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Suna Tufan, Founder of Sahhane Restaurants

“I was born in Konya, Turkey in 1976. I studied Business and Theology at university. After graduation, I worked in different companies, both Turkish and international. When I had my children I stopped working and I devoted myself to raising them.

In 2007, I started my first business, Şahhane Restaurant in Ankara. One of the biggest motives behind starting the restaurant is the fact that I wanted a non-alcoholic place for conservative people where they could have a good time with their family accompanied with live music.
I personally thought there was a need for such a place, after a while we had to change our concept since the demand was low. Now we're serving in a hall where people hold ceremonies like weddings and graduations. After becoming successful, we opened another branch again in Ankara. In addition to my restaurants, I'm also managing a gas station which was left to me from my dad.

I wasn't wearing the hijab before 2007, that’s the same year I turned back to business. I realized straight away that people were prejudiced towards hijabis. Its a common thought amongst them that hijabis can't achive what non-hijabis or men can achive. There was a time where even hijabis used to think like that but I don't think its like that anymore.

I learned about character traits in University, for example, to be a good leader is be humble; listen to employees, ask team members' opinions but in real life it didn't work. When I asked for my employees' opinion they thought I didn’t know my job.

I wish I knew islamic trading rules when I first started. I believe that women in business should have good background knowledge on Islamic morals. Women should dream and be brave. I believe that Allah doesn't wish someone to dream something if He won't give them.”

Suna Tufan, Founder of Şahhane Restaurants.




“1976 Konya doğumluyum. Özel Diltaş Lisesini sosyal bilimler birincisi olarak bitirdim. Selçuk Üniversitesi İşletme bölümünü 1999'da, Anadolu üniversitesi İlahiyat bölümünü de 2015'te bitirdim. Birçok şirkette çalıştım. 2000 yılında evlenip İstanbul'a taşındım. Orada Öztrans uluslararası ticaret şirketinde brokerlık yaptım.
2002'de oğlum 2005'te de kızım dünyaya geldi. Böylece çalışmaya ara verdim, çocuklarımı kendim büyüttüm.

2007'de Ankara'ya kardeşlerimin yanına taşındım ve kardeşime ait bir işletmeyi Şahhane Restaurant olarak işletmeye başladım. İlk açma nedenim ailelere, alkolsüz mekanda eğlenmek isteyen herkese kaliteli canlı müzik dinleyebilecekleri ve güzel yemekler yiyebilecekleri bir mekan sunmaktı. Bu benim de ihtiyacını hissettiğim bir şeydi fakat azınlıkta bir kesimin arzusuymuş. Bu yüzden konsept değiştirdik. Şu an Türk, Osmanlı ve dünya mutfağı seçmelerini sunduğumuz; firma yemekleri ve çeşitli törenlerin yapıldığı bir mekan olarak hizmet veriyoruz. 2017'de Şahhane Söğütözü'den sonra Ankara Gölbaşında'da muhteşem göl manzarasıyla Şahhane Gölbaşı'nı açtık. 
Şu an bunların yanında babamdan kalan bir benzin istasyonunu da işletmekteyim.

2007'de tekrar iş hayatına dönene kadar tesettürlü değildim. Tesettüre girdiğimde insanların tesettürlülerin herhangi bir konuda erkeklerden veya tesettürlü olmayanlardan daha iyi olabileceklerine ihtimal vermediklerine şahit oldum. Bu durum canımı sıksa da insanların beni tanımadıkları için ön yargılı olduklarını düşünüp kendimi rahatlattım. İşin ilginç yanı tesettürlüler dahi bir organizasyonda sizin daha başarılı olacağınıza inanmıyordu. O dönemde tesettürlü iş kadını sayısı Ankara'da bir avuçtu.

Üniversitede öğretilen bazı liderlik özellikleri vardı: mütevazilik, bir işe çalışanları da dahil etmek, fikirlerini almak gibi. Ancak bunu ben yaptığımda "patron bir şey bilmiyor, bize soruyor" deniliyormuş:) Bunu önceden bilmek isterdim.

İlahiyat okurken İslami ticaret kurallarını öğrendim. Peygamberimiz Hz. Muhammed'in (S.A.V.) ticaretle ilgili bize örnek olduğu ve bizi aydınlattığı o kadar çok konu var ki... Bunları iş hayatına başlamadan bilmek isterdim.

Hanımların mutlaka ticarette, iş hayatında olmaları gerek ve İslam ticaret ahlakını bilmeleri. Efendimiz der ki "Rızkın onda dokuzu ticarettedir." Ticaretin onda dokuzu cesarettedir.
Cesur olsunlar, hayal kursunlar. Asla pes etmesinler.

Suna Tufan, Şahhane Restaurant'ın kurucusu.


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