Cultural Bridge Builder: A Path to Middle East Consulting

Corina Goetz

Corina Goetz is the founder of Star-CaT, a 5 star Middle East Consulting and Training company. We help professionals understand the Gulf region better by helping them understand the culture and customs.

What were your initial years of growing up like? Tell us about your life before starting your corporate journey/venture/initiative.

I grew up in Germany and never met anyone from the Gulf. After my hotel management training I came to London and worked with 5 star hotels and this is where I met many clients from the Gulf and fell in love with the culture and the people.

Every industry that is now a large-scale, top-notch business once started as a small idea in the minds of entrepreneurs. What was that idea or motivation that made you start your business /initiative? What motivated you within to say YES, go for it!”

I wanted my son to learn that just because someone has another culture, they are very similar to us and we need to take time to understand this. I also wanted to help break stereotypes.

Tell us something about your initiative or current role. What is it about, and what impact are you trying to make?

I want more people in Europe and the US to see the beauty of the Gulf region and what the countries are trying to achieve. There are so many things to see and do as well as fantastic projects to be part of, if we just open our minds and embrace a different culture.

Your journey and your vision are very inspiring, but are there any achievements or accomplishments you would like to mention?

So many people from the region tell me regularly that they love what I do and this for me is the best satisfaction.

Would you like to share with our young budding women entrepreneurs the change you would like to see in the world if given an opportunity?

We need to help more women to make an impact in the world. And we should not be held back by stereotypes.

Women are a growing force in the workplaces worldwide, standing shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. There are cracks in glass ceilings everywhere, with many women breaking through to carve out a space right at the top of the pyramid. What are your thoughts about women leadership today?

I think women bring a different angle to every discussion, boardroom or meeting. So we need to include more of them.

What would you want to say to our young women leaders/audience reading this?

Follow your dreams and don’t let anyone tell you what you can and you can’t achieve.