How do you scale a homegrown brand in the UAE?

It’s not just about launching or getting noticed—it’s about growing it in a market that moves fast and expects a lot.

In the latest episode of The Marketing Bytes, our guest Yavar Khan breaks down what it truly takes to build and grow local brands in the region.

He talks about the realities of the UAE market and how trust and loyalty are built here. He also shares his own experiences, lessons, and mindset shifts that matter when scaling in a competitive space.

#TheMarketingBytes #UAEMarketing #BrandBuilding #EmiratiAudience #MarketingConversations #ConnexionStudio

Episode 05 of The Marketing Bytes with Shamim Akhtar is now live.

In this episode, Shamim shares insights from his journey of growing e-commerce brands in the GCC. He speaks about the role of logistics in earning customer trust, the idea of One GCC and how community and influencer-led commerce are driving real sales in the Middle East.

If you are looking to understand what scaling e-commerce in this region truly involves, this podcast is for you!

Plug in. Power up. Press play.

00:00 - Teaser

00:49 - Introduction & Guest Welcome

01:46 - Shamim’s Professional Journey

04:44 - Transitioning to E-commerce

05:38 - Business Growth: Then vs. Now

06:55 - Key Marketing Metrics for Profitability

08:14 - Defining E-commerce Success

09:18 - The Role of Influencers

10:31 - Driving Decisions with Data & Localization

11:17 - Balancing Sales Volume & Profitability

12:40 - AI & Automation in Business

14:11 - Examples of AI Efficiency

15:25 - AI & The Future of Jobs

17:00 - Understanding GCC Consumer Behavior

18:47 - Adapting Strategy: UAE vs. Saudi Arabia

20:30 - Trends Reshaping E-commerce

22:51 - Future Opportunities in GCC E-commerce

23:44 - Is There Room for New Brands?

25:09 - Logistics: The Core of E-commerce

27:25 - The Importance of Back-end Tech

28:24 - The Next Breakthrough: Tech or Logistics?

29:38 - Operational Pitfalls in Hyper-Growth

32:34 - Leading Teams Through Change

33:37 - Rapid Fire

37:16 - Advice for Aspiring E-commerce Entrepreneurs

37:54 - Closing

#TheMarketingBytes #EcommerceGCC #EcommerceMiddleEast #GCCBusiness #EcommerceScaling #LogisticsFirst #InfluencerCommerce #CommunityDriven #MarketingPodcast #BusinessGrowth #RegionalScale #UAEBusiness #dubaimarketing

Episode 04 of The Marketing Bytes with Abhinav Daharwal is now live!

In this episode, Abhinav uncovers what truly shapes loyalty today. He dives into how customer behaviour is shifting, why personalisation matters more than ever and what brands must get right to keep customers coming back. He also shares how to design meaningful CRM journeys, create seamless omnichannel experiences, and use data and automation to make smarter decisions every day.

If you’ve been trying to understand how different channels can work together to create meaningful customer experiences, this one is for you!

Plug in. Power up. Press play.

00:00 - Intro

00:00:48 - Introduction of Host & Guest (Abhinav Dharwal)

00:01:44 - Abhinav's Career Journey: From Merchandising to Marketing

00:03:55 - The Art & Science of Marketing: Data vs. Storytelling

00:05:34 - Why UAE is the Most Rewarding

00:07:44 - Centerpoint vs. HomeBox

00:09:36 - The Future of Customer Loyalty: Hyper-personalization & AI

00:11:28 - Top 3 Must-Haves for a Successful Loyalty Program

00:12:57 - Omni-channel Retail

00:15:39 - The Role of Traditional Marketing (ATL/BTL)

00:18:43 - Pre-Ramadan Strategy & Execution

00:22:54 - Mastering CRM in an Omni-channel Environment

00:26:10 - Aligning In-Store & Digital Teams

00:27:25 - AI, Automation & Creating "Customer Personas"

00:30:33 - Old School Market Research:

00:33:13 - Rapid Fire Round

00:35:49 - Advice for Aspiring CRM & Loyalty Professionals

00:37:20 - Conclusion

#TheMarketingBytes #MarketingPodcast #CustomerLoyalty #CRMStrategy #MiddleEastMarketing #MarketingInDubai #Omnichannel #ConsumerBehaviour #RetailMarketing #Personalisation #MarketingInsights #BrandGrowth #MENAIndustry