Oman: 300 non-compliant businesses caught in e-payment inspection drive in Seeb
The campaign focused on ensuring compliance with mandatory electronic payment service requirements, in line with national directives to modernise commercial transactions and improve consumer convenience.
Authorities confirmed the seizure of 300 commercial establishments found to be non-compliant, primarily for failing to provide electronic point-of-sale (POS) systems. Legal action has been initiated against the violators in accordance with applicable regulations.
The Inspection Department reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening regulatory oversight and urged all businesses to comply with the e-payment mandate, which enhances transparency, reduces cash handling, and supports the sultanate's move toward a more digitally integrated economy.
Regular inspection campaigns will continue across various governorates to ensure full adherence and protect consumer interests.
© Apex Press and Publishing Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gulf Business
an hour ago
- Gulf Business
Car insurance hike in Oman: Authority issues clarification
Image credit: Getty Images The Financial Services Authority (FSA) in Oman has reaffirmed that no insurance company in Oman has been granted approval to increase vehicle insurance premiums. The regulator warned it will take firm legal action against companies that do not comply with the officially approved pricing. The FSA emphasised that any deviation from approved premiums constitutes a violation of the regulatory framework and principles of fair competition. Such actions undermine consumer protection and the stability of the insurance market, the Authority said, . Read- Last week, the FSA disclosed that some insurance firms were raising premiums on mandatory third-party vehicle insurance without permission. It stressed that as the sole regulatory and supervisory body for the insurance sector in Oman, it had not issued any such approvals. Consumers are urged to report any irregularities or lodge complaints regarding vehicle insurance pricing directly through the FSA's official channels. The authority reiterated its commitment to safeguarding the rights of policyholders and ensuring fair market practices in the insurance industry.
Arabian Business
2 hours ago
- Arabian Business
From $7.50 to a real estate empire: The 47-year love story behind Sobha's global luxury legacy
When PNC Menon first arrived in Oman in 1976 with just $7.50 in his pocket, little did he know that naming his real estate business after his wife would reshape luxury real estate on a global scale. 'I wanted to put a name. So, I put my wife's name – it has also worked very well in terms of branding,' Menon says with characteristic simplicity, sitting in his Dubai home. 'She is the big boss, even though she does not get involved in the business.' That name – Sobha – would go on to grace palaces, mosques, luxury developments worth billions, and eventually become synonymous with what Harvard Business School now teaches as the world's most successful example of backward integration in real estate. Today, as the 76-year-old founder officially hands over the chairmanship to his son Ravi while retaining his founder title, the Sobha Group stands as a multi-billion-dollar testament to what happens when personal devotion meets unwavering business principles. But perhaps more remarkably, it represents one of the few major corporations where the marriage that inspired its name has endured just as successfully as the business itself. More than just a name But, how does Sobha herself feel about this extraordinary legacy? In a world where corporate wives often maintain high public profiles, Sobha Menon is a study in contrasts. Known for her quiet grace and acutely observant nature, she rarely grants interviews. Instead, she prefers to let her husband command the spotlight while she watches from the wings with the same careful attention she has brought to their 47-year marriage. However, when she does speak, her words carry the accumulated wisdom of nearly five decades spent as the silent partner in one of the region's most remarkable success stories. 'I take great pride in standing beside my husband,' she says. 'For me, it's not just about representing what Sobha stands for publicly, but also about carrying the story, the values, and the shared sacrifices that have shaped this journey.' 'Every achievement Sobha celebrates comes from the countless hours, dedication, and quiet sacrifices he has made behind the scenes. Representing that journey publicly is an honour for me, because I know just how much he has poured into making it a success.' It is a rare glimpse into the woman whose name adorns billions of dollars' worth of real estate, yet who moves through life with an understated elegance that contrasts sharply with the grandeur of the developments that bear her name. Where it all began The story begins not with grand ambitions, but with necessity. A middle-class man from Palakkad in Kerala, Menon left India with little more than hope and determination. For someone from his generation and background, life was built on certain principles. 'In my generation, marriages were primarily done to raise children,' he explains matter-of-factly. 