New-age entrepreneurs are making their mark in the business ecosystem with fresh ideas, new ways of working, and a key desire to build careers on their own terms. One such example is Reaan Mustafa. Reaan Mustafa is highly regarded for his work as a property consultant in Dubai, where he assists local and foreign buyers and sellers in leveraging the benefits of the real estate market of the UAE. In his professional capacity, he performs jobs associated with property selling and buying, and investing.
In addition, as both a real estate professional and investor, Reaan brings a personal understanding of the market to his work. Instead of focusing solely on selling properties, his approach is defined by sharing useful information, learning about the clients’ objectives, and helping them make informed decisions. Let’s dive deep into his entrepreneurial journey and understand the challenges, milestones, and other key considerations he experienced.
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Can you briefly introduce yourself and tell us about your business?
Hi! My name is Reaan Mustafa. I am an international property consultant in Dubai. My key services include helping local and international clients strategically buy, sell, and invest in UAE real estate. Apart from this, I am also a real estate investor. This further expands my experience and helps me understand the market from both a professional and personal perspective.
Therefore, I provide practical and meaningful advice to my clients based on real experiences, market understanding, and relevant data. So, my focus is not just on selling properties in UAE but on helping clients understand their options and make wise and beneficial decisions about their investment.
What inspired you to start a real estate business?
I started my career in the sales/operations department at Dubai International Airport when I was 21. No doubt, this job provided me with valuable experience, but it also taught me how demanding working life could be.
After serving at Dubai International Airport, I worked in sales across a range of industries, which helped me gain more experience. However, I still felt I wanted more freedom and control over my life.
Moreover, I have always seen my parents work really hard for years, and I genuinely respect all they have sacrificed for my well-being. But, at the same time, I also realized that I did not want to wait until retirement to enjoy life, travel, and spend time with family. I wanted to do everything on my own terms. This desire for freedom, purpose, and independence pushed me towards real estate entrepreneurship.
What challenges come with being a young founder that people often overlook?
People often see the confidence that comes with being a young entrepreneur, but not the uncertainty behind it. As a young professional, you constantly have to prove your credibility while learning and growing at the same time. Moreover, there is also pressure to stay consistent, even when business is slow, clients say no, or things don’t go according to plan. Thus, the journey is definitely not easy.
What’s one stereotype about young entrepreneurs that you want to break?
The one stereotype I want to break about young entrepreneurs is that they want everything quickly and do not understand the value of hard work. According to me, being young is not related to overnight success or avoiding the challenging parts of the career journey.
My journey has involved years of sales, rejection, long hours, and learning from different industries. Young people can be ambitious and at the same time still be disciplined, patient, and respectful of experience. Therefore, every role taught me something and has helped me shape myself as an entrepreneur.
What was your biggest fear when you launched your idea publicly?
One of my biggest fears when I entered the real estate ecosystem was being judged before people understood me and my intentions. I know when we put ourselves out there, it naturally brings different opinions, and sometimes it is difficult not to think about what others might say.
However, as time passed, I realized that I could not focus on pleasing everyone. Rather than that, I dedicated myself to being genuine, sharing meaningful and transparent insights, and showing up consistently. My key aim was to create value rather than worrying about how everyone would see me. Later on, the right people started connecting with my message, work, and approach, and that is all that matters.
Did social media or online communities play a role in your growth? How?
Yes. Social media has been an integral part of my entrepreneurial joruney. Key platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram have helped me share my take on the Dubai real estate market and connect with clients and people from all across the world. Thus, I was able to build a strengthened network digitally.
Moreover, one of the best things about creating content on social media platforms is that people can understand who I am and how I think even before we have our initial conversation or meeting. Therefore, social media has helped me build trust in a way that goes beyond traditional sales and networking.
What does success mean to you at this stage of your life?
For me, success means having complete freedom, good health, strong relationships, and work that gives me purpose to keep going. As a key contributor to the Dubai real estate market, I want to build a successful career while having dedicated time for my family, fitness, travel, faith, and individual growth. My point is simple: I don’t want to postpone living until I am old or retired because none of us are guaranteed tomorrow.
What does freedom mean to you?
Freedom means having control over my time and being able to choose how I live my life. It means working hard because I want to, not because I don’t have a choice. I want to travel the whole world on my terms, stay close to my family, look after my health, and continue growing personally and professionally.
Nobody knows if they will live until old age, so I believe we should build a meaningful life today while still preparing responsibly for tomorrow.
Have you faced age bias from investors, partners, or customers? How did you handle it?
Bias is there in almost every industry. In my case, yes, there have been some moments when people doubted & questioned my experience because of my age. People often perceive that being young would restrict me from being trusted in the real estate domain. Over time, I realized not to take it personally. Now, I respond to bias through preparation, professionalism, market understanding, and consistent service. Therefore, one of the best ways to overcome age bias in any field is to let your work speak for you.
How do you hire or work with people from older or younger generations?
I believe every generation brings something valuable. Older professionals offer experience and perspective, and on the other hand, younger people often bring creativity, speed, and digital knowledge. The balance of both is what is needed to operate a business. Also, the best working relationships are built on respect, communication, and learning from each other.
What’s one small win that meant a lot to you in the beginning?
One of the biggest small wins was when someone who had been following my content reached out and trusted me with an important property decision. It showed me that consistency creates an impact, even when you don’t see immediate results.
What motivates you on days when things aren’t going as planned?
My key drivers of motivation are my family, my faith, and the life that I want to build for myself. I also remind myself of what made me start. Moreover, I believe that it takes everything to get the freedom to travel the world, stay healthy, spend time with the people I love, and live life on my own terms. So, for me, a difficult day is temporary, but giving up can affect the future I’m working towards.
What excites you the most about the future of your industry?
I’m excited about Dubai’s continued growth and its position as a global city.
More people are moving here to live, work, invest, and build businesses. Real estate professionals will need to offer more than listings. They will need to provide market knowledge, strategy, transparency, and genuine guidance to cater to potential clients.
How do you see your generation changing the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the next 5–10 years?
I think my generation will make entrepreneurship more accessible and global. Through social media, technology, and online communities, people can build audiences and businesses from almost anywhere. I also believe we will place more value on flexibility, purpose, personal wellbeing, and creating a life, not just building a career.
What advice would you give to new entrepreneurs for building a successful business?
One piece of advice I would like to give to new-age entrepreneurs is to start before you feel completely ready, but stay willing to learn. Make sure to concentrate on solving a genuine problem, treat people around you well, and be consistent. Don’t be afraid of rejection or starting small. Your reputation is built through the little things you do every day.
Also, the most important thing: don’t wait until retirement to start living. Work hard, but also make time for your family, health, faith, travel, and the experiences that make life meaningful.
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