Raphael Stevens

Lifestyle

by Team Emirates Woman
1 minute ago

The first-ever all-female-operated Starbucks has officially opened its doors in Saudi Arabia.
Located in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom, the female-run Drive-Thru store represents the changing work dynamic for women across the nation.
Under the Saudi Vision 2030, a key aim is to improve the lives and rights of women in the Kingdom and its initiatives like this which directly support this goal.
The newly opened Starbucks Drive-Thru only store is managed by a team of all Saudi female partners who are responsible for the day-to-day store operations, customer service, day-to-day administration and brewing coffee for customers.
Per Andy Holmes, President of Starbucks MENA at Alshaya Group, it’s an “exciting time” marking the “first all-female driven operation in the country [for the group]”.

“Our first all-female Saudi partners operated Drive-Thru store in KSA is a significant step towards creating more opportunities for women as we continue to build on the local female talent and empowering them in the workplace,” he added.
“As we continue to see a spike in more Saudi women joining the workforce in various sectors, we demonstrate active support to the Kingdom’s focus on empowering Saudi youth and highlighting the role of women by offering access to wider employment and career opportunities.”
At present, women currently make up 20 per cent of Starbucks KSA’s workforce. The group is gaming to increase this to 30 per cent by the end of the year and plans to expand its network further with more and more Saudi female partners.
– For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
Images: Supplied  More

Lifestyle

by Olivia Morris
1 minute ago

Supermodel Bella Hadid has declared she will never let anyone forget “beautiful Palestine”.
The supermodel, whose father Mohamed Hadid fled from the country when he was just a baby, recently shared a post on Instagram after watching a scene from the 1998 documentary Children of Shatila which is currently available to watch on Netflix.
The documentary by filmmaker Mai Masri follows the lives of two children who grew up in the Palestinian refugee camp of Shatila in Beirut, Lebanon.
Taking to social media, the 25-year-old revealed watching a scene from the documentary left her with “tears in my eyes”.
This led to her to reflect on her ancestors and family who have suffered, adding she wished she was able to “go back in time… [and] start fighting for Palestine sooner”.

“For my family, for my elders, our history and for the people of Palestine still living now through this treacherous, exhausting and painful occupation,” she continued.
The model went on to remember her grandparents, her “Jido and Teta”, sharing that their “dying wishes” were to be “buried in their homeland”.
She went on to make a pledge to the country of her ancestors: “I have a promise to make. I will never allow anyone to forget about our beautiful Palestine, or our beautiful people.”
Hadid is vocal about her support for Palestine and continuously shares her pride for her heritage.

Back in 2020, the model paid tribute to her heritage by getting two tattoos in Arabic script which acknowledge her Palestinian background from her father’s side of the family.
Mohamed Hadid himself is a refugee from Palestine. He’s previously shared how he doesn’t have “a single picture of me [as] when I was a baby I was just about 9 days old when I and my family were refugees to the refugee camps in Syria from Palestine”.
After receiving Jordanian citizenship, the father-of-five eventually relocated to the US where he has resided for a number of years.
– For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
Images: Bella Hadid Instagram More

Welcome to the Emirates Woman weekly series ‘How I got my job as…’ where we speak to some incredible entrepreneurs and businesswomen both based in the UAE and globally to find out about their career paths that led them to where they are now; what their daily routines look like; the advice they’d give to those starting out; and the hurdles they’ve had to overcome.
This week we chat with Kirsty Campbell, founder of That Dubai Girl (TDG), a concept that first started as a Facebook group two years ago and has now turned into a thriving community and brand that is well-known across the emirate and UAE.
Emirates Woman sat down with Campbell to discuss the ins and outs of the concept, the growth of TDG and what’s next for the platform.
What was your favourite subject at school?
Probably Art, anything involving making a mess and being creative, something that has definitely transpired into my day-to-day life.
What was your first job?
Does a paper round count? It is a running joke that I would do anything to earn a few quid as a kid, I would do the weekly food shop with my dad purely to keep the pound from the trolley at the end of it, hustling was in my nature from a young age.
What brought you to Dubai?
Truthfully my sister inspired me to make a change, she left home at 19 whilst I got my Psychology degree and then trained to be a teacher. She travelled the world for three years and came back to our sleepy hometown life and it inspired me to make a change. The UAE became my destination of choice as I had a childhood friend living over here and that gave me a bit of a security blanket! With the promise of all-year-round sunshine and weekends by the pool at the age of 24, it didn’t take much convincing for me to pack my suitcase and move halfway across the world. Nearly eight years later, it is my home from home, I won’t be leaving anytime soon.

