Here is a one on one discussion with the two women who really made it happen.

Q1: First of all tell us something about yourselves.

Claire: Where do I start? Mum, wife, entrepreneur...the list is quite long these days! I always knew I would have my own business but didn’t know what it would be until I had a ‘light bulb moment’ while laid up at 38 weeks pregnant with my first son threatening to make an early appearance. I take great satisfaction in helping others and like to contribute to the community so when, as a first time mum-to-be, I struggled to find information on family life in Dubai I decided to do something to help other parents. I’ve always been a driven person with a positive outlook so going it alone didn’t scare me too much so I launched my first business, ‘Easy Living – The Parent’s Guide to Dubai’, the city’s only free magazine for families in June 2008.
I first moved to Dubai in 1997 with my husband where I’ve mostly lived since, apart from 3 years spilt between the UK and Hong Kong. We now have two active boys aged 2 and a half and 4.

Georgie: I consider myself as a stay at home mum of 4 ½ year old boy and I happen to have a business! I have lived overseas for 11 years now having left the UK to live in Malaysia with my husband back in 1999. Whilst living in Malaysia I volunteered with abused and abandoned children, which was an amazing, humbling experience, one I will never forget. After having my son I started up Jute Couture in 2008 with the aim to encourage people to use less plastic. Our bags are made of a sustainable plant called jute with an initial range of 10 bags that were environmentally friendly, ethically made and fashionable.

Q2: Tell us about Heels & Deals. Why you started, the reason etc. (Please explain in detail why you thought women needed the push, how the idea came into the mind, the works etc)

Claire: We both set up our own businesses around the same time in 2008 and quickly got approached by other women asking business advice ranging from setting up a business in the UAE to web developer recommendations to Public Relations advice and so on. We both helped where we could and soon realized that there were a growing number of women entrepreneurs in the UAE but that there was not an organization that was specifically catering to their information and inspiration needs. We had the idea of starting a network to support these women but then the recession hit and we both became engrained in keeping our businesses afloat. By March of 2009, the effects of the downward economic climate were bighting hard and in one day I spoke to 3 of my clients who were all women business owners. They all told me the same message - they feared for the future of their companies and felt quite alone in this fear. I repeatedly explained they were not alone and that there were many women in the country in the same position. I got off the phone and called Georgie and we decided then and there to start the network to bring the women entrepreneurs of the UAE together. Four weeks later Heels & Deals launched with 185 women in attendance at our first event!

Q3: From a small idea to such a huge platform involving so many clientele and data base, what were the main challenges you faced in setting up the initiative especially in a male oriented market of Dubai?

Georgie: We never fully appreciated the potential of Heels & Deals or the value and benefits our members would receive when we launched it. The large turnout at the first few events indicated that we’d opened a large can of worms! We’ve both had challenges in juggling our own businesses and family lives with the growing possibilities and demands of Heels & Deals. To keep up with the growth and to deliver our members the very best service possible, we invested in totally rebranding the business and launched a new website. The new website has a host of additional benefits such as online networking between members, discussion boards, member profile pages, the TV channel and a host of other benefits.

We’ve received nothing but support from the business community in the UAE with Heels & Deals and have been fortunate to receive a lot of media interest and coverage which has benefitted the network and our members. People see our passion for what we do and our desire to help other women and respect that. In fact, we’ve even had male entrepreneurs asking if they could join the network and if we could set a network up for them! So for the first time ever we’re inviting men to join us at our event on July 26th on understanding Social Media.

Q4: Did you, Georgie and Clarie ever think of doing something like this when you stepped in your respective professional lives?

Georgie: Up until 2008 I had not ‘worked’ for 9 years. So when I launched Jute Couture I suddenly met a host of women who often needed a little guidance or advice. For me I just felt compelled to help and so that was my push into being part of Heels & Deals with Claire. Having been brought up by parents who have always helped others this seemed a natural thing to do.

Claire: I worked in retail operations management and product development for major UK retailers in the UAE, Hong Kong and the UK and ended my ‘employee’ days in PR & Internal Communications for the UAE born and bred home fashion brand, THE One. I only really started networking once I’d started ‘Easy Living – The Parent’s Guide to Dubai’ and had no clue that launching the magazine would ultimately lead to starting Heels & Deals!

Q5: How has this platform helped you guys as individuals both professionally and personally?

Georgie: I would say that this has been an amazing journey so far which has enabled me to grow professionally and personally. I have stepped out of my comfort zones on several occasions and in many ways tackled certain fears head on. The immense satisfaction of putting 2 people in touch that did not know one another and who can either do business together or help each other is a wonderful feeling. I have learnt that I am stronger than I thought but equally I know what my weaknesses are and how Claire and I balance each other out.

