Mompreneur no 10: Rana Mardini
Co-Owner and Marketing Director at ‘Naseej’
Rana Mardini, mom of 2, studied Economics and Psychology in The American University in Cairo. She always had a passion for interior designing as well as mixing fabrics and different textures. Her family is in the business of manufacturing fabrics since 1948. She is a Co-owner and Marketing Director of ‘Naseej’
How did ‘Naseej’ start?
We had the idea of starting a new retail spinout from our weaving company Mardini Style back in 2012, but the economic climate was not promising. As soon as we sensed a slight economic recovery in 2015, we took the plunge and started working on Naseej. We opened our flagship store end of 2016 with the aim of creating a fabric brand catered towards a younger crowd, especially those who have an eye for newest trends in interior design and home fabrics.
How do you balance between the demands of your work and the demands of your family?
I manage my time between my kids and my work as best as I can, trying to give each the attention they deserve. On weekday mornings and afternoons I dedicate my time entirely to Naseej, while the second half of my days are fully dedicated to my kids. I spend my evenings with them, juggling between home-works and trainings while making sure we spend quality family time together.
What are the main challenges that you faced?
The first challenge we faced was designing and manufacturing an entire collection in-house in under one year. Looking back, we still don’t know how we managed to pull that off! The second challenge that we faced was recruiting the right team and communicating our exact vision to them in order to realise our set targets. Finally, the challenge we are currently facing is figuring out the next best step to take in order to grow our brand, while maintaining quality and a pleasant customer experience.
If you are going to give an advice to a mother who wants to start her own business, what would you tell her?
Every mum should pursue her dreams in order to be able to give her kids and family all the love and attention they need. Self fulfilment is the key to a successful life.
The Kangaroo Mamas 