Greater Than Success: With Asia's Most Influential Entrepreneurs

By Firdouz Hameed

Like all good things, this book also has a purpose. Through these entrepreneurs, I intend to inspire a future generation of entrepreneurs. When those in this book tell you their life's journey, it gives you something that you can relate to. From their words, you will learn about the current market situation, future predictions, industrial analysis, technological innovations, ease of doing business, and so much more.

I also designed this book to introduce you to some exceptional individuals who are disrupting conventional methods. Like I said in my previous book, gone are the days of a brick-and-mortar business. Now, I don't mean to say these age-old methods will not bring you any luck. But by not digitizing your business, you will miss out on so many opportunities.

Everything you have learned till today is a thing of the past. Innovations that would have taken years before are now being fast-tracked to meet the needs of the ever-changing world. Sometimes entrepreneurs used to say that a particular product or service they introduced was too soon to be adopted by the people. Today's entrepreneurs will not say that. No matter what futuristic product you offer, there couldn't possibly be a better time to launch it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Partridge Publishing India
• Release date: Dec 21, 2021
• ISBN: 9781543708394

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Rizwan Sajan

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From modest beginnings to building a billion-dollar empire, the Founder and Chairman of Danube Group, Rizwan Sajan has done it all. The story of his grit, dedication and hard work is truly inspiring. Ranked 7th in Top 100 Leaders, Mr. Sajan has become a force to reckon with. Under him, Danube Group has become the undisputed market leader for building materials in the GCC and slowly becoming pioneers in the property development sector. What’s more impressive is that the company has constantly been on the rise right from the day of its inception

Born and brought up in Mumbai, I faced the huge challenge of taking care of my family. At a very young age, I had the responsibility of taking care of my family, being the only breadwinner after the death of my father. I used to do all those menial jobs to put food on the table. It even made me wonder how my father used to manage all these years considering the small income he had. I always yearned to be an entrepreneur as a child. I have distributed newspapers, milk, and did whatever I can to earn a buck here and there. My father never discouraged me on all that. His support is probably what motivated me.

The people who influenced me the most are my father and my uncle. My father played a very important role in shaping my perception and attitude for money as I hail from a middle-class family in Mumbai. We always had to work for what we wanted and were willing to do so just to have a little more pocket money. I recollect, when I needed extra money, my father would often ask me to help my mother clean the bathroom or the kitchen for which I was paid rupees 15 (AED 0.95).

I specifically remember that during my college days, I worked for my father’s company as a part-time storekeeper and was paid 250 rupees per month. My college day started at 9 am and then I would head to the store by 5 pm and work until 8 pm. I always found means to earn extra pocket money, for instance, selling firecrackers and books to my friends.

One quote I always remember was told to me by my uncle who said, ‘a lot of people live rich but very few die rich.’ My take from that was that in any business you need to be careful and realize that if you take one wrong step, all can be gone. He taught me that 2+2 is 5 and not 4.

As the head of the table after my father’s demise, I started as a salesman in India. I had a chance to witness what people in the market desire. Later, with my uncle’s help in Kuwait, I set up a business, which came to a halt due to Saddam Hussein’s invasion.

Subsequently, I moved to Dubai and involved myself in the trading of building materials, and further explored several possibilities to offer immense value to my customers. I remember this one time when a client rejected a whole batch of building material as it had some fungus on it. I took that rejected material, scraped and polished them, and then sold them. This is when I realized my talent and how I can use them. That led me to entrepreneurship and there was no looking back from thereon. If I was to describe my career in three words they will be passion, determination, and hard work.

I have two siblings Anis, MD of Danube Group, and Shabnam Kassam, the Director of Danube Welfare Center. My mother played a very important role in my life I make it a point to visit her in India every two months and spend quality time with her.

Also, my sister played a very important role in my life by supporting and encouraging me throughout my journey.

We are a very close-knit family and I hold a strong bond with my son. And like any other parent even I advise and nurture him to achieve the best.

How long have you been in the UAE?

I landed in Dubai by the end of 1991 and involved myself in the trading of building materials after great hardship. I started my venture in 1993, with my wife being my first employee. Today, Danube Group provides over 25,000 products to its customers. The group takes pride in not just designing and building but also nurturing a long-lasting relationship with their clients. Imagine from a small trading firm, Danube has grown into one of the largest building materials companies in the region, with its diversified branches worldwide including UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and India, in addition to procurement offices in China. Danube has a team of 3000 plus people working across strategic locations across the GCC, China, and India.

What was your dream when you first landed on the UAE shores and how challenging has the journey been?

When I landed on the UAE shores I wanted to build my dream company ‘Danube Group’. The journey was a roller coaster ride full of ups and downs, but we all know success is never achieved by shortcuts. It is the result of constant hard work and determination.

How in your opinion has the Indian community been a contributing force in shaping the UAE economy?

The 2.6 million Indian nationals here form an indelible human bond between both countries. Indians have by far remained the most prolific foreign investors in the Dubai realty market. As per the data from the Government of Dubai’s Land Department (DLD), the total real estate investment raised was Dh91 billion from 55,928 investors last year. Indians ranked highest in terms of both volume and value among foreign investors with Dh12 billion worth of property transactions from 6,263 buyers. That shows how the Indian community is positively shaping the UAE economy.

What has been the magic mantra that gears you up for a new day’s challenge, even today?

My magic mantra is simple - Hard work is the key to success. You didn’t come this far to just make it here- Keep Going!

That being said, my biggest dream was to build the Danube Group and work hard to make the company one of the leading players in the market. And now, I wish that the second generation takes the group to new heights of success.

How do you maintain your work-life balance?

