Dubai’s Coolest Female-led Businesses You Need to Know About
Business isn’t a boys club anymore - thousands of women are starting businesses worldwide, diversifying markets and creating more inclusive spaces in every industry imaginable. And as more female entrepreneurs enter these spaces, we must uplift and support them in bringing their visions to life.
You can’t create a modern business without modern tools, though - as global markets shift and change, e-commerce and digital integrations have become an essential part of doing business. As we count down our favourite female-led businesses in Dubai, we’re also taking a look at the tools that empower them.
Our Favourite Tools
Empowering women-led businesses is close to our heart because we’re one of them - we were founded in 2010 by Lucy Gibson, a mother of two who was inspired by her love for the beach and busy schedule to curate collections of swimwear and resort wear for men and women from all walks of life.
To start off our list, we thought we’d shout out the tools that help us bring you the perfect beachwear:
- Shopify: Shopify powers thousands of e-commerce businesses worldwide, and it helps us reach beach babes on a global scale!
- DEAR Cloud Inventory Management: DEAR may be our most important tool. Accurate inventory is crucial for our business, and DEAR allows us to manage our online and brick-and-mortar locations in the cloud. Learn how DEAR helped us scale in this use case.
- Tabby: Tabby helps us provide designer swimwear and luxury summer wear at approachable prices by providing greater flexibility for customers looking for to Wear Now & Pay Later.
1. Leo Tribe Fitness
Many women find their tribe in fitness classes, but Leo Tribe Fitness has made this sense of community and encouragement a part of their identity. Fitness professional Emma Jordan founded the company after seeing an opportunity to create an inclusive wellness community for women of all shapes and sizes in Dubai. She’s a personal friend of our very own Lucy Gibson, and her personal trainer too!
She offers a wide variety of focused classes, personal training services, and her patented “Leo Tribe Escapes”. These retreats are designed for women to be active in nature, connect with each other, and forge bonds that will last long after they return home.
The primary tool that helps run this empire of empowerment is Wix, the service that Leo Tribe’s website is built on. The website is a hub for class bookings, retreats, and announcements, allowing the community to continue growing! And Wix’s smooth web design toolset and easy customization have made it all happen.
2. Smith & Lizzy
Smith & Lizzy has been our favourite candle company for years - they even created some custom scents for the launch of our Mercato Mall location in 2021! They’re dedicated to making premium soy candles with sustainably sourced materials, making the brand equal parts luxurious and eco-friendly. After all, what’s a luxurious bath or a self-care day without candles?
Remarkably, Smith & Lizzy relies entirely on Instagram for their brand promotion, and they’ve got it down to a science. Combining a steady posting schedule, gorgeous earthy aesthetic, and engaging with their suppliers, clients, and more, Smith & Lizzy has proven that the best tools are the ones you put effort into.
3. Locks By LouLou
Locks By LouLou has become a fixture in the Dubai beauty scene - they were even voted the Hair and Beauty Salon of the Year at the 2022 Professional Beauty Awards. The salon offers a wide range of luxury beauty treatments, from high-end haircuts to hydra facials.
For booking appointments, Locks by LouLou uses Fresha. Making yourself visible to clients is an essential component of appointment-based businesses, and Fresha acts as a directory to bring in clients and manage appointments simultaneously.
4. Florette
Florette is one of Dubai’s most well-established florists - since 2017, they’ve been shipping fresh bouquets across the UAE and maintaining a breathtaking fresh flower market. Their dedication to joy, sustainable sources, and creating beauty in everything they touch makes them a great addition to our list.
Florette uses Shopify Traktor technology to keep track of their delicate fresh flower shipments as they make their way to customers. Florists and other businesses that rely on the freshness of their products are thriving with real-time tracking technology, allowing them to protect a significant portion of their inventory from damage and keep their customers happy.
5. Chi Nail Spa
Since 2011, Chi Nail Spa has been dedicated to self-care and wellness in Dubai. Their dedication to professional staff, hygienic practices, and high-end beauty treatments make them uniquely equipped to care for Dubai’s fashionistas and create new beauty experiences for each client. Fun fact: Lucy Gibson has been going to this spa for 12 years!
WooCommerce is the tool that Chi Nail Spa uses to power the e-commerce part of its business. Seamlessly integrated into their WordPress-based website, this tool allows them to run their online shop and reach even more customers than ever before.
6. House Of Comms
House of Comms is a bit different from the other businesses on this list because they’re a marketing company. Nonetheless, their founder Abby Lyons is an inspiring woman in business! House of Comms works with high-profile clients like Acer, Dubai Opera, and Enoc to set up brilliant marketing campaigns and help these businesses succeed in the highly competitive marketplaces of the UAE.
A marketing company is nothing without a good portfolio, and House of Comms has theirs on lock (seriously, it’s gorgeous). Their secret? Sitecore CMS is a powerful website builder that’s amazing for building eye-catching portfolios and other graphic site elements without requiring a ton of technical skill.
Support The Women-Led Businesses In Your Community!
Did you find a new favourite shop or salon on our list? Let us know with #SawItOnSandDollar!