What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
I have always wanted to work for myself, I’ve never been very good at following the rules! I am extremely headstrong and if I believe in something I always follow it through. You have to think outside the box to make a change and sometimes people can only see something progressing from A to Z. They don’t understand that to get to the desired outcome, often you have to go back to your starting point multiple times, making adjustments and improvements to get it right.
Can you talk us through the concept & growth of That Dubai Girl?
That Dubai Girl (TDG) began as a Facebook group with the founding principals being that it was an inclusive, safe space for women living in Dubai to be able to seek advice, share ideas, recommendations and discuss current topics. TDG has become this incredible community of women coming together and supporting each. Over the past two years, it has developed from not only being an online community but to face-to-face meet-ups including business and social networking events. We are proud that our community has helped so many to form strong business relationships and friendships. Last year, Urban Market Concept was born, which showcases home-grown brands alongside thrift and vintage fashion. Each month we create the market with local talent including DJs, dancers and artists. I wanted to create a market with a difference that has it all and appeals to all ages and interests.
Our biggest event management role to date was Dubai Horse Racing Season 2021-2022, a seven-month project for Dubai Racing Club. We were responsible for supplying all the food and beverage outlets, coordinating twenty build-up events, selecting the sponsors for Style Stakes and building the whole activation from design to completion, the Dubai World Cup and the post-race concert. Truly the most monumental part of this was watching months of work come together to be concluded with the Dubai World Cup at the end of March. The most nerve-racking part was booking incredible international artists, how do you know who to choose?! I remember how the technical crew kept laughing at us because we were so excited when the stage was built when the sound and lights were turned on. The hardest but most rewarding challenge to date.
How have you found TDG has helped women in the UAE?
TDG really is an “all walks of life” community, the foundation is that you live in Dubai and can follow the “if you have nothing nice to say, keep it to yourself” rule. Every day we see women come together to help and support one another and we are extremely proud of the safe space we have created for women to seek advice and share experiences. When you’re living away from home life can be tough, personally, I have made some of my closest friendships from TDG. People send us messages or even approach us out in Dubai to tell us how we have helped them find friends, solve a problem, find a new career or take a leap into something new. This never gets old and is a constant reminder of why we started the group. Last year we started a TDG podcast where we anonymously discuss the most common post topics of the week from the group and get advice from experts on a huge range of topics. We also seek out a male perspective on some topics and have a lot of fun silly chat!
What are the key elements of your role?
Chief plate spinner! That Dubai Girl has somewhat taken over my life, I am involved in every aspect of the business which can be hugely overwhelming at times. One of my biggest challenges has been learning to delegate and trust other people with my baby! As the founder of the company I have ultimately got to represent it at all times, people cannot help but associate it with me, as much as my team is five of us. Building relationships and showcasing what we do is probably the biggest part of my role, showing people that we are a lot more than a girl gang. Talking is my specialist skill and one I revel in utilising.
Talk us through your daily routine.
Honestly, no day is ever the same. One day I’m creating a reel for social media content, the next I am orchestrating a live concert for thousands of people. Sometimes I’m visiting up to ten different locations in a day, back-to-back meetings on a huge range of topics and projects. I don’t know how I stay sane although some might say I never was to begin with! Right now our biggest focuses fall under the categories of tailoring, drone technology and golf – what a combination! I thrive off the excitement of what will happen next. I am so lucky to have such an incredible core team to manage all the administration and steps around putting an event, article or project together. I couldn’t do it without them.