'We have been married for 47 years, and we have continued our marriage through the good and bad. When I die, the entire thing goes to my wife – the will is only for one person. And after a period of time, my children will take over. However, 50 per cent of my wealth goes to charity,' Menon reveals. What started as a modest interior decoration firm in Muscat quickly caught the attention of royalty. Menon's meticulous attention to detail – what would later be codified as Sobha's ' Art of the detail ' philosophy – earned him commissions and the title of 'Palace Maker' to design palaces and ornate mosques for the rulers of Oman, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, and Brunei. The young entrepreneur had found his calling, and more importantly, his differentiator. 'It was a very tough journey, especially when you do not have money. [At that age] you are very dreamy; you are ambitious and you want to target big. However, limitations are there,' Menon reflects. Despite it all, the Gulf provided fertile ground for his vision. The firm expanded rapidly across the region, and the Sultan of Oman eventually conferred Omani citizenship upon the Menon family – a rare honour that speaks to their contribution to the sultanate's development. 'In my case, I would say my life in business is only about 1,000 steps. Oman created the spine,' he says. By 1995, flush with success in the Gulf, Menon turned his attention to India's nascent real estate market. But rather than simply replicating existing models, he pioneered something unprecedented: complete backward integration. Unlike traditional developers who outsource various aspects of construction, the company would control everything from material sourcing to architectural design, from manufacturing to final delivery. 'We are the only totally backward integrator real estate company in the whole world. There's no such company,' Menon states with evident pride. 'And we are also a case study at Harvard Business School. This backward integration is being taught and that itself is a big thing in my life – it is a very big thing.' This model, spanning 13 subsidiaries from PNC Architects to Sobha Furniture, from Latinem Landscaping to Sobha Energy Solutions, created an integrated ecosystem that guaranteed quality control while eliminating the delays and compromises inherent in traditional development models. The approach was so successful that when Sobha Limited went public in India in 2006, it was oversubscribed 126 times. Eventually in 2003, the Menons relocated to Dubai, initially for their daughter's education. And Dubai – with its ambitious vision and welcoming environment for entrepreneurs – provided the perfect canvas for Sobha's brand of luxury development, Menon said. 'I will say that this is the best place on earth,' Menon enthuses. 'This place probably spoils you for the best – that is the truth. And thanks to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, and his children – I think we have had a wonderful time. Dubai gave me growth.' The 'Art of the detail' The Dubai chapter of the Sobha story includes landmark projects like District One – an $8 billion joint venture with Meydan Group – and Sobha Hartland, a $4 billion luxury masterplan. Today, Sobha Realty's portfolio features 13 iconic masterplans across the UAE, from the ultra-luxury Sobha One to the innovative Sobha Siniya Island, which contributed over AED 5 billion in sales in 2024 alone. What sets Sobha apart in an increasingly crowded luxury market is its obsessive attention to what others might consider minutiae. 'When building a house, attention to detail is essential,' the company's literature states, but for Menon, this is not marketing speak – it is fundamental philosophy. This philosophy extends beyond construction to every aspect of the business. The company does manufactures its own materials and does not take on external clients for its architectural or contracting services. Everything is dedicated to maintaining the standard that has made the name synonymous with luxury. The results speak for themselves. In 2024, Sobha Realty achieved record-breaking sales of AED 23 billion, representing approximately 50 per cent year-on-year growth. The company also scored 91 in the Annual GRESB Assessment, placing it among the top 4 per cent of global organisations for ESG excellence. A legacy built on giving Success, for Menon, has never been solely about accumulation. True to values instilled during his modest beginnings, he has pledged 50 per cent of his wealth to charity, joining the Giving Pledge initiated by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Warren Buffett – a commitment he shares with his wife. The scale of their philanthropy is staggering. In the UAE alone, Menon has pledged AED 400 million to establish a university in Dubai in collaboration with Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, donated AED 50 million to the 'One Billion Meals' campaign, and contributed AED 10 million to the Al Jalila Foundation. In Oman, he has committed OMR 9.6 million over the next decade to construct 300 homes for orphaned and disadvantaged families. Perhaps most touching is his commitment to his roots in Kerala. The Sobha Community Home Project aims to build 1,000 homes for underprivileged families in Palakkad, with nearly 400 already completed. 