Photo credit: The Relaxed Photographer

The day I received my driver’s license was one of the most memorable days of my life. In fact, I was so excited to get it that I couldn’t decide where to go first. So, I decided to drive my mom to the closest Lebanese restaurant and I bought her a shawarma! Being able to drive has been such an empowering skill for me, because it has given me the freedom to go to events and meet with people, who have helped me grow immensely as an individual and a professional. The ability to drive is a privilege that not everyone or every woman has, which is why I am very grateful for it.

Be inspired: Check out the inspiring TED Talk that Dr. Sakena Yacoobi, founder and Executive Director of the Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL), did on how she is “driving change” (you see what I did there? Punny no?) and empowering women, and other disenfranchised communities, in Afghanistan by providing education and health services to thousands in rural and poor urban areas

Entrepreneurship,Globalization and Gender Equality in the MENA region

I was recently honored to share my views on the topics of entrepreneurship, globalization and gender equality in the MENA region with Polish audiences through a guest blog appearance on Anna Jadwiga Matelska’s the Random Travel Stories blog. Through her travel blog, Matelska aims to promote the ideas of openness, tolerance and responsible tourism to Polish audiences. When she is not blogging, Matelska is a PR & Marketing Specialist, who is interested in social projects, refugee issues, local communities and cultural diversity. Matelska has a double Masters degree in History and Communication & Journalism and at the moment, the world is calling her, so she is following the call that is taking her all around the world! Originally from Gdansk, Poland, Matelska lived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for 2 years and now she is currently backpacking around Asia.

1) You blog a lot about entrepreneurship in the Arab world, which is a topic that is very exotic for Polish readers, because we don’t really think of the MENA region as a start-up hub. What is the situation like for entrepreneurs in the UAE and other Arab countries? Are the conditions favorable for young entrepreneurs? 

According to the Global Entrepreneurship Index 2016, an annual index that measures the health of entrepreneurship ecosystems in 132 countries, the United Arab Emirates (aka U.A.E.) was ranked 19^th globally, surpassing countries like Norway, South Korea and Turkey. Furthermore, Dubai SME, an organization that supports the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Dubai, estimated that SMEs contribute around 40% to the total value add generated in Dubai’s economy. The U.A.E.’s cosmopolitan environment and entrepreneurs’ ability to access substantial capital, various logistical services, emerging markets and increasingly business friendly regulations, makes the UAE an ideal place for entrepreneurs to set up their startups. However, like any new culture, entrepreneurs in both the U.A.E. and the Arab world are currently facing various obstacles, including a lack of “smart” investment, a mismatch between the region’s educational output and its labor market needs, under-equipped financial systems, a lack of consumer readiness for certain kinds of services and products etc.

2) What are the opportunities and challenges that entrepreneurs/startups face in the MENA region?

According to the ILO, the youth unemployment rate in the Middle East and North Africa in 2014 was 28.2% and 30.5% respectively and 30% percent of the region’s population is between the age of 15 and 29, which represents more than 100 million people. So, in my opinion, not only do we need to promote entrepreneurship to diversify our economies, we also need to promote the establishment of more SMEs to absorb the sizeable population of young unemployed and underemployed people in the Arab world.

Yet, despite all of the aforementioned obstacles, young entrepreneurs across the MENA region are hopeful, and they are continually working on building the legal, financial and cultural infrastructure needed to support MENA-based innovation. If you are interested in learning more about these young dynamc entrepreneurs, can check out the Club Courage segment on my blog, Soukie Speaks.

3) Could you give us 1 or 2 examples of interesting personalities or maybe start-up companies in the Arab world and describe them shortly?

One or two examples? I can give you many! Since there are so many great MENA startups out there, I will pick a couple that I think are interesting and I’ll tell you why:

a) Careem

What is it?  Careem is a Dubai-based startup that was founded in 2012 and offer millions of people in the MENA region a ride hailing app. Not only does Careem’s app allow riders to schedule pick ups and to choose what kind of car they are picked up in, it also allows them to track their ride in real time on a map and pay using cash or a credit card. At the momment, Careem is currently operating in 27 cities across the MENA region and it aims to continue to expanding its operations in the future.

Why is it unique?  For me, Careem is a true David and Goliath story. Despite the continued investment and expansion of Uber, a U.S.-based rival, in the MENA region, Careem continues to thrive and expand in the Arab world. However, what really sets this startup apart is its commitment to its drivers, also known as Captains. The startup offers its Captains training and aims to continuously improve the Careem experience by listening to their feedback and ideas. Moreover, where possible, Careem also offer its Captains medical insurance and their family members internships to grow their knowledge and skillset.

b) Melltoo Marketplace

What is it? Melltoo is a Dubai-based startup, which was founded in 2014, that provides a mobile app to help people in the U.A.E buy and sell their preloved items. One thing that sets Melltoo apart from other platforms for buying and selling preloved items in the UAE, is that it allows buyers to pay sellers through the app. In addition to providing delivery and money back guarantees for users who have a legitimate claim.

