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1. OUR STORY. WHO SAID: FOLLOW YOU GUT FEELING? WE WOULD BE IN THE FOOD BUSINESS TODAY.
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OUR STORY • WHO SAID: FOLLOW YOU GUT FEELING? • WE WOULD BE IN THE FOOD BUSINESS TODAY Our paths started differently. Hiba started her own business – she knew she never wanted to work for anyone and Rafa got employed in a big firm to gain experience in Marketing and Sales and eventually do her own thing! We’ve always known we wanted to do something together – after 5 years of work experience, we started brainstorming, thinking how we could combine our skills to start a business doing something we love. For all those who know us well, the first option would be to choose the food business. The business plan was done, we found a location, a name, started thinking about the menu…, we even started telling our friends about it… when everything was ready and we were about to sign the lease contract we had a change of heart … we couldn’t picture our life leading a restaurant … as young women, still at the beginning of our family lives, we thought keeping long hours, working on weekends, 7 days a week, would prevent us from enjoying other facets of life. 2
OUR STORY • One objective→ ultimately work together • One idea→ be innovative • One concern→ stand out in whatever we do, fill a gap by starting a “demand-driven” business • One wish→ be “exclusive”“niche”“selective” • One strength→ knowledge of competition • One shared feeling→ passion for the job
AN EXAMPLE OF SHARED LEADERSHIP • By definition leadership is the privilege of one person • Our short (9 months!) success story proves that this is an additional challenge to face for young entrepreneurs: • We have to remain friends • We have to listen to the OTHER • We have to accept to share responsibility (not only authority) • Preach the same culture in 2 voices • Sleep in 2 different beds but share the same dream • Trust that the OTHER will do an as good job as me • Project ourselves a one role model: passionate, decisive determined • Be humble: it is a sign of maturity
OURSTORY • WHO SAID: YOU CANNOT CHANGE YOU MIND AND REVERSE THE COURSE OF THINGS? • This is where our next idea came up … our passion for sports. • Hiba was already training in freelance, • she new there was a demand for that in the area. • Sports and health are a growing trend worldwide, and in Lebanon people are starting to feel it as well … • We wanted to do something different • We wanted to offer people a customized service • And TRAINSTATION WAS BORN!
THE CHALLENGES • The economical environment and the unstable political situation • Sports is still considered a luxury in Lebanon • The competition is fierce and the market is small • But . . . • THOUGH TIMES MAKE GREAT COMPANIES
THE CHALLENGES HOW ARE WE FACING THEM? • Being a“niche” studio and keeping our structure lean • Learn from others' mistakes, impose a strict pricing strategy and stick to it • Turn some negative factors the gender (woman) and the age (young) to our advantage by becoming friends with our customers, by being present and being involved in their fitness program • Enjoy a good relationship with the staff despite our young age and know where to draw the line of friendship: a difficult task • Accept to share tasks, divide responsibilities and become • co-managers: an ideal situation. . . not impossible to achieve but not easy!
CONCLUSION • We are determined to win and Innovation has been key in our start up operation. • But we know • We will last because of a lot of Perspiration by building the customer base, maintaining a high standard offering and above all, turning a challenging business into . . . • a FUN Adventure