DUBAI – From elegant to youthful to wealthy and independent, a business by a strong Emirati woman Sara Al Awadhi was started with a piece of her goals. It began with a home business, “S. Cookies,” in 2013. She moved into a real shop in the year 2016, with the fantasy concept Khayal Boutique café.
Loving what you do and waking up every day to enhance this dream or job you have is different from being forced to work on something that you aren’t passionate about. This is the main reason to keep going, and mistakes and failures aren’t an obstacle, but they make your business more robust, as Khayal became a famous business in the GCC due to its quality, affordable prices, serving what people like, and making their moment more joyful, – and it’s all handled by Al Awadhi and served with love.
Al Awadhi is a young successful entrepreneur. She graduated from the College of Business at Zayed University in Dubai. Al Awadhi started her journey in 2013 with a local home business specializing in one product, cookies; she kept fighting the obstacles to achieving her goal day and night. Finally, in 2016, a new fantasy concept came up with expanded in the idea that serves happiness to the customer.
Al Awadhi enjoys baking and specialty desserts, and she keeps trying different desserts. The business she owns currently reflects her faith at a younger age. And she serves high-quality chocolate and desserts, such as cakes, Arabic coffee sweets with Emirati ingredients, delights, mini sandwiches, French desserts, and wedding chocolate trays.
Al Awadhi is a member of Sharjah Business Women Council, Founded by Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qassimi, Wife of the Ruler of Sharjah.
The council has been assisting aspiring and established female entrepreneurs and businesswomen in the UAE in setting and realizing their goals in both traditional and non-traditional industries.
“SWBC gives us a huge opportunity and the characteristics of being a businesswoman and representing the city of Sharjah worldwide, and they have supported us motivationally through sessions and hosting the local businesses in events and occasions,’ Al Awadhi said.
Al Awadhi’s hero is her father, Abdeen Al Awadhi, the general director of Beit Al Khair Society.
“He has been the backbone of my dreams since I was young,” Sara Al Awadhi said. “I saw the nonstop of dreaming and achieving the small goals that turn into a wide goal.”
The spread of the coronavirus has harmed several industries. Khayal was shut down in 2020 due to the pandemic. Al Awadhi mentioned that the day after the country has announced that it stopped the weddings, the world was dead quiet. The reservation cancellation was unbelievable and unstoppable within an hour. She knew that this stage wouldn’t be easy, and the coming was mysterious.
After losing motivation and not reaching the fulfillment she desired, Khayal took a cozy place in Sharjah with its new chapter and became a joyful moment, gathering, wedding, occasion celebration, and more in the United Arab Emirates society within a short time.
“As much as you have the faith of achieving your dream, you will be one day,” Al Awadhi said.
It all has started with a small dream and grew every day through achievement and success. However, faith and passion are the primary keys that brought the Khayal Boutique dream into real life.
About the author
Maha Sulaiman Al Qurashi is a student in the College of Communication and Media Sciences at Zayed University in Dubai. She specializes in Integrated Strategic Communication. Al Qurashi has been a recipient of the Dean’s List and a member of the Student Council on the Dubai campus.
The supervising editor for this story was Yulia Medvedeva.
