From lifeguarding to investment banking: The jobs of the Dubai Bling cast before the show

Although they might seem to be pretty good at doing nothing and getting paid for it, many of the stars from Dubai Bling did in fact have jobs before the show. And I’m not talking about LJ’s trial shift as a waitress which ended prematurely after they asked her to work a weekend. Some of the cast members are real grafters and were employed in jobs you’d least expect. Here are all the shifts the millionaire cast put in before appearing on Dubai Bling.

Zeina Khoury – Real estate agent

With a degree in banking and finance, Zenia came to Dubai where “real estate was really happening” and got a job selling homes, where she eventually became the CEO of High Mark Real Estate. It turned out pretty well for her, as she now runs a real estate Instagram-based show called Property Talks with Zeina.

LJ – Model

Unsurprisingly, LJ has worked as a model in the past and actually did her first shoot at 14 years old. She’s even had a go as a runway model and has recently toyed with the idea of restarting her modelling career. She also appeared as a television host for MTV Lebanon’s music program called Energy Spin Magazine when she was 21, but left before it turned into a career when she met Walid Juffali in 2012 and settled down in Dubai.

Ebraheem Al Samadi – Businessman

Back when he was a child and living with his mum and sister in the US, Ebraheem Al Samadi actually a signed waiver to allow him to work for more than 20 hours a week in order to help provide for his family. He ran successful businesses even as a child, eventually creating a new company named EHA LLC, where he imported roller skates from China and sold them in Florida under the brand name Wheelies.

He’s also taken up odd jobs throughout his life, including working as lifeguard, a rose-seller at an entertainment dining company and a cashier at a gift shop. At one point he even had three jobs at once – it’s no surprise he’s one of the richest cast member on the show.

Mona Katta – Investment banker

Mona originally worked in investment banking before entering the entrepreneur world. Cofounding a PR and communications business, MasterMind where she served as a managing partner of the PR division until 2012. Mona has also co-founded her own beauty salon, before co-founding the world renowned Huda Beauty with her sister.

Lojain Omran – Banker

Lojain comes from a background in banking, having worked in the financial sector for quite some time. Working for financial giants such as Visa and Citibank, she also served as an operations manager at one point, before leaving to pursue television in 2004.

Kris Fade – Marketer

Kris Fade has dabbled in a few different industries. Starting out in marketing, Kris wasn’t a fan of the nine to five lifestyle and left his full time job after his boss had cordoned him off from public view for being too talkative. He’s also spoken about how he used to wash cars and do odd jobs before finding fame and fortune in Dubai.

At one point, he also drove a radio car around town four days a week for Sydney’s EDGE 96.1 before landing The Kris Fade Show, which is the number-one radio show in Dubai.

Most recently, he founded Fade Fit, a healthy snack company which soon blossomed into a multimillion-dollar business.

Safa Siddiqui – Real estate agent

Safa is a commerce and management graduate and worked as a real estate agent in London for a few years before moving to Dubai to start a fashion career in 2013. She’s since changed her career and has become a fashion designer, now having her own clothing range with Shein.

Dubai Bling is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news, drops, quizzes and memes like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook. 

Related stories recommended by this writer:

•Ranked: The eye-wateringly massive net worths of every cast member in Dubai Bling

•A full rundown of all the ages of the Dubai Bling cast

•Here are all the craziest Dubai Bling transformations before they were rich and famous

Featured image via Instagram @thezeinakhoury, @loujainaj, @thebloomingman