Why the UAE changed the way it thinks about ambition
According to Sibtain, the UAE didn’t just influence her idea, it changed her mindset.
“Living in the UAE has made me think harder and move faster. Before I moved here, I often felt that ambition had to be justified. Here, ambition is almost assumed. It raises your standards,” said Sibtain.
Surrounded by leaders and quick ideas, she has found herself moving from overthinking to execution.
“People here are incredibly action-oriented. If you have a vision, the expectation is not that you’ll spend years perfecting it, but that you’ll start building it.”
Building a marketplace for reuse, trust and giving
Basically, her startup is built around a simple idea to keep goods circulating for longer, within the same community.
The platform enables users to resell their favorite items with authentication, secure payments and door-to-door logistics, removing the hassle that often makes second-hand exchanges difficult.
But it also introduced something more meaningful. Through Luved & Gifted, users can give items completely free, with no charge, no transaction, no hurdles. Just passing something along to someone who needs it.
Durability that feels practical
According to Sibtain, persistence only works when it’s become part of everyday behavior, not a separate effort. Its platform is designed to make reuse simple. Sellers profit from items they no longer use, shoppers access quality merchandise at lower cost, and fewer products end up unused or thrown away.
But the most profound impact has been social. In a country as diverse as the UAE, items move not just through transactions, but through acts of trust. It is sustainability measured in human connection as much as environmental impact.
“It’s a free section just for giving. No transactions, just generosity. In such a diverse region, watching someone pass a child’s coat to a stranger across town says more about sustainability than any economic forecast knows. Convenience, technology and conscious consumption can coexist,” explained Sibtain.
Start before you’re ready
For aspiring founders in the Emirates, Sibtain’s message has emphasized action.
“The UAE rewards people who move, not people who research forever. The support for new ideas is real, but it meets you halfway and you have to show up and build,” advised Sibtain.
As her own journey has shown, sometimes success starts with something as mundane as a pile of baby clothes and ends with a platform designed to change the way an entire community thinks about value, loss and giving.
Tricia is a reporter and anchor whose work focuses on Filipino people, politics and community at home and abroad. Her reporting covers national affairs, overseas Filipinos and major developments across the Middle East. She has a degree in Broadcasting and has contributed to leading media organisations. With experience across television, print and digital platforms, Tricia continues to develop a clear and credible voice in a rapidly evolving global media landscape.
