We recently had the privilege of interviewing Sabrina Benalia, a serial entrepreneur and Founder of Hollysmile Dubai, a dental clinic specializing in Emax 6D dental veneers. Besides being the CEO and Founder of several successful businesses, Sabrina is also an important part of the private office of H.H. Sheikh Ali Al Maktoum.
With over 8 years of experience in marketing strategy, Sabrina drives economic growth in Dubai and the Middle East. She’s an innovative specialist crafting impactful strategies to help businesses thrive. In this interview, Sabrina Benalia shares her visions of bridging market gaps, and her journey filled with challenges as a cancer survivor, and offers valuable suggestions for aspiring entrepreneurs in the relevant field.
The Beginning
We started the interview by asking, “What initially drew you to your field, and how did your early experiences shape your approach to business?”
Sabrina Benalia shared, “Today, I am the founder and CEO of several businesses in the Middle East. I can say that I am a serial entrepreneur. Some projects are already in the spotlight, while others I keep secret are equally successful.
HollysmileDubai by BeautifyMe is a dental clinic specializing in Emax 6D dental veneers, where I aimed to offer Europeans a price 10 times cheaper than in their countries to achieve a dream smile for only €2990, with the quality I wanted to be perfect. My strategy was clear: I wanted the best quality at an affordable price, and it wasn’t easy, but I love challenges and I succeeded.
HollysmileDubai is number one in Dubai for French and European people.”
Sabrina Benalia added, “Today, I am also part of the private office of H.H Sheikh Ali Al Maktoum, who is a man with an extraordinary future vision, much like myself. Exciting projects are underway, and it’s an honor for me to contribute to this for Dubai, my beloved country.
It’s also worth noting that since 2016, I have been immersed in influencer marketing in France, Morocco, and now in Dubai. My influencer marketing agency for tourism development in the GCC countries is thriving. Finally, I have succeeded in creating companies in different sectors, leveraging all the skills I have learned over the years. I have a wonderful team I trust, and my husband is my best business partner.”
Meeting The Unfilled Market Gaps
We were curious to learn more about the gaps that Sabrina Benalia’s business aims to fill. So, we asked, “Can you tell us about the genesis of your current business and what specific need or gap you aimed to address?”
She responded, “What I still need to work on is learning to delegate tasks to others to be less overwhelmed and also to stop constantly checking up on employees to see if things are done as well as if I had done them myself. But learning to delegate when you’ve built everything on your own is very hard, so it’s an area I still need to work on.”
Impact Of Personal Values
We further asked, “How have your values influenced the way you conduct business?”
Sabrina Benalia shared, “I started from nothing, I went through many trials, including breast cancer. After this difficult period, there was a rebirth of Sabrina, but the most important thing is to never forget where we came from to achieve our goals. Keeping our values and being loyal in business as well as in personal life is the most important. And trust in you, still confident in your position. With all of this, we learn that nothing is impossible.”
Adaptability Amidst Uncertainties
Challenges are an inevitable part of every journey. To learn how Sabrina Benalia overcame the same, we asked, “What has been the most challenging project or period in your career, and what did you learn from it?”
“The toughest period, of course, was the cancer in 2016, but without that challenge, I wouldn’t be who I am today in life. This cancer has positively and incredibly changed my life, personally and professionally, and the taste of every morning is no longer the same. The hardest period, but in hindsight, perhaps the most beautiful. A true journey of resilience.” She replied.
A Flexible Approach
We further asked, “Could you share an experience where you had to pivot your business strategy dramatically?”
Sabrina Benalia replied, “To be honest, the strategies I have for all our businesses have always borne fruit. But in 2024 and over the years, it’s important to adapt to new trends and know how to be strategic with emerging markets. I believe I am very well surrounded precisely to always adapt with the marketing and digital strategies of my companies.”
Emerging As A Leader
We were eager to understand the impact of mentorship on Sabrina’s professional journey. So, we inquired, “What role has mentorship played in your career, both as a mentor and a mentee?
Sabrina Benalia said, “I believe that in entrepreneurship, one must know how to position oneself as a leader and assert oneself among others. This role is essential so that one earns time, respect, and credibility, whether for yourself or your company. An entrepreneur must be a good leader for me, it’s not an option and almost for Women empowerment.”
Plans We Asked Sabrina Benalia
To learn more about Sabrina’s plan for her business, we inquired, “Tell us more about your future business plans.”
Sabrina Benalia shared, “Many projects are underway for this year 2024, and also for 2025. But soon, we will unveil some exciting surprises at an even more thrilling and monumental level than anything I have done so far. A little patience, the launch is coming soon.”
Advice To Beginners
Lastly, seeking guidance for beginners in this field, we asked, “What is one piece of advice you would give to someone starting in your industry today?”
“Whether in one of my business sectors or another, one should never give up in the face of failures. An entrepreneur will always encounter difficulties, and perseverance is the key to opening the doors that lie ahead of us.
We must educate ourselves and learn to have a positive mindset from the beginning of our projects. I have seen people fail simply because of mental weakness, even though everything else was perfect. Fight for your ideas even if everyone tells you they won’t work. There should be no regrets in work; we must always try and persevere.” Sabrina concluded.
Follow Sabrina Benalia on LinkedIn.
Find Hollysmile Dubai on LinkedIn and visit their website https://hollysmiledubai.com/
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