Dubai-based father-son duo: ‘Dubai is a Disneyland for entrepreneurs’

Dubai is a city where visions become reality — want proof? Look no further than German father-son duo,  Michael Menter and Jim Menter.

They set up three entities: InvestMenter Real Estate LLC,  a real estate agency, specialising in German-speaking investors; Next Level Consulting, a business consultancy with global scope; and InvestMenter Corporate Service Provider, an international tax advisory and company formation business.

Michael rose from a humble working-class family with four siblings to become one of the most recognised real estate experts in Dubai.

“There wasn’t a single entrepreneur in my family,” Michael says. “I had no mentors, no blueprint, no guide — just a deep inner drive to break free from mediocrity.”

It was books, seminars, and an unshakable will that paved the way to where he stands today. “If you don’t have role models in your immediate circle, you find them in the best sources the world has to offer.”

Michael’s motivation has never been driven purely by financial gain — it has always been about creating a life of freedom and security for his family. “Those who are financially free can focus on what really matters: family, the future, and meaningful impact.”

Changing the hand you were dealt

It is a lesson steeped in childhood trauma. “Whenever there were arguments in my family, it was usually about money — never because there was too much of it,” he says with a smile.

Everything changed for Michael in Dubai. After more than 35 years as a successful developer and real estate entrepreneur in Germany, he witnessed with concern how regulation, taxes, and a lack of growth incentives increasingly burdened investors. “While Germany is hitting the brakes, Dubai is stepping on the gas,” he remarks.

So, when Michael’s son, Jim Menter, founded a real estate agency in Dubai four years ago and asked his parents to join him for a year to help build it up, Michael and his wife, Brigitte, didn’t hesitate. That one year turned into a thriving family business. They were joined by Kiano, a long-time companion, business partner, and visionary co-founder.

The result is out for all to see: The business today employs around 50 people and serves investors from around the world. “We only sell properties we invest in ourselves,” says Michael proudly, a philosophy that has earned InvestMenter the trust of hundreds of investors and positioned the company as the top German-speaking real estate provider in Dubai.

Zero-tax strategies and peak returns

What sets InvestMenter apart? “We build real estate portfolios that maximise cash flow while protecting assets from aggressive taxation in Europe,” Michael explains. Backed by a powerful network of international tax advisors, business lawyers, and family offices, InvestMenter gives clients access to strategies normally reserved for global corporations — with zero or low single-digit tax rates.

Beyond his daily business, Michael is also the founder and host of the largest German-speaking investment summit in Dubai. His exclusive mastermind groups unite top investors and visionaries — not just to talk about deals, but to actively shape the future of wealth-building for generations to come.

For Jim, entrepreneurship wasn’t a career path — it was a birthright. Raised in a family where business was a lifestyle, Jim skipped kindergarten in favour of client meetings and job sites, sitting at his own tiny desk while absorbing the rhythms of real estate deals and construction projects. “Entrepreneurship in our family isn’t a job — it’s a way of life,” he explains.

His journey began under the influence of powerful mentors close to home. “My first mentor was my mother — a true master of sales and leadership,” Jim says. From her, he learned the art of authentic connection and leading with his heart.

His father, meanwhile, instilled strategic thinking and financial literacy, while a close family friend from Monaco taught him to think big and always put people at the centre of business. “Whether it’s your team or your partners, if your heart is true, your business will be, too.”

Arriving in Dubai in 2020, Jim was drawn to the emirate’s energy and openness. “Dubai is a Disneyland for entrepreneurs,” he says, crediting the city for its red-carpet approach to innovation and growth. Just a year later, he launched his first venture in the UAE, and today co-leads three thriving businesses under the InvestMenter umbrella.