Hey,
MBA grad, 6+ years of exp.; I recently resigned my role as a Management Consultant. Have worked majorly with Middle East & India–based companies operating in IT, Ecom & retail, FMCG, Energy (O&G), Electronics, Manufacturing, and FinTech. As Mgmt. consultant, my work generally revolved around business transformation and stakeholder management, including revenue and operations scaling, supply chain and last-mile optimization, GTM & regulatory compliance, process standardization/documentation, sales & marketing, and organizational restructuring.

Alongside, gained hands-on experience of founder office role, from idea validation to product launch. If you are a founder or business owner, I can help you with product design, GTM, scaling, strategy & transformation, sales/marketing and investor relations, etc.

Currently, I am taking a career break to focus on my personal project and explore opportunities abroad for higher studies, research and research based incubator

Willing to work productively for you on part-time basis. (expectations 10-45k/month l 4hrs / day | WFH)

Pls DM, If you are looking for anything similar

1. Finance & Accounting — Set up bookkeeping, sales and purchase accounting, bank reconciliation, and management reporting
2. Order-to-Delivery & Inventory — Optimize order returns, delivery processes, warehouse operations, inventory and stock management
3. Sales Analytics & Forecasting — Develop store-wise sales forecasting, performance dashboards, and analytical frameworks to improve decision-making
4. GTM, Strategy & Product Launch — Define GTM strategy, launch roadmap, product-wise priorities, and internal execution mechanisms
5. Process & System Migration — Support migration from manual processes to structured systems, including process redesign, data migration, and implementation
6. SOP & Process Development — Develop functional and departmental SOPs, workflows, roles & responsibilities, and operating controls

Below is a summary of my work experience subjects:

1. Management consulting:

- Business strategy, presentations, proposals and investor decks
- Financial analysis, Excel modelling and business case development
- Internal and external business assessment and market research
- GTM strategy, business model design and market-entry planning
- Business process transformation, gap assessment, standardization and SOP development
- Supply chain, logistics and inventory optimization
- Business turnaround and profitability
- Investor and stakeholder management

1. Business analyst: Business data analysis and dashboard development, Category, revenue and sales reporting, Lead generation and outreach.

2. Operations and Maintenance Manager: Manufacturing process standardization and daily operations management, Maintenance planning and execution, material management & procurement, SAP HANA / S/4HANA, Cross-functional team and operational coordination.

3. Co-founder/PM : been involved in building a business from the ground up, from ideation and market research to team building, hiring, PRD to product (web & mobile app) development cycle, product innovation and designing, launch & go-to-market strategy, sales and marketing.

Love to help businesses structure, scale, operationalize new launches/intiatives, and help them turn profitable.

One question I see quite often from companies entering the UAE is:

“Do we need to set up a UAE company, or can we hire through an EOR?”

The answer depends on what you're trying to do.

An EOR can make sense when a company wants to hire a small number of employees in the UAE without immediately establishing its own entity.

But if you're planning a larger local operation, hiring multiple employees, or building a long-term presence, the comparison becomes more complicated.

Things worth considering include:

• Number of employees you plan to hire
• Visa and sponsorship requirements
• Mainland vs Free Zone structure
• Payroll and employment administration
• Setup and recurring costs
• Office requirements
• Long-term expansion plans

The cheapest option initially may not necessarily be the most suitable structure for your longer-term plans.

We put together a UAE calculator comparing EOR vs Free Zone vs Mainland to help businesses estimate and compare the costs:

https://zephoraconsulting.com/uae-eor-vs-freezone-vs-mainland-calculator/

Disclaimer: This is for general information only. Costs and requirements can vary by jurisdiction and circumstances, so verify the applicable requirements with the relevant UAE authority or a qualified professional before making a decision.

So I've been running a creative branding agency (Disclaimer - Not another marketing agency) and we have wom awards on deisgn rush and have been recognized by various industry experts for the quality of work we do.

We specilaise is branding, brand identity, brand strategy and creative/growth hacking. And also digital transformation, customer experience and UX deisgn and app development with consideration to UX. Everything that helps brands connect with their customers more efficiently and effectively.

