ONE MORE SLEEP and we are so excited to meet another amazing ‘Mumpreneur’ as well as the owner behind this concept.
Sidiqa the owner of Spontiphoria (one of Dubai’s cutest boutique cafès) is just 23 years old and is half-Emirati and half-Pakistani. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and a Master’s degree in Conflict Prevention, Sustainable Peace, and Security. Sidiqa owns and manages this stunning cafè in Al Wasl Square, Jumeirah and manages everything from buying to planning. What an inspiration for young girls of Dubai who have a dream!
Sidiqa came up with“Annual Small Business Month” in 2015 to help other small business owners in Dubai. I for one know a few ‘Mumpreneurs’ that are truly grateful for all the help and advice she has thrown their way…
Another Beautiful ‘Mumpreneur’ and inspirational Mum in Dubai who will be show casing her design’s at Spontiphoria for Small Business Month is Janine Plum.
What did you do before Desert Roses? Did you ever think you would be a “Mumpreneur”?
Hospitality and the service industry was my passion before Desert Roses. My last role involved facilitating and writing training programs, I was in my element and to be honest I thought I would be doing it until the day I retired, that was until Yara & Maya came along! Having my girls concurred many inhibitions and fears, wearing a Mumpreneur badge was easy peasy compared to dealing with a colic, reflux and supermarket tantrums!
How did you go from the idea to actually making it for the marketplace? Was that a difficult process!
I always had a vision since the day the idea came into my head. I was fortunate enough that my husband is an expert in the Branding\Marketing field, so he quickly set me up with a few contacts who brought my brand identity to life. Once this was in place I felt confident enough to start putting my name onto my products. When my customer database grew, and feedback was 99.9% positive, I approached stores. And by this I meant, walking from door to door dropping off samples of my work in an envelope with an accompanying letter. Once the first store decided to stock my products, my wings grew stronger, and I approached a few more. This was the easy part. How to grow the business and constantly being creative was the more challenging part.
What do you tell other women when they have a burning idea?
Don’t over think it. Don’t procrastinate. And don’t be afraid of rejection & criticism. Similar to choosing a name for your baby, don’t tell many, only the ones you trust wholeheartedly (if any)! You’ll get various reactions and responses, some in favor and others may give you their opinion of how they think it should be spelt. Just run with it!
What does a typical day look like for Desert Roses? Do you have any rituals?
I’m a very structured person! I wave the girls off to school at 7am (my husband drops them), pour myself a strong cup of coffee and by 7:10 I am in my craft room! 8:30 I head out to my fitness class, I can normally squeeze in 1-2hrs more of work, before its time to pick the girls up! Afternoons are a hit and miss, it really depends on whether I am in demand by the girls, of which I hardly get any work in. I eat dinner with the girls everyday at 5:30, it’s a very formal affair with placemats and cutlery set by the girls. Bath and bedtime follows shortly after. 8:10 I’m in bed.
How do you balance your work and family life?
I find this very challenging. But I also need to remind myself that the girls are only little for a very short time. If I had to choose between making headbands or doing a craft fair on a week-end for 8hrs of the day and building family memories, I’d choose the later. This is why structure is so important to me and the fact that they love their teachers, and the 4-6hrs a day that they spend with them, is like gold to me.
You have two beautiful Littleloves. What does childcare look like for you?
If I was honest with you, I would not have been able to grow and focus on the business if it was not for our lovely helper! She’s been with us since the birth of Maya (that’s 4 years now), I trust her with my most valuable possessions and when the girls are asked to name their family members at school, she is one of them. When I have busy days, and need to work through the afternoons after pick up, she fills my shoes.
What are you most proud of in your professional life?
That’s had the guts to start, and push through when I doubted my self. I still don’t think of Desert Roses as a :business: but when I get messages from others asking for advice or telling me that I inspire them, this makes me immensely proud.
What has been you’re proudest achievement in your personal life?
I was one of the first in my family to travel abroad! I quit my studies, was sat down on the bed by my Mum and I’ll never forget these words :if you’re sure this is what you want to do, you’re on your own now: With no financial help from my parents, I made the decision at 24 years old, that I wanted to move half way across the world and I did! The US, London and finally Dubai was where I decided :it’s time to be an adult now: That decision that I made almost 15 years ago, has been one of my greatest personal achievements.
Do you have any mentors/people that have inspired you along your journey? Who are they?
Not to sound cliche, my Gran! She’s a true testament to courage, strength and has played a pivotal role in my life! It was due to many sacrifices that she made, which enabled my family to merely exist. No one comes close.
If you could give one piece of advice to Mums out there who are trying to live their dream of having it all, what would it be?
Education and research are key. Don’t compare, sometimes we only see what others want us to. Always plan for the worse, be prepared to take the good with the bad and the bad with the ugly.
Janine it was a pleasure to have you sitting in the Mumpreneur’s hot seat!
Come and meet Janine Tomorrow – Tuesday the 12th of April from 9am-11am for #cakeonthesquare @spontiphoria
Add some sparkle to your life via Janine’s Facebook and Instagram feed.