In honor of Women's Day, we celebrate the resilience, creativity, and leadership of women entrepreneurs. This article highlights the inspiring journeys of three remarkable women who have built their businesses in the UAE from the ground up, showcasing their challenges and triumphs along the way.
At Ithara.ae, a company also co-founded by a woman, this topic is especially close to our hearts. Our goal is to inspire and support, while celebrating women and their unique entrepreneurial journeys.
In this article, we introduce three strong women entrepreneurs based in the UAE, shedding light on their experiences, advice, and future plans for their businesses. All three entrepreneurs focus on delivering exceptional services and ensuring the best possible experiences for their customers.
Meet Ekaterina Dolgopolova from The Ice House
Meet Ekaterina Dolgopolova, co-founder of The Ice House, an innovative wellness project in the UAE focused on health and wellbeing. After opening their first branch in DIFC last year, a second branch is on the way.
Ekaterina transformed her own ice bathing experience into a business that supports recovery and promotes wellness. She actively participates in community events, educating others on ice bathing benefits.
Meet Soniyaa Kiran Punjabi from Illuminations
Now, meet Soniyaa Kiran Punjabi, the second entrepreneur sharing her story with us. Soniyaa is the founder of Illuminations, a wellness platform that began in 2006.
She believes in creating a space where people can explore their minds, emotions, and energy. "That’s when I knew I had to create a space where people could explore their minds, emotions, and energy—where healing wasn’t just about fixing what was broken but about truly transforming from within," she explains.
Meet Iman Suguitan from Co Chocolat
And meet Iman Suguitan, the co-founder of Co Chocolat, a chocolate brand that specializes in healthy, ethically sourced chocolates. Inspired by her mother’s struggles with Type 2 Diabetes, Iman and her sister Luchie launched the brand to offer an alternative to traditional chocolates.
Before Co Chocolat, Iman founded Ahsant Premium Hotel Supplies in 2009, a successful B2B business catering to luxury hotels. Her experience with Ahsant gave her the confidence to build a business in the food industry alongside her sister.
Words of Wisdom: Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Since all three women have something to do with health and wellness, their advice to aspiring entrepreneurs—especially women—may not be surprising but is undeniably valuable. Soniyaa shares: "For any aspiring entrepreneur—especially women—trust your intuition. The world will try to shape you, but your greatest strength lies in knowing who you are and standing by it."
Ekaterina adds, "Make your work-life balance a priority. Care about your work-life balance from the get-go. No need to wait until you already feel exhausted and then take a break. Entrepreneurship is a 24/7 job and it's hard to learn to switch off, but it a must." Iman's advice to women is also rooted in her personal experience: "Write everything down and have people sign contracts! And, be prepared to sacrifice a lot of things, even relationships."
What Inspired Ekaterina, Soniyaa, and Iman to Start Their Businesses?
Ekaterina shares, "I was in search of purpose in my life. After working in corporate jobs for 10 years, I felt like I had lost my sense of purpose—or that it was never truly there. I wanted to do something meaningful with my life. Something that would allow me to build my dreams, not someone else’s."
She describes her decision to take that first step, saying, "I stepped into this journey with hope in my heart that it would all play out in the best possible way. And if it didn’t, I could always return to the corporate world."
Soniyaa reflects on her journey, which began in 2006, saying, "Illuminations wasn’t just a business idea—it was born from a deeply personal journey. At 19, I experienced a heartbreaking loss when a close friend passed away. That moment changed everything. It sent me on a quest for answers about life, death, and the purpose of our existence."
Describing her initial business challenges, Soniyaa recalls, "Starting wasn’t easy. Dubai had never seen a wellness platform quite like this before. People were skeptical. The idea of integrating mental well-being with ancient spiritual wisdom wasn’t widely accepted."
Iman’s journey began with a deeply personal motivation: “We were looking for healthy chocolates—the kind that won’t give us diabetes because my mother acquired Type 2 Diabetes, likely because of poor eating habits, and had a stroke.” Her experience with Ahsant gave her the confidence to build a cacao and chocolate business alongside her sister. "Ahsant became profitable on its fourth year, and that success gave me a lot of confidence that we could make the cacao agri-social enterprise work," she shares.