Why is it unique? Not only is Melltoo promoting the idea of sustainable consumption in the Arab world, the startup’s married co-founders, Sharene Lee and Morrad Irsane, are also breaking stereotypes of who and how business is done in the region. Sharene, who wears the niqab, an Islamic garment that covers the face, is Melltoo’s Chief Operating Officer, a mother of 6 and is an active participant in regional startup industry and pitching events.

Full disclosure: I worked for Melltoo Marketplace for 14 months as a Media Relations Coordinator and I loved being part of the Melltoo family.  

c) MAGNiTT

What is it? MAGNiTT is Dubai-based online community connecting entrepreneurs and their startups to investors, mentors, and co-founders in the MENA region. Since its official launch in late 2015, the MAGNiTT platform has attracted 1,200 startups, 196 ecosystem institutions and 12 venture capitalists and angel investment groups. In addition to offering users more than 550 tools and 56 services. Just recently, MAGNiTT also added a job posting feature, where entrepreneurs can advertise job and internship vacancies in their startups.

Why is it unique? If you are new to the startup world, finding and connecting with people in the ecosystem can be extremely overwhelming. However, thanks to MAGNiTT’s Founder and CEO, Philip Bahoshy, entrepreneurs in the MENA region now have a user-friendly platform where they can share basic information, social media accounts and video pitches about their startup. The platform also allows entrepreneurs to connect and collaborate with some of the region’s most influential venture capitalists, investors and mentors.

4) On the main page of your blog you say “While saturated job markets, limited government resources and bloated bureaucracies are driving many young people to look for opportunities outside of the Arab world, many young Arabs are choosing to stay and start their own movements and businesses.” Do I understand from this that you think it’s better that young Arabs stay in their home countries and societies rather than go abroad? Do you feel that developing the startup ecosystem further could help improve the situation of young people in the MENA region in any way?

Being half American, half Moroccan, I have always had a foot in two worlds, in both a literal and metaphoric sense. In addition to being the product of a mixed marriage, I am also a Third Culture Kid (TCK), who has spent most of her life traveling. In fact, I boarded my first plane when I was 3 months old to go from Morocco, where I was born, to the U.A.E, where I have lived for a total of almost 20 years.

I have lived in 4 countries (U.A.E., Qatar, U.S.A and Argentina) and I have traveled to more than 20 countries. So, I would never discourage anyone, regardless of where they are from, to travel and work abroad. If anything, I am always encouraging people to travel and work abroad, so they can learn more about themselves and the beautiful things that the world’s different cultures have teach us. That being so, I don’t think that young Arabs should feel that the only way for the to thrive is to leave their home countries.

Everyone deserves the right to be able to develop and thrive in their own language and context, without having to pay the emotional, social and economic “costs” that can come with being an immigrant worker in a foreign land. Unfortunately, the lack of decent work or decently paid work in many parts of the MENA region, force some of our best and brightest minds to migrate to other countries. Not only does this brain drain have a devastating impact on the development of our societies and economies, it also separates workers from their countries and loved one for months, sometimes years, at a time.

While the reality for blue collar and white collars workers are different, the fact remains that young Arab talent shouldn’t feel compelled to leave their country to thrive. I believe that entrepreneurship will play an instrumental role in combating brain drain in the future, because it will give young Arabs the opportunity to contribute innovative products and services to our communities. Thus, giving them a chance to meaningfully contribute to their personal growth and the economic growth of their respective countries.

5) On my blog I write a lot about cultural diversity from the European perspective for young Europeans. Especially from Eastern Europe because it has many homogeneous societies and it increasingly becoming more and more closed and reserved, especially towards Muslims, who have a lot of negative exposure in the media. Generalization, fear, ignorance are some of the main problems that I try to tackle through my blog. With that in mind, how does it look like from your perspective – i.e. the Arab/Muslim perspective? How are young Arabs and Muslims coping with globalization? How do they perceive other cultures, including Western culture?

Speaking as a well-traveled, educated, Arab-American, polyglot and Muslim woman, I have to say that the recent rise of Islamophobia and xenophobia is truly heart-breaking. However, I know that global media outlets and misguided pseudo-religious organizations are playing a big role in exacerbating this problem. It is important for people to understand that the real issues that are fueling the rise of discriminatory attitudes across the world are often misrepresented or poorly explained.

In the MENA region, the growing population of people between the ages of 15-29, the lack of decent work and working conditions, the limited integration and participation of youth in civil society and democratic spaces, is leaving millions of people vulnerable to manipulative groups, who are willing to offer young people whatever they want to join their ranks.