'The houses in my village are spread from one panchayat [village council] to another,' he says simply, describing a project that will continue for years to come. The principle of honesty The company's future now rests with Menon's son Ravi, a civil engineering graduate from Purdue University who has been methodically prepared for leadership through rotations across Design and Engineering, Project Management, and Sales and Marketing. Yet despite all the strategic planning and succession preparation, Menon believes the key to sustained success comes down to one fundamental principle. 'My biggest principle is you got to be very honest,' Menon advises as his key lesson for the next generation. 'We are highly respected here as it is, primarily because of the quality of the product we deliver, and that will not be compromised.' Today, Sobha is entering the US and Australian markets while simultaneously launching major projects in Abu Dhabi and Umm Al Quwain. The new manufacturing facility in Dubai Industrial City, also represents the latest evolution of the backward integration model that has defined the company's success. Moreover, Sobha Group employs over 50,000 people in the UAE, with over 3,000 in Sobha Realty and 500+ in their architectural studios at PNC Architects. In addition, the company has also forged partnerships with global brands from Arsenal FC to the International Cricket Council, positioning itself as a truly international luxury brand while maintaining its focus on detailed craftsmanship. Yet for all the corporate expansion and billion-dollar valuations, Menon's perspective remains refreshingly grounded. When asked about defining success, he responds: 'Success has no beginning or end. It continues.' And when pressed about which project holds the most sentimental value, his answer is telling: 'Whatever I have done so far, it's over. For me, the next building is very important – it never ends.' This future-focused mindset, combined with an unwavering commitment to the principles that built the empire, suggests that the name Sobha will continue to grace luxury developments for generations to come. The family office, expected to reach $4 billion within the next two years, ensures that both the business legacy and philanthropic commitments will endure. '[The success] of Sobha is a testament to his [Menon's] unwavering vision and sheer determination. It has been incredible to witness something he built from the ground up flourish like this. 'I feel so proud of his accomplishments and the impact he is making. I admire his dedication and vision to whatever he pursues. I have watched him work tirelessly and his devotion to his work never fails to impress me,' Mrs. Menon adds. A love letter in concrete and steel As the interview concludes and Menon prepares for his next appointment – the schedule of a man who clearly hasn't fully embraced retirement – one can't help but marvel at the romance inherent in his business empire. In an age where corporate names are often the product of focus groups and marketing committees, Sobha stands as something far more personal: a love letter written in concrete and steel, a testament to the power of partnership, and proof that the most enduring businesses are often built on the most human foundations. From $7.50 to billions, from a small interior design and decoration firm to a global luxury brand, from an arranged marriage to a 47-year partnership – the Sobha story is ultimately about the compound returns of commitment, whether to a spouse, a principle, or a standard of excellence that refuses to compromise. In naming his company after his wife, PNC Menon created more than a brand; he created a daily reminder of the personal foundation upon which all great enterprises must ultimately rest. And in Dubai, where ambition and achievement are measured in increasingly spectacular terms, perhaps the most spectacular achievement of all is a love that has endured as magnificently as the business it inspired.
Khaleej Times
2 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
New-age brand ambassadors? Why influencers make the luxury industry nervous
More often than not, every reel, story, or post you encounter has been crafted to do one thing: sell. Social media feeds that once centred on personal updates — a friend's vacation photo dump, a cousin dancing to a trending sound, or a distant relative's pregnancy announcement — have evolved into non-stop storefronts. What began as platforms for self-expression are now high-performing sales channels, with TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat rolling out tools like TikTok Shop and Instagram Checkout to turn content into commerce. In this new era of social media, content creators have emerged with all the ammo. They're not just making content anymore — they're storefronts, salespeople, and strategy rolled into one. 