If you want to live a happy, contented, successful, and stress-free life, you only have to master one thing: BALANCE. So, work-life balance is very crucial for everyone. When I am at work, my focus is fully on that. On the other hand, I am a very family-oriented person and enjoy immersing myself in conversations with my wife and son. My evenings are dedicated to my family and we make sure that we dine together.

What’s the difference between a boss and a leader?

A boss dictates his terms and produces followers, whereas a true leader doesn’t care about followers. A true leader creates more leaders. So for me, the basic mantra is that find the right people to trust and empower them to run the business.

What kind of a leader are you— a perpetual learner or a teacher?

Well, I am both. We learn something new every day which gradually makes us more confident. Furthermore, learning across a wide range of subjects gives us a range of perspectives to call on in our narrow day-to-dappppy areas of specialization. As a teacher, I teach my staff and empower them. Currently, we have 20 departments, with 40 managers, and everybody’s been empowered to make their own decisions.

How do you keep yourself jovial?

Well, I don’t feel lonely as I am a people person. In pursuit of success, I have walked and grown with my well-wishers, family, and old staff. I get along with different people, which has gradually helped me to deal easily during difficult situations. I believe one can turn others around with the delicate powers of persuasion.

I believe self-care is essential for happiness, and taking good care of ourselves puts us in a better position to help and be of service to others. Hence, I make sure to live this to the fullest by going for movies or a long drive.

Real estate market dynamics have changed so much in recent times. According to you, how should developers approach this change? How is the Danube holding its position during these times?

As Dubai’s property market starts seeing a backlash, developers are faced with making choices on their off-plan project portfolio - and their ability to sell them. Yes, they will need to base such decisions on market dynamics and the emerging demand-supply situation.

There were limited choices for the developers to build in the past – they had to choose between apartments, townhouses, and villas. However, in this market cycle, the options are broadening – with additional choices, including affordable homes, holiday homes, and student accommodation.

Real estate market dynamics change based on the overall economic cycle. It is important to plan, market, sell and build accordingly. Typically, in a five-year economic cycle - assuming we are at the bottom of the cycle - a developer could plan and launch a project and start selling – when things are down.

By the time the project is ready for delivery, the economic growth could be at its peak. The price will also go up by that time. Looking at the situation, we all know that the property market has started to pick up in the last few months even though we are in the middle of a pandemic that created an unprecedented crisis and opportunity. This is something that I predicted last year.

The reason for this is the efficient handling of the COVID-19 crisis, which has transformed the UAE as a haven for global investors and businessmen who have started to relocate to the UAE.

At present, demand is rising for villas, townhouses, and apartments. If you have ready-to-move-in properties, then they would be snapped up by buyers between now and when the expo starts.

Expo-related demand hasn’t picked up yet, although there are piecemeal improvements due to both internal and external factors. I would say this is due to a sequence of efficient handling of the crisis in the UAE, and probably mishandling of the crisis elsewhere.

However, in real estate, there are some fundamental facts that, if adhered to can help significantly. These are centered on an ideal location, affordability, quality of homes, and convenient payment schemes. One can’t go wrong if you get all these four factors right.

Furthermore, you can’t go wrong with affordable homes. We launched more than 6,100 affordable homes since the launch of Danube Properties seven years ago - and we sold all of them. Some of these projects were launched during long, hot summers and around the Holy Month of Ramadan this year. These are considered not the best times to launch properties. However, we sold them out due to certain factors. One of them is the price and location.

If a townhouse could be sold within Dh1 million at the right location and with a convenient payment plan, it could be sold out in no time. Demand will also pick up in holiday homes. However, it is difficult to predict growth in demand and exactly when demand might pick up.

As a developer, I will continue to bet on affordable homes, that is apartments and townhouses if these could be offered at a really attractive price. The expo will work well to raise investor confidence and demand for all types of homes. It will provide the biggest boost to the UAE’s real estate market and help absorb the unsold inventories.

With the new lineup of products, Danube Building Materials has also ensured its position as a one-stop-shop providing its clients with everything that they need under one roof. I believe a new ownership and visa laws, a business-friendly environment, and a highly successful Covid-19 vaccination drive have all helped Dubai retain investor confidence.

Favorable interest and mortgage rates, a highly effective Covid-19 vaccination drive, and new visa rules for investors will result in Dubai’s property sector witnessing a big boom. The emirate had proven itself to be resilient in the face of several challenges that have gripped the global economy time and time again.

If you look at what has happened over the past two to three months, you will see that real estate prices have gone up again. This means that developers will be eager to start constructing new apartments and villas. We are blessed, especially when you look at all the policies that the government has been coming up with, such as the Golden Visa and the 100 percent ownership laws, to make expats feel like they are at home. All of these policies will help to build confidence in investors that are interested in setting up their businesses here.

I can say that we will see a big real estate boom coming shortly. I keep telling people that the time to buy property if you are interested in doing so, is now because later you will not get the same prices that you are seeing in the market right now. Interest rates right now are very low just like the property prices and even the mortgage rate is extremely attractive.

Moreover, the luxury property market has already started recovering, and the affordable property market will follow. Many companies that had laid off their employees are looking to rehire their staff so business is getting back to usual. I also believe that the supply of new units will remain balanced in the near term.

Poonam Soni

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The Founder of PSSL, Poonam Soni is someone who doesn’t need much of an introduction. Her unique jewelry design is a work of art that is revered around the world. Celebrities adored it and royalties endorsed it. She made Indian jewelry a must-have for European fashion icons. For four decades her brand has been consistently winning global accolades. A legend in jewelry design, Poonam Soni designs will always be a girl’s best