We Asked Millionaires How They Set Goals: What Actually Worked Last Year

Kicking off the new year with CEO Carl Allsopp and Chairman Lewis Allsopp on how millionaires build wealth in Dubai. In this episode of Taking Care of Business, CEO Carl Allsopp and Chairman Lewis Allsopp share how they’ve built long-term wealth and scaled a successful business in Dubai.

They reflect on a record-breaking year, discussing why planning, execution, and data-driven decisions matter more than New Year’s resolutions. The conversation covers scaling a business, building strong leadership teams, investing in technology and AI, and maintaining high standards in a competitive market.

Carl and Lewis also touch on personal priorities such as family, health, and creating sustainable success beyond business.

Essential listening for entrepreneurs, business owners, and anyone interested in how millionaires build wealth in Dubai.

Why Planning Beats Hope

One of the strongest themes throughout the conversation is the difference between intention and action. While goal-setting is common at the start of the year, real progress only happens when plans are broken down, measured, and executed.

Using the past year as a case study: setting clear revenue targets, analysing market data, understanding seasonality, and aligning headcount, marketing spend, and leadership around those numbers. The result wasn’t accidental growth, but a record-breaking year that exceeded expectations well before year-end.

The takeaway is simple but powerful - success rarely comes from reacting on instinct alone. It comes from methodical planning followed by disciplined execution.

From Founder-Led to Scalable Wealth

A key turning point discussed in the episode is the transition from running a profitable business to building scalable wealth. In the early stages, founders are often the heartbeat of the company - driving sales, culture, and momentum personally. But long-term scale demands something different.

Letting go, building layers of strong management, and trusting data and processes over personality are uncomfortable but necessary steps. True scalability begins when the business no longer depends on one individual to function or grow.

This shift from being the most valuable person in the company to empowering others to take that role is described as one of the hardest but most important decisions business owners face.

Data, Discipline, and Decision-Making

Another standout theme is the growing role of data in modern business. With access to detailed market share insights, performance benchmarks, and real-time metrics, decisions are no longer based on guesswork.

Whether it’s investing in marketing, hiring senior leadership, or entering new markets, every major decision is framed around return on investment, performance tracking, and long-term value. At the same time, the conversation acknowledges that not all decisions are purely numerical - intuition, experience, and cultural fit still matter, particularly when it comes to people.

Standards as a Non-Negotiable

As businesses grow, maintaining standards becomes harder and more important. The episode is clear on this point: professionalism, accountability, presentation, and care for clients are non-negotiable.

Culture isn’t preserved by slogans, but by what leadership is willing to enforce consistently. In a highly competitive environment like Dubai, the businesses that endure are those that act like market leaders every day, not just when conditions are favourable.

Personal Success Beyond Business

While the discussion is rooted in business performance, it repeatedly returns to personal priorities. Time with family, health, and creating meaningful experiences are framed not as side goals, but as measures of real success.

From travelling with children while they’re still young, to investing in long-term health, the episode highlights that wealth is most valuable when it supports the life you want to live - not the other way around.

Looking Ahead in 2026

The conversation closes with a forward-looking perspective: continued investment in technology and AI, expansion beyond Dubai, and preparing for the challenges that come with further scale. Growth brings opportunity, but also complexity, and staying ahead requires constant adaptation.

For anyone building a business, investing in Dubai, or simply interested in how high-performing entrepreneurs think, this episode offers a candid look at what success actually looks like behind the scenes - measured, disciplined, and built over time.

For the full episode head to our YouTube channel