Shamim Kassibawi

About Beyond Cubicles

📢 #BeyondCubicles is a weekly LinkedIn series created by Carolina D’Souza, born out of her own experience transitioning from a corporate career to independent consulting. Since its launch in June 2024, the series has evolved into a platform that showcases the inspiring journeys of several founders who have redefined the traditional 9-to-5.

Through authentic narratives, #BeyondCubicles highlights themes of courage, resilience, and purpose. The stories feature individuals from diverse industries—ranging from tech and education to wellness and adventure—who share their experiences of stepping away from conventional roles to pursue passion-driven careers. 

✨ Note: All features in this series are unpaid and shared as a way to honor and amplify real stories of transformation.

“Running a business is an emotional rollercoaster.”

Shamim Kassibawi didn’t plan to become a founder. “This might sound wild, but it was a total accident,” she says.

At 24, with financial commitments and no backup plan, she got a trade license and started freelancing. “Looking back, it was an insane decision, but one I’ll never regret. At that age, you’re fearless in the best way.”

That fearlessness became Spread Communications in 2014, a boutique PR and brand building agency. “I was forming deep relationships with clients, being treated like part of their team. I wanted to build an agency that kept that vibe: tight-knit, collaborative, and deeply embedded in each client’s journey.”

In 2016, she launched Play:Date, an app that helps families connect, and in 2024, Fresh Africa, her family’s ethical superfoods business.

“As someone who was once an immigrant, then a refugee, and now an expat, I know what it feels like to be the ‘new kid.’ Play:Date is my way of making sure no family has to feel alone again.”

Running a business is an emotional rollercoaster, she says, explaining, “You’re on a high in the morning and doubting everything by sunset.”

To manage that volatility she used discipline and emotional awareness as survival tools.

Her turning point came when a major client signed and paid full price. “I was dancing in my living room,” she says. “Small business owners really do dance when you support them. You’re not just a number; you’re part of someone’s dream coming true.”

Over time, her perspective has shifted. “I speak to myself kindly. I’m proud of the girl who did this alone.”

Though doubts linger on hard days, she hasn’t looked back.

She’s also begun shaping her own brand. “There’s an Arabic saying: ‘The carpenter’s door is always broken.’” Her podcast, The Playground, builds community around topics like parenting and modern family life. “For many, I’m just ‘Shamim PR,’ and honestly, that’s fine, as long as the phone keeps ringing.”

Her network has been key. “I call it ‘building your cartel.’ We share suppliers, ideas, and support like a true team.”

Sudan-born, New Zealand-raised, now Dubai-based, she says, “Dubai is the city of opportunities and dreams. Once you live in Dubai, it is really hard to live anywhere else.”