That being said, there are also million

s and millions of young, Arabs and Muslims who are working hard to create a better world for themselves, and others, through civil society and impact-driven entrepreneurship and these are the people that I seek to empower and promote through my blog. Millennials across the Arab world are eager to travel, connect and work with anyone who wants to share and exchange their skills with them.

However, unfortunately, these positive role models and agents of change don’t get the spotlight very often. But I hope that the work that me and other global youth are doing can change these negative perceptions. If you are interested in learning more about what me and my talented network are doing, please feel free to connect with me via email at soukainarachidi@gmail.com or through my social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

 6) Gender equality in the Arab world is a big and controversial topic that gets a lot of attention in our media. What are your thoughts on the issue as a young Arab woman? Do you consider yourself a feminist? Have you ever been met with any prejudice or stereotypes towards Arabs/Muslims?

I believe that every person in the world, regardless of their gender, age, nationality or belief system, faces discrimination and challenges that they have to overcome. Unfortunately, the topic of “women’s oppression” in the Arab world has become somewhat fetishized in Western media. Personally, I feel like it’s a space filler when the media is having a slow day. Gender equality is a global issue that varies from culture to culture and country to country.

While Western media outlets would like people to believe that the West is living in an age of post-feminism, one only has to look at the woeful lack of maternity leave in most U.S. work places, the astronomically high rates of bulimia and anorexia in Argentina or the “Ladette” culture in the UK to realize that the struggle for gender equality is still on going and having some very serious repercussions on women worldwide. On the other hand, as a young female millennial in the MENA region, I feel that women across the Arab world are experiencing a cultural and socio-economic renaissance unlike ever before.

What most people don’t understand is that the Arab world is comprised of 22 countries, spanning 13,152,830 sq. km., across two continents. Each country in North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Gulf and the Levant reflect distinct cultures, especially when it comes to female participation in public and private life. Also, it is imporatnt to note that not all Muslims are Arab and not all Arabs are Muslims, a reality that is considerably changing the “profile” of Muslims and Arabs across the globe.

Unfortunately, there are many people in the world who practice “cultural Islam,” which is a synthesis of local beliefs and religious doctrine. However, it is vital to understand that many of these beliefs are antithetical to Islam’s values, which make them as much as an affront to Islam as they are to secular human rights. To be honest with you, I consider myself a humanist, because I advocate for the right of every person, regardles of their gender, to feel valued, to have meaningful work and to belong to “our global village.”

7) A bit off topic: Ramadhan is just about to finish. For us the concept of the Holy Month is quite difficult to understand, especially the idea of fasting. Somebody told me that you are eating only at night because “Allah cannot see you in the dark” which sounds a bit ridiculous, so obviously I guess this is not the core of it all. Could you explain our readers a little bit about Ramadhan and the main idea behind it?

Fasting is one of the 5 pillars of Islam and it is obligatory during the Holy month of Ramadan, the 9^th month of the Islamic calendar. However, voluntary fasting is also encouraged throughout the year.

When fasting in Ramadan, Muslims are required to abstain from all drink and food from dawn to dusk. Muslims are also expected to devote more time to prayer, supplication and the reading of the Holy Quran. Unfortunately, I feel that our modern societies constantly undermine the importance of “feeding” your soul, by making people focus on “feeding” their bodies and their bank accounts. So, I think that it’s great that, once a year, for 29-30 days, Muslims are asked to re-organize their priorities, by focusing on “nourishing” their souls through prayer, good deeds and charity, instead of focusing on their stomachs and their bank balances.

That being said, not everyone is obliged to fast during the Holy month of Ramadan. Pre-pubescent children, pregnant women, mothers who are breastfeeding, women who are menstruating, the elderly, people with medical conditions, people who are ill or traveling are not expected to fast, as it would be a hardship for them.

At the end of the day, I believe that everything in life comes down to an individual’s attitude. So if someone enters Ramadan thinking of it as a month of starvation, that is what they will experience. However, if they view Ramadan as a time to connect with their Creator, their community and themselves, that is what their experience will be. Ultimately, I believe that having the right attitude in life is essential for anyone who wants to benefit from their  life experiences, no matter who they are or what they believe.

Like what you see? Join the Soukie Speaks email list and follow my Twitter, Instagram, Facebook accounts, so we can enlighten, support and empower the Arab leaders and entrepreneurs of the future together. 

3 Things Young People Can Do to Find a Great Job

When I graduated from university in 2013, I didn’t really feel like I was qualified to do anything, but I thought that being an educated, articulate, well-traveled polyglot would make employers swoon. And then I tried to join the global workforce and my fear of “professional inadequacy” was confirmed. I sent resume after resume to companies in the U.S. and the U.A.E. and I couldn’t seem to catch a break. However, the only thing that was worse than rejection for me was the complete apathy that I faced from employers. Every time I received an auto-mated email saying that I might not receive a rejection letter because there were too many applicants, I used to feel a mixture of anxiety and anger. I couldn’t stand the idea of being in “professionally purgatory.” Surely if a company could send me an auto-mated email saying that there were too many applicants, they could also send me an auto-mated email saying “that I didn’t make it to the next phase” I often thought to myself. But, the emails never came and the depression settled in.

