We had the privilege to interview Aqsa Abdullah who is a successful entrepreneur in Dubai. As the Founder and CEO of KWS Middle East, she helps budding entrepreneurs start their businesses in the UAE. KWS focuses on instilling ideas for new businesses in Dubai and provides support for established businesses with a hands-on approach.
Aqsa’s humble beginnings were shaped by her mother’s good traits, and she started working at an early age to support her. After quitting her consulting job after giving birth to her first child, she founded KWS ME. It is a company that guides entrepreneurs on establishing their business in Dubai, or across the broad UAE.
Aqsa is aiming to leave a lasting impression on the UAE landscape and Dubai. Aqsa was also recognized among 300 influential women entrepreneurs at the Woman of Substance Awards 2018 by the Khaleej Times. Let’s see what she has to say about her journey, success, and beyond.
Major Turning Points In Career
We started the interview by asking, “Can you share some pivotal moments in your career that have had a lasting impact on your professional journey?”
Aqsa shared, “In the early stages of my career, I worked as a small team leader on a pretty critical project. The project taught me the importance of managing diverse talents, communication, and leadership. Moreover, I also navigated a major crisis while leading that project that truly taught me the value of quick decision-making, resilience, and transparency in my professional life. Not only that, the best thing I learned in my early career was my appreciation of solidarity and teamwork.
My career growth included a successful merger that showcased strategic planning, cultural integration, and corporate restructuring. This experience emphasized the importance of clear communication, due diligence, and balancing short-term operational needs with long-term goals. Additionally, embracing tech innovations impacted my journey toward building KWS.
To succeed in a competitive field, I recognized the importance of staying updated with the latest technology trends. As an entrepreneur, I established my agency, KWS, to assist dreamers in setting up their businesses in Dubai effortlessly, aiming to aid entrepreneurs, investors, and expats.”
Evolving Priorities Of KWS ME
We were interested to learn more about the changing priorities and visions of KWS ME from Aqsa Abdullah. So, we asked, “How has your company evolved from its initial conception to its current form? Were there any significant turning points?”
She replied, “Since 2010, we have come a long way actually, and I’m saying this confidently and happily. As the leading UAE business setup provider, KWS ME has been working hard to achieve this position. The company offers innovative, efficient, and value-oriented solutions for business promotion, development, and growth.
KWS ME also provides clients with essential tools for business promotion, development, and growth, with transparency in costs, timelines, and documentation procedures. KWS’s government connections expedite approvals while offering networking opportunities to connect clients with customers for business growth. KWS’s in-house methodology guarantees efficient, timely, and professional services. Despite setbacks, perseverance leads to magical results.”
Adaptability Amidst Uncertainties
We further asked, “What have been the most significant changes in your industry, and how has your company adapted to these changes?”
“The major change in my opinion has been the digital evolution that has shaped our industry a lot. My team at KWS ME has adapted to these changes very well, we have a huge digital marketing team that particularly keeps an eye on market trends and keeps moving on accordingly. This adaptability has helped us experience a 60% annual increase in revenue.” Aqsa replied.
Being An Efficient Leade
To learn more about the approaches and values followed by Aqsa Abdullah to lead her team, we inquired, “Which guiding principles or philosophies have you followed as a leader to steer your company toward success?”
She responded, “I am a big fan and follower of democratic leadership philosophy. Moreover, I believe in team participation, responsibility sharing, respect, and inspiration. For me, it is very important to exhibit empathy, thoughtfulness, and kindness, to maximize team output.
As far as my role as a leader is concerned, I will provide guidance and manage high-level company needs, while maintaining integrity, honesty, and decisiveness. And then I believe in the importance of each team member’s specific duty, when every piece is fixed the right way then comes the best output. That’s pretty much what my philosophy of success is.”
Combating Challenges
Challenges are an inevitable part of every industry. To gather Aqsa’s perspective on this aspect, we asked, “What do you think are the biggest challenges our industry will face in the next 5 years?”
