Why This UK Tennis Coach Moved to Dubai | Matt Ryan on Building a New Life Abroad

Ever wondered what it takes to pack up your life and start over in Dubai? In this episode, I sit down with Matt Ryan a professional tennis coach from the UK who made the bold move to the UAE to grow his coaching career. Matt shares the story behind his move, how one article in The Times convinced him to take the leap, and what it’s really like setting up a business from scratch in UAE free zones. From finding the right place to live, to building a client base, to teaching tennis through chess-inspired strategies, this conversation uncovers the highs, hurdles, and insights of building a new life abroad. If you’ve ever thought about moving to Dubai, starting a business, or reinventing your career overseas, this conversation offers the inspiration and practical advice you need. Key Moments: 00:39 - Meet Matt Ryan: From the UK courts to Dubai 02:28 - Matt’s coaching journey before moving abroad 03:32 - The surprising reason an article made him move to Dubai 05:41 - What makes Matt’s tennis coaching approach unique 07:28 - How chess helps Matt teach smarter tennis 09:36 - The full process of setting up a UAE freezone company 15:12 - Why Matt chose Jumeirah Garden City as home 19:17 - The biggest challenges of moving to Dubai 21:56 - How people in Dubai differ from those in the UK 25:24 - Busting the myths about life in Dubai 27:31 - Matt’s vision for his coaching business and life ahead 29:46 - Practical advice for anyone planning to move to Dubai 33:14 - Inside Matt’s tennis coaching programmes and philosophy If you'd like to know more about investing in off plan properties in Dubai, book a call at: https://www.stevenleckie.com/connect-with-steven If you'd like to learn more about Matt and how he can help, you can send him a DM on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/volli.uae/ 🔔 If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to the channel. 📲 Follow Steven on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steven_leckie/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stevenleckie #dubaiproperty #offplandubai #dubairealestate #dubairealestatemarket #tennis