Dubai spa founder spreads the joy

While Moira Pirzad, the woman behind De La Mer Spa in Dubai, spends conservatively at home, she enjoys lavishing her new beauty business with everything it needs.

Moira Pirzad says it is important to spend money on your business – but make sure it is sensible. Pawan Singh / The National
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How would you describe your financial journey so far?

As soon as we got married, we were travelling the world with my husband’s job. Having lived in South Korea and Singapore to name a few, we were posted to Dubai for a six-month assignment. The financial and industrial boom that took us there is still ongoing and we are still here 17 years later. Travelling around and living in places where you do not have citizenship, while amazing experiences in themselves, required us to personally ensure we were always financially secure. Sometimes you never know what is round the corner. As a result we have been saving and investing our money ever since.

Are you a spender or saver?

I am both. Saving and investing wisely along the way is what gave us the capital to start our business, De La Mer Day Spa. However, within the business I spend. We want to ensure our clients and staff have everything they need. Sensible spending is essential with a business to ensure that you are always meeting the expectations of your clients and your brand, be it a lick of paint or bringing a fabulous new product into the spa. At home, however, I am a saver. We live comfortably but are sensible with our household spending.

What is your philosophy towards money?

I’d say philosophical. I feel we should be the master of money not the other way round. From a personal standpoint, I believe in investing wisely and from a business standpoint I believe in spending, but wisely.

Have you made any financial mistakes along the way?

Let’s just say we have tried and tested a couple of ways that didn’t bear the immediate fruits we were hoping for. It’s a learning curve. Be careful with cash flow, and the investments.

If you won Dh1 million, what would you do with it?

De La Mer Day Spa is a women’s- only spa but that doesn’t stop us getting calls from unassuming men, wanting to come in. What we offer is quite different we feel – the spa’s range of organic treatments are grown in the spa’s own garden, where possible, and made freshly on site in all cases – and it’s clearly something that men would like to try too. If I won Dh1m, I’d use it to start De La Mer for men.

What has been your biggest financial lesson?

It is extremely easy to let money get the better of you subsequently leading to clouded judgement, so I’d say learning to make sure I spend money on what really matters. Investing in and surrounding yourself with a good team. Similarly, being prepared to innovate and spend with foresight.

What do you enjoy spending money on?

I really don’t spend a lot on myself. I love spoiling my friends and family and girls at the spa though. Our staff area at the spa is full of things we’ve given to each other, it’s lovely. We employ 15 women, including spa therapists, hair stylists, nail experts and receptionists. If it is someone’s birthday, we have a party after work and give treats. I also bring my home-made cakes. They call me their “mum in Dubai”.

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