After months of searching, I eventually found a job in the U.A.E that I was very overqualified for. At the time, I felt depressed because I felt that my job reflected my worth in the eyes of the professional community and apparently they didn’t think much of me. Not only did this erroneous belief lower my self-confidence, it also mortally wounded my self-esteem and fighting spirit. Although my “professional depression” did linger for several months, my “professional dissatisfaction” did eventually motivate me to throw my hat back in the “job seeking ring” again. A moment of clarity that I am very grateful for now. During the “5-week vacation” that followed my resignation, I promised myself that I would apply to every job and internship under the sun using the most confident personal narrative I could muster in my “professionally depressed” state. And at the end of my 5-week deadline, I started as a virtual intern with a Dubai-based startup, Melltoo Marketplace, and my personal and professional lives have never been the same since.

Unfortunately, my story is just one of the many sad stories that reflect the changing nature of the job market in the MENA region. A change that might be natural, but is proving to be a very painful transition for employers and employees alike. For university students who have just graduated, for students who are entering their last year of university and young Arabs looking for job opportunities, I urge you to keep the following things in mind, so you can find a great job and avoid being the main character of your own “professional melodrama:”

1) Get career counseling early

One of the biggest regrets that I had after graduating was that I didn’t take advantage of all the free career counseling and resources that my university offered to me throughout my time there. I know that the future can seem daunting for young people, but you have to prepare for it whether you like it or not. So, I urge all current university students to visit their university’s career services center and schedule a meeting with a counselor to talk about their career ambitions. If you’ve already graduated, don’t worry, you still have options. Many universities have vast alumni networks that you can take advantage of, so you should make sure to contact your university’s career center to see if they have an alumni club in your city or major. If you find one, make sure to join it so you can start to build up your professional network and potentially find a job. Even if your university doesn’t have a career service center, there are plenty of online groups, services and tutorials that you can use to help you with your job hunt.

2) Don’t under estimate your potential

When you graduate from university, it’s so easy to underestimate yourself, because you’re young and you don’t feel “good enough” to be a part of the workforce. So, you start to sell yourself short even before you put the proverbial pen to paper to write about yourself. A cover letter or resume is more than just a piece of paper that lists your educational and professional achievements, it’s a document that needs to convey your unique personality, aspirations and skills to a potential employer. This might sound ambitious, but it is possible to do, and increasingly necessary, if you want to stand out in the current labor market. Before you write a cover letter or a resume, make sure to sit down and honestly reflect on your past experiences, so you can convey them fairly and creatively. In this case, “creativity” is not a synonym for lying, it is a call for young job seekers to look at their professional experience, no matter how limited it is, in a holistic way. Every job teaches you soft skills and hard skills and you shouldn’t undersell them to be modest. “Professional modesty” won’t get you anywhere in this day and age, so don’t bother using it. When you’re writing your resume, you should also consider including an objective, an interests and volunteer work section, so you can have another space to express your personality. If you’re really struggling, there are people out there who can help you perfect your resume!

3) Treat every job like a professional foothold

As cheesy as it sounds, there really are no small roles, just small people. Having been underemployed, I understand how the frustration of under appreciation can drive you to become depressed and apathetic. However, in time, I also learned that nothing is a waste in Life, unless you allow it to be. Every job can teach you something, even if it is just patience or perseverance. Do you have a lot of down time in your job? Read a book, get an online certification, learn a language. Do you work in an administrative job? Network with people, improve your computer skills, implement new organizational systems. Do you flip burgers? Learn the basics of restaurant management, customer service and conflict resolution. There is always something that you can learn, but first you have to learn how to find opportunity where there is seemingly none. You might not be where you want to be now, but only you can stop yourself from getting where you want to be by overlooking the learning opportunities that every work experience has to offer you. If you’re still not convinced, just know that adversity can make you a more interesting job applicant, if you know how to convey your struggles and triumphs effectively to a perspective employer.

Like what you see? Join the Soukie Speaks email list and follow my Twitter, Instagram, Facebook accounts, so we can enlighten, support and empower the Arab leaders and entrepreneurs of the future together. 

 

 

Do I have what it Takes to Be an Entrepreneur?

With unemployment  rates as  as high as 40% and above in some Arab countries, many people are looking for new ways to make a living, especially young people. According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), the Middle East and North Africa have the highest youth unemployment rate in the world, at 28.2% and 30.5% respectively. When you consider the aforementioned numbers, it’s no wonder why an increasing number of young Arabs are seeking to found startups and generate profits on their own terms. That being so, that’s not the only reason that some young people are taking the startup path.