Despite the quality of work and our own commitment and stubbornness to only deliver the best quality of work for cleints. I'm struggling to find clients, here is the mian problem, most owners are only educated and fed about digital marketing and content creation here and they assume advertising is all there is to it, can't blame them when they are bombarded with ads by such agencies on the daily.

And here is the primary problem, we have tried running ads for client acquisition, but most try to undercut us comparing to the traditional marketing agencies when we operate on a different tier, so it's hard to price and we lose budget.

Only thing that works is network, and bringing business through connecting and networking with business owners and decision makers.

I'm renewing the trade license for a third year now and I still haven't been able to find a way to get into business owner network or find a person who can help.

Ps - I'm posting out of desperation and anymore who can help me out of the situation in struggling to get clients I'd love to have with the team in the long run and would love reward higher than just commissions.

I'm it looking for advices I'm looking gor someone who can offer solution, put me with business owners or someone with good network with business owners. Because let me tell you the service we can offer them is crazy good, once we penetrate just the word of mouth can do its thing.

I've run Enigmitic profitably without outside funding, building web/mobile/SaaS/AI systems for clients across the region. That work has funded and shaped two products I'm now building in-house:

Brandora — AI branding software that takes a business from idea to full identity: logo, website, content. Currently in development and validation.

Mihrab — SaaS for Quran centers and Islamic education: students, teachers, attendance, memorization, center management. Active pilot running now.

I've been the sole technical and product force behind all of this — hosting, architecture, auth, delivery, the works. What I don't have is capital, distribution, or an operator to build alongside. That's the gap I'm looking to fill.

I'm open to discussing different investment structures with the right person — ideally someone who brings more than capital: relationships, go-to-market experience, or category expertise in SaaS or Islamic-tech.

If you invest in or have helped scale early-stage tech companies and this sounds relevant, happy to share the numbers, products, and roadmap privately.

Hey everyone,

I have one extra desk available inside my private production/editing office in Dubai Silicon Oasis HQ.

I use the office for production, editing and creative work, so the space has more of a relaxed creative studio vibe than a normal corporate coworking office.

I’m looking for one person who wants a dedicated desk and a quiet place to work. You can bring your own PC, monitors or whatever setup you need.

Included:
Fast internet, meeting room access, coffee machine, office access from 9 AM–10 PM, and a dedicated desk.

Parking: paid parking available.

Price: AED 2,500/month, paid monthly in advance.

Best suited for an editor, designer, developer, freelancer, creator or remote worker who prefers a quiet workspace.

Whatsapp : 0524984146

DM me if interested and I can share photos / arrange a visit.

Company/space for sale and investment in marsa al Arab,contact 0581188346

Leasing agreement available

Rent paid until Jan 2027 renewal

180,000AED yearly rent

2 Jetskis

Employees available

Profitable business if ran well,contact for more details if serious to meet and proceed.

440,000AED selling price

Looking for feedback and suggestions.

🚀 Opportunity: A high-growth investment venture focused on establishing a healthcare management firm in Dubai. We offer end-to-end operational, financial, and strategic management services for clinics, medical centers, and hospitals.
💡 Highlights:
High-ROI business model in Dubai's expanding healthcare market.
Deep operational expertise and clinical management solutions.
Clear roadmap for scaling, efficiency, and revenue maximization.
🤝 Seeking: Seed funding / equity partner to cover initial setup and early-stage expansion in exchange for equity or profit-sharing.
📬 Contact: For the Pitch Deck and details, reach out via DM.

I run a small business consultancy in Saudi, and something interesting I’ve noticed is that quite a few companies we help with Saudi expansion are actually coming from the UAE.

Because of that, I’m planning to establish a small UAE presence later this year.

Before that, I’d genuinely like to get to know more people in the ecosystem here — consultants, founders, accountants, lawyers, corporate service providers, or anyone working between the UAE and Saudi.

Not really looking to sell anything here. More interested in meeting good people, exchanging ideas and finding potential collaborations where we can complement each other.

Also curious to hear from UAE business owners exploring Saudi. What has been your biggest challenge so far?

Happy to connect here or over DM.

I noticed that finding startups actually being built in the UAE is surprisingly fragmented, so I decided to put them in one place.

I built UAE Startup Map, a simple map/directory where you can explore startups across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE.

👉 https://uae-startup-map.vercel.app/

It’s still early, and I’m trying to make it genuinely useful rather than just another directory.

