Building in Dubai as an outsider

Dubai attracts people from everywhere, which means almost everyone here is building their network from zero at some point. That was true for me too.

The market moves fast, you have to as well

Deals, conversations and opportunities move quickly here. Being slow to follow up or slow to decide costs you more in Dubai than it might in a slower-moving market.

Trust is built in person, then maintained everywhere else

Most meaningful business relationships here still start with an in-person conversation, at an event, over coffee, through an introduction. The website, the content, the podcast all come after that first handshake, not instead of it.

What I’d tell someone starting today

Show up consistently, be honest about what stage you’re actually at, and don’t try to look more established than you are. People here can tell the difference, and the ones worth working with respect the honesty more than the performance.