At the age of 23, Emirati Najla Al Ansari from Sharjah opened a beauty destination called Polished Spa and became the youngest ‘Female Emirati Spa Entrepreneur’ in the region. Najla chatted with Tempo about the challenge and excitement of owning and managing a beauty spa.
Explain Najla to us in one sentence.
Najla is the youngest spa entrepreneur in the region – a woman who never wanted to be a businesswoman but to ‘polish’ the world and give back to her people and country.
When did you know you wanted to be an owner of a beauty spa?
It all started with a few toys: nail polish, blow dryer, and a lipstick. Who would have thought that those little toys would make me who I am today? I’m very passionate about spas and pampering. It’s what I love doing!
What made you decide to open a luxury spa in Sharjah, and not Dubai next door?
Working on a feasibility study, Dubai obviously showed a stronger market in terms of doing business. But with the down turn and economic crisis, I believed that there was a need in Sharjah and with some convincing, I opened my spa there.
As the owner of the first luxury day spa in Sharjah, what challenges did you face in the beginning?
To develop a brand at such a young age with no experience except for what I studied and my passion for inner and outer beauty was not an easy task. But I managed to create a brand name from A-Z including branding, interior design, recruiting and developing, managing, and supplying the latest trends in the market. Opening a spa in Sharjah came with many hurdles including finalizing documents, overcoming government regulations…and also convincing directors, investors, and contractors what I was capable of doing in my beloved city.
How long did it take you to launch your business?
It took me one year as I had to work on the branding, interior design, management, protocols, staff, finance, and marketing, but most importantly I had to find the right location all by myself.
Your biggest achievement?
I guess being self-employed. Taking the risk and jumping into developing a brand and becoming the youngest Emirati spa owner in the region makes me proud!
Your spa is the first in the region that caters also to pregnant women. What kind of services do you provide?
Polished Spa offers safe, nurturing, muscle-easing, leg-relaxing and skin smoothing maternity and post-pregnancy treatments. Polished Spa uses Mama Mio Skincare, the revolutionary skincare brand that has been used by celebrities such as Kourtney Kardashian and Victoria Beckham.
You also provide life coaching sessions by Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) professionals? Tell us about them.
We believe that beauty starts from within. We have collaborated with certified NLP therapists to make beauty shine from within. Life coaching is a practice that helps people identify and achieve personal goals.
Where do you see Polished Spa developing in two years?
I would like Polished Spa to be available for all women across all the seven emirates and then franchised internationally as a skincare brand and destination for all women.
Any tips to share with our readers who are looking to launch their own businesses?
Always keep this in mind: Your greatest accomplishment isn’t set in stone – and your past doesn’t define your future. The future is out there for you to conquer: the road ahead is wide open and you’re in the driver seat. The important thing is not to be afraid to take a chance. Remember, the greatest failure is not trying. Once you find something you love to do, be the best at doing it.
To contact Polished Spa call: 06-5435453, www.polishedspa.ae or email info@polishedspa.ae
Twitter: @polished__spa Facebook.com/polishedspa.ae
By Manar Al Hinai – A khaleeji girl who overthinks and loves to write