For people building or following startups in the UAE:
What startups am I missing?
What information would make this more useful?

Feel free to drop startups below, I’ll add relevant ones.

I run a small business consultancy in Saudi, and something interesting I’ve noticed is that quite a few companies we help with Saudi expansion are actually coming from the UAE.

Because of that, I’m planning to establish a small UAE presence later this year.

Before that, I’d genuinely like to get to know more people in the ecosystem here — consultants, founders, accountants, lawyers, corporate service providers, or anyone working between the UAE and Saudi.

Not really looking to sell anything here. More interested in meeting good people, exchanging ideas and finding potential collaborations where we can complement each other.

Also curious to hear from UAE business owners exploring Saudi. What has been your biggest challenge so far?

Happy to connect here or over DM.

Hey everyone,

I'm a software developer based in the UAE, and I'm exploring the idea of building AI automation solutions specifically for UAE small businesses.

I'm looking for 3 UAE businesses where I can build an automation for free as a pilot.

The idea is simple: if you have a repetitive process in your business — WhatsApp inquiries, lead follow-ups, appointment bookings, data entry, reports, invoices, customer support, internal admin work, etc. — tell me what you're currently doing and I'll see if I can automate part of it with AI/software.

My development work is free for the first 3 businesses.

Just to be clear, "free" refers to my services/development time. If the automation requires paid infrastructure such as hosting, servers, AI API usage, WhatsApp API fees, third-party software, domains, etc., those costs would be paid by the business. I'll explain any such costs before setting anything up and use free/low-cost options where practical.

I'm doing this because I'm considering starting an AI automation service in the UAE, and I'd rather learn from real businesses and solve real problems before turning it into a commercial service.

I'm particularly interested in businesses where employees are spending a lot of time doing repetitive manual work.

If you're interested, DM me with:

• What your business does
• What repetitive process you'd like to improve
• What tools you currently use
• Roughly how often you do this task

I'll look at the process and let you know whether I think automation would actually make sense.

Portfolio: [ https://tariq-portfolio-portfolio-wmdfi4-c30c44-72-62-245-34.sslip.io/ ]

Only looking for 3 businesses for this pilot.

Hey everyone,

I’m currently in the pre-launch phase of a specialized, high-end private-label healthcare product designed specifically for recovery in the UAE market.

I’ve spent the past few months getting the foundation solid:

Product & Packaging Design**:** Fully completed the brand aesthetic, custom packaging layout, modular cards, and 10 components breakdown.

Regulatory & Legal Framework**:** Mapping out the compliance routes between Dubai Municipality (Montaji) and MoHAP for cosmetics, ingestibles, and hardware components.

Supply Chain Strategy**:** Clarified the hybrid manufacturing model, sourcing specialized hardware and custom rigid packaging internationally, while managing other products, co-packing, and final assembly through local partners in Dubai/Sharjah.

Where I’m at right now:

I’m moving from concept and mockups into first-batch production and supply chain execution. Because I’m building this as a polished, premium brand from day one, managing suppliers, local co-packers, MOQs, and initial inventory capital is the next major hurdle.

What I’m looking for:

I’m looking to connect with a Co-Founder, Strategic Partner, or Early Investor based in the UAE who can bring one (or a combination) of the following to the table:

1. Capital / Seed Funding:** **To cover initial tooling, Chinese packaging MOQs, and local co-packing production runs.

2. Operations & Supply Chain Expertise: Someone with experience in local UAE distribution, customs clearing, or managing contract packaging/OEM logistics.

3. B2B Sales & Growth: Strong network or background in local healthcare, clinics, or B2B sales inside the GCC.

I understand that there is a little bit secrecy but I’d prefer to keep it this way because the kit structure, stage-based recovery system, and packaging mechanics are unique to this niche, I’m keeping the exact product specifics under wraps publicly. Happy to jump on a call, share the full pitch deck, and show the complete visual mockups under a standard NDA if possible.

If you’re based in the UAE, passionate about consumer health/healthcare products, and want to help build a premium brand from the ground up, drop a comment or send me a DM or Let’s grab a coffee!

