Story
Undoubtedly, the rules of celebrity have been rewritten. Where once only Hollywood stars, singers, rappers, or maybe high-end Western fashion models would fit in this classification, social media influencers are now literally pulling the rug out from beneath their feet! Younger generations are now looking to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and, most recently, Snapchat, searching for their idols. Qatar’s most renowned influencer Abdulla Al-Ghafri is a prime example of how an entrepreneur can establish himself outside of the standard channels, using platforms like Instagram and Snapchat.
The businessman who owns cafés, restaurants, fashion studios, and many other companies—under the “QQQ” trademark—has granted Dunes Magazine an in-depth interview, where he speaks about how he became one of the most affluent and renowned influencers in Qatar and the GCC countries. He also reveals more secrets about the online success story that eventually led to him becoming a business tycoon in Qatar.
A smart entrepreneur knows where to invest.
Social media is a double-edged sword. People can use it for good or bad. I choose to use it for good and raise donations, for example. During the Nepal crisis, I managed to collect donations of 200,000 QR in 20 minutes. That was a good example of how to use social media. On the other hand, there is a dark side to social media—digital drama and negative online user behaviors, such as cyberbullying and trolling. In the beginning, I used to reply to every question and comment by myself, now I am very busy.
