Business Bureau, Gulf Today

SHARJAH: Several women with budding business ideas from Sharjah Business Women Council’s (SBWC) recent workshop, which included members and non-members, benefited from the vast experience of business coach, Ahmad Al Mutawa.

While the efforts to set up a new business can often be grueling, the workshop “Business Startup – Main Steps to start a Successful Business” helped the participants organise their thoughts and identify the next step, they need to take, to develop their enterprise.

Kuwaiti Business Coach, Consultant and Founder and CEO of MUBAADER Services, Ahmad Al Mutawa, who facilitated a workshop in Sharjah, initiated the session, by introducing the key steps to start a business, and it was followed by discussions on the development of existing projects and ideas.

He also explored critical topics like the course of a business, and its growth projections. Participants were then encouraged to hypothetically fast-track and develop their customised business plans to project the growth of their startups. This was followed by fine tuning an imaginary operational project.

The workshop concluded with important takeaways like putting in place the best business idea and learning to develop an existing business. Zeroing in on a viable project idea and identifying sources of funding were also lessons that resonated with the participants. In addition, tips on minimising loses especially during the first year of operation, finding the best financial resources and knowing their capital, were also important recommendations for many potential entrepreneurs.

This was followed by a one-on-one consultation session with the expert, where women discussed points and dispelled queries specific to their business. Some participants even ideated on viable business models, visualising goals and possible risks entailing new and upcoming businesses.

Mariam Al Shaikh, Membership Manager at SBWC said, “The workshop was geared towards enabling women who are starting their entrepreneurship journey, or need some help tweak their current projects. The workshop was also a great opportunity for its participants to network with like-minded women.”

Al Shaikh further added, “The number of startups owned and managed by women is increasing at a rate we have never seen before and their ambition, professionalism and will to succeed has never been greater. Therefore, by organising such workshops, Sharjah Business Women Council continues to support businesswomen in every possible way”.

Ahmad Al Mutawa, is a Kuwaiti entrepreneur, business coach, public speaker and a social media enthusiast. Al Mutawa helped the Kuwaiti government set up a $2 billion National Fund for Welfare of Small and Medium-sized enterprises, which provides entrepreneurs with 80 per cent financing for their projects, as well as many other benefits. Al Mutawa is the CEO of Mubaader Services, a one-stop-shop clinic for small and medium businesses. His company provides a range of solutions to support nascent and growing businesses, as well as imparts training and seminars to prospective entrepreneurial ventures.

Earlier at a forum - STEP, the SBWC sponsored four of its members to showcase their startup businesses at STEP 2018, one the region’s most experiential entrepreneur events.

With a focus on technology, the business owners at the STEP Start Conference highlighted the latest innovations in their products and services, with the aim of attracting regional investors and potentially finding their next partner.

More than 250 startups attended STEP 2018, that took place at Dubai Internet City on March 28-29, and showcased a vast range of businesses from financial and marketing technology to artificial intelligence and smart apps.

The SBWC participation aimed at helping the sponsored start-ups build a network with potential associates, meet other service providers, and gain access to coaching and mentorship opportunities.

It also provided the start-ups the opportunity of being chosen to participate in the conference’s flagship pitch competition, where a select number of companies got to present their businesses to leading investors and industry experts.

The pitch competition had two stages, the first of which involves 30 startups giving a two-minute pitch to convince the panel of experts that they should advance. Out of the 30, only five finalists were chosen to deliver a seven-minute pitch. This is followed by a pitch analysis, hosted by Wamda Capital, where five-minutes of expert feedback given to each of the finalists.

Since its inception in 2002, Sharjah Business Women Council (SBWC) has dedicated its efforts to drive full integration of businesswomen in the economy and promote a culture of sustainable female entrepreneurship in Sharjah - UAE.