NEWS'There Is No Script for Entrepreneurship, Not for Men, Not for Women,' Says Anabasis Academy Founder
April 11 2025, Published 1:32 a.m. ET
Prof. Sid Mohasseb, founder of Anabasis Academy, aims to provoke the minds of female entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneurs have been framed within a rigid template of hustling hard, being fearless, sticking to the blueprint, and chasing monetary rewards. But as global entrepreneurship evolves, it is becoming clear that success isn’t one-size-fits-all. Nowhere is this more evident than in the rising wave of female entrepreneurs who are carving out their own spaces and reshaping industries.
According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) 2023/24, women’s startup activity rates have surged to an average of more than 10% for 2021-2023 from 6.1% back in 2001-2005 across 30 GEM participating countries. Even in the Middle East, a region conventionally seen as a challenging environment for female entrepreneurship, women are emerging as a formidable force in business. A report attests to this. Women now make up 18% of all entrepreneurs in the UAE, with more than 75% of women-owned businesses being led by women under 40. According to Anabasis Academy founder, Prof. Sid Mohasseb, while these statistics show the immense growth in female entrepreneurship, there’s still a plethora of untapped potential.
The question remains:Do they have the right mindset, or are they being asked to follow a hypothetical model that was never designed for them in the first place?
Prof. Sid argues that entrepreneurship is an inherent talent: an ability to discover, create, and exchange value to achieve fulfillment. But what is considered “practical” for one may be entirely irrelevant for another. He believes that rather than adhering to rigid how-to frameworks, female entrepreneurs must ignite their potential, recognize their individuality, and carve out their definitions of success.
Prof. Sid further iterates, “What works for a male entrepreneur might not work for a female entrepreneur, and that’s something everyone often forgets.” The challenges faced by women in business, for instance, are distinct from those of their male counterparts and are influenced by societal expectations, industry biases, and personal experiences. The only universal truth, according to him, is that progress comes when an individual ignites their own potential, understands their nuances, embraces authenticity, and evolves in steps.
Observing these inaccuracies in the definition of entrepreneurship, Prof. Sid brainstormed, founding Anabasis Academy. Unlike coaching programs with the same one-stop-shop formulas, the same business ‘courses,’ or boring networking groups, Anabasis works like an engagement platform designed in a way that provokes minds. It is a space where entrepreneurs are encouraged not to consume and replicate pre-packaged strategies but to question, challenge, and reinvent their own approaches to success.
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With three membership tiers—Intrigued, Committed, and Devoted—Anabasis Academy meets individuals where they are, offering interactive discussions, exploratory dialogues, and access to an engaged global community of like-minded thinkers. This environment fosters a culture of self-discovery, exploration, and the exchange of ideas, where every voice has the potential to shape another person’s thinking. “Some people believe their opinions don’t matter, while others have never had their ideas challenged,” Prof. Sid explains. “At Anabasis Academy, both of those perspectives will be transformed.”
The bigger problem is that women have constantly been under pressure when it comes to ‘female success.’ Prof. Sid believes that to ‘win’ in business and life, one must strive for incremental growth, embrace failure as an inherent part of the process, and exchange one’s current situation for something of higher value.
However, the concept of ‘higher value’ is entirely subjective. What matters is not external validation but internal alignment with one’s aspirations, skills, and desires. Prof. Sid shares, “When your mind is ignited, not just filled with information, you gain the clarity to recognize your strengths, weaknesses, and unique potential. But you’re the only one who can act on that realization. The choice is simple. Will you continue following an old map that produces an astonishing 90% plus failure in startups, or will you chart your own course?”