She added, “The industry is expected to encounter challenges due to technological disruptions, evolving consumer preferences, and regulatory changes. But as I mentioned earlier, our phenomenal marketing team always stays ahead and makes strategies to combat the new challenges swiftly. So, KWS ME is ready for challenges, to surpass them and stay ahead of the competition.”
Strategic Planning and Balancing Priorities
To understand how Aqsa Abdullah balances her business requirements and visions, we asked, “Which strategies do you use to manage long-term vision with short-term operational needs?”
“Firstly, balancing strategic foresight with immediate operational demands is critical for any business’s success. What I do is that I see long-term vision as the compass for decisions. Of course, it requires agility, rapid analysis of deviations, and the integration of strategic and operational planning for a dynamic yet consistent path forward. All things managed well yield great results.” Aqsa replied.
Passion To Give The Best
We asked, “What motivates you to continue pushing the envelope and seeking new challenges after becoming a millionaire and succeeding in various sectors?”
Aqsa responded, “I have a firm belief in the importance of embracing humanness, learning, and evolving daily. Also, I believe that humans are connected to nature, and understanding the connection between psychology and physiology is vital for our overall well-being and decision-making abilities.
First things first, I try my best to stay healthy and fit to face new challenges without any stress. Therefore, I would like to emphasize the importance of cultivating emotions like compassion, love, and self-respect to boost immunity and resilience. So, this is my core mantra to keep pushing myself to face new challenges and stay relevant.”
Employee Satisfaction And Empowerment
Employees are undoubtedly an integral part of a business. So, we asked, “Which tactics do you implement to maintain high levels of employee engagement and satisfaction?”
She shared, “Employee satisfaction is my topmost priority. To practically achieve that, I implement open communication, active listening, and fostering a culture of engagement and innovation through autonomy and accountability. I would say, my employees are pretty happy with my policies. But maybe you’ll have to interview them to get genuine responses, she said jokingly.”
Opting for A Proactive Approach
To have a view of Aqsa Abdullah’s approach to monitoring market trends, we asked, “What methods do you use to analyze market trends, and how have these influenced your business decisions?”
Aqsa replied, “Despite my team’s brilliant work, as an individual, I am very proactive. Thus, I stay updated on market trends and industry developments through various sources. For example, business newsletters and analyst insights. I believe in continuous learning and adapting my strategies accordingly.
Also, I try to understand global megatrends and emerging customer needs, which are crucial for anticipating market shifts and identifying growth opportunities. This proactive approach truly aligns with our customer-centric business practices, helping us survive in the competitive environment. Furthermore, I prioritize staying ahead of the curve and leveraging market insights for innovation and business excellence.”
Plans We Asked Aqsa Abdullah
We were curious to learn more about the plans Aqsa has set for her business. So, we asked, “How do you plan to achieve the aspirations of your company?”
“I wish my business to be remembered for its unwavering commitment to the growth of the UAE. We are using innovation, focusing on skilled staff, rapid service delivery, and cutting-edge solutions for complex business setup challenges. With continuous improvement and adaptability for effective company incorporation in the UAE, ever-evolving KWS ME is up for securing this legacy.” She shared.
Current Offerings At KWS Middle East
Lastly, to have a glimpse of current offerings at Aqsa’s business, we inquired, “What are the main services of your company?”
Aqsa concluded, “KWS Middle East’s motto of ‘Excellence is our average’ covers these services in Dubai and the broader UAE.”
- Dubai Mainland Business Formation
- Cosmetic Product Registration
- Professional/Trade License Renewal
- VAT/Corporate Tax Registration Guidance
- UAE Free Zone Company Registration
- PRO Services & Business Support
- UAE Visa Consultancy (Golden Visa, Lifetime Visa, Investor Visa)
- Business and Personal Bank Accounts Advisory
Find KWS Middle East on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram, or visit their website https://kwsme.com/ now.
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