From the Manifesto of Sindibad: The first Arab business and entrepreneurship blog:

“Arabs have been known throughout history as good traders. Nothing expresses that better than the story of Sindibad, the Arab trader from Baghdad, who braved the seas in his trading adventures that reached far beyond Arabia.

If ‘risk taking’ is an admired business trait today it is worth noting that this too is an Arab invention. European traders of medieval times learned the word ‘risk’ from the brave Arab traders who were sailing the seas seeking ‘rizq’ (Arabic for ‘a living’ or ‘fortune’).

Today, a global business revolution is reshaping our world. We live in a globally connected, technologically enabled world. The rules of business are constantly being re-written. Work is being redefined. Information flows around the globe at lightening speed. Goods and services travel faster and further from their place of origination. Amazing wealth is created and destroyed simultaneously as the wheels of the global economy turn.

Where does this leave the Arab world? Stagnating economies, a mere 4% contribution to global trade, slow risk averse companies, stifled creativity and an import-dominated culture are the prevailing realities. Has the modern world seen any Arab brand of significance? What is the Arab’s contribution to the world economy? Are we innovating new ideas, products or services?

Still, in this dark age of Arab business, there are islands of entrepreneurship, sometimes as small as single individuals, who simply will not accept being drowned by the stagnant waters of the Arab business scene. You will find these entrepreneurs and leaders in small companies, corporation and even in government. Their insistence on taking their fate into their own hands, tirelessly innovating and pursuing their goals is the only hope of Arab business to survive in a competitive global economy”

This is the spirit behind Sindibad, an ambitious publishing project that hopes to play a central role in an Arab business and entrepreneurship renaissance. The first manifestation of this project is the Sindibad Blog, the first Arab blog focusing on a new business culture in Arabia: a culture of entrepreneurship, ideas, excellence and renewal.

The blog, published in Arabic, wants to inspire a community of modern-day Sindibads with the best stories from the Arab world and from around the globe. It strives to arm those just starting out on entrepreneurial journeys (or starting up innovative ventures) with the best strategies, tips and tricks to help them succeed. As for those already on the high seas, this blog is the for them to share strategies, thoughts and tools to tackle the waves of change and growth.

The Arab business publishing scene today is dominated by magazines that are very heavy on PR and promotional content and very poor on original, inspiring stories and critical thinking. Much of what is out there focuses on the ‘Economy’ and the traditional sectors of banking, oil and gas and real estate. One of the goals of Sindibad is to revolutionize Arab business journalism, by focusing on companies (how they get started up, how they grow, the role of technology) and people (entrepreneurs, ideas, success stories).

A team of select writers is already blogging on Sindibad. But the project is also seeking to find hidden business writing talents (if you’re interested to write for Sindibad, let them know here).
The blog is also licensed to publish stories from prominent publications like Fast Company and Inc, which bring a global perspective into Sindibad mix of content.

Check it out now..

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