Dubai: Start small, scale fast, dream big.
For Emirati entrepreneur Ahmed Al Zarooni, those five words are more than a business slogan. They are the philosophy that has guided him from a childhood in Sharjah to co-founding The Creative House, a hospitality group that today operates 10 concepts and 17 branches across the UAE.
The journey did not begin with investors, business plans or grand ambitions. It started around family dining tables, neighbourhood gatherings and a lesson from his father that would stay with him for life.
“I was born and raised in Sharjah, and my childhood revolved around family, friends and our neighbourhood,” Al Zarooni recalled. “We spent a lot of time together, often around food. Looking back, that connection between a meal and a sense of belonging feels very relevant to what we do in hospitality today.”
One childhood memory remains particularly vivid.
“I was watching labourers doing physically demanding work,” he said. “My father noticed my concern for them and used that moment to speak to me about taking my education and future seriously.”
The lesson was simple but powerful.
“What stayed with me was an appreciation for hard work and the responsibility to make the most of the opportunities I had.”
Learning from every encounter
Unlike many entrepreneurs who point to a single mentor, Al Zarooni prefers to learn from everyone around him.
“I have never limited myself to one role model,” he said. “I try to learn from everyone I meet. Sometimes you see a quality you want to develop; sometimes you see behaviour you want to avoid.”
One person who had a lasting influence was his brother-in-law, a motivational speaker and mentor who helped shape his thinking during the early stages of his career.
Fresh out of university and struggling to adjust to corporate life, Al Zarooni found himself in a conversation that changed his perspective.
“We had a long conversation about business, ambition and personal development,” he said. “He also introduced me to books, including Think and Grow Rich.”
The discussion encouraged him to view his first job not as a final destination but as a stepping stone.
“I began to see the first job as a place to build experience and discipline, with much more still ahead of me.”
Finding his path
Business was not always part of the plan.
When he finished school, Al Zarooni initially enrolled in engineering before quickly realising it was not the right fit.
“It was around the time of the global financial crisis, and I became curious about how financial decisions could affect businesses and entire economies,” he said.
That curiosity led him to study finance with a minor in entrepreneurship at the American University of Sharjah.
“I did not start university with a restaurant business in mind,” he said. “Finance gave me a way to understand the commercial side of an opportunity, and entrepreneurship encouraged me to consider what I might build myself.”
University also presented challenges, particularly public speaking.
“My school experience had not prepared me for presentations, and I was so uncomfortable standing in front of a class that I failed my first public speaking course,” he said.
Rather than discourage him, the setback became motivation.
“Today, I have addressed audiences at major national and international events in the presence of the UAE’s leadership, senior government officials and heads of state,” he said. “It reminds me that a skill you struggle with today can become a strength if you are willing to work on it.”
Building a career across industries
Al Zarooni’s professional journey has taken him through aviation, telecommunications, government entities, major events and real estate.
His first role in the aviation sector taught him the importance of discipline, systems and execution.
“The adjustment from university was significant,” he said. “I had to become more organised, understand how decisions moved through an organisation and deliver within clear expectations.”
His career later included work in Abu Dhabi, followed by a role at Expo 2020 Dubai, where he helped support the participation of 192 countries and 13 international organisations.
“Expo was a particularly valuable experience because of its scale and the range of people and organisations involved,” he said.
Those experiences eventually led him to Dubai Holding while also providing insights that would prove valuable in entrepreneurship.
Turning a Family Idea into a Business
The story of The Creative House began with Mara, a small home-based food business launched by his sister-in-law in 2014.
His brother Adnan later helped turn the concept into a food cart for events and celebrations. But it was Al Zarooni who saw the potential for something bigger.
“When I tried the sliders, I felt the product had real potential,” he said.
He encouraged the family to take the next step and open a permanent location. When funding became a challenge, he decided to invest and join as a partner.
“My contribution began with recognising the potential, encouraging the move to a permanent restaurant and committing capital as a partner,” he said.
The first restaurant opened in December 2016.
It was small. Just 20 seats.
But it provided something invaluable: a foundation.
“We had a product people could enjoy, and I believed we could build on it,” he said. “Our first restaurant was small, which gave us a starting point to learn and develop.”
The leap that changed everything
One of the defining moments in the company’s growth came when an opportunity emerged to open a second branch in Dubai.
The move carried significantly greater financial risk than anything the founders had attempted before.
“We had to decide whether to stay with the small business we understood or take on the responsibility of expansion,” he said. “It was a difficult decision because the opportunity was exciting, but the financial risk was real.”
The team chose to move forward.
That decision would prove transformational.
“We chose to go ahead, and that branch became an important step in our growth,” he said. “It taught us that confidence develops through taking a considered risk and doing the work to make it succeed.”
Today, what began as a single restaurant has evolved into a hospitality portfolio spanning 10 concepts and 17 locations across the UAE.
“We often say, ‘Start small, scale fast, dream big’,” Al Zarooni said. “For me, that also means making sure the business can support the growth you are pursuing.”
The reality behind success
From the outside, rapid growth can appear effortless. Al Zarooni says the reality is very different.
“People see the openings and the finished concepts,” he said. “They see less of the uncertainty before a decision, or the work that continues after a restaurant opens.”
He believes entrepreneurs must learn to embrace uncertainty while remaining willing to adapt.
“Growth has made me more confident, but it has also reinforced the need to keep questioning our decisions.”
That mindset has shaped his leadership philosophy.
“Being willing to admit mistakes and learn from them has always mattered to me,” he said. “Confidence is useful, but you also need to be open to other people’s views.”
As the business expanded, delegation became increasingly important.
“A small business can depend heavily on its founders; a larger one needs a team that can take responsibility.”
Giving back through entrepreneurship
For Al Zarooni, success is about more than business growth or financial performance. It is about creating something lasting and inspiring the next generation of Emirati entrepreneurs.
“I would like The Creative House to help demonstrate what a business born in the UAE can become,” he said. “We started with a family idea and a small restaurant, and we want to keep building concepts that people value and return to.”
His message to young Emiratis is straightforward.
“Do not wait for everything to be perfect,” he said. “You need to prepare, understand the commitment you are making and start somewhere you can realistically manage.”
Looking back, the numbers tell an impressive story: from a 20-seat restaurant to venues collectively serving more than 1,500 guests at a time.
But for Al Zarooni, the real achievement lies elsewhere.
“What makes that meaningful to me is knowing that something started by our family has become part of other people’s lives, a place where they meet, celebrate and make memories,” he said.
“My advice is to give your idea a chance, then take responsibility for what it becomes. Build something that matters to people. For me, success is when people remember the experience you created and choose to return.”
Source: Emirates 24|7