Officials during the webinar on Sunday.

Dubai Business Women Council (DBWC) organised recently a virtual session titled “Women in Franchising”, as part of the Council’s commitment to supporting the growth of female-owned businesses and helping entrepreneurs achieve their professional franchise development and expansion goals regardless of their location.

Moderated by Sary Hamway, Founder, and CEO of Franchise Trainer, Dr. Ljiljana Kukec, the Co-founder and President of the Croatian Franchise Association, and Farrah Rose, Winner of the Global Franchise Award in 2020, the webinar aimed to understand the foundation of a franchise business model and its importance in business management, realise the role of franchising in empowering female entrepreneurs and build their confidence in franchising as a sustainable risk-tolerant means of doing business.

Endorsing a franchise culture

“The goal behind this webinar is to endorse a franchise culture and mindset as part of the overall female entrepreneurship values, as well as to contribute to the creation of a new generation of knowledgeable and passionate franchise female entrepreneurs,” said Nadine Halabi, Business Development Manager, DBWC. She added that franchising is thought to be the perfect gateway to entrepreneurship, where the franchisor offers the franchisee various forms of support, including the operational work plan, the administrative system, and the necessary training for the staff, thus enabling the franchise-based businesses with higher rates of success, in comparison to starting a new venture.

Exceptional leaders

Halabi added: “The remarkable participation of the council members and female entrepreneurs from across the country clearly demonstrates that women possess unique characteristics, skill sets, and personality traits that qualify them to become exceptional leaders in franchising, thanks to their adaptability and organisational flexibility, their strong communications abilities, and organising and prioritising aptitudes.”

It is worth mentioning that the UAE has ranked first in the region in the Global Entrepreneurship Index (GEI) 2020 by Edwards Global Services (EGS) - a US-based research institution specialised in franchising and issues the GlobalVue report, which ranks the best countries to do business in.

Established in 2002, under the umbrella of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the DBWC is the UAE’s leading platform for the personal and professional development of businesswomen in the Emirate of Dubai. Since its establishment, the Council has dedicated its efforts to encourage women to play an active role in building the country and stimulating sustainable development.

The Dubai Business Women Council (DBWC), concluded the virtual summit “Dare To Dream: A Celebration of Fearless Women”, earlier this month which was held in cooperation with Kompass Consultancy and the support of Abu Dhabi School of Government (ADSG).

The virtual summit was held to mark International Women’s Day and in recognition of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.

The theme for the summit is aligned with the United Nation’s theme for IWD 2021, “Choose to Challenge”, which encourages everyone to challenge and call out instances of gender bias and inequality.

The Dare To Dream Summit featured women and men from different cultures and various walks of life, including the Middle East, Africa, Turkey, and Kosovo to highlight women’s achievements and celebrate the men who have accelerated women’s equality, diversity, and inclusion.

The full-day virtual event included interviews, panel discussions, case studies, presentations, and networking opportunities for the participants. 50 per cent of the digital forum’s ticket sales will be donated to IMBUMBA Foundation in South Africa, in support of their Caring 4 Girls, an initiative which provides sanitary products to vulnerable girls in South Africa.

The summit was a perfect platform for diverse speakers to share their accomplishments and highlight the challenges they have faced along the way, as well as to reinforce the importance of supporting women’s personal and professional growth and demonstrating the difference women can make to the world when they feel empowered and supported. It was also an opportunity for participants to expand their networks by connecting with like-minded women who they otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to meet.

The summit ended with a pledge by all participants to commit to the “Choose to Challenge” slogan and to support other women in 2021 and beyond to make the change.

Nadine Halabi, Business Development Manager, DBWC, said that International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating women’s status in various walks of life and recognizing the great role of women in building families, societies, and nations, commending the tremendous role the Emirati and expat women play in achieving the wise leadership’s vision in fostering leadership and sustainability concepts.