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Radha Stirling started her own consultancy company at 19 years old, after relocating to London from Australia. This lead her to the digital media and broadcast industry until one of her Endemol colleagues was detained in Dubai on trumped up charges while on holidays. Radha rose to the challenge to help her friend, leading the campaign that fought against a corrupt Middle Eastern system. The case gained widespread attention in the international media which lead to his release. Following his safe return to London, many more victims of injustice sought Radha’s help. It was then, in 2008, that she founded Detained in Dubai, an organisation set up to help foreign nationals facing challenging situations abroad and over thirteen years, the organisation has helped more than fifteen thousand people.

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CONSCIOUS ENTREPRENEURSHIP — What meaning do you give this term?

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Conscious entrepreneurship is about awareness, enjoyment and the embracement, consideration and application of personal integrity and principles that not only make the entrepreneur happier and more fulfilled, but benefit the staff and foundation of a business, as well as clients and customers and the wider policies that govern the future of the world in all areas…. environmentally, politically and socially.

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CAREER — What led you to your particular career path?

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With a passion for justice, a background in law and media, it seemed almost inevitable that somehow I would end up in a career involving both. What’s more surprising is that it was by absolute chance, and not by my own architecture. It is though, my enthusiasm and confidence that made it possible for me to develop an organisation capable of influencing political policy, legislative reform, Interpol reform and the release of unfairly detained prisoners abroad. That is not by chance.

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MENTORS — We all need a little help along the journey. Who has been an invaluable mentor for you? Can you share a story about how they made an impact?

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It is important to surround yourself with positive influences, inspiration and know how. There are so many outstanding success stories and each one of them has something invaluable to share or perhaps, just to remind us to keep this positivity in the forefront of our mind. Along with some great legal minds and historical figures, I have taken inspiration from some of the most prominent business minds of the modern day, as well as people like Tony Robbins. I consistently listen to podcasts or reads from positive and inspirational people.

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TO THRIVE — When you see yourself thriving: Do you see yourself opening up opportunities for others along the way to participate in your success, and how?

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I have opened up opportunities to train interns and staff from the ground up, giving them new career opportunities, experience and a great future. I advise and work with third party human rights organisations to help them increase their effectiveness. I educate policy advisors and industry professionals, leading to long lasting and widespread attitudinal shifts within the sector. As my work continues to expand, more and more opportunities are opened to people who enjoy hard, passionate and fulfilling work that has life impacting results for thousands of people.

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THE FUTURE — How do you see the face of entrepreneurship in 5 years? How do companies /brands need to adapt to secure their place in the future?

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Companies are going to have to be able to navigate their way through the digital age and back to personal interaction, to be able to maintain customer loyalty. With lockdown induced increased dependence on technology, companies run the danger of forgetting the innate and biological need for true human interaction. Companies who can thrive with technological offerings while remembering that human nature is permanent will have an edge.

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ADVICE — What kind of advice would you like to give to an aspiring entrepreneur who feels limited due to their background or lack of resources?

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Entrepreneurs who feel they need “something” before they can start their business will always be wanting and always be lacking. They need to disregard negative, blocking advice, even if it is their own mind playing the old “devil’s advocate” with them. It doesn’t have to be perfect to start, and certainly not everything needs to be in place. Stop aiming for perfectionism. Did Facebook look exactly how it does today? No. Did Amazon? No. If they had waited until all the pieces were in place to start, there would be no Amazon, no Google, no Facebook.

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THANK YOU!

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Reach out to Radha Stirling on LinkedIn.

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Originally printed here.

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