New city, new career, new self: Why this Indian expat chose to Dubai-it at 35

Dubai: One of the biggest lessons Indian national Rakhi Bhadauria says she has learned in her time in Dubai, is this: Starting over is not failure. She said: “Sometimes starting over is exactly what growth looks like.” The 35-year-old Dubai resident moved from India to the UAE eight months ago, with a very different career plan than the one she pursues today. Bhadauria was hired as a beauty salon operations manager in Dubai. But once she settled in, she started creating and posting related social media content, and quickly discovered how people and businesses in Dubai were genuinely connecting with her message. She said: “That made me think, if I’m already creating content, why not understand the strategy behind it too?” So, she began learning digital marketing, social media strategy and content creation, in a city that’s full of stories and storytellers. Bhadauria said: “Dubai felt like the perfect place to explore this, because it’s such a fast-moving, visual and business-driven city. There’s always something new happening, and there are so many brands, entrepreneurs and experiences that need to be communicated digitally.” Her career shift is paying off. She said: “It’s honestly going better than I imagined. What started almost as a side interest has opened doors I never expected. I’m getting invited to places and experiences I never thought I would, meeting new people, working with brands and discovering a completely new direction for myself.” Just this week, she received her content creator licence – a small career milestone that acknowledges her commitment to her new chosen path. Even on her days off, Bhadauria finds herself shooting videos, learning, networking and working on her digital marketing journey, “but I genuinely enjoy it because I know I’m building something for my future”. Taking a risk over and over again By embracing the Dubai-it mindset – of manifesting bold ideas into reality – Bhadauria said she realised that she doesn’t have to choose just one version of herself. Picture credit: Supplied While switching tracks to a seemingly unrelated career may seem risky and terrifying for some people, for Bhadauria, it’s just life. She has done it before, after all. She grew up in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, India, where her parents still reside. Her career began with engineering, but Bhadauria left it behind for a field she was passionate about – beauty and make-up. After training in professional make-up, she went on to work in other segments of the beauty industry in India. She said: “I managed salon operations, led teams, worked with clients and built experience over the years. I had a routine, relationships, a familiar city and a professional identity that I understood. But somewhere along the way, I started feeling that I had more to explore. I remember thinking, ‘What if I start again? What if I put myself in an environment where I have to figure things out from scratch?’ That thought was exciting and terrifying at the same time. So, I chose Dubai.” She didn’t have a plan – in fact, the biggest thing she left behind was “certainty”, and a comfortable life. Bhadauria said: “I left behind a version of myself who knew exactly what her everyday life looked like.” In Dubai, she transitioned to content creation, and is learning search engine optimisation (SEO) and digital marketing – all while navigating a new life in a new city. Bhadauria doesn’t consider her non-linear professional career as something strange – each moment was leading to the other, and bringing her to the place where she was always meant to be. She said: “Engineering taught me how to think logically and solve problems. Make-up taught me creativity, attention to detail and, most importantly, how to understand people. When someone sits in your make-up chair, you’re not just applying make-up, you’re understanding what makes them feel confident. Salon operations taught me leadership, business, sales, customer experience, team management and the reality of running a business. Content creation taught me storytelling and communication. And now, digital marketing is bringing many of those pieces together: creativity, strategy, business, people and communication.” Looking back today, she doesn’t see five different careers: “I see one journey where every chapter prepared me for the next one.” The Dubai chapter So, what does her Dubai chapter hold for her? Bhadauria is just getting started. She said the biggest adjustment has been learning to be comfortable with being uncomfortable: “Dubai is incredibly fast paced. Everyone seems to be doing something, building something, achieving something. And when you’re new, it can sometimes feel like everyone else has already figured out the rules. You have to learn about a new city, new systems, new work culture, new people and, at the same time, rebuild your own confidence.” She said she is taking her time and celebrating the small victories, like learning a route home, finding a new favourite café, an