'Retailers are increasingly investing in content-led approaches — whether through TikTok Shop, affiliate models, or influencer partnerships — because it's clear that consumer behaviour is evolving,' says Norma Taki, a retail and consumer expert at PwC Middle East. Seventy-eight per cent of consumers in the region say they discover new brands through social platforms — compared to 67 per cent globally. That regional gap, Taki notes, speaks of how much more influential creators have become in the UAE. This shift is becoming measurable. Social commerce is projected to be more than double from $3.2 billion in 2024 to $6.4 billion by 2030, according to the 2025 UAE Social Commerce Intelligence Report. While in-store shopping still dominates across the Middle East, consumers in the region are turning to online channels more frequently than the global average — a sign of growing comfort with e-commerce, according to PwC's Voice of the Consumer report. Mobile retail alone is expected to hit $4.6 billion by 2026, per the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy. And increasingly, it's social media — and the creators driving it — powering that momentum. 'Creators are having a measurable impact on purchasing behaviour,' PwC's Taki says. 'Our survey shows that 54 per cent of consumers in the region have engaged with brand campaigns on social media, and 59 per cent have made a purchase based on an influencer or celebrity recommendation.' Social media prowess is not just limited to mega influencers with big brand deals. The sway extends to lifestyle creators — sharing daily routines, styling tips, makeup hauls, and home setups — who've quietly become key players in how people discover and buy. It's also TikTok sellers, Instagram-first brands, behind-the-scenes editors, and freelance couriers — a growing class building full businesses off their phones. Together, they are reshaping the retail journey from discovery to checkout, often without ever setting foot in a store. 'Gen-Z, in the UAE, wants instant gratification: they discover a product on TikTok or IG Reels and expect to buy it in a few clicks,' says Máire (Mo) Morris, CEO of Morris Global Consulting, a firm with offices in Dubai, Dublin and Shenzhen. 'Creators are absolutely moving the needle, especially in beauty, fashion, hospitality, and niche wellness categories,' she adds. 'The key is the right creator — not necessarily the one with the biggest following, but the one with authentic, high-trust engagement and alignment with the brand's aesthetic and values.' One prime example of a content creator powering this shift in buyer behaviour is Dounia Al Ibrahim, a 26-year-old Saudi-Moroccan who built her platform from the ground up after moving to Dubai. She first started gaining traction back in Saudi Arabia about four years ago, long before Love Is Blind: Habibi brought her wider recognition. By the time the hit reality TV show dropped on Netflix, she already had a substantial following. Today, she commands a growing audience of 1.4 million TikTok followers, with over 10 million likes on her videos, plus 778,000 followers on Instagram and a growing presence on Snapchat. She refers to her loyal community across platforms as her 'Bombas'. Her content offers a mix of beauty hacks, GRWMs (Get Ready With Me), and styling videos, all with a bit of off-the-cuff honesty, which relays advice to viewers that feels more genuine than a traditional sales pitch. If there's a hair dye to promote, she puts her hair on the line. If there's a new face wash to try, she puts it to test in a video. She likens her videos to chatting on FaceTime with a best friend, where she would just casually hype up her go-to favourite beauty products or share new workout apparel she swears by. Before her creator career, Al Ibrahim studied French literature, philosophy, and history. But after moving to Dubai, she made a dramatic pivot. 'I gave up a big luxurious lifestyle in Saudi Arabia just for my own freedom,' she said. 'So, when I came here... I had to restart my life from zero.' Her first videos were on YouTube — in French. 'I was not really being myself a hundred per cent in front of the camera because I wanted everything to be perfect, which eventually didn't work out because it was too perfect,' she recalls. 'I realised that people really didn't like perfection.' She had to make an intentional pivot towards more personable content. When she started posting on Instagram, she had to face her social anxiety and slowly pushed herself to film in public. 'I was very shy. But with time, I challenged myself every day to grab that camera, go out in public, and start to film whatever,' says Al Ibrahim. 'I saw other people sharing their lives and thought — why can't I do it too?' Her following didn't grow overnight. ' I was being very consistent,' she adds. 'I grew this community just by being myself, being consistent, not being lazy, working on days when I wasn't in the mood.' Love Is Blind: Habibi wasn't the starting point, but it did help amplify her presence. The spotlight was already on — the show just made it brighter. Reality TV stardom introduced her to a broader audience and brought even more people into the Bomba circle. That growing visibility quickly translated into brand work. In a high-end production campaign for NYX's Face Glue primer, she did more than a cameo. The ad, styled like a reality TV spoof, featured her at a chaotic dinner party with five others, including Dubai Bling star Safa Siddiqui. When a waiter dropped his tray and accidentally set the table on fire, Safa hurled a glass of water at Dounia — supposedly to help, but it read more like a shady dinner table moment. 