Some journeys don't go exactly as planned. For Tash, what began as a two-year move to Dubai turned into more than 12 years of building a career, a business and a life she now calls home.
Originally from the UK, between Jersey and the Midlands, Tash arrived in Dubai with no intention of staying long-term. But life had other plans. She met her husband, Raf, established her own marketing and PR agency, TishTash, bought a home and gradually put down roots.
Today, she has spent over two decades working in the industry, building relationships with some of the biggest brands and global agencies.
An unexpected path into entrepreneurship
Interestingly, marketing and PR weren't always part of the plan.
Tash initially intended to become a psychologist before moving into research, where she studied addiction. Eventually, she took a different direction and entered agency life, discovering a career that would become a defining part of her journey.
Her passion for the industry led her to establish TishTash, which has grown into a recognised marketing and communications business.
Although she describes herself as someone who loves her work (and admits that others have called her a workaholic), her ambition extends beyond running an agency. She has used her professional platform to advocate for subjects close to her heart, including mental health, fertility and women in business.
Success, but always keeping it real
Over the years, Tash has received recognition for her work, earning awards for leadership, PR, agency excellence and even blogging during the Covid years, when she shared an Instagram blog for two years.
But despite the achievements and accolades, she is keen to remain grounded.
Being authentic and sharing life as it really is, rather than presenting a perfectly polished version of it, has always been important to her.
And that honesty extends to some of the most difficult chapters of her life.
Turning personal experiences into conversations that matter
Tash has experienced profound loss on her journey to motherhood. She and her husband lost their daughter, Aya, at birth three years ago due to a rare genetic condition. Since then, they have also experienced ten miscarriages and undergone several rounds of IVF.
It is an incredibly personal experience, but one Tash has increasingly chosen to speak about publicly.
By sharing her story and advocating around fertility and pregnancy loss, she has helped bring attention to experiences that many women go through but often find difficult to talk about.
Her willingness to speak openly is part of a wider commitment to making conversations around women's health, mental health and fertility more visible.
Still dreaming, still building
There is always something else in the works. Tash is currently writing a book about the Middle East media industry, although she admits progress is happening rather slowly.
Away from business, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, loves cats, Netflix and handbags, and appreciates the little things that make up everyday life.
Her story is not one of a perfectly planned journey. It is about taking unexpected turns, building something meaningful, experiencing life's hardest moments and continuing to find reasons to be grateful.
As Tash puts it, life may not be perfect, but she remains grateful for her family, friends and everything she has.
And perhaps that is what makes her story worth sharing: the reminder that behind every founder, every business and every professional achievement is a person with a life that is far more complex than a job title.
