I grew up in Riyadh, the desert capital of Saudi Arabia, during some of the “toughest times’’ in my country’s history. I’m not trying to make a judgment or political statement here. These are actually the words recently used to describe the 1980s by our own Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who himself was born into the same world as me.
For those who don’t know my country – and that includes most people around the world, let’s be honest – the 1980s were the beginning of a nearly four-decade conservative backlash that shaped our lives and defined my country’s outside image as one of the most conservative states in the world. Women were only seen in full black capes [abayas], never alone, and never as authority figures.
Which makes my own personal journey all the more special, and which says a lot about the Saudi Arabia that I know and love, the country that is changing before my eyes.
You see, last week I was in New York City and in London, and this week I am in Berlin participating in a major business forum on the Middle East and Northern Africa.
The reason I am so in demand these days is that I am a Saudi woman startup entrepreneuer, which most people in the West must think is a rarity.
But actually, it’s not.
In 2016 alone, 40 percent of all new businesses founded in Saudi Arabia were founded by women. In Germany, only about 16 percent of businesses founded in 2016 were started by women. Under the Crown Prince’s Vision 2030 reform program, Saudi is working hard to open its economy to women and diversify its economy from the oil industry. The government is actively supporting the startup ecosystem and entrepreneurs with training and financing.
At a major startup conference last month in Riyadh, the biggest Saudi competition, 2,500 different startup enterpreneurs competed. In Saudi, where nearly three quarters of the population is under 30 years old, there is an abundance of creative energy. Much of this is being channelled into
startup business creation.
I am one of the first women in Saudi to participate in this trend. A mother of two boys, and a trained commercial photographer, I looked and looked for office space as a woman entrepreneur. It wasn’t easy to find. Men and women didn’t work together, and no one was renting space to women entrepreneurs. For a business woman, there was very little supply.
But as an entrepreneur, I knew as a woman that I was not alone and the demand was real.
So in December 2014, I founded SHEWORKS, an office, presentation and networking space for women entrepreneurs on 350 square meters in the heart of Riyadh.
Business is strong and in little more than three years, more than 60 businesses have been started by women at my company, a sign of Saudi’s vibrant startup culture and something I am proud of.
When I was growing up as a child in Riyadh back in the 1980s, I never would have thought in million years that I would be taking part in international forums talking and representing my homeland, Saudi Arabia! Don’t get me wrong, despite the political realities of life in Saudi, I had the good fortune to have a great, stable childhood. I attended a girls’ school each morning. I played soccer with my cousins after school in the afternoons, or played Atari video games, or watched the two TV channels we had back then lying on the floor.
I was raised in a middle-class family. My parents were highly educated and had bachelor degrees. Both endorsed art, engineering, and foreign languages. They encouraged a hunger for knowledge by buying us lots of books and traveling abroad and taking us to museums, art galleries, and, best of all, to theme parks. They accepted our dreams and plans for the future but tried to box them within what they considered was socially acceptable, especially for me as a young lady. They always dreamed of their little girl becoming a teacher or a professor. But boy, did I disappoint them! I switched to a path they never expected, juggling from career to career before becoming a successful entrepreneur.
When I established my firm, I have never imagined the great responsibility I would carry on my shoulders. My beginning was not easy, but that is typical of every startup story, I think. Getting permits and licenses was easy compared to obtaining customers. However, once we gained a trustworthy reputation, business owners started flooding in.
It was never about the money. It was and always will be quality before quantity, something many business owners tend to overlook with time. Money does talk, but our success is measured by the number of women we have helped. Our mission is to help our sisters find their passion, launch their businesses, and succeed in their lives.
Even though my journey was tough, I was never alone. My beloved husband was always there for me, even when he was working or traveling. There’s also my best friend and business partner whom I have known since college. I am truly blessed, for this unexpected journey has opened so many opportunities and so many doors. I hope it transformed me into a better Me!
As a Saudi woman, and a Saudi entrepreneur, I am very optimistic for our future, and the future of all Saudis. I believe in the new Saudi, a great Saudi which me and my fellow citizens will build and create for our children and for future generations.
