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Salsabil El-Awaisi, Founder of Se Interiors

"My name is Salsabil El-Awaisi, I'm an interior designer and the founder of Salsabil El-Awaisi Interiors. I'm also a wife and a mummy to my little boy Adam. I was born in a town called Hebron not far from Jerusalem but I grew up in Scotland. I grew up with two different identities which I struggled with growing up, but I have learned to accept them both and I believe this is what makes me unique and different today, both in my personal and professional life.

Since a young age, I always knew that I wanted to have my own business and be my own boss. But I understood that I needed work experience in order for me to be successful. After graduation, I took on a few roles in my design field to gain that experience. However, I had my little boy Adam and went on maternity leave thinking I would return back to work after he's one. Little did I know that my maternal instincts would be strong and I couldn't even think of leaving Adam in a nursery or with a childminder.

I made the decision to just do my own thing and start my business much earlier than expected. In the beginning, I struggled with 'how do I start'? I don't have a business degree and I just didn't know how to get started. I feel like I stumbled my way around things and made mistakes and I still do but I believe that everything teaches us something new. We have lots of great free resources for starting a business here in the Uk and I have made the most of them.

I have big dreams and aspirations. I want big things for my career and once I really succeed in the UK I would love to take my business international. I also want to create a brand out of my business not just a design service.

My advice to anyone with a passion to start their own business is just to go for it. Don't over think things and don't be afraid to make a plan. Have a plan and start working towards your goals. Also, don't be afraid to ask people for advice in your field, they have gone through the same process so anything they offer will be useful. It's hard and you will put so many hours of work in but it's your own little creation and all the hard work will be worth it.”

-Salsabil El-Awaisi, founder of Salsabil El-Awaisi Interiors.



"İsmim Salsabil El-Awaisi, Salsabil El-Awaisi Interiors'ın kurucusu ve iç mimarıyım. Ayrıca oğlum Adem'in de annesiyim. Kudüs'ten pek uzak olmayan El Halil (Hebron) şehrinde doğdum fakat İskoçya'da büyüdüm. İki farklı kimlikle büyümenin sıkıntısını yaşadım ama ikisini de kabul etmeyi öğrendim ve inanıyorum ki beni hem kişisel hem de profesyonel hayatımda özgün ve farklı yapan şey bu.

Küçüklüğümden beri hep kendi işimi kurmak, kendi kendimin patronu olmak istediğimi biliyordum fakat anladım ki başarılı olmak için tecrübeye ihtiyacım var. Mezun olduktan sonra tasarım alanında tecrübe kazanmak için birkaç yerde çalıştım. Ancak oğlum Adem doğmuştu ve oğlum büyüdüğünde işime dönmeyi düşünerek doğum iznine ayrıldım. Annelik içgüdülerimin bu kadar güçlü olacağını, Adem'i kreşe ya da bir dadıya bırakmayı hiç düşünmeyeceğimi bilmiyordum. Kendi işimi kurma kararımı beklediğimden çok daha erken aldım.

İlkte nasıl başlayacağımla ilgili sıkıntılar yaşadım. İşletme diplomam yoktu ve nereden başlayacağımı bilmiyordum. Tökezledim, hatalar yaptım, yapmaya devam ediyorum fakat her şeyin bize yeni bir şey öğrettiğine inanıyorum.
İngiltere'de kendi işini kuracaklar için birçok harika, ücretsiz kaynak var ve çoğundan faydalandım. 

Büyük hayallerim var. Kariyerim için büyük şeyler istiyorum ve İngiltere'de gerçekten başarılı olduğumda işletmemi uluslararası bir boyuta getirmek istiyorum. Ayrıca bu işimin dışında, sadece tasarım değil farklı ürünler de sunabilecek bir marka oluşturmak istiyorum. Kendi işini kurmak isteyenlere önerim bunun üzerine gitmeleri. Çok fazla düşünmemeleri ve korkmamaları. Bir plan yapın ve hedefleriniz üzerinde çalışmaya başlayın. Ayrıca alanınızdaki insanların fikirlerini de almaktan çekinmeyin. Onlar da aynı süreçten geçtiler ve söyledikleri her şey çok işine yarayacak. 
İşiniz zor. Çok fazla çalışacaksınız fakat bu sizin eseriniz ve tüm zorluklar buna değecek.”

-Salsabil El-Awaisi, Salsabil El-Awaisi Interiors'un kurucusu ve iç mimarı.

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