How I Made My First Million

From fledgling start-ups to booming businesses, three Middle East-based movers and shakers share their stories of success

- Maddison Glendinning

FOUZ AL KHONAINI, KUWAITI, ENTREPRENEUR

It all comes down to your team,” says Fouz Al Khonaini of her business motto – one she has put into practice herself with her three businesses. Her first business, she tells us, launched in early 2016. “BASE is a boutique, luxury nail spa located in the heart of Kuwait City. [My partner and best friend Lulwa Al Ajeel and I] believed there was an opportunity to elevate the standards of quality, ambience and luxury in the beauty industry, so we tried to bring forth a brand that does just that.” The second business “came almost one year after in February 2017. It is a local, artisanal, handcrafted donut line called DOH! The local food and beverage industry is quite competitive; however, despite its high level of traffic we were missing artisanal donuts. My partners and I collectively put forth a vision and a plan to serve real donuts by establishing a multi-dimensional competitive advantage,” she explains. TRIO is her third business that launched in September of this year and holds particularly special significance for Fouz. “It was my first idea as an entrepreneur and my first dream,” she tells Emirates Woman. “It is a financial and accounting services firm tailored and targeted towards SME’s (small to medium enterprises) which stemmed from the rise of small businesses in the region. We found that many business owners were in need of proper financial and accounting services to help them gain a multilateral view of their operations. We aim to assist our fellow entrepreneurs to effectively develop their business using compelling financial information.”