Nasheeda CC on Building Nishe: A Business with Purpose

Can you share a brief note about yourself?

I am the Founder and Managing Director of Nishe, an accounting firm with a ‘profit with purpose’ motive. We provide accounting, tax and related services to clientele in the GCC and are based in Dubai.

In addition to striving for achieving all-round quality and creating a joyful workplace, Nishe also works towards women empowerment. In working towards all of these three objectives, Nishe actively engages in and promotes open-minded experimentation rather than following any established formulae.

Nishe’s unique style has earned it a trailblazer status in the industry. Nishe is a certified Great Place to Work and is also the winner of the Best Small Workplace in the UAE 2025 award from Great Place to Work. Nishe contributes to the women agenda in multiple ways and has had an all-women workforce since inception.

Prior to setting up Nishe, I worked with PwC Dubai for 12 years. I was an Assurance Director with PwC before I chose to move out and set up shop on my own.

I am originally from India and have lived in Dubai since 1991. Having grown up in Dubai, I can’t shake the sand off my shoes easily :).

Outside of work, I enjoy many activities including hiking, biking, running, writing and public speaking.

Why did you choose to start a business?

When I left PwC to set up Nishe, I was an Assurance Director. Having grown up in a conservative environment, rising to the Director position in PwC was an accomplishment of its own. Hence walking away from it and starting a new was not an easy decision. I resigned during the Brexit hullabaloo, and I recall thinking that my decision was not unlike the Brexit voting – 52% of me for it and 48% against!

While the fear of the unknown was a big factor against the decision, the mental difficulty that I have always had to accept things that don’t make logical sense to me and the desire that I should be able to enjoy what I am spending most of my waking hours on were bigger factors that worked in favour of the decision. I had certain ideas about how businesses should be run and the role that they should play in the society, and I wanted to see for myself if such ideas are practical at all or just some fancy utopian creations of my own head.

How did you start your business?

As I was a full-time professional turning into an entrepreneur, I started with zero practical experience in running a business. Having said that, I come from a business family and hence was used to seeing a lot of businesses (including a lot of business failures) from the inside which I believe helped me a lot in skirting around many common pitfalls.

I was lucky to start with one fairly large client. However, getting the next client took several months. The early months were full of self-doubt, 4 am heart palpitations and massive emotional ups and downs. Even small wins were hugely exciting while even small losses felt massively disappointing.

I hired our first employee about 4 months into starting the firm. As I was bootstrapping it, the decision to hire was a fairly big decision. But I believe that focusing on delegation from early on paid off well. Effective delegation is something that I continue to focus on internally.

What do you wish you’d known before you started your business?

Like any girl growing up in a conservative set-up, I was overprotected and had little exposure to many aspects of practical life as a child. I believe such practical exposure is invaluable in understanding the world around you and building your confidence in dealing with it. Having lacked it growing up, I have often felt that I am playing catch-up in many areas.

Did you have any support in your journey?

I realised the power of networks only once I started my own business. Having lived and worked in Dubai for a long time, I had, unwittingly, created a lot of connections. I cannot forget the kindness and professionalism of my ex-colleagues and other professional connections who referred clients to me. Such referrals were of massive help especially while Nishe was trying to stand on its own feet.

My family, especially my late father and my husband and kids, were/are always genuinely proud of my successes. Having people around you who care for you and rejoice in your accomplishments is a huge emotional support to lean on especially when you are embarking on a new journey into the unknown.

I also sought and received some invaluable mentorships which have helped and guided me, directly and indirectly.

Lastly, I also must thank my team profusely. They have stood, walked and ran by my side with enormous patience as I try experiments after experiments on them and with them;).

What is your greatest challenge as a business owner?

I think the greatest challenge in front of me right now is ensuring that the culture that we are trying to build and cement in the firm does not get diluted as we grow. The general attitude about accounting as a commodity coupled with the competition from low-priced firms is also a challenge when it comes to pushing for growth. Another challenge is keeping up with the fast-paced changes that AI will/might bring to the way business is done and services are delivered.

What advice would you give to your past self before opening your own business?

Honestly, I don’t think I will change anything! While there were lot of things I didn’t know before that I know now, learning those through experience has made my journey much more exciting than it otherwise would have been. For example, I still recall the massive excitements or disappointments that I felt on closing or losing our initial client deals. I don’t feel that excitement now when we close deals which are often much bigger than those earlier ones.

I am sure there are a lot of things that I still don’t know that I will learn as I go along. It may be the innate curiosity in me, it is this constant learning that keeps me excited more than anything else.

Reflecting on your path to entrepreneurship, what key piece of advice would you offer to aspiring founders?

Oh there are many, but given our focus on women empowerment and gender roles in society and all that, let me pick a related one.

There is a perception, which I kind of agree with, that women in general are less risk-taking than men. While one or the other approach is in itself neither good nor bad, extremes of both approaches can be bad.

So, if you are one of those overthinkers, then you may end up worrying constantly about the potential risks and not taking any action at all. Remember that thinking alone doesn’t get anything done. Action is required to get stuff done.

On the other hand, if you are at the other end of the spectrum and are keen to jump into action without thinking through enough, then you may be up for some nasty surprises (believe me, I have seen several such instances).

Hence, be conscious of your approach to risk and ensure you stay within a healthy range of risk-taking. Think - but don’t overthink - the immediate and long-term effects of your plans and actions.