The UAE: A Thriving Hub for Entrepreneurs
It’s not just the health and wellness focus that connects Ekaterina, Soniyaa, and Iman; it’s also the city where the three of them began their businesses—Dubai. All three entrepreneurs agree that the city was the perfect place to start their ventures and wouldn’t change a thing. Why?
Ekaterina calls Dubai "definitely a city high on entrepreneurial energy." Surrounding herself with this environment has given her confidence that she started her business in the right place at the right time.
Iman is, on the other hand, highlighting the city's openness to new ideas and the ease with which businesses can grow. She adds, "There is a Chinese saying, “luck smiles to those who are prepared.” Dubai is the kind of place that welcomes the ‘prepared’ with open arms and allows their ideas to flourish."
Soniyaa, reflecting on the beginning of her journey in Dubai, says, "Dubai has been an incredible place to build this vision. The city is diverse, progressive, and open to new ideas. As a global hub, it attracted people from all over the world—people who were seeking something deeper, something more than just conventional success."
The Power of Support and Collaboration
All three women emphasize the importance of having the right people around them. They stress that finding like-minded individuals is key to success. Ekaterina explains, "Being alone or with just one partner on this journey can feel overwhelming. Support and guidance are crucial but often underestimated." This need for support led Ekaterina to co-found a female entrepreneurship community. Without that group, she says, "I often felt alone and lost. At times it felt like swimming in an ocean without being guided by the stars."
Soniyaa agrees, sharing an example of how collaboration with like-minded people helped her business grow. She says, "I truly believe in the power of collaboration. Partnering with international trainers and organizations allowed us to expand our reach and create globally recognized programs that make holistic well-being more accessible."
She also adds a very important message for all women: "To anyone building something meaningful—find your people. Surround yourself with those who uplift and challenge you. Growth is never a solo journey."
Iman also underscores the importance of networks and mentorship, mentioning how Dr. Manoj Nakra guided her during the early years of Ahsant, particularly helping her manage cash flow. "Networks and mentorship are absolutely important," she says. "They are invaluable when you're navigating the early challenges of entrepreneurship."
Looking Ahead: The Future of Their Businesses
All three entrepreneurs have bold visions for the future of their businesses, fueled by a passion for wellness and personal and business growth.
Ekaterina shares her ambitions for The Ice House, saying, “I'm building ambitious plans about expanding The Ice House, both locationally and in the offerings. I love the industry I'm in—longevity and holistic wellness—and want to grow within it.” She envisions The Ice House becoming a leading name in wellness across the region, helping individuals transform their health through innovative approaches.
Similarly, Soniyaa is focused on global expansion for Illuminations. "The future is exciting," she says. "We’re expanding globally—both physically and online. The world is waking up to the importance of inner well-being, and we want to make these tools more accessible to everyone." She highlights the launch of new programs that blend ancient wisdom with modern behavioral sciences, pushing holistic healing into the mainstream.
Iman, looking ahead to the future, shares, “These are exciting times specially for Co Chocolat because we're opening our first branch outside of the UAE in less than two months and we are ready to take franchisees globally. But my dream is always there to teach women in third world countries become savvy entrepreneurs."
The Impact of Women Entrepreneurs
Ekaterina and Soniyaa think impact is just as important as business growth. As Soniyaa says: “If my journey can inspire even one woman to trust herself, take risks, and build something with meaning—then it’s been worth it.” She encourages aspiring female entrepreneurs to believe in themselves and surround themselves with the right mentors and community, echoing her belief that "growth is never a solo journey."
Iman goes back to the beginning and reflects, "It was never my goal to make an impact when I started as an entrepreneur, I just wanted to create businesses that had integrity and excellence at the same time. But somehow the opportunity to build an agri-social enterprise came, the healthy chocolate brand came.. and I gave my 100% to them. I think I just want people to know that if we are given a platform to influence, to create change. we should not say no to it."
Their stories serve as powerful reminders that entrepreneurship is more than just business—it’s about making a lasting difference in people's lives and paving the way for future generations of leaders.
How You Can Support Women-Led Businesses
Do these stories resonate with you? We hope they resonate as deeply with you as they do with us at Ithara.ae. We carefully choose our partners, and we are honored to work with incredible women-led businesses, helping you discover them.
By purchasing experiences and gift vouchers from women-led businesses at Ithara.ae, you are directly supporting their ventures. You can also visit their websites to book sessions directly or spread the word to your friends. No act of support is too small.