'This is not drama, I left with trauma,' Dounia said, deadpan. Then the fire alarm went off, sprinklers came down, and Dounia's makeup began to melt. Safa, who had NYX's waterproof primer on, stayed flawless. The whole thing was absurd, dramatic, and perfectly self-aware — and Dounia leaned into it with total ease. That same unscripted energy runs through Al Ibrahim's broader brand work, which spans skincare, fashion, and wellness. One day, she's breaking down the benefits of Neutrogena's Hydro Boost Water Gel in her bathroom mirror. The next, she's at a Lululemon event in City Walk, filming herself mid-pilates session. But her content isn't all campaigns and product shoutouts. Between paid posts are moments from her actual life — a girls' trip to Egypt with pyramids in the background, a motorcycle ride through Bali, a coffee run in Dubai. She blurs the line between lifestyle and ad — and that blending is the strategy, she says, to keep a global audience engaged. 'Now, I'm getting a huge, huge audience in Brazil. Which, you know, is crazy,' Al Ibrahim says, adding that she never imagined her content would resonate in places so far from home. But visibility doesn't pay the bills — monetisation does. And for Dounia, turning her platform into a business wasn't overnight or effortless. 'Everything comes with a price,' she says, explaining that early on, she collaborated with brands for free just to grow a name for herself in the UAE. When brands started approaching her — often through agencies — she began setting clear rates depending on the type of content and deliverables they wanted. 'That's how it goes,' she says. 'I get my part, the agency gets their commission.' Today, she's her own business: negotiating rates, producing content, and managing long-term brand partnerships solo. Her income comes from a mix of campaign deals, paid appearances, and ongoing contracts, mostly on TikTok and Instagram — though she notes Snapchat pays best via its Spotlight programme. She doesn't use affiliate links or TikTok Shop much, preferring instead to focus on brand collaborations that let her maintain creative control. And she's careful about who she works with: she's turned down deals that don't align with her values, particularly when it comes to alcohol or anything that is in conflict with her Saudi background. Metrics go beyond likes and views, she explains. Many brands use custom platforms to track orders from her posts. Meanwhile, Dounia tracks success through her community's reactions. 'Just yesterday, a girl messaged me saying she had an event coming up and couldn't find the right lipstick — until she saw my post and ran to buy it,' she says. While creator-consumer relationships often grow over time and organically, the rise of content-driven commerce in the UAE is also getting serious institutional backing. In January, Dubai hosted the 1 Billion Followers Summit, one of the largest global gatherings of digital creators, organised by the UAE Government Media Office. The summit launched Creators HQ, a media incubator, and announced a Dh 150 million fund to support local talent — a signal that the country sees creators as a real economic force. Earlier this year, Tatum Greig, head of influencer at Dubai-based agency Bees & Honey, shared her prediction on LinkedIn: 'Dubai was about to become the most successful creator marketing hub in the world.' She pointed to compelling data — over 98 per cent of UAE residents use social media daily, and people here spend 50 per cent more time online compared to global users. The launch of Creators HQ was the cherry on top for the already hyper-engaged, highly marketable ecosystem. But that momentum now comes with regulation. Just last month, the UAE introduced a new media law requiring influencers to obtain a media license from the Media Regulatory Office in order to conduct paid partnerships. The move formalises the industry and grants creators more legitimacy. Non-compliance could result in hefty fines. Still, the appeal of influencer-led marketing is only growing — and that shift in consumer behaviour is exactly what makes creators like Al Ibrahim so valuable to brands. According to Taki, more than three-quarters of Gen X and millennials in the region say they're more likely to discover new brands via social media. 'That kind of shift in discovery patterns is prompting businesses to rethink how they reach and engage their audiences in a way that feels relevant and immediate,' she says. PwC data shows that 85 per cent of consumers in the region say they're influenced by personalised ads on social platforms, far outpacing the global average of 72 per cent. As creators like Al Ibrahim build trust and drive traffic across these channels, they're not just fuelling brand awareness — they're feeding into the region's e-commerce momentum and, increasingly, its retail GDP. 'Short-form video reigns supreme,' Morris agrees. 