EO Series #11 - Transforming HR: Jaya Maru's Journey from Buyer to Provider

My First Business

Ever wondered just how tough it can be to take the entrepreneurial plunge? 🫣

From the challenging task of finding the right talents who jive with the company's values and culture to the inevitable hiccups in landing those big projects, she's seen her fair share of ups and downs.

Meet Jaya Maru, co-Founder and CEO of Rewardz Middle East, has been into HR digital transformation, incentives management and investment banking for 17+ years now. But she's not just your typical businessperson. She's an optimist, a hustler, a learner, and a self-proclaimed nerd. 🤓

Despite these challenges she experienced, she always goes back to the purpose of why she’s doing it: to build moments of joy in a world where people always feel valued. 🥰

During my chat with Jaya, we delved into discussions about:

00:00 🎬 Introduction 09:23 👀 Managing C Players in business 10:43 🤝 Hiring based on value alignment than skillset 21:21 💼 How demotion is necessary for personal growth 33:07 👎 Losing a major deal and learning from it 35:09 💭 Sales process and mindset of enterprise clients 48:15 🗣 Importance of user interaction and feedback for ideas 58:55 💰 Setting realistic expectations and negotiating on pricing 01:13:41 ✨ Aligning personal with business purpose 01:51:57 🫂 How EO helped her during the toughest phase of her life 01:52:40 👩‍🦳 Lessons learned from her late mother

We share stories, insights, and a few good laughs along the way, making this a podcast episode you won't want to miss. I hope you'll enjoy listening to our conversation as much as we enjoyed having it. ✨

This episode is brought to you by Entrepreneur's Organization - U.A.E.

EO U.A.E. is a community that provides an effective platform for networking, education, and support to business owners and entrepreneurs in the country.

Established in 1997, the organization currently has 119 members from a wide range of industries, including technology, healthcare, oil & gas, real estate, hospitality, jewelry, communications, logistics, travel, and more.

With an economy that changes on a dime, it can be hard to know what your next move should be. That's where EO comes in with their support.

Being a member of EO UAE provides access to:

-workshops
-social events
-learning opportunities
-networking
-learning from experts in different types of field

The organization also offers a mentorship program that pairs members with experienced business leaders who can provide guidance and support as they grow their businesses.

So if you are a business owner, tired of taking on your challenges all alone, and are looking for unique networking opportunities along with structured support through accountability groups and mentors, this community is for you.

To learn more on how to become a member, visit https://eodubai.com/ or reach out to EO UAE Administrator [e-mail].

Details about the EO membership:
https://eodubai.com/member-benefits-new/apply-for-membership-new/

Where to find the podcast: ▶️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎙 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎙 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎙 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Google Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

Where to find Jaya: 💼 LinkedIn 📸 Instagram 💼 Business LinkedIn – Rewardz 📸 Business Instagram – Rewardz 🌐 Business Website – Rewardz

Where to find me: 📸 Personal IG⁠ 📸 Podcast IG 💼 LinkedIn 🖥 Website

My First Business is a podcast based in Dubai, hosted by Naeem Parvez. In each episode, Naeem (co-founder of Digitalina) interviews successful, but under-the-radar entrepreneurs in the city. The guests share valuable lessons they've learned on their entrepreneurial journeys, making each episode feel like a conversation with a mentor you never had.