From Starting With Nothing to Building a Career

Dubai real estate can look glamorous from the outside. There are impressive towers, ambitious developments, high value transactions and a constant stream of investors looking for their next opportunity. But behind every successful property consultant is a different story, often filled with uncertainty, rejection, long working hours and the pressure to perform.

For Christian Zachee, the journey began with exactly that kind of challenge.

His entry into the Dubai real estate industry was not built around comfort or guarantees. He started at Celia Target Real Estate in a commission based role, without a salary and with his visa linked to closing his first deal. It was a situation that demanded confidence, discipline and the ability to keep moving even when the outcome was uncertain.

Just three weeks into that journey, Christian achieved an important milestone. With support from his manager, Mr Ghaith Mamo, he closed his first deal at Binghatti Corner in Jumeirah Village Circle.

That first transaction became more than a sales achievement. It gave him proof that he could compete in one of Dubai’s most demanding professional environments.

The First Deal Changed His Perspective

The first deal is often one of the most important moments in a sales career because it changes an individual’s relationship with pressure.

Before the first successful transaction, everything can feel like a test. After it, the professional begins to understand what is possible.

For Christian, those first few weeks taught him that persistence could create opportunities even when there was no certainty of success. The experience also introduced him to an important part of real estate that cannot be learned entirely from books or training sessions.

Sales is about people.

It is about understanding what a client wants, building confidence, answering difficult questions, handling objections and remaining available throughout the decision making process.

Christian’s early experience helped him understand those realities firsthand.

His time at Celia Target also placed him within a brokerage environment focused heavily on Dubai’s off plan property market. The experience gave him an introduction to the fast moving nature of property sales and the importance of communication, market awareness and relationship building.

Learning Through Different Brokerage Experiences

After his first chapter, Christian briefly explored opportunities with several other brokerages.

Although those periods were relatively short, they became part of a larger learning process. Instead of viewing every move simply as another job, Christian began looking at the industry from different angles.

That approach eventually led him to OIA Properties, where he worked with Mr Moustapha Nasser, the owner of the Dubai branch.

Christian describes this period with particular gratitude. The support he received during a crucial stage of his career helped him develop professionally while giving him the opportunity to understand the brokerage business more deeply.

At OIA Properties, the lessons extended beyond closing individual transactions. Christian began developing a broader understanding of how a real estate company operates, how teams work together and how relationships can influence long term success.

For someone who ultimately wants to establish his own brokerage, that exposure was especially valuable.

Why Christian Wanted More Than Brokerage Experience

Dubai’s real estate market is constantly evolving. New developments enter the market, investors change their priorities and buyers increasingly expect professionals to understand not only sales but also the projects, developers and broader property ecosystem behind each transaction.

Christian recognized that remaining within one side of the industry could limit his professional growth.

He wanted to understand the developer side.

That decision led him to Object 1 Development, where he had the opportunity to experience real estate from a different perspective. Object 1 operates as a Dubai based developer focused on contemporary residential projects, with developments across areas including Jumeirah Village Circle, Jumeirah Village Triangle and other growing communities.

For Christian, joining a developer was not simply a career move. It represented an intentional effort to expand his understanding of the industry.

He credits Mr Naoufel from HR for giving him the opportunity, while also expressing gratitude to Mr Hachem, his sales director, and Mr Islam, the vice president, for the experience and learning that followed.

Moving from brokerage to development allowed Christian to see property sales from a wider angle.

Instead of focusing only on the buyer and transaction, he could better understand how projects are positioned, how sales strategies are developed and how a property moves from a development concept to a product presented to the market.

A New Chapter at DECA Development

Christian’s next step took him to DECA Development, where he received another opportunity to continue building his career.

He particularly acknowledges Mr Ahmad for believing in him and providing constant support and patience.

For Christian, these professional relationships have become an important part of his story.