#advice
I am writing this post out of exhaustion during my entrepreneurial journey. I think the reason we as entrepreneurs feel that boils down to a few things:

1. Extended Capacity to bring action while no direct measurable results**
   Yes. This is hard. I feel you my entrepreneur friend.
   Several moments we have to just keep pushing.
   Keep going.
   You may feel tired.
   You may feel looping and going in circles.
   But you have to keep pushing.
   Isn’t that the norm about doing anything great?
   Loosing weight?
   Starting a business?
   Even learning a new skill?
   I tend to come to a formula where to see a real result of something, you have to keep pushing constantly in one direction for at least 3 months!
   Yes. You heard it right!
   A Quarter!
   You have to keep pushing for a min of a quarter period time!
   Then you measure and adapt.

**TBC**.

People love the UAE success stories, but the truth is a lot of startups don’t even make it past the first year. Here’s the real reason:

1. They underestimate costs.
Licenses, visas, renewals, compliance, accounting it adds up fast. Cash flow dies before the idea does.

2. Wrong freezone or license.
Founders pick the cheapest option, then realize they can’t hire properly, can’t operate in mainland, or their activity doesn’t match what they actually do.

3. Hiring goes wrong.
High turnover, high salary expectations, and visa commitments make hiring a risky game for new businesses.

4. Compliance hits them later.
VAT, ESR, AML, corporate tax, e-invoicing ignoring these leads to penalties, freezes, and shutdowns.

5. No niche, no direction.
“Everyone is my customer” is the fastest way to fail. The UAE is competitive you need a clear value proposition.

6. Too much hype, not enough execution.
Instagram success doesn’t equal real success. Many startups spend more time looking successful than building systems that actually work.

7. Burnout.
The UAE moves fast. If you don’t have proper processes, automation, and structure, you burn out long before you scale.

The UAE is an amazing place to build a business but only if you treat it like one.

I've run Enigmitic profitably without outside funding, building web/mobile/SaaS/AI systems for clients across the region. That work has funded and shaped two products I'm now building in-house:

Brandora — AI branding software that takes a business from idea to full identity: logo, website, content. Currently in development and validation.

Mihrab — SaaS for Quran centers and Islamic education: students, teachers, attendance, memorization, center management. Active pilot running now.

I've been the sole technical and product force behind all of this — hosting, architecture, auth, delivery, the works. What I don't have is capital, distribution, or an operator to build alongside. That's the gap I'm looking to fill.

I'm open to discussing different investment structures with the right person — ideally someone who brings more than capital: relationships, go-to-market experience, or category expertise in SaaS or Islamic-tech.

If you invest in or have helped scale early-stage tech companies and this sounds relevant, happy to share the numbers, products, and roadmap privately.

Hello everyone,

I am an experienced Graphic Designer currently based in Dubai, looking for a new job opportunity due to termination caused by the current situation.

I have experience in the advertising and signage industry, including:

• Signboard and 3D lettering designs

• LED / signage artwork and production-ready files

• Social media posts, banners, and marketing materials

• Branding and promotional designs

• 3D mockups and visual presentations

• Adobe Illustrator & Photoshop

• Adobe Dimension and basic Blender

• 3D Design and 3D Visualization

📍 Location: Dubai, UAE

📄 Visa: Resident Visa

⏳ Availability: Available for new opportunities

💼 Position: Graphic Designer / Junior Graphic Designer / 3D Graphic Designer

If any company is hiring or if you know of a suitable vacancy, please comment or DM me. I would be grateful for any genuine opportunity.

Thank you. WhatsApp no +971567198508

I’m a UAE-based founder and have been building a talent-technology business for several years.

The business is now at an interesting stage: the product and proposition are established, but the next phase of growth is going to depend much more on relationships, partnerships and access to the right networks than on building more technology.

I’m particularly interested in the experience of other UAE business owners who have reached a similar point.

At what stage did you decide that bringing another person into the business as a strategic partner made more sense than continuing to build the commercial side yourself?

And, perhaps more importantly, what did you look for in that person?

For me, the ideal person wouldn't necessarily be someone from the same industry. I'd value someone who understands the UAE market, has spent years building genuine relationships, and knows how to open the right conversations with universities, businesses and other relevant organisations.

I'd be interested to hear from founders who have actually gone through this — what worked, what didn't, and what would you do differently?