It was completely coincidental. My husband took his lunchbox that I had prepared to work, and every time he came back home telling me that everyone at work wanted a taste of the food he had. That's how the idea of starting a catering business came about. A couple of years later, Fatafeat (TV channel) started a competition called Star Chef, and I sent them a video and won the competition.
What were the biggest initial hurdles to building your business and how did you overcome them?
With the catering business, the biggest hurdle was preparing 150 lunch servings out of my small kitchen. But with the help of friends and family members, I was able to push through and deliver. When it comes to television, getting used to being on camera took me some time, but I got the hang of it eventually.
Did you ever deal with contention from your family and friends concerning your entrepreneurial pursuits?
How did you handle it? What would you do differently in hindsight?
My mom is a very dedicated person to her family. She was the pillar of my world when I started traveling abroad, taking care of my children while I was away, I couldn't have done it without her. However, in parallel, she always thought that my attention should be solely focused on my children and that my time away is affecting them in negative ways. I respect her opinion, but I also believe that it is important for my sons to be proud of their mom, to see her achievements and understand that women are more than just caregivers. We are achievers and leaders as well. I wouldn't do it differently if I had the chance. I am very proud of what I have achieved, and I also think that I've made everyone around me proud, including my parents and children.
What would you say was the single most influential factor in your business success?
Presenting cooking shows for the ladies who want to cook nice, love-filled meals for their families depends on 2 things: quality recipes and the presenter's charisma. I think that my personality on television is what the audience loves about me. I've heard that from many of my friends and fans, so I am guessing that's the most influential factor in my success.
What do you know today that you wish you would have known when you first got started as an entrepreneur?
That there's no need to stress, everything happens in due time.
What advice would you give to an upcoming entrepreneur locally and internationally?
Know yourself, know your product, your value and never sell yourself short.
