Tell us about yourself and what it is you currently do
My background spans over fifteen years across marketing, fundraising, education, entrepreneurship, and family enterprise, working between the Middle East and the UK. I am a Vice Chairman of our family business, Partnership Director/Venture Partner at DEN Venture Capital, and currently working as Venture Support Growth Services Manager at The Ventures Lab by the Challenges group, where I support impact-driven ventures as they grow beyond their early stages.
But beyond the titles, I’m someone who genuinely enjoys helping others reach their goals. Whether it’s founders, teams, or communities, seeing someone progress, succeed, or gain clarity is one of the most rewarding parts of my journey. I thrive on building businesses, growing as a person, and supporting others along the way.
What inspired you to take the leap into entrepreneurship?
My greatest inspiration to become an entrepreneur has always been my father. Growing up, I witnessed first-hand what it meant to build something from the ground up. He was not only entrepreneurial in practice, but also in mindset, and that left a lasting impression on me from a very young age.
Entrepreneurship was always part of my life. I grew up in a household where everyone was an entrepreneur in one way or another, it was simply how things worked.
That environment didn’t just inspire me; it helped shape me. It made entrepreneurship feel natural rather than intimidating, and it gave me the belief that I could create my own path instead of waiting for one.
What has been your greatest success?
In business, my proudest achievement has been the development of CrossTEN Mall, the largest retail and multi-purpose commercial centre in East Cairo.
CrossTEN began as nothing more than a vision one that lived in my head long before it existed on the ground. At the time, it was seen as ambitious and ahead of its time. I had this dream in mind for years, while many questioned how realistic it was, the one person who believed in it from the very beginning was my father. That belief alone was enough to push me to take the first step.
I decided to make my dream a reality and started! Instead of waiting for perfect conditions, I created momentum. I relied on relationships, trust, and belief in the vision. That decision changed everything and proved that confidence and credibility can be as powerful as capital.
Today, CrossTEN stands as the only retail and services destination of its kind in East Cairo, alive with shops, activity, and a thriving community. When I look back, I don’t see a flawless plan or a straight line to success. I see courage in taking the first step, persistence in navigating obstacles, continuous learning, and a vision I refused to abandon.
Along the way, I met remarkable professionals, partners, and friends who shared their expertise, resilience, and belief in what we were building together. That journey reinforced one of the most important business lessons I’ve learned: you don’t need every qualification or perfect clarity to begin. What you need is the courage to start before you’re ready and believing in yourself, the discipline to learn as you go, and the determination to keep moving forward no matter what.
And the most important part? I’m still learning every single day.
What has been the biggest challenge you have faced?
That’s a difficult question, because I don’t naturally frame life in terms of “biggest challenges.” I was brought up with a very simple but powerful belief: there is a solution to every problem – except death. It may sound direct, but it’s incredibly freeing. As long as you are alive, you still have options. You still have time. You still have the ability to change direction, learn, and try again.
This mindset has shaped how I approach both life and business. When something feels difficult or uncertain, I don’t see it as the end, I see it as a moment that requires patience, creativity, and persistence. You may not know the solution immediately, and that’s okay. Most meaningful answers don’t appear instantly. But if you keep showing up, keep thinking differently, and refuse to give up, the solution always comes.
Challenges, to me, are not signs to stop, they are signals to grow. They push you beyond your limit to expand your thinking, strengthen your resilience, and discover capabilities you didn’t know you had. Every time I’ve faced something that felt impossible at first, it eventually became manageable through consistency and belief.
As long as you keep trying, learning, and moving forward, nothing is truly unsolvable. That belief has carried me through uncertainty, setbacks, and change and it’s one of the most empowering lessons I’ve ever learned.
What have you learnt and achieved since opening CrossTEN Mall both on a professional and personal level?
CrossTEN taught me that some things can only be learned on the job. No amount of preparation fully equips you for what lies ahead; you have to dive in, dig deep, and go with the flow.
I gained hands-on experience in areas I hadn’t mastered before and developed the confidence to navigate uncertainty. Personally, I learned patience, resilience, and the importance of adaptability. I don’t take “no” as the end of the road when something doesn’t work, I find another way.
How important is mindset to business success?
Mindset is everything and that’s the reality. It all starts from within!
If you believe you’re going to fail, you probably will. But if you believe you’re going to succeed, you prepare yourself for it, you think differently, you challenge yourself, and you don’t settle for what you don’t want. A strong mindset pushes you to think outside the box and keep going, even when things don’t work out immediately.
Dreams become reality when belief is matched with action and persistence.
What factor do you believe matters the most in the success of an entrepreneur?
There are many factors that contribute to success, but at its core, it really comes down to how you perceive things and where you want to be. Your mindset shapes how you interpret challenges, how you respond to setbacks, and how consistently you move toward your goals.
Success starts with having a clear vision and a plan, even if that plan evolves over time. It’s about believing in yourself, especially when others don’t yet see what you see, and being willing to invest your time, effort, and energy into what you’re building. Progress doesn’t always come immediately, but commitment creates momentum.
Just because something didn’t work for someone else doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. Everyone approaches problems differently. Maybe you see an opportunity where others see a dead end, or maybe you have a different way of executing the same idea. That difference is often what leads to success.
There are countless examples of this in business. KFC, Dyson, and many other global brands were built on persistence, rejection, and continuous refinement. Their success wasn’t instant; it came from belief, adaptability, and the refusal to give up. In the end, success belongs to those who stay the course, learn from every experience, and keep moving forward with purpose.
What does a day in your life look like?
My day is simple, because balance is something I always aim for. I always start by creating space to reflect and plan. Having a clear to-do list helps me focus on what genuinely matters instead of reacting to constant demands.
I truly believe no one is busy twenty-four hours a day. It comes down to how you choose your priorities. I’m very deliberate about structuring my day in a way that supports both performance and wellbeing. That means making time to work with focus, but also making time to train, to pray, and to be present with my family and loved ones.
When I take care of my health, my mindset, and my relationships, I show up more clearly, make better decisions, and sustain my energy over the long term.
For me, success isn’t about filling every hour or constantly pushing harder. It’s about balance, clarity, and being present knowing when to focus, when to pause, and how to take care of yourself while still delivering and growing professionally.
What is one piece of advice that you would give to entrepreneurs at the start of their journey?
Start before you are READY! You won’t have all the answers and that’s not a weakness, it’s part of the process. What matters is taking the first step, learning as you go, and trusting yourself to grow into the journey. Clarity comes from action, not waiting.
Waiting for the perfect moment often means never starting. Progress is built through movement, reflection, and adjustment. When you begin early, you give yourself the space to learn, improve, and course-correct without burning out or losing yourself along the way.
Approach the journey with intention, balance, and self-belief. Build, pause, reflect, and then build again. That’s how growth becomes sustainable, and how ambition turns into something you can actually enjoy.
What is next for you?
I honestly don’t know exactly what’s next. I don’t pretend to have every step mapped out and I’m comfortable with that. In business and in life, not knowing exactly what’s next isn’t a weakness; it’s often a sign that you’re still growing, adapting, and staying open to opportunity.
What I do know is that I’ll continue doing what I enjoy, developing myself, helping others grow, and giving back in meaningful ways. The next chapter will naturally be shaped by where I am, what I’m working on, and what life asks of me at that moment.
My focus is on continuous improvement becoming a better version of myself across all areas of life.
Where can readers connect with you and find out more?
Readers can connect with me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/daliasarwat. I’m always happy to engage in meaningful conversations and support others on their journey.