What advice do you have for anyone looking to follow in the same footsteps?
I would encourage anyone to take the risk or start a business if it is a product or concept that they 100% believe in. If you love something, you are driven to do it, even during tough times. Working for yourself can be the most rewarding experience but also the most heartbreaking challenge at times. When you are passionate about your work, you can overcome anything that comes your way during the journey.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received?
You can do anything but not everything, my mum said this to me and it has stuck with me ever since, it helps to keep me focused after a difficult day.
And what is the worst?
Don’t quit your day job! I started That Dubai Girl and Urban Market Concept whilst having a full-time job as a teacher, I had a very comfortable life with a solid income. As TDG began to grow and develop, I had a number of people telling me not to quit my day job, “It’s too risky” and “What if it doesn’t work?”. People will always have an opinion, they will doubt you or make you doubt yourself. You have to be true to yourself, know what you want and go after it. I am not telling people to quit their job without a plan, have some financial backing, make sure their bills can be covered and then go for it. The worst that can happen is you’ll fail and get another job? Or you could be doing something you love and are passionate about every day, worth the risk in my eyes.
What has been the biggest challenge you had to overcome?
Honestly, some days getting up and being motivated to keep going can be a challenge. Sometimes I have so many things floating around in my head I don’t know where to start. Through the highs and lows, the most important thing is surrounding yourself with a solid group of people to help you. My favourite quote is from Misty Copeland “anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you” plus a good list, I love a list!
What are the future plans for your brand?
As we confidently jump into our third year of operations we have launched That Dubai Agency. Our focus is on creating bespoke services including PR, marketing and events for other brands. We have also been able to connect with so many different companies that we already work with which is so rewarding to see. We now have this new opportunity to work with so many different industries in Dubai and I am very excited to see what the future holds for this new chapter. We are partnering with so many incredible events we can’t wait to see them unfold. We have achieved more than I could have possibly imagined in the past two years so we would like to think we are one to watch, world domination can’t be that hard, right?
– For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
Images: Supplied More

Lifestyle

by Team Emirates Woman
1 minute ago

Update: This event has been postponed until further notice. 
This Monday in Dubai everyone needs to ensure they’re looking up in the evening.
Dubai Tourism announced a spectacular flypast is set to take place from 6:20pm on Monday, June 20, 2022, as the incredible Fursan Al Emarat jets take to the sky.
Fursan Al Emarat, the aerobatics demonstration team of the UAE Air Force, are set to soar past some of the most iconic Dubai landmarks including the Burj Khalifa, Palm Jumeriah, Burj Al Arab, Ain Dubai, Dubai Frame, Kite Beach and Museum of the Future.
Performing incredible manoeuvres, the planes will twist and turn throughout the emirate’s skyline, leaving behind an astonishing trail of colours.

Fursan Al Emarat, set to take dubai’s breath away on 20 June from 6.20pm.The jets will pass over, across and next to #Dubai’s iconic landmarks including; the @BurjKhalifa , @AinDXBOfficial, Palm Jumeirah, @BurjAlArab , Kite Beach, @DubaiFrame, and @MOTF https://t.co/hyT6ac97p3 pic.twitter.com/LaltIHt2hW
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) June 19, 2022

Dubai Tourism is calling on all residents and visitors to have their cameras at the ready in order to capture this breathtaking moment.
“Doing what Dubai does best by joining forces with the city’s key partners to bring people together through innovative experiences, one of the world’s most famous cities will take viewers through a spellbinding ride, with the reactions and interactions of the crowd being an essential part to the whole event,” the authority said in a statement.
“Grab your cameras, hold your breath and get ready to look to the skies for inspiration without limits!”
– For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
Images: Dubai Media Office  More

My husband and I both worked from home together long before the pandemic sent workers home with their laptops. Did I mention we live in a one-bedroom apartment?
While we were used to having two desks crammed into our living room and respecting each other’s space during the workday, we were both usually in and out most days for in-person meetings and any phone calls that could easily be taken in the bedroom. Once the pandemic hit, we had to adjust to a 40-hour workweek and an unexpected increase in video calls occurring in our main living space.
So how did we adjust? I’m going to share some tried-and-true ways to stay productive when your living room is also your office—which gets a whole lot more challenging when you have two people working there.

