After weathering the pandemic, she continues empowering workers through uncertain times in the UAE.
Lourds Adalia-Evertse’s journey reflects strength, purpose-driven entrepreneurship, and a belief that businesses should create impact beyond profit.
For many entrepreneurs, periods of uncertainty force difficult choices focused purely on survival. But for Dubai-based Filipina entrepreneur Lourds Adalia-Evertse, challenging moments have reinforced a different belief: businesses should support communities, not just generate revenue.
As regional tensions and economic uncertainty continue affecting businesses across the UAE, Evertse has focused not only on operational stability but also on helping the people around her.
Through her restaurant operations, she organized free meals for delivery riders and security guards, provided grocery support packages for employees, and introduced mental resilience sessions to help staff cope with stress and anxiety.
She believes moments of crisis often reveal the true purpose of a business.
“Businesses should not only generate profit but also create a positive impact within the community,” she said.
Arriving in the UAE With Big Dreams
Evertse’s journey in the UAE began nearly two decades ago when she arrived at just 19 years old after finishing college in the Philippines.
Like many expatriates beginning their lives in Dubai, she started with limited resources and modest opportunities. Her first role was as a hotel receptionist earning Dh1,500 per month.
She remembers arriving in the UAE carrying little more than ambition and determination.
Over time, she steadily built her professional career, eventually becoming a founding member and later chief operating officer of one of the UAE’s largest business setup companies.
For Evertse, the UAE became proof that persistence and consistency can completely transform a person’s future.
Launching a Business During the Pandemic
After years in the corporate sector, she decided to step into entrepreneurship and launched her restaurant business in 2020.
But shortly after opening, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted businesses globally.
The timing could not have been more difficult.
Instead of stepping back completely, Evertse pushed forward through the uncertainty. Her restaurant venture, Spice Grill, eventually expanded from Sharjah into Dubai despite the challenges.
Rather than reducing opportunities during the pandemic, she intentionally hired workers who had lost their jobs during that period.
Giving back, she says, became part of the company culture from the beginning.
Building a Business Around Inclusivity
One of the most meaningful steps in her journey came earlier this year when her company hired Chesko Barrios, a person on the autism spectrum, to join the restaurant team.
For Evertse, inclusivity is not simply a social message. It is something businesses should actively practice.
She believes many people simply need someone willing to trust them and offer an opportunity.
Her restaurants also introduced a “community shelf” initiative, allowing small business owners to showcase and sell products free of charge inside the restaurant.
One of the businesses featured through the initiative belongs to a person of determination.
The goal, according to Evertse, is to create environments where people feel seen, respected, and included in everyday society.
A Motherhood-Inspired Business Idea
Alongside her restaurant operations, Evertse recently launched another venture called Drippy, a healthier soda alternative designed for children.
The idea emerged during a cycling trip in Al Qudra, where she began thinking about beverage choices available for her sons.
She wanted to create something with less sugar, no caffeine, and vitamin C added.
Like many startups, the journey involved uncertainty, delays, and rejection. But she believes waiting for the “perfect time” often prevents people from ever starting.
That mindset continues to shape her approach to entrepreneurship.
Defining Success Differently
For Evertse, success is no longer measured only through expansion or financial performance.
It is measured through impact.
Her experiences, from arriving in Dubai with very little to building businesses rooted in community support, shaped a philosophy centered on resilience, empathy, and human connection.
She believes people ultimately remember how they were treated during difficult moments more than titles, achievements, or business milestones.
In a city known for ambition and rapid growth, Lourds Adalia-Evertse is building something quieter but lasting: businesses designed not only to grow, but also to uplift the people around them.
Photo: Dubai-based Filipina entrepreneur Lourds Adalia-Evertse. Evertse has focused on finding ways to support both her team and the wider community while keeping the business running
supplied, Source: Gulf News
