Check out Connector's chat with Samar Nabulsi, Founder and Managing Director of Big On Children.
What brought you to do Dubai?
When I was studying hospitality management abroad in early 2000, it was all over the news that Dubai was planning to open several international hotel chains. I studied hard, moved back to Jordan and joined one of the best hotel chains in the world; all to prepare myself to work in Dubai. I worked with the Four Seasons Hotels for 18 months and then I was offered a great position (for someone in her early 20’s) at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. It felt like I won a golden ticket to the dreamland! I moved to Dubai about 12 years ago and it felt like home to me. I worked hard, tried different roles in different companies, met the perfect man for me, started a family and grew a business with him. Looking back, I am grateful for every decision I made. I am honoured to have been part of the Dubai growth and watch it transform into the amazing city it is today.
Describe a typical day
My day starts with my daughters until they are off to school. I use my morning hours to meet team members and new potential partners. We get interests from suppliers and other entrepreneurs for business collaborations and I love bouncing ideas of how we can expand our business and help other fellow entrepreneurs grow.
I dedicate my afternoons to activities with my children and then my ‘work’ hours begin again after they go to bed. So I tend to reply to emails, complete financial models, research new ideas, develop products and strategies in the evening. However, recently we have been working on a new concept that we believe will fill a gap in the market. We are constantly meeting with our new partner Abeer Al Tamimi owner of Kids HQ and all of our associates, and we are happy to announce that Talents HQ will be open to the public very soon.
How did you get into this profession?
My father is an entrepreneur so I always knew that I would start my own business one day. Marrying an entrepreneur made that dream come true a lot faster than I thought. When I met Ramzy nine years ago, he said to me that we will grow his company ‘Big On Group’ together. Fast forward six years, Big On Children was born. Big On Children is a member of Ramzy’s corporate group with a fun twist.
Having the hospitality and marketing background had profoundly helped me identify the need for a new business in the market. Raising two young children allowed me to tap into a virgin market of personalised products for children. My experiences, both theoretical and practical, have enabled me to start the business with the right foundation. We started with one exclusive brand to six secured for our region. Our first international store-in-store concept, at the most visited location in New York City, opened at FAO Schwarz in 2013. From there, we opened two more locations in Dubai in just two years. Going international and opening locations in world-renowned retailers such as FAO Schwarz raised our company profile and aided us in securing exclusive master distributors for Big On Children in the Middle East and elsewhere. We then bought the assets and brand to our first brand ‘Sing Your Name’ 18 months ago and our company went global.
What is the best thing about your job?
Knowing that what we do puts smiles on children’s faces is the best part of my job! Nothing beats hearing a child laugh. The positive energy that I get when I hear a child energises me to do more, whether it’s through bringing new edutainment products or participating in charitable events. I find myself striving to do more for the company and for myself.
And the worst?
There is nothing about cheerful children and bubbly staff that I do not like.
What was a standout moment in your career?
When we won the Arabian Business Start Up Award and then a few months later we were shortlisted for the Great Awards by the UK Trade and Investment. Just being nominated inspired me to work even harder, to compete against myself because it simply denotes that all that hard work is paying off. I still get butterflies in my stomach when I remember the night when they announced Big On Children as the winner of the ‘SME Award of the Year’ in a room filled with highly respected and well-known companies, banks and celebrities.
What advice would you have for any young person wanting to get into your field?
Get the right support: Support means having a good team that you can depend on to get the job done and done right.
Knowledge is power. If you know what you are up against or you understand the dynamics of your business, life and family, then you hold the key to success in your own hands.
Have fun: If you are not having fun doing what you are doing then find something that inspires you. Work is a major part of life, but you have to be passionate about it. Enjoy life and laugh as much as you can.
Your motto
Cinderella’s motto of course… Have courage and be kind!