Canadian University Dubai (CUD) graduate, Fouzia Lkbiech, has traded a career in aviation for life as an entrepreneur, as she embarks on a journey to establish two new businesses in the UAE. Combining her passion for communication with her natural entrepreneurial spirit, Fouzia founded her own agency, Sponge Digital Marketing, last year. Building on the success of her business development strategies, Fouzia has also recently launched her longstanding passion project, a bridalwear and haute couture house, Fashion Atelier.
Moving to Dubai from Morocco at the age of 21, Fouzia started her professional journey as a flight attendant, taking the opportunity to travel the world and immerse herself in a multi-cultural environment. After three years in the aviation industry, she took the bold decision to embark on a new journey of self-discovery and enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Digital Media and Journalism programme at CUD. Juggling her degree studies around caring for her young family, Fouzia ultimately graduated in the Class of 2020 with a 3.9 GPA.
Former flight attendant embarks on start-up journey
Explaining her subsequent journey Fouzia said, “After graduation, I secured an internship position at a digital marketing agency in Dubai, working as a Copywriter. I learnt about the latest marketing tools and techniques, which helped me to develop my own unique approach to digital marketing and to earn a promotion to the position of Account Manager. I was grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow in such a supportive environment.”
She continued, “I became particularly fascinated by the data-driven nature of the industry; I learnt how to analyse metrics and use insights to improve marketing strategies, while prioritising customer experience and always putting the needs of the audience first. It was during my internship that I discovered my passion for digital marketing, but my entrepreneurial spirit was still growing, so I decided to take the leap and establish a digital marketing business from my home.”
With an initial client base of seven, Fouzia founded Sponge Digital Marketing, to offer a comprehensive range of solutions including, website creation, social media optimisation, content generation, copywriting, advertising across different platforms, search engine optimisation, and public relations. Growing quickly, Fouzia went on to hire five employees, and more recently, she and her team expanded their operations by opening an office space in Dubai’s Business Bay.
I learnt how to analyse metrics and use insights to improve marketing strategies, while prioritising customer experience and always putting the needs of the audience first
Driven by her success and ever-evolving knowledge of marketing, Fouzia took another leap of faith a few months ago, officially launching her couture brand, Fashion Atelier. She revealed, “I’ve learnt what it takes to succeed, no business or industry scares me anymore, and the sky is my limit. I have so many business ideas and growth plans that I want to launch in the future.”
Asked for advice for future aspiring entrepreneurs, Fouzia concluded, “Success is never achieved by staying in your comfort zone. Lean into opportunities, dare to take risks, overcome obstacles, and stay focused on your goals. With an unyielding thirst for learning, the potential is limitless.”