Time to be your own boss
time I stepped into the RAKEZ office in Dubai — I live here — it took me four weeks to set up my own business. I enjoy the networking events and the freedom to operate my company with 100 per cent ownership.”
As a mother of two, Yasmine wanted the option to work from a home office and chose a flexi-desk option, which is basically a desk in a sharing office.
Baida, who is of Palestinian origin, picked Dtec based on cost considerations. “It is the best choice as the majority of costs are only charged in the first year while the trade licence and residency visas are valid for three years,” he says. “Besides, Dtec gives me good opportunity to get in touch with potential clients on a daily basis in addition to the DSO-organised networking events.”
Meanwhile, a chance stopover in Abu Dhabi led Hussain Spek Yousuf, Founder and Board Director at PopArabia, a company dealing in music copyrights to take the plunge and set up shop at twofour54. The 41-yearold Canadian quickly settled on the Abu Dhabi media free zone when he started out in 2011, he says. “Everyone from the government level to media stakeholders pointed me towards the work that twofour54 were doing in the regulatory environment but with a focus on content creation,” Yousuf says. “It seemed like an obvious fit for my vision with the UAE being the centre of media activity in the region.”
The music publisher and music rights consultancy works with international, Arabic and Indian music, as well as compositions from Africa and North Africa. “We are agnostic about what we represent, which is whatever is relevant to the region,” he says.
Yousuf says his company has seen double-digit growth year-on-year. “As we enter the next phase, we might see triple-digit growth when we launch a few new initiatives.”
Yasmine, too, feels she made the right decision to start her own business. “Given the appetite in the UAE in general to take on new businesses and concepts, there is always opportunity,” she says, adding that the positive feedback to her products is the best indicator for a start-up. She sees herself growing locally and distributing worldwide.
Baida expects the Expo 2020 to serve as a major economic driver for the region. “It is expected to open new and innovative opportunities,” he says.