Reem Abo Samra was born and raised in Syria. After getting married and moving to Dubai in 1994, She went to university to study French literature. Even though she is extremely devoted to her family and have always been ambitious, she also need to keep her mind busy in order to feel fully alive. She knew that her poor English would hold her back when she moved to Dubai, so she put herself through English language classes and became fluent in a year. Reem went on to study business after that, and she was one of the first people to study and learn about e-marketing and the internet. She learned about jewelry design and gemology in the years that followed, and she was always looking for new opportunities to expand her knowledge.
Her first business was born out of spotting a market gap after becoming a mom to twin girls. The first luxury children’s boutique in the UAE opened in 2007 in The Dubai Mall. It was a children’s clothing store called “Kids Puzzle.” Then came “Little Angels,” and she started looking into new businesses that were more in line with her interests: beauty and health. Beauty has always been her favorite thing. When a woman walks out of the salon with a new haircut, color, and set of nails, she instantly exudes confidence. Reem thinks that each lady needs to look and feel their best and she saw that there was a hole in the space between a luxury spa and a salon. That was her inspiration to launch Laloge Beauty Salons.
“Spas have traditionally offered the ultimate luxury but are generally very expensive, whereas salons have never offered the same level of luxury and relaxation. I wanted to change this by giving the best of both – the luxurious feel and service of a spa, but with the affordability of a salon. When you combine these two ingredients, you can’t really go wrong. My friends all loved the idea and they convinced me that it was a great idea. Since then, I haven’t looked back.” Said Reem.
Reem’s biggest challenge was Surviving the pandemic that occurred last year. The salon and spa industry suffered greatly, as did a lot of other industries like food and beverage. As a result, they had to close completely for many months and only take a small number of reservations after that. “The bad times teach you resilience and appreciation for the good times. I think it is always good to have a reminder that no matter how much you grow and learn, there are always going to be new obstacles in your path, but it is how you navigate around these that will set you apart as a businesswoman.”
Reem’s top 3 tips to success is:
1. Keep investing in yourself.
“Take in as much information as you can and everything that is available to you. People put money into stocks and shares because they want to see their money grow and get a return on their investment. However, many people underestimate the benefits of investing time in oneself and the learning process”. shared Reem
2. Do something you really enjoy.
“Everything you do will naturally reflect your true passion for the subject at hand. This is contagious, and it will affect both you and your company.” Said Reem
3.Create balance.
“To be at your best when making decisions, you need to have a good work-life balance. It’s also helpful to have your loved ones’ support because they won’t be able to help you if you don’t work as a family.” Added Reem.
