Simon Squibb says UAE’s ‘100 Dreams’ initiative aims to break ‘limiting beliefs’ among content creators

British entrepreneur and content creator Simon Squibb has said that a new UAE initiative called ‘100 Dreams’ aims to challenge what he calls a widespread falsehood that prevents people from turning their passions into careers.

The programme, launched by the 1 Billion Followers Summit in partnership with Squibb and backed by the National Media Authority, will provide 100 aspiring content creators and entrepreneurs with $10,000 each, along with six weeks of free training and business support to help turn their ideas into sustainable businesses.

Squibb, who started his first business at 15 without guidance and now has 27 million social media followers, said he thinks about that younger self when considering the initiative. ‘In many ways, this initiative is about helping the 15-year-old version of myself,’ he told Khaleej Times during a recent visit to Dubai.

Challenging a ‘lie’ about passion and money

When asked what stops content creators from monetising their passion, Squibb pointed to a deep-seated belief. ‘A lot of people from a young age have been told a lie,’ he said. ‘There’s this perception that doing something you love is not a money-making one.’

According to Squibb, many grow up believing a conventional job is the only reliable path to financial security, while activities they enjoy are dismissed as hobbies. ‘And that somehow getting a job that you don’t love will earn you money. But doing what you love is just a hobby. It either shouldn’t be monetised or isn’t monetisable. That’s not true,’ he said.

He argued that these assumptions become internal barriers. ‘Basically, people self-sabotage with limiting belief systems that were plugged into them from a young age.’

With artificial intelligence expected to reshape employment, Squibb said it is more important than ever to rethink work. ‘We need to lean into this idea that what we love can be monetised and what we love can be our purpose.’

Practical training over cash alone

Squibb said the initiative offers something often missing from entrepreneurship conversations: practical guidance. While each selected participant receives $10,000, he is particularly enthusiastic about the free six-week training programme. ‘We will help them and we’ll help them figure out how to make money from their platforms and how to take it to the level they want to take it to.’

That could involve helping a creator develop a stronger brand, secure sponsorships, improve sales strategy, or turn an online audience into a viable business. Drawing on his social media experience, Squibb plans to teach about algorithms and team-building. ‘I have 27 million followers and hundreds of millions of views on my channel, so I understand how to build a team, how the industry works and how algorithms function,’ he said.

For someone who started without such guidance, passing on that knowledge is meaningful. ‘Nobody should have to give up on an idea simply because they don’t have access to the right knowledge or resources.’

A country built on a dream

Squibb said choosing the UAE as the home of the initiative was natural. ‘This place has vision,’ he said. ‘The entrepreneurs that become successful are the ones who have a vision. So imagine a country that also has vision, teaming up with people that have vision. It’s a perfect match.’

He drew parallels between the UAE’s development and the entrepreneurial journey. ‘The UAE itself was built on a dream. It began with an idea, a vision of what this place could become and that vision was turned into reality.’

He said the initiative aims to show that an idea that exists only in imagination can become tangible.

A message to potential applicants

With applications expected to open in November, Squibb had a message for those who might talk themselves out of applying. ‘Many people see a competition like this and immediately decide not to enter because they think they won’t win. But if you don’t enter, you’re absolutely right, you won’t win.’

Even those not selected, he said, may find the application process an important first step. They may start discussing ideas with friends or taking ambitions more seriously. ‘Even if they don’t win, they’ve already taken that first step. They’ve started working towards something and that idea could still become a reality independently of the competition.’

Squibb’s bigger dream behind ‘100 Dreams’ is broader. ‘My dream is to see opportunities distributed more equally,’ he said. ‘More importantly, I want everyone to have the opportunity to dream in the first place.’

For him, the ultimate measure of success is not how many businesses are created, but how many people begin believing their ideas are worth pursuing. ‘I have a purpose because I have a dream and I’m actively pursuing that dream. I want other people to experience that same feeling.’