Alisa D’Souza, who has lived in Dubai for 40 years, is skilled in connecting people, building networks, and assisting industries in growing their strategic communications. She is the Founder and Public Relations (PR) Consultant of Alisa PR, which has been in business for five years.
Alisa was born and raised in the magnificent nation of the United Arab Emirates. She attended St. Mary’s Catholic High School in Dubai and earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from St. Andrew University in Bandra, Mumbai, India.
She returned to Dubai immediately after graduating in 1999 to start her career. Alisa, a commerce graduate, initially desired to work in a bank. But it was challenging for her because she was a newcomer with no experience. Her first employment was as a receptionist at Madco Gulf, an advertising and public relations firm. She was only 20 at the time.
During her first employment in the advertising industry, she learned that writing, creative thinking, brands, and a passion for people were the opportunities she wanted to pursue. During that time, she was also building her portfolio.
After a few years of succeeding in the firm, she moved to the PR department as a PR Executive and subsequently a PR Director before launching her agency in 2017 after 18 years in the sector.
When a passion becomes a habit
Work, according to Alisa, is all about being consistent, creative, engaging, and productive. Her favorite aspect of her job is being an entrepreneur. The opportunity to provide insights directly to clients and make a difference, building a team, connecting to people and sharing a message creates victorious moments of self-fulfillment.
“Having the confidence to go for what you want, competing against the competition, generating job possibilities, and contributing to the industry are all part of my enthusiasm and love for what I do,” she said during the interview.
She appreciates the rigors of a PR pitch cycle time and transitioning from a business proposal to signing on the dotted line. According to her, building trust, creativity, strategy, brand awareness, and credibility are the secrets to good public relations.
“I’m a thinker and enjoy spending time alone to relax and explore my mind. I never stop thinking and constructing a future vision,” she added.
Although Alisa’s work life is a tremendous success, she also faces challenges, which she sees as opportunities. When questioned about some of her daily concerns, she told Dubai Vibes Magazine that rebuilding face-to-face connections with clients and the media and making new ones during the covid outbreak has been demanding. Sure, the whole planet learned to “Zoom” but there are still limits to contact in the virtual world. These days everyone is used to doing business meetings online that phone calls have become more intimate and personal.
Alisa believes that managing client, media and influencer relationships should not end with just a work-related phone conversation; instead, she tries to get to know them personally, including their hobbies and zodiac signs.
“From the start of your relationship with any client, openness and transparency are the ideal practices, coupled with realistic goals and timelines. As a result, maintaining customer expectations in line with possibilities is critical,” she says.
What’s life after work?
Aside from having a sound mind, Alisa is also a fitness fanatic who enjoys working out and living a healthy lifestyle. She also enjoys making nutritious cuisine and spending time with her family and pets.
She was confident, “Charity starts at home. For me, it’s critical to prioritize generosity toward family, close friends, and my work colleagues. For example, there’s no purpose in devoting hours and hours to charity work while ignoring obligations for the needs of people close to you.”
Outside work, she spends time meeting brilliant young talent and empowering the youth via mentorship. According to her, mentoring may assist youngsters through life’s transitions. It can also help students quickly identify their talents while thriving in their respective skills.
Alisa’s greatest wish is for her family to be happy and healthy. But what about her plans? She is excited to continue to build communication strategies for brands and companies and expand ALISA PR’s clientele portfolio.
Dubai is a haven for dreamers.
Alisa, who has lived in Dubai for decades, sees the city as a worldwide platform for new prospects for all humanity. Creating dreams in Dubai may be challenging, but it is inevitable.
“I am very thankful to the UAE’s visionaries and leaders for building this bright and beautiful city that encourages expats from all over the world to make their dreams come true,” Alisa said.
She said that Dubai is one of the safest places in the world, with an affordable high-end lifestyle. She adores Dubai since it is a location, she considers to be her home.
