Make your dream happen

If you don’t act on your dream, nothing happens. Most people don’t become entrepreneurs because they don’t know how to transform their dreams into reality.

I first started dreaming of running my own business in 1993. But I didn’t exactly hit the big time on day one. I spent a full year going from bank to bank, only to be rejected everywhere. Nobody was slightest bit interested in lending me the $4 million I needed to get my venture off the ground.

In 1995, I teamed up with Rashed Al Mazroui and Shakir Abal. After several months of hard work and perseverance, we managed to open our first THE One store in Abu Dhabi in 1996. It was my worst nightmare come true. I realised it was not the right location. I also discovered a brand isn’t built overnight. My early optimism had led me to overstaff and overstock our Abu Dhabi store, so when I found another location in Dubai I transferred half the staff and half the stock to the new Jumeirah store. That store ultimately secured our brand’s survival.