope to reach this goal within the next decade.
What do you enjoy spending money on?
I love, love, love a pair of good shoes. I love heels as well as designer sneakers. I also love eating great food, and you can find my business partner and I going over our plans in one of Dubai’s many beautiful cafes while eating organic food and drinking nice tea.
ascott@thenational.ae
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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
Third Test
Day 3, stumps
India 443-7 (d) & 54-5 (27 ov)
Australia 151
India lead by 346 runs with 5 wickets remaining
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.
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
CABINET%20OF%20CURIOSITIES%20EPISODE%201%3A%20LOT%2036
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGuillermo%20del%20Toro%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tim%20Blake%20Nelson%2C%20Sebastian%20Roche%2C%20Elpidia%20Carrillo%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
TECH%20SPECS%3A%20APPLE%20WATCH%20SERIES%209
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NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
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The specs: 2018 Mazda CX-5
Price, base / as tested: Dh89,000 / Dh130,000
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Power: 188hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 251Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.1L / 100km
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
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
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
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: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
SOUTH%20KOREA%20SQUAD
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