Five Lessons Learned From Building (And Scaling) An Independent Agency In The GCC

When I launched Melon Online as an independent agency in the UAE in 2020, it started as a small idea created between coffee shop tables and late nights filled with hope, not certainty. I did not have a huge team or investor backing. What I had was belief, a laptop, and the conviction that creativity could be done differently in the GCC.

My first few clients were won through trust, not scale. Today, we have worked with more than 170 brands across Saudi Arabia and the UAE including government, lifestyle, hospitality, and fast-moving consumer goods. And the journey was not fast or easy—it was built step by step through people, culture, and consistency.

Growing an independent agency in this region taught me lessons no business book could prepare me for. Here are five that shaped Melon Online—and that continue to guide how we operate and grow:

1. A creative and skillful team is the foundation of everything

In our industry, talent is not a department. It is the product. You can have processes, tools and strategy, but without a team that is creative, strategic and hungry for better work, growth is limited. Some of our most impactful ideas were born from open conversations, not structured meetings.

For instance, when we developed the content world for MILAF Cola, the first cola created under the banner of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), our team designed the visual identity and storytelling to speak directly to what’s been called Tribe Zero, a defined youth and Gen Z target segment. By aligning creativity with this audience’s cultural language, the brand came to life in a meaningful way.

The key takeaway: hire thinkers, not executors. A strong team multiplies growth.

2. Multicultural teams see what teams with a single perspective miss

The GCC is diverse in culture, mindset, and behavior. What excites a consumer in Riyadh may not resonate the same way in Dubai. The best creative decisions come from multiple backgrounds at one table.

At Melon Online, our diverse talent pool brings different instincts and reference points. A Kuwaiti designer sees lifestyle differently from a Lebanese art director. A Saudi strategist notices cultural cues that an expat might overlook. This is how campaigns become authentic rather than generic.

Diversity is therefore not a checkbox. It is a business advantage.

3. Relationships build faster than cold leads

Success in the GCC is relational. People work with people they trust. Pitch decks help, but familiarity closes deals. Early in our journey, most of our clients came from relationships that began with conversations, not official requests for proposals.

But building a network here requires presence, reliability and delivery. Retention is earned through transparency, quality work and consistency over months, not a single campaign. Many of our clients continue to work with us year after year, because they know we show up when it matters.

In this region, loyalty is currency. Nurture it.

4. Communication is leadership, not admin

The GCC is always connected. Responses are expected quickly, and collaboration often happens in real time. Being reachable, clear, and proactive sets the agency apart. Silence creates doubt. Communication creates confidence.

At Melon Online, communication is not something we do at the end. It is integrated from the start: briefing, ideation, production, rollout. Clients feel informed, supported and involved. That alone turns projects into partnerships.

So, communicate early, often, and clearly. Fast response builds trust.

5. Standout services win in a saturated market

Everyone says they do creative, digital, and content. The real question is what makes your agency irreplaceable. At Melon Online, our differentiator is culturally fluent storytelling designed for measurable growth. We work like strategists and create like artists.

Standing out means having a signature. It could be creative style, speed, niche specialization, or innovation. Do something better than anyone else, and let the market speak for you.

At the end of the day, do not try to be everything. Be exceptional at something.

Scaling an independent agency in the GCC taught me that growth is not about being big. Growth comes from being valuable. It comes from people who care, ideas that stand out, communication that builds trust and relationships that last. The region rewards those who show up consistently, improve relentlessly, and build with intention.

The future of agencies here belongs to the bold. Not the biggest, but the sharpest. Creativity wins when it is human. Business grows when it is personal.

Growth is not built on scale. It is built on skill.

About the Author

Majd Fakhry is the Managing Partner of Melon Online, leading creative and digital transformation projects across the GCC. He specializes in culturally fluent branding, youth-driven storytelling, and strategic growth for brands across Saudi Arabia and the UAE.