A Man of Influence – Exclusive interview with Rashid Alabbar
With an approach of excellence in business, Rashid Alabbar, CEO and Founder of SIVVI.COM and Co-Founder of Alabbar Enterprises, exemplifies what it means to be a successful, modern man
What do your first 30 mins of the day look like, your morning routine? I am an early riser, so the first 30mins of my day are typically for coffee and a quick re-cap of the overnight news before I head to the stables where I oversee the daily training of my endurance horses.
What is your approach to business and building a work culture? My approach to business and building a work culture is centered on finding the right people. Having the right leadership and a wider team of innovative, experienced and enthusiastic people is essential. Keeping that same team motivated by feeling truly part of the business is key to its continued success.
What was the catalyst for launching SIVVI. COM and what have been the biggest hurdles you’ve had to overcome? Ahead of launching SIVVI.COM there was a fastgrowing trend for Ecommerce in all markets globally, and specifically for fashion. So, given it was still very new for our region, which has a young and tech savvy audience, we saw an opportunity to explore this. Being one of the first means there is no blueprint or road map, so we really had to figure every aspect out from scratch.
How do you approach challenges? Firstly, I would always expect challenges in any venture. I approach them with a lot of patience and try to understand them. I also seek advice from my mentors on how to overcome them; every challenge has a solution.
How do you think last year affected the growth in ecommerce and digitally-driven revenue? The last year has changed the way businesses operate in every sense. The shift towards digital has witnessed astronomical growth for all sectors and consumers alike. I am very grateful that we had long since begun making the shift across all of our family businesses to digitalize wherever possible; it meant we were better positioned to continue serving our consumers and attracting new ones in this time.
Do you have any mentors or guides and how does this help navigate the right path? My father is one of my greatest mentors; he has a vast wealth of experience to build from and is always supportive of any ventures I wish to explore.
What has been your approach to scaling the business to date? It goes back to the cornerstone of building a business in that you must have the best people in place. As a team you need to be prepared and ready for the changes that come with scale as well as have the ability to be reactive and fluid in handling any unforeseen challenges.
What do you believe is the value of social media in business growth and which platform do you feel will next drive most success? Social media is a necessary medium to support any business, especially those centered on building a brand within the competitive space of fashion, lifestyle and the hospitality sector. It often helps drive awareness in more authentic ways and with a direct and targeted connection to your consumer.
Alabbar Enterprises has a JV with YNAP – tell us about this partnership and the vision behind it? There is a great demand for luxury goods online in this region, to partner with an industry leader such as YNAP through our JV is something my family and I are very proud of. We are witnessing firsthand the growth in demand for luxury goods online with localised deliveries and Arabic customer service; we expect great things from the partnership.
What advice would you give to entrepreneurs in the current market? Having a clear road map in place from the start and the right team. It’s not an easy time, but chaos creates opportunity and with hard work and dedication anything is possible.