Lediana Petro is a 34 years old sophisticated fashion designer and owner of FashionHunters.store, devoted since day one to the fashion industry, where she defines her purpose as a path to succeed in this inspiring journey. She has years of experience in this field, as she worked in fashion styling, where she used to create outfits and fashion imagery after working with different Greek and Lebanese designers. In addition, she has a vast experience in private styling, working with individuals to customize outfits and “looks” that create the very best of each client. This devoted entrepreneur shares her knowledge and skills to empower fashion designers and support them in their journeys. Therefore, she founded FashionHunters.store, an online website intending to promote fashion designers and highlight their ideas, as well as exposing their work and expanding their capacities with local and international clients. Fashion Hunters is an important initiative, especially for Lebanese designers, since it gives them the opportunity to get the exposure they need, promote their work in the European Market, and highlight the power and talent of the Lebanese workforce. Finally, Lediana is dedicated to her path in the fashion industry. The foundation of her website was a step forward in this successful journey but of course, it won’t be the last.
عبلة سيباك، لا نصل إلى النجاح إلا بعد الفشل
How did you start? I’ve always put in the effort and time since I was 14 years old. I started my journey many years ago, and throughout the years, I have worked in every industry I can adapt to, including hospitality, marketing, contracting, business development, medical, sales, fashion and even franchising. I needed to hustle and that is exactly how it all started. What can you tell us about your journey? My journey was not so easy; it was hard, especially attending high school while working full-time and taking exams. I have failed many times and I still do, but with failure comes success. Being a woman also made things harder but I always looked past that and focused to prove that I can do it. What are the main challenges that women must prepare to face when entering the business world? Women have to prove themselves 100 times more than men, and time often runs against us as women. If you’re a mother, sister, daughter or wife, especially in the Arab world it’s difficult to maintain balance; we would break down in tears and become overly emotional because we will face challenges with other women more than men. Unfortunately, it’s definitely okay to cry but the next day comes stronger than ever. What initiatives do you consider important to develop supporting startups? Focus, time management, patience, common sense, and consistency are key, in addition to note-taking, targets and leadership skills. What advise do you have for women entrepreneurs? I advise women entrepreneurs to never give up especially during difficult times; keep pushing bit by bit, don’t let anyone get you down, put all the effort in what you love to do and everything will fall right in place.
سمر أبو فرح، رائدة أعمال ومؤسسة شركة La Difference PR
Samar Abou Farah is an entrepreneur and a polyglot of Lebanese origins and Spanish nationality, holding many certificates, including Communications & Marketing, Online Reputation Management, Digital Marketing and many more. After many years of experience in public relations and luxury, introducing brands in different markets, and extensive history in customer service, Samar Abou Farah acts as a consultant and manages Middle East projects from Qatar. Her company La Difference PR is a member of Madaeen Al Doha Group, where she is the General Manager of Dooha Media; one of the most prominent digital out-of-home companies in Qatar. She believes that “experience is the best teacher of all.” She has 10 years of experience in F&B through family business, 20 years in the Luxury sector working internationally, and 15 years since the PR and Events Company was founded. Moreover, since 2014 she has acquired great knowledge in the Out of Home industry and she has established a name within the media sector thanks to Dooha Media. For the last years, she has built strong relations with international clients and has introduced in Qatar the latest technologies with her team; like 3D ads on outdoor screens. She is the founder of “La Différence Public Relations” which organizes exclusive events and launchings for luxury brands, as well as online and offline public relations and marketing strategies, in English & Arabic. The company also provides Media call, Events Management, Social Media Influencers, Entertainment, and Media Clipping. Samar has a remarkable reputation as a result of all her events and launchings with more than 20 years of working and learning alongside great brands. Achieving one goal after another, she opened her own restaurant in 1994 at the age of 20, she was the youngest manager ever hired by the Salvatore Ferragamo Company in 2000, in addition to her successful journeys in art exhibitions, fashion shows, events with Michelin star chefs, product launchings, brand positioning and communications. Her main professional qualities are leadership, professionalism, Customer Service, hard work, troubleshooting, and Integrity. Nothing could keep her from achieving her goals, therefore her favorite quote is: “I never dreamed of success; I worked for it”.
