Stepping into an unfamiliar market tests every part of your business judgement. I was reminded of this on a trip to Dubai to speak at a conference for businesswomen in the Arab world. The question I kept asking myself was simple: is the ambition worth the risk? The week turned out to be chaotic and rewarding in equal measure. The reward came from deciding, once I arrived, to create my own reality rather than wait for the organisers to deliver one. This is what exporting for women-led businesses can look like: unpredictable, challenging, and ultimately transformative.
Why exporting matters for women-led businesses
I am ambitious to spread my training programme for women in business to emerging regions, particularly India and the Middle East. When the invitation to speak in Dubai arrived, it felt like a door opening: exposure in an unfamiliar market and direct contact with brilliant women entrepreneurs across the Middle East.
I am also a calculated risk taker. In business, that approach has rarely let me down. After a year spent learning to let go of control, taking a deliberate risk had become easier. The past week was a powerful reminder of what happens when you trust the process, stay open to opportunity, set clear boundaries, act assertively, refuse to blame others and create your own reality.
The opportunity is real. The 2019 Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship found that women-led businesses remain less likely than male-led ones to trade internationally, and that they face particular barriers to scaling, including access to finance. Yet the Gulf Cooperation Council region is one of the UK’s largest trading partners outside the EU, according to Department for Business and Trade data. For women entrepreneurs, the gap is also the opportunity. The 2019 Review estimated that boosting women’s entrepreneurship could add up to £250 billion to the UK economy.
When everything that can go wrong, does
The other European who was helping to organise the event pulled out a few weeks before the conference, citing challenges with the main organiser in Jordan. The only other Westerner on the programme, a speaker from the US, also pulled out the Monday before I was due to fly. A few days before departure, I did not have a confirmed flight or know where I was staying. The organisers were supposed to be arranging both. After a flurry of phone calls between appointments in London, the flights were finally confirmed and the accommodation details arrived by email. The venue, I then discovered, had been moved to the hotel where I was staying.
I was told I would be collected from Dubai Airport on Sunday evening. No one was there. I found a taxi and headed into the unknown of Dubai at around 9pm, trusting I would end up where I needed to be.
On Monday I arrived at the conference, which started an hour late. I had been told there would be translation available. There was not. I was the only non-Arab in the room, so I sat listening to Arabic all day and understood almost nothing. The following day was my talk, and again I was told a translator would be on stage. Again, there was not. By then I was not remotely surprised, so I carried on regardless.
On Wednesday I turned up to run a workshop, only to find the conference room being set up for a dinner. That day’s sessions had been cancelled at lunch the previous day, announced in Arabic, and the organiser had forgotten to tell me.
Then I discovered that my return flight had been booked for Friday, but my hotel room had been reserved only until Thursday. So a bit of assertive negotiation followed, to make sure I had somewhere to sleep on Thursday night and that it was being paid for.
So, a complete shambles.
The upside: creating your own reality
The totally amazing part was the incredible women I met at the conference from Jordan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt and the UAE. They were wonderful women running their own businesses, warm, open, friendly, brave and focused. I managed to get myself interviewed by a local business newspaper, with the help of an Arabic translator, and found myself being interviewed live on a regional news channel, luckily in English.
On Monday evening I had a video call with the European organiser who had pulled out. She was in Holland and connected me with some of her contacts in Dubai. Through those introductions I arranged meetings on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning with truly outstanding women who were generous enough to meet me at short notice.
As a result of those meetings I ended up writing for two business magazines in Dubai, and one contact explored sponsoring a return visit so I could run my leadership programme for women in business there. Another woman offered to promote me at a major trade exhibition her company was attending, and to arrange the printing of my leaflets locally. Another contact and I began putting together a one-day training programme and continued the conversation over video calls.
How to prepare before you fly
The lesson is not that you should wing it. The lesson is that even when plans collapse, clarity and boundaries keep you moving. Before your next international opportunity, put these safeguards in place.
Confirm the basics in writing
Flights, accommodation, venue, dates, fees and expenses should be confirmed by email before you commit. If an organiser is vague, treat it as a warning sign. Have a cancellation clause and a clear agreement on who pays for changes.
Research the market and the culture
Understand local business etiquette, payment practices and legal requirements. The Department for Business and Trade publishes country guides and sector reports that are free to access. Reading them will help you ask better questions and avoid assumptions.
Build a local contact list before you travel
Do not rely on event organisers for your entire network. Use LinkedIn, trade associations and women in business networks to line up at least two independent meetings before you board the plane.
Know your funding and insurance position
International travel, samples, shipping and legal advice all cost money. Check whether you qualify for support through business grants for women in the UK, UK Export Finance, or growth finance from the British Business Bank. Make sure your insurance covers overseas activities, including cancelled events and lost equipment.
UK support for women-led exporters
You do not have to do this alone. Several UK programmes are designed to help smaller businesses start exporting or enter new markets.
- UK Export Academy. Run by the Department for Business and Trade, this offers free online and in-person training on topics from market selection to customs paperwork and digital trade.
- UK Export Finance. The UK’s export credit agency provides insurance, guarantees and finance to help smaller businesses win and fulfil overseas contracts.
- Trade missions and sector events. DBT-led trade missions and sector-specific exhibitions can introduce you to buyers, distributors and partners in target markets.
- Women in trade networks. Organisations such as the International Trade Centre’s SheTrades initiative and UK-based women in business networks connect founders with mentors, buyers and peer support.
The Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship has consistently found, since its publication in 2019, that women-led businesses face particular barriers to scaling, including lower rates of exporting and access to finance. Closing that gap is not just a fairness issue. The 2019 Review estimated that boosting women’s entrepreneurship could add up to £250 billion to the UK economy.
What this means for your business
The moral of the story is to come out of your comfort zone on a regular and frequent basis. Staying put and accepting the status quo will not allow you to grow or expand. I had no idea, when the plane took off from Gatwick, what the next few days would bring; I literally flew into the unknown. Yes, it was challenging at times, and a bit scary too, but I was clear on my boundaries, refused to be bullied, stood up for what was right, and was open to receive from all the wonderful people I met.
It was one of the best weeks I have had. The people I met were not even close to being on my radar a few weeks earlier, and I have since consolidated firm friendships and business partnerships. Those relationships continue to create opportunities to return to the region.
Exporting for women-led businesses is not about reckless leaps. It is about taking a calculated risk, preparing properly, and then adapting fast when reality does not match the plan. The photo I took while sitting at a beach bar linked to the hotel, sipping a tequila sunrise and watching the sun set over the Arabian Sea, says it all. Who said taking a risk is not worth it?
Steps to take before you export
- Identify one overseas market that fits your product or service and read the DBT country guide.
- Book a free UK Export Academy course to understand the practical steps.
- Confirm every logistical detail in writing before you commit to travel or costs.
- Line up at least two independent contacts in your target market before you go.
- Review your insurance, funding options and cancellation terms.
- Set your non-negotiable boundaries, then stay open to unexpected opportunities.