His journey demonstrates that careers are rarely built by one person alone. Managers, mentors, colleagues and leaders can influence how a young professional develops, particularly during periods when experience is still being built.

Christian’s gratitude toward the people who supported him reflects another principle he believes strongly in: staying humble while pursuing bigger ambitions.

Discipline Over Motivation

One of Christian’s strongest lessons is simple: discipline matters more than motivation.

Motivation can change from one day to another. Some days bring successful meetings, positive conversations and closed deals. Other days bring rejection, unanswered calls and difficult negotiations.

Discipline is what keeps a professional moving through both.

For Christian, this mindset has become an important part of navigating real estate.

He believes that staying disciplined can carry a person forward when motivation disappears. It is a philosophy that fits naturally with sales, where consistency often matters just as much as individual moments of success.

His other principles are equally straightforward.

Be humble.

Be honest.

Build long term relationships.

These ideas may sound simple, but in a relationship driven industry, they can become powerful differentiators.

Building Relationships That Last

Real estate is often associated with numbers. Sales targets, commissions, property values and transaction volumes all play a major role.

But Christian sees the human side of the business as equally important.

A transaction may last for a few weeks or months, but a professional relationship can last for years.

That is why he places strong importance on building genuine connections with people rather than treating every interaction as a short term opportunity.

This approach could become particularly important as he moves toward leadership.

A future sales director or vice president needs more than the ability to sell. Leadership requires communication, trust, consistency and the ability to help others perform at their best.

Christian’s experiences across brokerages and development companies are gradually giving him exposure to those different dimensions of the industry.

A Bigger Ambition for the Future

Christian is not approaching real estate as a short term career.

He wants to build a very long career in the industry, with ambitions of eventually becoming a sales director or vice president.

Beyond corporate leadership, there is an even bigger goal.

He wants to open his own brokerage company.

That ambition reflects the direction his career has already begun taking. His experiences have moved him through brokerage, multiple sales environments and developer side operations, giving him a broader view of how Dubai’s property sector works.

The road toward owning a brokerage will require more experience, leadership development, financial knowledge, market understanding and a strong professional network.

But Christian appears to understand that success at that level is not created overnight.

It is built deal by deal, relationship by relationship and lesson by lesson.

Turning Struggles Into Experience

What makes Christian’s journey interesting is not simply where he wants to go, but how he started.

His first role came without the comfort of a guaranteed salary. His first deal arrived after weeks of hard work. His career then developed through different companies, mentors and professional environments.

Each stage brought a different lesson.

The brokerage world taught him the realities of direct sales. OIA gave him further exposure and support. Object 1 allowed him to understand the developer side of the business. DECA Development became another step in his continuing professional development.

Rather than seeing those chapters as disconnected experiences, Christian’s story connects them into one larger ambition.

He is learning the business from multiple perspectives because he ultimately wants to create something of his own.

The Road Ahead for Christian

Dubai’s real estate industry continues to attract ambitious professionals because of its international client base, evolving developments and competitive sales environment. For someone like Christian, that environment represents both pressure and opportunity.

His immediate focus remains on growing his experience and becoming a stronger real estate professional.

His long term vision is much larger.

He wants to lead sales teams, rise into senior executive positions and eventually build his own brokerage.

The foundation for that future is already taking shape through the lessons he continues to collect.

For Christian, success is not only about making money or reaching a senior title. It is also about remaining disciplined when things become difficult, staying humble when things go well, being honest with people and building relationships that continue beyond a single transaction.

That mindset could prove to be one of his greatest assets.

Because in an industry where opportunities can move quickly, the professionals who build lasting careers are often those who understand that reputation, knowledge and relationships are investments too.

Christian Zachee’s journey is still being written, but the direction is clear. He is not simply looking for his next real estate deal. He is working toward a long term place in an industry he believes can become the foundation of his future.

And for Christian, the ultimate destination is not just another successful sale.

It is leadership, independence and eventually building a brokerage of his own.

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