Create a Designated—But Cute—Work Space
This part is going to sting a little. I know how tempting it is to move your laptop from your bed to your couch to your kitchen table, all to avoid adding office furniture to your living room. It’s not a cute look, but you deserve a real workspace to turn to every day. My solution to softening the blow was to avoid office-looking accessories. You can buy a beautiful desk and desk chair and finish it off with charming accessories that don’t look like they came from an office supply store. Splurging on a notebook you love to look at or a marble tray to collect pens and paper clips can change how you feel about your work space and can help it blend in when you have friends over for a dinner party.
The reason setting up a work space you love is so important is that it will motivate you to work at your desk more often. Is the bed comfortable? Yes. Is it the best place to get work done? More often than not, no. There are no rules in a home office (it’s your living room, after all!), so create a work space you love to look at and work in.

Source: @mycityapartment

Invest in the Right Supplies
Why did it take me and my husband years to invest in a pair of noise-canceling headphones? No idea. What I do know is that we won’t be going back. We didn’t even need to splurge on two pairs. Whichever one of us isn’t on a call will wear them while the other person takes their calls, and they really do block out enough noise so I’m not distracted by what’s going on in the background. Having a pair of headphones like this also signals to your live-in coworker that you aren’t available to talk.
This pair of headphones from Microsoft does wonders for us and costs half as much as other popular brands (we’re looking at you, Apple).

Set Boundaries
Do you have a roommate who likes to chat when they’re eating lunch and you’re not? Does your neighbor stop by to talk since they know you’re working from home? Does your very helpful mom want to drop off groceries again? When working from your living room, it’s super important to set boundaries. Make it clear to friends and family, whether you live with them or not, that just because you’re working from home doesn’t mean you’re available to chat.
It’s also important to remember that you don’t have to remain responsive at all times. You can put your phone in the other room or ignore a non-emergency text or call until you log off at the end of the day.

Communicate Clearly
To make sure we don’t slow each other down during the workday, my husband and I are super communicative regarding when we are available to connect with each other. In the morning, we go over our schedules for the day so we know when to expect the other person to be completely unavailable (like during a meeting). Then, throughout the day, we check in to see if now is a good time to go on a walk or to eat lunch together. If someone is getting chatty and the other person needs to focus, we just let each other know. You can’t get what you don’t ask for! If you live with a roommate, family member, or romantic partner, simply let them know what you need to feel good about your productivity levels.
The same thought process applies with coworkers who can distract you from a distance. It can be tempting to be responsive at all times when working from home to prove you are in fact working, but sometimes, you need to carve out time to focus solely on the task at hand. Don’t be afraid to tell your manager or teammates you’re going to be heads down for two hours and won’t be responding to Slack or emails during that time.

Source: Samson Katt | Pexels

Plan for Breaks
When you work from home, it’s so easy to feel guilty about taking breaks. When I was in an office, I thought nothing of taking a 15-minute break to chat with a coworker. When you’re in an actual office and interacting with coworkers, a break feels more like a normal part of your workday. At home, it can feel like you’re slacking off. And to be fair, it’s really easy to let a quick coffee break turn into a much longer break than intended when you’re at home and there is laundry to do or a cute pup to play with.
Scheduling breaks can help you get over these hangups. Each day when I sit down at my desk, I look at what I need to accomplish that day and when I have meetings that day. Then, I use time blocking to plan out when I will work and when I will take a break. Do I schedule the break down to the minute? No. But I will say that between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m., I am going to clear my inbox, finish writing a blog post, and go on a walk. That way, taking breaks feels like a regularly scheduled part of my day, I know when they need to be completed, and I get to rest, which helps me be more productive throughout the day.

I’ve Worked for Myself for 4 Years—These Are the Tools That Keep Me Productive More