"So much fire in me"— When Dubai Bling star Mona Kattan talked about her billion-dollar brand journey

Mona Kattan, a prominent cast of Dubai Bling which is now on season 3, has already made a significant mark in the business world with her successful ventures, helping to build a multi-billion-dollar empire. Known for co-founding the beauty empire Huda Beauty, she is already well-known in the entrepreneurial world.

Today, with her fragrance brand, KAYALI, she continues to pursue growth, aiming to expand the brand into a global powerhouse. In a June 4, 2024 interview with Arabian Business, Kattan stated,

"Maybe when I am in my fifties, I will be more willing to calm down, but right now I have so much fire in me and so much appetite to disrupt, innovate and take risks. I like to hustle."

The Dubai Bling star highlighted her relentless ambition, combined with her strategic mindset, which has driven KAYALI’s success since its inception. As of 2024, KAYALI is growing rapidly, with projections for continued global expansion, and Kattan is committed to making it into another multi-billion-dollar brand.

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The billion-dollar vision: Dubai Bling star Mona Kattan's KAYALI journey

KAYALI, a fragrance brand that Mona Kattan launched in 2018, has grown from strength to strength, doubling every year. As of 2024, it's available in over 2,700 stores in 30 countries, including in the United States, which ranks it as one of the top ten fragrance brands at Sephora.

Kattan said the brand has distinctive positioning because KAYALI encourages customers to build a "wardrobe" of fragrances, rather than buying just one scent. When she first presented the concept of layering fragrances, many retailers were skeptical of the idea that most people buy just one fragrance per year.

However, post-Covid, the idea started to gain momentum. The Dubai Bling star noted that her objective was to have people feel their best selves through the power of scent. She stated in the interview,

"We took some time to get here, but post Covid we started disrupting in the industry...People didn't really understand my mission is to make you feel your best self and to create your mood through the power of fragrance."

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The role of Huda Beauty in KAYALI’s success

Mona Kattan and Huda Kattan attend the Blush Filter Launch Event (Image via Getty)

Before venturing into the fragrance world, Mona Kattan co-founded Huda Beauty with her sisters Huda Kattan and Alya Kattan. According to Arabian Business, what started as a beauty blog in 2010 grew into a beauty empire, with the company’s valuation reaching $1.25 billion in 2017 following the sale of a minority stake to TSG Consumer Partners.

Kattan’s experience at Huda Beauty played a significant role in the success of KAYALI. She explained that the lessons learnt from building Huda Beauty helped her avoid mistakes when launching her fragrance brand. She also said,

"We had no favours. There were no doors that were opened," the Dubai Bling star said in the same interview with Arabian Business.

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The future of KAYALI: Expansion and global ambitions

Looking ahead, Mona Kattan is focused on further developing KAYALI and solidifying its position in the global market. According to Arabian Business, the fragrance industry, which is valued at around $40 billion, is projected to see significant growth, with revenues expected to reach $60 billion by 2024.

The United States remains a key market for KAYALI, and Kattan’s plans include further expanding the brand into Europe and China. The Dubai Bling star expressed her commitment to building another multi-billion-dollar empire. In the same interview with Arabian Business, she said,

"My plan is to create another multi-billion-dollar empire,"

Additionally, Kattan reflected on the option of taking KAYALI public, stating that while she gets frequent inquiries about an IPO, she does not find it appealing due to the stress and fluctuations associated with the stock market. She explained,

"What I like about private equity is they are still giving you some parameters to take risks."

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Overcoming challenges and mistakes

Kattan admitted that the brand initially struggled to meet expectations in some markets, especially online. She underscored that while it would have been easier to invest a large sum upfront, patience was necessary to grow the brand organically.

She also pointed out that her leadership approach has evolved, particularly when it comes to making tough decisions.

“The biggest mistake I made in the past was firing slow, trying to make it work, give people too much benefit of the doubt," she said.

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