2020, The Year That Was: Rejani Cicily Joseph, Co-Founder And Director Of Analytics, Anavizio "With businesses going through their worst months, it was vital for us to refocus and recuperate."

As the co-founder and Director of Analytics at Dubai-based analytics and technology consultancy Anavizio, Rejani Cicily Joseph's experiences during 2020 would possibly mirror those of several of her fellow counterparts in the MENA startup ecosystem.

For those of us looking from the outside in, Joseph (who's better known in her circles as "CJ") looks to have been keeping quite busy through the course of the COVID-19 crisis- her company (which bills itself as an enterprise that was "founded by communications and marketing professionals for communications and marketing professionals) has been consistently tracking trends on social media over the last couple of months, and putting together stats and studies that businesses could make use of in their digital marketing strategies amid this period.

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But the work Joseph has been doing in 2020 is only one aspect of the year she's had- there's also been lots of other things that's been happening behind the scenes, so to speak. "2020 was a rollercoaster ride for Anavizio with a handful of highs and lows," she says. "My biggest highlight was having the time to pause, take a step back, and evaluate the overall business. With businesses going through their worst months, it was vital for us to refocus and recuperate. We repositioned ourselves by focusing on our strengths, and identified partners to help amplify those strengths. This had a tremendous positive impact on our business." Curiously enough, from a personal perspective, what's kept Joseph going through this year has been a result, in part at least, of the crisis itself. "Working from home during most of the year, and being able to spend quality time with my family, helped me to remain focused, stay grounded, and plough through the lows," Joseph concludes.

Time for introspection: Rejani Cicily Joseph reflects on 2020

1/ Collaborate
"As Gary Vaynerchuk would say: "The pie is big enough for everyone.' Instead of competing with everyone around you, take the time to find the right partners with the right skills to collaborate with."

2/ Adapt
"The market has changed tremendously, and businesses have had to realign, strategize, and adapt to these changing conditions. As an entrepreneur, you have to keep emotions, ego, and pride aside, focus on your end objectives, and adapt to the changes around you."

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