BY Sandhya D’Mello
Dubai-based, Palestinian siblings Youssef Hazem Al Herbawi, Osama Hazem Al Herbawi, and Lubna Hazem Al Herbawi have been chalking their entrepreneurial journey through their family business ViralDose since late 2022.
Today, their company is one of the most well-known social media marketing and content creator agencies in the region, and enjoys a strong social presence.
The trio have diverse educational backgrounds and have vowed to build a successful venture as they scale heights of success by honing new skills.
Twenty-four-year-old biotechnology graduate Youssef worked in the field for two years before being laid off.
Osama, 21, has three years of experience as a content creator in the UAE and is also a business marketing dropout. Lubna, 19, is still studying for her college degree while running the agency.
“We were born and raised in the UAE. One of the main reasons we started the business here is that the risk of starting a business was very low, as we didn’t have to invest huge amounts of money initially. Additionally, we had a strong understanding of the market due to our three years of experience, which made it an ideal location for us to start our business,” said Lubna.
Hiccups en route
The siblings have faced several challenges over the past two years since launching their business.
“The primary challenge was starting and growing the business with no funding and only the three of us. We had to figure out how to generate revenue and make the business successful with minimal resources. After overcoming this, we needed to learn how to work effectively as a team and how to hire additional team members. The challenges turned into significant learning curves, and we managed to address them within a year,” said Osama.
Over the past two years, the brand has worked with 90 clients, helping companies go viral on social media organically, assisting entrepreneurs in building their personal brands, and generating more business through marketing.
“ViralDose was founded in our bedroom. Despite having three years of marketing experience, we faced numerous challenges in developing and honing our skills, hiring a team, and getting the business up and running. Each challenge we overcame made us a better company and improved our personal capabilities,” said Youssef.
Today, ViralDose is exploring expansion into other countries such as Oman and Saudi Arabia, building on the brand’s success in the UAE.
The siblings attribute their success to the UAE’s business and investor-friendly policies. “The UAE has greatly contributed to our success. It provided an easy entry point into entrepreneurship due to the low cost of starting a business, simple paperwork, and affordable trade licenses. Over the long term, the UAE’s market offers numerous opportunities, with many companies and consumers eager to engage with new businesses. Networking with other business people is also straightforward, thanks to the abundance of networking and educational events, which have helped us grow our network and business,” said Youssef.
Starting the business with family members was a choice driven by confidence and mutual trust among the siblings.
“Despite the challenges and doubts from others about mixing family and business, our strong relationship and a deep understanding of each other’s values made the venture feasible. Working with family members provided a unique blend of personal and professional support,” he said.
The siblings found that having family members as both colleagues and friends made their journey smoother, though it required managing egos and maintaining transparency.
“Our collective confidence and trust in each other were key factors that motivated us to pursue this business together,” concludes Youssef.