Dubai - UAE: 8 January 15: "I always knew I was going to be a businessman." These are the words of billionaire-founder and chairman of Danube Group, Rizwan Sajan, who created one of the largest building materials company and is now a very successful property developer with the birth of Danube Properties. In a very short interview our team, Godubai.com, conducted with the down-to-earth business tycoon, Rizwan Sajan, we have learned valuable lessons not just with finding your niche and starting your own business but with pursuing what you really want in life no matter what challenges come your way. Rizwan is a depiction of a true rags-to-riches story and a role model for his unbreakable spirit. Godubai: Tell us a bit about yourself before you came to Dubai. Rizwan: I was born in India, Bombay. My father’s passing encouraged me to do whatever it takes to strive and work hard. I started a business in Kuwait after working as a salesman in India. I was doing well in Kuwait with my uncle who helped me start out with his business until Saddam Hussein came. Everything I worked hard for vanished. So I went to Dubai where the lifestyle was much better. I was involved in a buy and sell business and importing materials through the help of a friend, until eventually, I challenged myself, explored new ideas and moved a notch higher gradually. Godubai: From AED 1,500 to a billion dollar business today, what difference have you done? Rizwan: I think I haven’t done any different. If you look at my lifestyle, it's the same thing. I've always been the same determined person who enjoys life the same way as before – taking care of my health through exercise, at the same time, being very passionate with work -- going to the office every day and coming home to spend quality time with my family. At the end of the day I just do what I love doing best: taking care of my family and my company. Godubai: How much hard work and luck contributes to your success in terms of percentage? Rizwan: Luck is very important and hard work is what everybody does. Percentage wise, I can’t define how much it is. But for any person doing hard work, he should have a little bit of luck on his side, too. It’s a very important factor. I consider myself born with a goodness sense where I can take a decision on what’s right and wrong especially when it comes to business. It’s more of an inborn talent – being able to maneuver the possibilities of any problems. I’m good in decision making, finding the right people and delegating them. These are some of the ingredients needed to keep any business strong and successful. Godubai: What made you venture into the real estate market? Rizwan: I was skeptical in venturing into the real estate industry many years back. I was being very careful about it. The way things were going up at that time I was thinking that is not the real market I wanted to go into. If it falls I could be in trouble. But I eventually decided to join the market as I believe the industry has started to pick up. We have a good name and we are the most trusted building materials company with an impressive sales growth in a short span of time. It gives us an edge over the big players in the real estate world. Godubai: What will be your target market – any particular segment or nationality -- with the new project ‘Glitz’? Rizwan: I think I’m targeting only the mid-income segment market, those earning AED 25,000 and up and paying a rent of AED 50,000 to AED 100,000. Nationality doesn’t matter. I have a variety of customers with my recent project and it is good. Godubai: Dreamz was your first project. Tell us where it stands. Rizwan: Dreamz is a AED 500 million worth of townhouse project, with 3 to 4 bedrooms, priced at AED 2.5 million. It has proven to be a record-breaking success being sold out within three hours on its launching day last June, a milestone in Danube’s history. This residential project fused quality and lower price together therefore gaining the attention and confidence of a much wider class of people in Dubai. We have just awarded the official contract to United Engineering Construction Co. (UNEC) and it’s expected to be completed by 2016. Godubai: How do you see the real estate market till 2020 and beyond? Rizwan: Honestly, Dubai is underrated when it comes to the real estate market. If you compare it to the top cities in the world like Hong Kong, Singapore and London, Dubai is 1/3 of the price in the industry. But with the coming Expo 2020, the demand will surely come over to Dubai where people will want to come and see the city. The year 2020 is definitely not what Dubai is only targeting. The city is always looking at making itself the best financial center and the best tourist attraction in the world. There is absolutely a higher demand in 2020 and beyond. Godubai: Tell us about the construction quality and standards being offered at Glitz and how is it better than the previous one. Rizwan: Glitz is another promising project especially targeted for the mid-income segment. This AED 300 million luxury apartment is another pride added to Danube’s line of affordable projects. Glitz promises value for money, designed to the highest standards of artistry at a realistically reasonable amount. If you compare it to other properties available in the UAE, this is far superior. With Glitz, we are offering lower price with very good quality. I’m positive that Glitz will also sell out fast like the previous one. Godubai: What is the anticipated completion date of Glitz? Rizwan: It will be completed in 2 ½ years. It was introduced weeks ago and will be officially launched on January 9 where customers are invited to come and buy. Godubai: What are the prices we’re looking at? Rizwan: The price range starts at AED 890 per square foot. The apartment is priced at AED 475,000. Godubai: Any message to the younger generation of business entrepreneurs? Rizwan: My advice to those trying to build a career and those who already started managing their own companies is to go and figure out what you’re good at and stick to it. There’s no sense in job hopping. This is the reason why many people get lost. ********* Rizwan has achieved everything he aimed for. Clearly, this simple person who patiently gave us a portion of his time for this quick interview is not just a man with a very good business sense but also has a heart for sharing his secret to inspire people and succeed like him.
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