In 2014, Deloitte published a survey that found that millennials, individuals born between 1977 and 1997, feel that the success of a business shouldn’t only be determined by profits. They felt that businesses should also “focus on improving society.” The survey also indicated that 50% of the respondents wanted to work for a business with ethical practices. Considering that millennials will form 75% of the global workforce by 2025, it’s about time that we capitalize on their passion for “doing well, by doing good,” so we can drive innovative problem-solving, create more employment opportunities and affect positive change in the MENA region and the world.

Source: Deloitte Millennial Survey 2014

Well…. if you feel that that’s easier said than done, then I would completely agree with you. Entrepreneurship is not easy and it shouldn’t be a decision that is taken lightly. Everyone wants to be like Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg, but here’s the thing. That is not the typical entrepreneurial experience. With a little bit of luck and A LOT OF strategizing, your startup might not completely drain your savings. With a lot of luck, you could become the next Snapchat, Instagram or Airbnb. It ultimately all depends on your idea and the market, but don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to discourage you from choosing the startup path, I’m just trying to make sure you understand that it is stressful, messy and unpredictable. But it can also be exciting and extremely rewarding if you do it “right.”

“How you climb a mountain is more important than reaching the top.”      

Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia

I put right in quotation marks, because I don’t think that there is just one way to be an entrepreneur, but there are a lot of wrong reasons to enter the game. If you’re ready to take responsibility for your life and make a change, whether it be starting your own business or just a career change, then I’m here to help you out. Now that I’ve given you the pep talk, it’s time for you to get your pep walk on by working on the Soukie Speaks: Getting Your Entrepreneurial Dream on Track form. A form that I created specifically for young people who don’t know if they’re ready for the startup path or if it’s the right path for them at all. As you work through this exercise, you should be able to identify your strengths, weaknesses and most importantly your OPPORTUNITIES for growth! Send the voice in your head packing for a couple of hours and focus on what YOU want to get out of your life by downloading the form [available in PDF or Doc formatbelow] and reflect deeply on your answers. Happy dream hunting!

[PDF] SS- Getting Your Entrepreneurial Dream on Track Exercise [P1]

[Doc] SS- Getting Your Entrepreneurial Dream on Track Exercise [P1]

Like what you see? Join the Soukie Speaks email list and follow my Twitter, Instagram, Facebook accounts, so we can enlighten, support and empower the Arab leaders and entrepreneurs of the future together. 

 

3 Ways Conferences Can Build Youth Capacity: ROTA Empower 2016 Case Study

This year, I had the great honor of being invited to attend the Reach Out To Asia Empower 2016 youth conference, where 450 delegates between the ages of 17-30 gather annually to discuss pressing issues that impact global communities. Unlike many conferences hosted in the MENA region, the Empower conferences are unique, because they are planned by youth for youth. In fact, I don’t believe the average age of the conference organizers or participants exceeded 23 and that young energy was definitely tangible.

Youth Conference Best Practices

I have attended many conferences before, but I feel that the Empower 2016 conference has a special place in my heart, because it consistently strived to promote youth empowerment and leadership through every aspect of the conference’s brainstorming, planning and execution process. Luckily for us, Reach Out To Asia’s annual Empower conferences have created a simple and repeatable model that any country can use to creatively start building human capital in young people. Here are the 4 elements that made the Empower 2016 conference a success for me and the reasons why global youth conference organizers should start incorporating these best practices.

1-   Skillfully Defined S.M.A.R.T Objectives

The most important ingredient for the success of any organization or enterprise are S.M.A.R.T (Sustainable, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound) goals. Passion is nothing without discipline and that’s why having well-defined goals or aligning yourself with an existing vision is important. By choosing to focus on the theme of youth social entrepreneurship and how it can be used to engage youth to contribute to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Qatar 2030 National Vision, the Empower 2016 organizers skillfully tried to redirect all of the delegates’ energy and efforts to fulfill the macro goals of each of these global and national visions. Nowadays, our problem isn’t a lack of ideas, money or talent, it’s a lack of direction. Imagine if every youth conference held across the world decided to redirect all of its participants’ activities  towards a specific national or global agenda? The world would be a different place. However, it isn’t only the responsibility of conference organizers to make sure that social enterprises are aligned with nation or global-wide development initiatives, it is also the responsibility of individual entrepreneurs to make sure that their efforts are also contributing to the “bigger picture.” So, whether you’re an organizer or a delegate, next time you attend a conference, think about how you can leverage your enterprise to fuel a larger vision.

