At 25, Kuwaiti entrepreneur Abbas Al-Hazeem is demonstrating that financial discipline learned in childhood can be the foundation for a successful business in Dubai. Raised in the city, his journey from saving lunch money to launching a media agency highlights a deliberate approach to growth and investment.
As a student, Al-Hazeem was already practising commerce. While his classmates bought snacks, he saved his pocket money. “I’d bring my lunch from home and use my money to buy small items to resell at school,” he recalls. “That’s how I learned to grow what I had.”
These early lessons in saving and reinvesting shaped his professional path. After working in technical services and operations in Dubai and Kuwait, Al-Hazeem identified a gap in the market for marketing that used creative storytelling to connect brands with audiences.
Building the Business
In April 2024, Al-Hazeem founded On The Way Media Agency, using Dh 128,555 ($35,000) of his personal savings to cover branding, licensing, and setup costs. He prioritised human capital over equipment. “I invested more in people than machines,” he says. “Skilled talent gives better returns than hardware.”
The strategy proved effective. The agency achieved a 60 per cent profit margin within months, driven by lean operations and focused spending. “We reinvested every dirham to expand services into AI-driven content and music production,” Al-Hazeem notes. “Scaling smart matters more than scaling fast.”
His previous experience at his family’s business, Intercoil International, and later in logistics taught him structure, while Dubai’s dynamic environment taught him adaptability. “Dubai keeps you sharp,” he says. “It’s competitive but full of opportunity.”
A Disciplined Financial Philosophy
Al-Hazeem’s financial habits are methodical. He treats savings as a non-negotiable monthly expense, automatically setting aside a portion of his income. This approach has allowed him to build a diversified portfolio. “Owning ten percent in ten businesses is better than a hundred percent in one,” he advises.
His investments now include real estate, long-term funds, and emerging AI startups, showing an awareness that modern UAE businesses must think like tech companies to stay competitive. To protect his agency from unpredictable client payments, he maintains an emergency fund covering six to twelve months of expenses. “Revenue means nothing if you can’t pay your team on time,” he states. “Cash flow is survival.”
This prudence comes from experience. In an earlier venture, he overstocked inventory, which drained cash reserves and nearly ended the business. Now, he avoids aggressive expansion, ensuring every expense directly contributes to productivity or revenue.
Despite the demands of running a company, Al-Hazeem values personal balance, finding time for reading, fitness, and family. He admits the initial months were difficult, marked by long hours and self-doubt. “But I kept pushing through,” he says. “True resilience means moving forward even when things feel uncertain.” His journey is a testament to how a Kuwaiti’s tale of discipline can lead to a profitable UAE startup.
“Entrepreneurship is unpredictable,” Al-Hazeem concludes. “But if you stay disciplined, transparent, and adaptable, the UAE gives you all the tools to succeed.”
