Winners of Red High Heels on dreams and fears

Five women, five budding entrepreneurs. And when they are given the opportunity of a lifetime — Dh100,000 each, to be precise — to fulfil their dream, what happens?

Last month Dubai-based Globuzz, events and communication consultants, handpicked five from 500 business concepts submitted, at the Red High Heels event to start their dream business venture.

“Training by mentors, business opportunities created by mentors and organisers, step by step and continuous monitoring will make Red High Heels entrepreneurs successful,” said Gayathri Bhardwaj, founder and director of Globuzz. “With quarterly check points, their progression will be reviewed by the advisory and mentor panel and corrective measures will be taken in case of any concerns for the start-up. The five business entities are expected to take off within a maximum period of six months.”

The event aims to create 100 successful women entrepreneurs within the UAE by 2018. The first phase of the event was held in Abu Dhabi.

tabloid! met the first winners of the Red High Heels competition.

Sandra Tippetts

Who: 50-year-old homemaker

Winning idea: To start a bakery of homemade goods, called Home Bakery.

The scariest part for the Abu Dhabi-based Indian mother of three was the presentation of her business idea to the judges. Tippett is thankful to her daughter for enrolling her in the competition.

“Hayley heard about the campaign in Al Wahda mall and she enrolled me without my knowledge. I had to present my idea to a jury on my birthday.”

Tippett believes it is contests like this that help women kick start their dreams. “Otherwise they would just be castles in the air.”

Ann Mejorada

Who: 25-year-old interior designer/CAD architect.

Winning idea: To start a multimedia training centre for women

The Filipina was invited by a friend to participate in a sketching activity when the ushers asked her if she had a dream business. The rest, as they say, is history.

Winning a whopping Dh100,000 to set-up her very own business, just nine months after arriving in the UAE, she is excited but concerned about how to implement her business plan.

“I’m a bit nervous about the responsibility and all the things I need to consider when setting up the business, but I know that is the challenge. It’s definitely a great opportunity.”

Faryal Imran

Who: 34-year-old kindergarten teacher.

Winning idea: To start a montessori school.

“I think my idea was chosen because it is a different system of education which can be started from a very low scale. Moreover I have the required qualification, skills and experience to run it,” admits Imran, who was recruited from Pakistan as a teacher barely a year back.

Honoured and proud to have won the competition, the mother of three is also a bit apprehensive. “I have signed a two year contract and my visa is sponsored by [my school]. According to the UAE law, one cannot work elsewhere when under the sponsorship of one company. Plus my children are also here under my sponsorship so if my visa is cancelled, it will affect my family.”

Abhilasha Poddar

Who: 17-year-old Grade 12 student

Winning idea: Making customised greeting cards

Poddar has always been disappointed with the selection of greeting cards she found in shops and so preferred making personalised ones for family and friends.

“They loved them and said that it would be wonderful if they could buy such nice cards. So I always thought a business or career involving card making would be right for me.”

In her card shop the Indian student plans to create cards with customised designs, colours, stamps and accessories.

So does she look in the mirror now and see an entrepreneur?

“Yes, I most definitely see an entrepreneur that I wish to unleash as soon as possible.”

Rosele Diana

Who: 30-year-old nurse

Winning idea: ‘Wound-Caring on the Go’ — a mobile wound-care centre.

“If people can do business and build homes in trucks then why not have a clinic on the move,” asks Diana.

Originally from the Philippines, she believes she won the competition because of her philanthropic idea. “This type of business has a social responsibility. It aims to reach people with wounds or those at high risk of acquiring wounds (diabetics or patients with vascular problems). It targets people living in far flung areas or those that are housebound, have limited mobility or do not have responsible caregivers.”

Thankful to her husband for enrolling her in the competition Diana has her share of doubts when it comes to the logistics of starting business. “I’m very passionate about this but I cannot deny the fact that in order to start I need to have a lot of approvals from different UAE policy makers first.”

— Shahana Raza is a Dubai-based freelance writer