'Reels and TikTok deliver the highest engagement and shareability.' Of course, like any fast-growing industry, the creator economy comes with caveats. Creator-led discovery isn't without its limits. As Taki points out, 'Consumers are clearly engaging with creators, but they're also cautious.' Influencers may drive initial interest, but audiences still seek validation — whether that's through peer reviews, word of mouth, or trusted platforms. Discovery is only the beginning. 'Trust still needs to be earned,' she adds, highlighting that the long-term impact of content-driven retail hinges not just on visibility, but on transparency and consistency. The caution is especially true for the luxury industry. Phillippa Kennedy, a brand strategist who has worked with names like YSL Beauty, Loewe, and Viktor & Rolf, sees the UAE's creator market as influential — but still maturing, especially in the luxury space. 'Mainly in the UAE, they are seen as visibility drivers,' she says. 'But there is a shift coming. I know London-based companies who are looking to the UAE and know how to apply revenue tactics here. There are clear gaps in the market that can be easily implemented, so it's a matter of time before this shift happens.' While creators here have proven their value in boosting awareness, Kennedy notes the luxury sector still treats influencer marketing cautiously — with fewer performance-driven partnerships and less integration across the sales funnel compared to markets like the UK or US. That's likely to change, she says, as brands start demanding measurable impact beyond reach. While the luxury space is still catching up, outside of it — particularly in beauty — the direct impact of content creator partnerships is becoming more visible, delivering tangible retail results. Morris cites Fenty Beauty's launch at Sephora Middle East, which featured Arab creators like Noor Stars and regional beauty experts, as a turning point. 'It drove record sales and changed the perception of Sephora as a destination for inclusivity and edge,' she says. Morris adds that homegrown brands like The Giving Movement are also using creators to amplify sustainability messaging, 'driving both perception and actual sales in the UAE'. Kennedy adds that she believes that the UAE's highly diverse population allots more creative range in luxury campaigns. 'UAE is a really interesting market for this as the retail space is still relatively new in comparison to other global markets,' she says. As so much of the population comprises expats, people look to creators they most resonate with, rather than traditional advertising, such as billboards, she adds. In luxury, this creates both opportunity and risk: creators can humanise high-end brands, but too much exposure risks eroding exclusivity. At a house like Prada Beauty, which is playful but still luxurious, creators have to fully 'embody the maison,' she says. 'Too much output is downgrading and commercial, too little and there is no visibility.' While Kennedy admits that creators can drive meaningful spikes in product sales — especially in beauty — those results are not consistent across the board. 'There are some online creators who can shift large amounts of a specific product category, such as a fragrance, an eyeliner or a lipstick, for example,' she explains. 'But this is not consistent and cannot be relied upon for sales.' Regional heavyweights are starting to move beyond visibility-focused campaigns in favour of strategies that drive measurable outcomes. According to Morris, groups like Chalhoub and Al Tayer are investing in creator-led conversion funnels — tracking metrics such as in-store footfall, voucher redemptions, and private shopping appointments booked through influencer links, Morris explains. Still, many luxury brands in the UAE remain focused on awareness over conversions — a limitation shaped by structural hurdles. Licensing restrictions, limited e-commerce infrastructure, and the dominance of franchise partners like Al Tayer and Al Futtaim continue to constrain direct-to-consumer strategies and limit access to performance data. While there are definitely more barriers to entry in the content creator space when it comes to luxury, another widely felt challenge is the mental toll of being a content creator. As Al Ibrahim's visibility grew, so did the scrutiny. 'There's a mental side to it — you have to protect your mental health twice as much as someone who isn't an influencer,' Al Ibrahim says. 'You're exposing yourself to criticism from people who've never even sat with you for coffee.' After appearing on Love Is Blind: Habibi, she found herself overwhelmed by a wave of online negativity. 'I handled it wrongly,' she admits. 'I'd go on podcasts and interviews, trying to prove I was a good person. But that's the biggest mistake you can make — if you're a good person, you don't have to go out and scream on every rooftop.' Still, Al Ibrahim knows her time as a full-time content creator won't last forever. She's already thinking ahead — saving, investing, and planning for something more lasting. 'You build a name, and I think it's smart to use it,' she said, noting how other influencers have successfully launched businesses off the back of their platforms. She's also drawn to acting, something she's always wanted to pursue. 'Maybe one day I'll be in my own movie,' she says enthusiastically. Because in her words, 'Social media is not eternal.'