كريستال عيد، مؤسسة " elle by krystel" وعطور Arz
Christelle Eid is a passionate young entrepreneur who graduated from Antonine University-Lebanon in 2015, with a master’s degree in Marketing Management. She is the founder of several perfumes and cosmetic lines, of which Arz perfume line and “elle by krystel”. In addition, she is the CEO of Shop and Beyond LB and MK Fashion, which shows her full support to other businesses. Three years ago, she launched Shop and Beyond LB in order to support local businesses, small manufacturers and handcrafted products. It offers a wide variety of natural and organic items, as well as high-demand products such as cosmetics and perfumes. In addition, it introduces “Arz” unisex fragrance along with 19 other smells. Soon, they will open a concept store at City Center Hazmieh, having the goal of boosting local businesses through their physical presence in such a Mall. They will, however, be present in Jordan by next year. On the other hand, MK Fashion website is designed to support local designers and publish their work throughout the Arab World. Designers from all over the region are also represented, and they can also customize your outfit or dress for any occasion. Christelle is a powerful force in the workplace, where she deploys her strong leadership skills and boundless energy, inspiring others to work hard and succeed. This successful lady enjoys reading and was inspired by Joe Dispenza’s book, “Becoming Supernatural”, in the evolution of her mindset and career. Lately, she launched “elle by krystel”, in line with her business concerned with healthcare, that’s her most recent project. It took her years to create and finalize such a luxurious brand, which includes a day cream, night cream and leave-in, as well as soaps, all of which are produced locally and willing to expand to Qatar and Kuwait. This project was dedicated to her mother, to express gratitude for always supporting and encouraging Christelle and her sister. Moreover, “elle by krystel” was made to treat her mother’s hands eczema. Finally, Christelle’s journey to becoming a successful sales consultant and entrepreneur is represented by being positive, self-motivated and a strong negotiator, as well as having advanced selling skills.
إدارة النظافة الصحية اثناء الحيض، مسألة لا تحتمل التأجيل
Globally, menstruation is part of a woman’s life, and her transition from girlhood to womanhood. According to UN Women in 2019, It is “bleeding that occurs as part of women’s monthly cycles during their reproductive years and 3-5 days is the average time women menstruate in a monthly cycle”. Menstruation is perceived as a significant barrier in some parts of the world, such as Kenya, because some girls are seen as shameful and unclean. The main challenge, however, is obtaining high-quality sanitary products. Even though a bill was passed in Kenya in 2017 to reassure girls that the government would be “providing free, sufficient and quality sanitary towels to every girl child registered and enrolled in a public education institution and has reached puberty” (The Presidency, 2017), girls still lack access to sanitary towels, and “two-thirds of women and girls are yet to have access to sanitary towels” (Njoroge, 2019), due to low coverage. This scheme is not sustainable and reaching the Kisumu’s most vulnerable girls, who once the supply of sanitary pads runs out, are left with zero resources. Even though girls in more developed countries may experience minor inconvenience during their periods, Kenyan girls have a much lower quality of life because they miss school or even drop out entirely due to their periods. Menstruation is unavoidable, yet girls and women in Africa struggle to cope during their menstrual cycle. According to the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census results, females make up 50.5% of the population, meaning that many women who have menstrual problems every month. There appears to be a lack of awareness concerning this critical health issue, as well as no solution, so it deserves special attention because it affects thousands of Kenyan girls. The Sanitation and Hygiene Fund stated that “6 out of 10 girls” have never heard of the idea of menstruation and were unaware that it was painful until their first period (Menstrual Health and Hygiene: Kenya, 2019). Girls are thus unprepared because there is no one to turn to for assistance, and confusion about what is happening to their bodies causes them to feel anxious and self-conscious. There is a lot more work to be done in menstrual hygiene management, which is essentially, “clean menstrual management materials to absorb or collect blood that can be changed in privacy as often as necessary for the duration of the menstruation period, using soap and water for washing the body as required, and having access to facilities to dispose of used menstrual management materials” (World Vison, 2019). Furthermore, significant efforts must begin at all levels by breaking the silence and bringing awareness rather than shame. According to UNICEF, “more than 1.2 million primary school-age children in Kenya, which has a population of 50 million, do not attend school at all” (Mire, 2020) due to period poverty and lack of access to sanitary products. This issue also contributes to diseases such as, “urinary tract infections, pelvic tract infections, mental disorders, toxic shock syndrome” (Ejiroghene Ajari, 2020), as well as anxiety, eating less (Tull, 2019), and unintended pregnancies. Thus, menstruating women face unnecessary challenges due to a lack of knowledge about menstruation and MHM, which results in humiliating menstrual experiences every month. In conclusion, women are forced to have unsafe and unsanitary periods due to a lack of access to sanitary products. The lack of access encourages risky behavior such as leaving young girls vulnerable to have sexual relationships in exchange for sanitary pads resulting in unequal gender disparities. The danger can also affect their health, so they may catch HIV, AIDS, and other STDs for the sake of obtaining sanitary pads. It is not only about health risks, but “period poverty can also mean girls’ education, well-being, and sometimes entire lives are affected.” (Action Aid, 2021). Overall, the issue of MHM remains taboo and the people spreading misinformation and old cultural traditions embedded within communities, have an impact on many girls who get their period without having an idea about what to do. Lastly, girls and women need accurate information, access to quality products, and adequate WASH infrastructure to be successful in MHM. As a result, it is critical to involve country leaders in order to foster a supportive environment for better MHM. Dimathalia Rizk
