Mahwussh Aslam, Founder of One Perfect Stay, talks about her unique business idea and her journey in an exclusive conversation with the Dubai Diaries
In our latest series ‘In Conversation With’, Dubai Diaries talks to some of these amazing women who have changed the face of entrepreneurship with their unique business ideas and enduring will power and strength. This week we are “In Conversation with Mahwush Aslam’. Here’s what she has to say about her journey as an entrepreneur and her business venture One Perfect Stay.
Dubai Dairies: What would you tell us about your leadership style and business philosophy?
Mahwussh Aslam: I like to play along with the entire team and lead from the front rather than passing orders. I teach by example so my people know what decisions they will have to make (including the tough ones), and how would handle various situations. I build businesses around growth and create disruptive initiatives around classic business models. Each business feeds the other. Currently we are about to launch our third company and each vertical that adds on to One Perfect Group’s portfolio will be supporting other businesses in the group.
DD: It won’t be wrong to say that One Perfect Stay was a one-woman company in the beginning and gradually it grew into the leading luxury holiday home and short-term rental management company with a team of 30 people. How easy or difficult was this journey for you?
MA: In retrospect, the struggles and challenges I faced and overcame instill a sense of joy and pride, but while going though that phase of hardship is another story. The idea is to keep going till the mission is complete, not until you are tired and exhausted. Rest, whine, cry and get up again and things start to change. Consistency, grid and hustle are a foolproof formula to achieve the target.
Now with One Perfect Stay managing 100s of units, there is also One Perfect Space, which is rapidly gaining a solid reputation in the field of design and interiors. Plus, our third company around Real Estate management is soon to be launched. So despite challenges, last 6 years have been the most gratifying years of my life. The learning curve is steep so I am grateful for all that it put in front of me – the good, the bad and the ugly – as my eyes are always focused on results. This is the philosophy I follow; always be solution-oriented, and have a mindset that is trained to solve and overcome challenges. We are planning on expanding One Perfect Group’s portfolio across multiple disciplines around hospitality, design, tech and real estate.
DD: One Perfect Stay is all about unforgettable experience for guests and revenue for the landlords. What inspired this idea?
MA: One Perfect Stay is the disruptor between hospitality and realty. We take two of the most difficult and emotionally invested aspects of human life – people’s homes and their much-anticipated vacations, then we marry the two. Naturally the idea is to manage expectations along several highly-charged factors and we achieve that with better ROI for the investor and a unique holiday experience for the guests. The One Perfect Stay idea came in the early days of Airbnb when I was freelancing on an interiors project. I pitched it to the investor, then there was no looking back. After that I launched One Perfect Space inspired by the hundreds of interiors we have created for One Perfect Stay properties, so the story continues.
DD: How easy is it for women in Dubai or the Middle East to start their own business ventures?
MA: It is extremely convenient for any startup to launch in Dubai as the turnaround time to get the license and other formalities is quick. This is the reason why I call Dubai home for the past 12 years and almost 3 companies later I can proudly say, this place gave me the opportunity to grow my business and expand other businesses without hassle.
DD: You are an inspiration to many young women, what advice would you to young women who are planning to start or have just started their business ventures?
MA: Start and start today. Do not wait for an ideal day when things will be perfect and you will be in an ideal place to become an entrepreneur – entrepreneurship is all about embracing uncertainty and going all in to pursue what you want to do. Be consistent: every day is a new day and no matter how hard a situation is, it will change. Keep going and keep building. It is an extremely rewarding journey.
