Please introduce yourself
Asalaamu aleykum,
My name is Ayan Ali. I am a first time mum to a brilliant toddler. I am a new entrepreneur based in Birmingham, UK. I have a background in psychology and a passion for creativity and diy projects.
Tell us a bit about your business
I started my business 'Dina Creations' on 5th December 2016. I'm the founder and creative brain behind the brand. Dina creations is a event management company catering for weddings and social events. Our speciality is in engagement parties and dessert tables at small functions. The reason I called my business Dina Creations is because I wanted the brand to represent creativity and be personal to me. My daughter's name is Maryam Dina, so I felt that this name would be most fitting - she is after all, the motivation behind the business.
I decided to start my own business because I always found myself wanting to plan and organise family gatherings/parties/dinners. My friends always teased me for ''having too much time on my hands'', but for me it was about making people feel special and celebrate their life achievements no matter how big or small. I also studied creative subjects in college and always had a passion for diy projects.
What are the biggest challenges you have faced?
Personally, I found the biggest business challenge was throwing myself into the unknown and figuring out the ins and outs of business. I found out quite quickly that this business is all about connecting with people and networking. I found that social media was instrumental in allowing me to achieve this in a short space of time. I now feel that the more people I connect with the more motivated and inspired I become.
Yes it's challenging but when you do what you love the most - it really doesn't feel like work.
How do you balance it all? Family and work?
Some days can be tough in terms of work life balance and mummy guilt of course, but that's why it's important to always put yourself out there and network as much as possible and just plan your time wisely. That is definitely one thing I've learned along the way and I'm still working on every day.
I feel that having a weekly schedule helps a lot with making sure I have enough time to spend with my husband and daughter as well as getting my alone time to recharge. I feel that this has really helped with balancing the different roles in my life.
Have you got any advice for aspiring mumpreneurs?
I would say to anyone who is a aspiring mumpreneur to keep the following points close to your heart:
1. Take action and connect
2. Be consistant and network
3. Dont be afraid of asking for help
Always believe in yourself and dont give up on your dreams.