Nadine Eid: Reaching New Heights
What are the secrets to your success? Determination, Passion, Positivity, and Discipline. Success in life does not come very easily, and there are many obstacles that we have to clear before achieving our goals. How did you persevere through tough times? Challenges make you stronger and strengthen your ability to face and defeat more difficulties in the future. By finding ways to keep going, and keep moving forward, I was willing to take on all the challenges despite the struggles and delays in reaching my goals. It is that inner drive that kept me in the game when everything else was telling me it is time to quit! When going through tough times, the key is to have a clear vision, to be able to accept and anticipate change, to accept the uncertainty and unpredictability of Life, to incorporate gratitude into our daily routine, to remain positive, and to focus on the things that bring us happiness. We have to stick to our dreams until they become a reality. As Thomas Edison said: “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up”. Now that you have reached your goal, what do you want to achieve next? Once you reach a goal, take the time first to appreciate the outcome. Allow yourself the luxury of indulgence and satisfaction. Pause for a deep breath to admire the results, and get some credit for your hard work. Enjoy the moment, celebrate your success, and feel the comfort and joy in order to recharge for your next adventure. Then, the key element is to keep the balance. For me, it is now the time to try some new things, gain new experiences, and have new things to aim for. My bigger goal is already set, and am now working harder and smarter in order to expand it, and to prepare myself for the next level. What are some of the challenges you face regarding the advancements of the financial world? The issue of data breach is a major concern in the financial world. Financial services are always a target for cybercrimes due to the sensitive nature of their data. With the increase of online transactions and communications, security and risk mitigation are key factors that we should focus on. Also, one of the main challenges facing the financial services industry is managing regulatory risk and compliance, which is a fundamental component of the financial industry. Too much regulation can oppress innovation and increase costs, while too little can lead to mismanagement, corruption, and collapse. This makes it difficult to determine the optimal way to implement government regulations within the financial services sector. What are your plans for growing BeyondComply? My plan is to drive the name of BeyondComply to be associated with compliance worldwide, and to grow the company to become one of the top compliance firms in the world. The key now is to focus on customer service, explore new opportunities to extend the value of my customers, grow my team, build on my expertise, and focus on the right strategic partners. Switching from a role to another can be stressful. What drove you to opening your own business besides your position in a well-established multi-national company? Like every entrepreneur, I started my own business in order to follow my dreams and fulfill my passion. Pursuing what I want involves vision and requires intensive alignment. Being in charge of creating my own business from the ground up fills me with purpose and satisfaction, and enables me to shape my company into something I can be proud of and that I can pass on to my children as a foundation. Prioritization can be difficult no matter how experienced you are, and great leaders do it very well. On a related note how do you define leadership? Leadership is not an action or a title. It is about how we influence and guide others, how people learn from us, how they look for our advice, and how they are inspired by us. Our success as leaders is based on how we provide others with clear direction, how we develop our skills and know-how, share our knowledge, empower others, and continue learning at the same time. Making bets can be a familiar experience that women entrepreneur encounter. Do you feel like you have taken risks in your career? The ability to think outside the box and color outside the lines is by itself a big risk that one can take in his or her profession. The day I decided to get out of my comfort zone and challenge everything around me to head towards a new horizon was the biggest bet of my life. Career risks can be alarming, but they are sometimes necessary to reach your overall goals. I took a lot of risks in my career and I challenged a lot of people to reach where I am now. I have risked my job at various circumstances, but I was never afraid to recognize my own value and ask for more, while of course assessing whether the potential rewards will outweigh the potential loss. Switching gears, what advice would you give someone who’s just starting his career? Pursue your passion. Know who you really are and what you really want. Show enthusiasm for what you are doing. Motivate yourself with personal tasks to achieve your goal. Outside of work, what else are you passionate about? As an entrepreneur, speaker, senior executive, wife, mom and gym enthusiast all rolled into one, with 27 years of experience in a male-dominated industry, I have grown to understand how men and women function in relationships. Seeing the power of a strong woman, I am passionate about helping other women increase their confidence in their relationships and have helped numerous women to embrace their femininity and transform their relationships into exciting, successful and fulfilling experiences. In that regard, I