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Şeyma Akben, Founder of Fiore Dolce

"My name is Şeyma. I graduated from Industrial Design with an honors degree. After graduation I started working on an industrial estate as a designer.
After working there a couple of months I started to question my life choices in general. It was a tough environment and I was spending very long days working with men I didn’t know. I was very unhappy.

I decided to quit my job, and I enrolled at a Quran memorization course for a year. I didn't have any intention to go back to that kind of working environment. I prayed and prayed for a job that would be good for me. One day, I came across a bakery account (based in Korea) on Instagram, with picture of all kids of cakes and desserts decorated with beautiful flowers made by cream. I fell in love.

I always wanted to study Gastronomy in University but neither my family nor our education system allowed it. When I saw them pretty cakes on Instagram, I just wanted to go for it. I worked as an apprentice at a florist for 4 months. I learned about flowers and arrangement and of course I was able to save up a little money. When it was enough, I went to South Korea to find that bakery I saw on Instagram. I really did.

Now I'm a proud baker, the first in this field in Turkey -using buttercream isn’t mainstream. My advice for young ladies, after you graduate from high school or university, take time out to find yourself and learn about Islam. And don't forget to chase your dreams."

-Şeyma Akben, Founder of Fiore Dolce.




"Ben Şeyma Akben. Endüstri ürünleri tasarımcısı olarak üniversitemi derece ile bitirdim ve hocalarımın beni tavsiye etmesi üzerine mezuniyet sonrası tasarımcı olarak Kayseri sanayi bölgesinde işe başladım. Bir süre çalıştıktan sonra hayatımı ve imanımı sorgulamaya başladım. Günün neredeyse tamamını hiç tanımadığım adamlarla iş arkadaşlığı yaparak geçiriyordum. İnsan ne kadar çizgisini korumak istese de sabah 8 akşam 6 beraber olunca ister istemez bir samimiyet oluyordu. Hayatım işimden ibaretti. Müslümanım diyorum ama yaşadığım hayat İslamiyetin neresindeydi?

Bu düşünceler doğrultusunda işi bıraktım ve Kuran kursunda bir sene yatılı eğitim aldım. Kursun o manevi ortamından çıkıp sanayi ortamına dönme niyetim hiç yoktu. Tam işsiz olduğum zamanlarda Allahu Teala’dan benim için hayırlı olacak bir iş diledim ve Instagram'da gezinirken krema ile gerçekçi çiçekler yaparak pasta süsleyen bir hesapla karşılaştım. Pastalara resmen aşık oldum.

Üniversitede gastronomi okumayı çok istemiştim ama ne eğitim sistemimiz ne de çevrem müsaade etmişti. Ben de vakit bu vakittir deyip radikal bir kararla hayallerimin peşinden koşmaya karar verdim. 4 ay kadar Nişantaşı'nda bir çiçekçide çıraklık yaptım. Hem çiçekleri tanıdım hem de para biriktirdim. Sonra atladım uçağa, gittim Güney Kore'ye, o Instagram'da gördüğüm pastaneyi bulmaya.

Şimdi aldığım eğitimler doğrultusunda sektöre farklı bir tarz getirmiş ve Türkiye’de ilk olmayı başarmış bir pastacı olmanın gururunu taşıyorum.

Benim genç hanımlara tavsiyem: liseden veya üniversiteden sonra en azından bir yatılı kursa gidip islamı kaynaklarından öğrenin. 
Ayrıca çevrenizden gelen eleştirilere aldırış etmeden hayallerinizin peşinden koşun ve girişimcilikten korkmayın. Unutmayın ki Allah (cc) vermeyi istemeseydi, istemeyi vermezdi."

-Şeyma Akben, Fiore Dolce'nin kurucusu.

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