Meet Iqra Khan, the CEO of Talkingly, a Dubai-based Event Management company. With a wealth of experience and a passion for creating positive change, Iqra has not only succeeded in building a successful business but has also become an advocate for women’s empowerment. Iqra’s leadership style fosters collaboration and encourages her team members to think outside the box. Her unwavering commitment to excellence and determination to overcome challenges have earned her respect and admiration in the industry. Iqra inspires women worldwide to pursue their dreams and break barriers in their respective fields through her work. She is a true testament to the power of female leadership and a role model for the next generation of women entrepreneurs.
Recently, we had an opportunity to sit down with Iqra and learn how she is changing the world of events with Talkingly.
Below are the highlights of the interview .
Q) Please tell me your story. Or How did you get your start?
Iqra) Thank you for considering Me for such an Amazing ‘magazine! I have been living and making life in Dubai, UAE, since 2015. I started my career here in Marketing with an Events Company and then moved into my own business in 2020, during the Covid times.
I felt that I was stuck in the Corporate world and wanted to start something of my own, through which I could challenge myself and support other young women entrepreneurs in UAE too, and Talkingly began.
Q) Please tell us about Talkingly and how it serves its clients.
Iqra) Talkingly is a Business Events Company that helps the business community and individuals coming to Dubai to learn about the market Norms and Business Terms. We Assist them in Connecting with Right Partners, Colleagues, and Business Aquantices through Events. We also assist our clients in establishing their business in Dubai from scratch through Events.
Q) What distinguishes Talkingly from its competitors?
Iqra) As I said, Talkingly assists New Businesses in Dubai through Events, which is unique. We provide a platform for the clients to join and get the business running through events, which no one else in the marketing is offering for now. We have successfully connected and educated many businesses so far, while many found partners through our network and community.
Q) How do you motivate creativity and innovation in the workspace while maintaining a healthy work environment?
Iqra) Talkingly believes in new ideas and listens to everyone who has something to share regarding business, we always welcome new Collabs that can support both sides, but one thing we make sure of is to execute.
Q) How do you focus on Diversity and Inclusion in your organization for success?
Iqra) Well, Dubai is a very diversified market itself, and it’s not very difficult to bring on multiple nationals to work together, so even in our company, you will find 4-5 different regions’ resources working together; that’s the beauty of UAE. We focus on having the best resources no matter which region or nation they are coming from
Q) Please explain the pandemic’s effect on Talkingly. And how you tackled it?
Iqra) That’s a funny story, during covid when talkingly was started, it was EXPO2020 time, the WORLD BIGGEST Show of Businesses, and luckily Covid was not a problem for us, as Dubai was doing the work of bringing the world together and the business in that time in Dubai was High. Lots of events were happening, and we were able to get good action in that period of time.
Q) What does success look like for you?
Iqra) Success is a never-ending journey. You make and achieve goals, and these small achievements make you successful. Never giving up is success too. I think it’s a journey, and not one thing can confirm that now I am successful cause the meaning of success will keep on changing.
Q) What are your plans for 2023 and beyond?
Iqra) In 2023, we are planning to focus on one-to-one events and big conferences in ‘Business Expansion in Dubai to capture New Businesses.
Q) What is one characteristic that you believe every leader should possess?
Iqra) Teamwork.