emirates7 - On day one of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival (SEF) 2026, two standout sessions on the Community Stage addressed the realities shaping women’s leadership today, not from theory, but from lived experience. The King Maker, Souad Al Serkal, Founder and CEO of CommCation Consultancy and award-winning educator; and Malu Marsault, Founder of This Mama Invests, tackled two of the most persistent barriers facing women entrepreneurs: mindset and money.
They emphasised that building a more sustainable professional and financial future begins with a shift in mindset , moving from hesitation to informed action. They noted that investment risk can decline from 39% over a single month to just 0.1% when adopting a long-term perspective extending over 20 years. The speakers stressed that confidence is built through action, not waiting, and that financial independence depends on a deeper understanding of money, smart risk management, and early investment, with starting early capable of increasing wealth by up to 44% compared to delaying.
The sessions also offered women frameworks grounded in action, ownership, and long-term thinking.
Al Serkal set a warm and friendly tone for her session, “From What If’s to So What" She reminded the audience that doubt doesn't go away with experience. "We say 'what if' a lot," she said. “That way of thinking kept me from taking advantage of several opportunities that came my way.”
Al Serkal, who has earned the title “The King Maker” for her ability to shape narratives and influence outcomes, challenged the idea that you have to be confident before you can act. She said, “Confidence doesn’t come before the action. It happens from the action.”
She said that the "what if" way of thinking makes people afraid, hesitant, and overthink things, while the "so what" mindset makes people strong and able to make decisions. She stressed that speed is a strategic advantage. "Action delayed is confidence denied. Every time you put off making a decision, you lose faith in yourself," she added.
One of the session’s most important takeaways was that fear is not the problem; indecisiveness is. “By treating fear as data, entrepreneurs can transform uncertainty into strategy,” she noted.
The session also saw the women in the audience participate in a live commitment exercise, sharing actions they would take within the next 24 hours, ranging from launching coaching programs and posting creative work online to starting long-postponed projects.
In conclusion, Al Serkal said, "You don't need to be sure. You just need to make a choice. The question is no longer 'what if?’; it is 'What will I do in the next 24 hours?'
Later in the day, Marsault, an award-winning educator, took the stage with her session titled “Unshakable Wealth: How Women Can Build Financial Freedom That Lasts”, a data-driven discussion examining why financial insecurity remains one of the most significant constraints on women’s financial independence.
Marsault said, "Most women have been told that this is what success looks like: study, work hard, and save what you can. That formula was never meant to set us free. It was supposed to help us stay afloat.”
Marsault shared an insight from the UBS’ 2023 Women and Investing report, which found that 52% of women in the MENA region say not having enough financial education is a major reason they don't invest. "Women were left out of financial systems for decades, which led to this lack of confidence in investing," she said.
She presented clear data spanning more than 150 years, showing that the likelihood of investment losses drops from 39% over a single month to just 0.1% when investments are held for 20 years — proving that the real risk lies not in the market itself, but in exiting it too early. She also demonstrated, through compound interest, the impact of starting early, explaining that long-term, consistent investing can increase wealth by up to 44% compared to waiting. She concluded that financial independence begins with a single, informed decision, and that generational wealth starts with one person choosing to act now.
The founder then put the spotlight on what she called the three pillars of "unshakable wealth": inner wealth (your identity and mindset), cash-flow power, and a wealth engine you build by investing. She said, "If you take one of them away, the whole system gets weaker."
Marsault also busted the myth that only rich people can invest. "Investing isn't just for the rich. It's how people get rich. Also, time multiplies money faster than effort ever can, so start early."
She concluded, "One person who says, "This ends with me," starts the cycle of generational wealth.”
Over 14,000 people from around the world and the region are expected to participate at SEF 2026, which is being held at the Sharjah Research, Technology, and Innovation Park (SPARK) and is organized by the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa). Entrepreneurs, professionals, investors, and talent from around the world are in attendance for a full schedule of events that puts the spotlight on the challenges of starting, growing, and sustaining businesses in a fast-changing economy.
They emphasised that building a more sustainable professional and financial future begins with a shift in mindset , moving from hesitation to informed action. They noted that investment risk can decline from 39% over a single month to just 0.1% when adopting a long-term perspective extending over 20 years. The speakers stressed that confidence is built through action, not waiting, and that financial independence depends on a deeper understanding of money, smart risk management, and early investment, with starting early capable of increasing wealth by up to 44% compared to delaying.
The sessions also offered women frameworks grounded in action, ownership, and long-term thinking.
Al Serkal set a warm and friendly tone for her session, “From What If’s to So What" She reminded the audience that doubt doesn't go away with experience. "We say 'what if' a lot," she said. “That way of thinking kept me from taking advantage of several opportunities that came my way.”
Al Serkal, who has earned the title “The King Maker” for her ability to shape narratives and influence outcomes, challenged the idea that you have to be confident before you can act. She said, “Confidence doesn’t come before the action. It happens from the action.”
She said that the "what if" way of thinking makes people afraid, hesitant, and overthink things, while the "so what" mindset makes people strong and able to make decisions. She stressed that speed is a strategic advantage. "Action delayed is confidence denied. Every time you put off making a decision, you lose faith in yourself," she added.
One of the session’s most important takeaways was that fear is not the problem; indecisiveness is. “By treating fear as data, entrepreneurs can transform uncertainty into strategy,” she noted.
The session also saw the women in the audience participate in a live commitment exercise, sharing actions they would take within the next 24 hours, ranging from launching coaching programs and posting creative work online to starting long-postponed projects.
In conclusion, Al Serkal said, "You don't need to be sure. You just need to make a choice. The question is no longer 'what if?’; it is 'What will I do in the next 24 hours?'
Later in the day, Marsault, an award-winning educator, took the stage with her session titled “Unshakable Wealth: How Women Can Build Financial Freedom That Lasts”, a data-driven discussion examining why financial insecurity remains one of the most significant constraints on women’s financial independence.
Marsault said, "Most women have been told that this is what success looks like: study, work hard, and save what you can. That formula was never meant to set us free. It was supposed to help us stay afloat.”
Marsault shared an insight from the UBS’ 2023 Women and Investing report, which found that 52% of women in the MENA region say not having enough financial education is a major reason they don't invest. "Women were left out of financial systems for decades, which led to this lack of confidence in investing," she said.
She presented clear data spanning more than 150 years, showing that the likelihood of investment losses drops from 39% over a single month to just 0.1% when investments are held for 20 years — proving that the real risk lies not in the market itself, but in exiting it too early. She also demonstrated, through compound interest, the impact of starting early, explaining that long-term, consistent investing can increase wealth by up to 44% compared to waiting. She concluded that financial independence begins with a single, informed decision, and that generational wealth starts with one person choosing to act now.
The founder then put the spotlight on what she called the three pillars of "unshakable wealth": inner wealth (your identity and mindset), cash-flow power, and a wealth engine you build by investing. She said, "If you take one of them away, the whole system gets weaker."
Marsault also busted the myth that only rich people can invest. "Investing isn't just for the rich. It's how people get rich. Also, time multiplies money faster than effort ever can, so start early."
She concluded, "One person who says, "This ends with me," starts the cycle of generational wealth.”
Over 14,000 people from around the world and the region are expected to participate at SEF 2026, which is being held at the Sharjah Research, Technology, and Innovation Park (SPARK) and is organized by the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa). Entrepreneurs, professionals, investors, and talent from around the world are in attendance for a full schedule of events that puts the spotlight on the challenges of starting, growing, and sustaining businesses in a fast-changing economy.
الرجاء الانتظار ...