2- Represented Youth in Every Aspect of the Conference

Every August, a committee of several Qatari-based youth come together to choose the conference theme, speakers and activities, which take place during the jammed-pack 3 day Empower conference every year. Not only are youth responsible for choosing the theme of the Empower conferences, they are also involved as volunteers and speakers. No matter where you Iooked throughout the Empower conference, you saw young volunteers herding participants to sessions, giving them their lunch vouchers or answering their queries. Furthermore, almost everyone of the 48 workshops that were offered over the 3 days was conducted by a young person between the ages of 17-30, which was a very exciting thing for someone who has only ever attended workshops conducted by seasoned professionals. For the first time in a long time, I really felt that age had nothing to do with experience or the potential impact that young people could have on the world. According to the Deloitte Millennial Survey conducted in January 2014, 75% of the global workforce in 2025 will be made of millennials. With that in mind, it is crucial that more conferences adopt the Empower conference model, so we can hone the skills, confidence and passion of this age group over the next 10 years. Nobody understands the shortcomings in our labor markets, socio-economic structures and educational systems more than our youth and it’s time that we give these “experts” more platforms to share their problems and hopefully their solutions.   

3- Created Global Opportunities through Networking

Anybody who works in marketing will tell you that you can have the greatest product in the world, but if you don’t market it it will never be successful. During the Empower 2016 conference, I was so impressed by the passion, ingenuity and innovation of all the participants involved. Their tenacity was truly admirably, but unfortunately, many of them had been laboring in isolation or obscurity until the Empower 2016 conference. Every person I met had a unique story, which gave me a new perspective of the world and my role in it. Also, with every new person I met came the opportunity to expand the influence and reach of our respective projects, by exchanging contacts and exploring mutual synergies. As the conference progressed, the question that often came to my mind wasn’t “are we dreaming enough?” the question became “are we dreaming big enough?” because I felt that every person I met had the capacity to grow their enterprise and impact, if they had the right guidance and support. While every aspect of the Empower conference was valuable, I believe that the most valuable was the networking opportunities it provided, because it allowed us to establish new and global advocates that would give each one of us the courage and resources to persist in our respective nascent entrepreneurial ecosystems.  More conferences need to shed the light on youth-driven social enterprises like Empower 2016, because it is these entrepreneurs who are helping the world innovate its way to a better future.

Conclusion: We need to change our narrative

My participation in the Empower 2016 conference cemented one important idea: the time for change is always now. As a young global citizen, I am fed up of hearing the tired old narrative of the self-absorbed “Me Generation” with their selfie sticks and their hashtags. Yes, I do take the occasional selfie and I might jokingly using hashtags in my conversations, but I am not self-absorbed and neither are the hundreds of delegates that attended the Empower 2016 conference. We care about our communities and we want people to pay attention to the growing number of youth who are innovating despite the harsh socio-economic realities they face on a daily basis. The Empower 2016 conference helped me realize that each one of us has the ability to change our narrative, but we can’t do it alone. We don’t need anyone’s permission to shine, but we do need more platforms to promote cultures and ecosystems that will allow us to share our passion with others.

My generation has decided to take back their narrative, now the only questions that remains is what role will you, social influencers and decision-makers, play in our new narrative?

Like what you see? Join the Soukie Speaks email list and follow my Twitter, Instagram, Facebook accounts, so we can enlighten, support and empower the Arab leaders and entrepreneurs of the future together. 

5 Questions Every Entrepreneur Needs to Ask Themselves Before Starting a Business

Since joining the world of entrepreneurship in September 2014, I have learned a lot about startups, team building and lean business models. But I learned even more about myself in the process. At the risk of sounding like a self-help cliché, I really think that entrepreneurship is one of the most rewarding, yet exhausting, journeys that a person can take into themselves. While many might blame the lack of investors, limited budgets or an unprepared team for the failure of a business, I’ve found that most successes and failures stem from an entrepreneurs’ unwillingness or inability to understand themselves.

Business is all about personalities. So, while you may have an MBA from UPENN or Stanford, if you don’t understand your strengths and weaknesses and how “to hack” your
personality, that degree isn’t going to do much for you. In the startup world, understanding what you’re all about is even more important for two reasons. Firstly, a startup’s “persona” is heavily dependent on the personality of its founder. So, whatever strengths or weaknesses you have as an individual will inevitably be reflected in your startup in some way shape or form. Seeing as most startups have small teams with tight budgets, they don’t have the luxury of outsourcing your “weaknesses” to another department. Consequently, it is imperative for startup leaders to know themselves if they want to be successful.

Another important thing to realize is that the startup world is completely different from the corporate world. So, don’t think that an ivy league education or a long career in fortune 500 companies will completely prepare you for grassroot entrepreneurship- especially in the Arab world. Whether you “fail” or succeed in entrepreneurship, there is so much that you can learn about who you are, what matters and purpose. If you are open to change, that is. If you are considering joining the startup world, in the MENA region or beyond, here are 5 questions you need to ask yourself before you take the leap:

1) Why am I doing this?

