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.Â
Â
✨ Note: All features in this series are unpaid and shared as a way to honor and amplify real stories of transformation.
Â
“Waiting is pointless. Action is critical.”
Having worked with some of the biggest banks in the UAE, Ambily, also known as Ami, has seen it all.
For nearly 18 years, she advised business owners as part of her portfolio. She watched businesses boom and then vanish within a couple of years, sometimes in just months.
Having witnessed these challenges firsthand, she knew how difficult it was to set up and run a business. She wanted to make the process easier for budding entrepreneurs and knew she had the knowledge and skillset to do so.
After much contemplation, she finally took the leap and set up Earnest International Business Solutions. “When someone is starting a dream business or relocating an existing business to Dubai, the right handholding can eliminate several expensive errors and save time,” she explains.
But how could she stand out among the crowd of business consultants out there?
She realized that only her work approach and ethics could set her apart. Instead of engaging in aggressive marketing and sales, she decided to take a more personal approach.
Ami identifies and approaches prospective clients herself, which has helped her gain more business through word-of-mouth referrals and save on marketing costs. As her client roster grows, she wonders why she didn’t do this earlier. “You may have accumulated a lot of knowledge and experience before you started your business, but the real learning comes when you take that first step,” she says, adding, “Waiting is pointless. Action is critical.”
She urges aspiring entrepreneurs to stop procrastinating and take that leap of faith. She excitedly lists the perks of starting your own business: freedom to choose work that excites you, more time to pursue other interests, and the financial independence that comes with being your own boss. “All you need to do is step out of your comfort zone,” she says.