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
✨ Note: All features in this series are unpaid and shared as a way to honor and amplify real stories of transformation.
“This journey made me learn the best movements are accomplished together.”
“I cried out of happiness,” says Jennifer Sault, recalling the moment her venture finally proved sustainable.
In November 2020, Thrift for Good’s first store opened. Revenues jumped from AED 10k to AED 90k overnight.
While working in fundraising at Gulf for Good, people would contact her asking what they could do with donated items. “The potential and need for charitable preloved clothing stores was something I could not ignore and decided to take the leap!,” she says.
Just months before the breakthrough, in 2019, that side project became Dubai’s only zero waste clothing processing center.
Then came the pandemic.
“Everyone stopped buying,” she says. Without savings, she faced a financial standstill, but refused to quit. “I pivoted to an online model,” she says. The move sparked the volunteer support that powers the venture today.
“We donate 100% of our profits to projects facilitated by Gulf for Good,” she says. Volunteers run the operation, selling items in-store, treating and repairing others, and recycling end-of-life materials with #LandmarkGroup.
“To date, we have diverted over 110 tons of clothing away from landfill and donated more than AED 3.8 million towards 16 children’s charity projects,” she says.
Jennifer faced several challenges, but support from friends, mentors, and sponsors carried her through. “From branches born out of sponsorship to winning the #Visa’s #ShesNext award, and major donors who gave selflessly to see our vision come to life.”
She adds, “I used to feel like I needed to do everything myself. However, this journey made me learn the best movements are accomplished together. You cannot know everything or possess all of the skills you need, but if you surround yourself with a strong team, anything is possible.”
She’s also become more visible. “I’m not very big on social media, but my marketing person is doing a good job to get me to speak out… I’m a lot less shy now!”
Originally from Canada, she moved to Dubai 14 years ago. Fulfillment looks like sponsoring partner projects, reading their reports, or visiting them. “It is always inspiring to me that so little means so much to those in need. It only costs AED1,500.00 to sponsor a child for a year… I’m so proud that we can change lives while also saving the environment.”