This is one of the most important questions to ask yourself, because your reasoning will inform all the decisions and actions that you take in your entrepreneurial journey. Having the right intention is crucial when you are trying to do something and succeed. Wanting to become an entrepreneur because you want to be rich, famous or Steve Jobs is not good enough. This kind of thinking will not carry you through the tough times, and there will be many of them, which is why you want to choose a reason, or reasons, that will provide you some kind of sustainable momentum. Passion will ebb and flow, but if your intention is good, i.e. to improve people’s lives, make the world a cleaner, more sustainable place etc, you will always find a way to propel yourself forward. Thought is the basis of any action, so make sure that your thoughts are clear and purposeful, so your actions are the same. Be real and you will find real purpose.

2) Do I have a positive relationship with myself?

For some people, this might seem like a strange question, but believe me when I say that your personal and entrepreneurial success rely heavily upon the kind of relationship that you have cultivated with yourself throughout your life. If you are the kind of person who is overly self-critical or self-loathing, you’re probably also the kind of person who looks for external approval. In an ecosystem that is defined by risk-taking, quirky personalities and a colorful array of positive and negative feedback, an entrepreneur with low self-esteem will not do well. Entrepreneurship is all about breaking social, economic and cultural norms, so by its very nature entrepreneurship is an act of rebellion that goes unappreciated by most. Being able to be comfortable with who you are, making mistakes, admitting you are wrong and, last but not least, being able to recalibrate accordingly are all  traits that make a great entrepreneur. Be comfortable in your skin and you will find the confidence to navigate any situation.

3) Am I a reflective person?

The ability to review what you have done in the past and identify new ways to improve yourself and your business is essential when it comes to running a successful startup. Nobody grows by staying the same and the only way you can stay the same is to persist in a never-ending state of denial. Just remember, you can’t be good at everything, but entrepreneurship is not about being the best solo act in town. That’s why you have a team! Not only can finding the right team mates optimize your strengths, they can also reduce your weaknesses as a business. So, make sure to take some time to understand your quirks, ticks and triggers, because the more you understand them the easier it will be for you and your team to deal with them and thrive. By regularly reflecting on your life and business you will be able to understand what each needs, which will ultimately help you make the decisions that need to be made to make your startup a success at each stage. Be willing to understand yourself and you will make wiser choices.

4) How do I like to work?

Do you work well under pressure? Do you like to work at night? Can you work at home? These are all questions that you should have the answers to before you take the entrepreneurial leap, as they will help you streamline your schedule and improve your efficacy. One of the reasons that most entrepreneurs leave the “conventional workforce” is because they don’t like the rigidity of the 9-5 life, so why would you try to reproduce it in your own startup? Sometimes the uncertainty of the entrepreneurial lifestyle makes us slip into old routines and “comfortable” habits. But the problem is that those habits were never comfortable because you liked them, they were comfortable because you got used to them. That being so, entrepreneurship is all about “hacking” your lifestyle, so don’t slip into old habits, especially if they promote inefficient and unproductive workstyles. With that in mind, take some time to identify when and how you do your best work and make sure you do it that way. Be true to your internal rhythms, so you can find that “optimal groove.”

5) Do I know how to say no? 

Setting boundaries for yourself can be difficult, especially if you live in an Asian, African or Arab context. In these cultures, saving face is a big deal. So, if you’re new to the Arab and entrepreneurial world, you will probably find yourself asking: was that insh’Allah a yes or a no? Is that person avoiding my calls, so they don’t have to say no and disappoint me? These are just two examples of how someone might try to politely say no in the Arab world. In fact, if you grew up in the East, you might find yourself using some of these strategies, especially with family members. While the “cultures of no” may differ around the world, one thing remains true: saying yes may feel easier than saying no in the moment, but every yes has a “cost.” Regardless of your culture, you should try to train yourself to say no when it counts, because saying yes all the time will affect you and your startup adversely at some point. Be willing to say no, so your family, friends and team mates will appreciate it when you say yes.

Like what you see? Join the Soukie Speaks email list and follow my Twitter, Instagram, Facebook accounts, so we can enlighten, support and empower the Arab leaders and entrepreneurs of the future together. 

The Potential of Young Entrepreneurs in the Arab World

Since I joined the startup ecosystem in the in the UAE in Septemeber 2014, I’ve had the great privilege of meeting many talented and passionate entrepreneurs (aka ‘treps). I’ve listened to their ideas, stories and goals with immense excitement and their failures, heart breaks and rejection with sadness.

While challenges and failure are a natural part of the startup experience, it is undeniable that young ‘treps in the Arab world are facing formidable odds. Limited funding, lacking mentorship, bloated bureaucracies, unsupportive communities and much more. Yet, despite all the odds, young ‘treps continue to pursue their passion and leave their mark on the Arab world through entrepreneurship.

