UAE Gave Me Space to Build My Dream: How Dubai-Based DBM Studio Founder Turned Vision into a Global Design Brand

Mahsa Gholizadeh turned a single freelance restaurant brief into DBM Studio, a Dubai-based hospitality and high-end interiors practice that has grown organically into an internationally recognised design brand. Self-funded from the start, DBM Studio has expanded beyond the UAE through client referrals and word of mouth, won international awards over the past year, and now plans a five-year global growth strategy focused on boutique hotels, hospitality projects and proprietary product lines.

"For me, the UAE was the perfect place to turn my vision into reality," Gholizadeh said, describing how the country's pace of growth, openness to new ideas and multicultural environment created the conditions to scale a creative business while protecting its identity.

From personal crisis to a purposeful studio

Gholizadeh says DBM Studio's origin came out of a difficult chapter in her early twenties. She recalls a period when she "felt lost, without direction, and at one point I truly hit what I would call rock bottom." The turning point arrived when she accepted an invitation to leave her job and take on a freelance restaurant design project — a decision she described as "frightening" but ultimately the beginning of her journey.

What started as one freelance job evolved into a Dubai-based practice focused on hospitality and high-end interiors. Gholizadeh framed DBM Studio as "not just a business, but a platform to create honest, impactful work and truly serve my clients." That platform was deliberately built to be supportive and mentoring: she had no mentor when she started and wanted to create a studio where people could grow, feel supported and believe in their potential.

Hard lessons and commercial discipline

Early challenges taught lessons not covered in design school. Gholizadeh admits she struggled with pricing, scope and protecting the studio's time. "I wasn’t always confident in pricing, defining scope, or setting strong terms and conditions. These are not things you learn in design school," she said. Over time she learned to balance emotional investment in projects with commercial viability, build a team, and seek support so growth could happen without her controlling every detail.

• Origin: First freelance restaurant project after leaving a job
• Funding: Built through organic, self-funded growth — no outside funding
• Recognition: International awards in the past year
• Focus: Hospitality and high-end interiors, expanding into boutique hotels

Outlook: boutique spirit, global footprint

Looking ahead, Gholizadeh wants DBM Studio to expand globally while remaining "boutique in spirit." Over the next five years she plans to pursue more international hospitality projects and to develop product lines — furniture, lighting, materials and objects — that carry the studio's craftsmanship and narrative. "Ultimately, the vision is to build a global, respected brand that remains boutique in spirit, personal in approach, and authentic in every project we deliver," she said.

Her advice to aspiring founders is direct: "Don’t start a business with doubt. Once you decide, commit fully, believe in yourself, and don’t play small." For Gholizadeh, the UAE's infrastructure, ease of company setup and multicultural client base were catalysts that allowed her to take risks early and scale a creative business without losing its identity.