Claire: Funnily enough neither Georgie nor I are overjoyed with speaking in public so hosting the monthly networking events have really taken us outside our comfort zones. Along with being invited to speak at other events and being interviewed by the media our confidence has slowly increased. We’re actually having some training by a top public speaker later in the year which we’re really looking forward to.

There have been many benefits that have stemmed from Heels & Deals; from the satisfaction of helping like-minded women entrepreneurs, to connecting people who can do business together, and more. And of course the network has enabled Georgie and I to gain more visibility in the business community which has been a bonus.

Q6: Did you get good support regarding this initiative from family?

Georgie: I consider myself incredibly lucky to have a very supportive family. My husband has been my rock, my sounding board, my total support. There have been many, many late nights over the past couple of years where I have often gone to bed in the very early hours of the morning as I am working on the business. Both Claire and I have often joked that we wonder how are husbands have not divorced us so far as they have been so tolerant! I have always wanted to put my best into everything whether that is being a mother, a wife or a business owner. So I try to fit it all in to the best of my ability with the blessing of my husband. Our family whether they are overseas or here have also supported this venture for which I am very grateful.

Claire: Like Georgie I’m really fortunate to have a very supportive husband. He not only supports me emotionally but he’s been a fantastic support in the home…cooking me dinner while I work through the evening, putting the boys to bed while I’m out networking, and not complaining when I’m up late working…he’s a star! I couldn’t manage to work the hours I do without his support and without the help of a full-time helper who keeps the home going while I’m focusing on business.

Q7: Partnerships are always tricky, how do you guys get along? Are their aspects of business each person handles or it’s a complete joint effort? What is the best thing about your partnership?

Georgie: I believe Claire and I are extremely lucky to have a great partnership. Both of us put 110% into our business often resulting in being up late together…in separate houses of course! We seem to have worked out our strengths and weaknesses as well as support the weaknesses we share and that include, ironically, public speaking! We are working on that one! We are very also very open with our communication which we believe is key.

Claire: Georgie and my strengths and weaknesses complement each other well so we make a good team. Since we launched Heels & Deals we’ve both been involved in all aspects of the business which has allowed us both to learn it inside out. As time has gone on our strengths and passion for different areas of the business has become evident so we’re recently defined roles with the business. This will allow us to focus more and be more efficient with our time.

Q8: Tell us about RAEY? What is it? How does Heels and Deal aim to support those kids?

Georgie: We both wanted to support charities where possible and RAEY was the first one we started to support. One of our previous committee members was involved in helping RAEY by collecting children’s used water bottles and school bags. The sort of things that parents often throw out but vital items that were needed by the children at RAEY. RAEY supported children who had either lost one or both parents to AIDS or HIV in Ethiopia and who had very little. I also ran the 10km run in Dubai back in January - I had never run for anything before so this was a great achievement mentally and physically. I managed to raise over AED2,000 which I was delighted with. In the future we aim to do more for other charities including ones closer to home.

Q9: Where do you see yourselves in five years? With Heels & Deals and personally.

Claire: Well it’s going to be a very exciting 5 years! Heels & Deals has certainly got a lot of potential to expand globally both online and offline which we’re currently busy planning for. I hope I’m still here in 5 years time to see Dubai rise out of the downturn. We’re proud of the fact we started Heels & Deals in the UAE and look forward to continuing to support the women entrepreneurs of the country.

Georgie: I would like to see Heels & Deals in other countries around the world starting off in the GCC region and then beyond. We have already had interest from other countries so we know that there is a place for it in the market. Personally I would like to continue to be overseas for the next few years and possibly extend the family if we are lucky enough!

Q10: Tell our readers about one of your favorite success stories, a woman you personally helped grow and succeed with the help of Heels & Deals.

G: There are many success stories from Heels & Deals. We have a woman whose business was slow when we first launched Heels & Deals. However by attending our events and networking with like minded women she has grown her client base tremendously and her business has gone from strength to strength. She is now a fabulous advocate of Heels & Deals!

Claire: Thankfully there have been so many success stories it’s hard to pick just one! From a web developer and graphic designer whose business has grown from strength to strength through contacts she’s made at the events, to a group of members who all worked together on a project because they met at Heels & Deals and were able to refer each other to the client (they included a photographer, jewelry designer, make-up artist and stylist!), there are lot’s of positive stories.

We’ve also been able to get a number of members featured in the media as we often get approached for interesting stories. One member will feature in BBC Middle East Business Report Forum in August and another is featuring in an 8 week series of articles during this summer in the National. We’ve even taken some of the members on the radio with us!

Q11: Lastly is there a mantra u guys follow or stick by. If so, what is it?

Georgie: To know that success does not come easy and the journey may not always be smooth.
Finally……Smile and wave…smile and wave!

Claire: Have a ‘giving’ mentality: share your inspiration and knowledge with others and help will come back to you.

Never stand still…the competition won’t!