It’s time that Arab communities get behind their innovators, because they represent a powerful catalyst for change in our communities. They represent the best that our community has to offer. They represent passion, innovation, courage, sacrifice, ingenuity, solidarity, patriotism and more importantly the power of education to drive change.

Entrepreneurship is not an easy path to follow and yet our young ‘treps follow it, because they believe a future where they are the problem solvers, not the problem makers. Being an entrepreneur is often a thankless job that weighs heavily on both the entrepreneur and their supporters. But they continue to sacrifice their time, money, energy and free time, because they believe that making a meaningful contribution to their community is worth it.

It’s time that our communities built a culture that supports their passion and dedication. I hope the Soukie Speaks blog can play a role in creating a much needed network of support for our young Arab ‘treps. It’s not enough to congratulate our ‘treps when they succeed, we must support them to get there and we must support them even if they don’t!

Like what you see? Join the Soukie Speaks email list and follow my Twitter, Instagram, Facebook accounts, so we can enlighten, support and empower the Arab leaders and entrepreneurs of the future together. 

The Destructive Power of Auto-Pilot on Entrepreneurs

In the Arab world, young people seem to be living on auto-pilot. We study what people expect us to study, we work where people expect us to work, we say what people expect us to say and so on and so forth. We live in constant fear of the elusive “they.” What will THEY say? What will THEY think? What will THEY feel? Forever fogetting that no matter how much we love, respect or care about the people around us, that WE must live with the decisions that we make, or the decisions that are made for us.

But here’s the honest truth, dear Arab entrepreneurs, the world of entrepreneurship isn’t for people who live their lives on auto-pilot. Running a start up requires a lot of positivity, passion, but most importantly, self-awareness. If you don’t know yourself, you can’t be a successful ‘trep, because you need to know how to control your behavior and your “self-speak.”

Why is it important to control your “self-speak” you ask? Before, I answer that, what is “self-speak?”

You know when you’re about to make a scary decision and you hear yourself think “you can’t do this, you’re not experienced enough, smart enough or rich enough to do this.” That is “self-speak.” It is the incessant dialogue that goes on in your head with out your permission. It is the voice that can propel you forward or hold you back. So, why do you need to control it?

1) You will always face fear in your life

If you want to become an entrepreneur, you need to learn how to hack your mind, so you can overcome the fears that you will inevitably face as you pursue your dreams. There will always be set backs. A lack of funding, a lack of qualified help, a lack of community support etc. But the greater barrier to your success will be your own internal dialogue, which is almost always set on negative auto-pilot, unless you take control of it and “change the setting.”

How can you confront the fear and take control of the dialogue? 

Simple. Say the dialogue outloud and write it down. Most of the time, when you say things outloud, you realize how crazy or ridiculous they sound and you snap back to reality. So, when you’re alone, say your fears outloud and really listen to what you’re saying, because you might just realize how silly they are. Alternatively, you can ask yourself why you’re afraid of something. If there is a legitimate reason behind your fear, find out how you can fix it. If your fear stems from your own insecurities, dismiss it and move on.

2) Success is not a linear journey 

I don’t think there is one entrepreneur in the world who has “found” success easily. there are a lot of ups and a lot of downs. Most of the time, the success that you will encounter will not be the success that you envisioned, but that is just a part of the journey. If you aren’t in control of your “self-speak” you will talk yourself into a courner and out of business. So, don’t waste any time trying to avoid the voice, because it will reign free until you’re ready to take control of it.

How can you talk your way to success? 

Every building has an escape plan, so as the architect of your mind, you should create an escape route from negative “self speak.” Create a script, or several scripts, you must follow when you get trapped in your vicious cycle of negativity. Anytime you find yourself saying or thinking destructive things, just recite your script until the negative thoughts go away.

3) Positivity is a habit you have to cultivate

Anyone who says that positivity “comes” naturally has no idea how much positive people struggle to stay positive. There might be some people who have a pre-disposition to being positive, but for the rest of us, positivity is a choice that we make everyday. It is a choice to see the silver lining, no matter how dark the clouds in our lives may be. Positivity is a habit you have to cultivate to keep moving forward, no matter what challenges come your way.

How can you cultivate a positive attitude? 

You need to stop blaming the world for your misfortunes and take control of your life, the decisions you make and the consequences of those decisions. You have to choose to see the opportunity in every problem, instead of seeing the problem in every opportunity. Slow down the chatter in your head and choose to focus on what you can do in the present, because what has been done can’t be undone and what must be done has yet to be decided. Smile even when you don’t want to and it will become a habit.

Bottom line: Sometimes you need to fake it until you make it. “Waiting” for things to change isn’t really an option!

Like what you see? Join the Soukie Speaks email list and follow my Twitter, Instagram, Facebook accounts, so we can enlighten, support and empower the Arab leaders and entrepreneurs of the future together.