Lounge Talk with Atiqua, the force behind Luxurina Accessories

Daughters are like flowers, they fill the world with beauty.

These are the emotions that were felt by Atiqua Maqsood Saya when she was blessed with a beautiful daughter a year back.

An MBA graduate from Iqra University and a former O' levels maths and accounts teacher, Atiqua now runs a successful online store of imported fashion accessories - for babies, kids, teens and women called LuxurinaAccessories.

We set up an interview with Atiqua to know more about this determined woman in our feature.

1. What motivated you to start Luxurina Accessories?

I have always wanted to pursue a professional career. Previously I was teaching, but after my daughter was born a year back i had to choose some work which i could do from home.

when I had a baby girl, I wanted to dress her up like a doll, like all other moms do; match every thing perfectly. I searched a lot but could not find unique and comfortable accessories. So I started searching for people abroad who could help me. this helped me in developing a business line and eventually my work started.

2. What are the different varieties offered by Luxurina and what age group does it target?

At Luxurina we have baby shoes, clothes, headbands, caps, hats, 18k gold plated and branded jewellery.

3. What has been the feedback from your customers?

Allhumdullillah our customers are very satisfied and return regularly to purchase more from our store 
They say we have made their life easy as they don't have to undertake the hassle of going to the market and search for accessories.

Customers are very happy with our delivery since we have started free cash on delivery on orders above Rs 1500. Easy paisa and bank transfer is also available if required

4. Have there been any complaints regarding the product or delivery process? If yes, then how did you attend to it?

We don't have any complaints for our product honestly.

But people do complain that we do not have variety for boys. this is because there is more variety of accessories for girls to choose at the supplier end. Plus I am not good with boys' shopping. However, I'm trying to cater to this complaint.

5. Where do you see your business along the road?

I want to see Luxurina as one of the leading online accessories store in Pakistan. we are currently working on our website Luxurina.pk which will soon be available

6. How can those interested place their order?

placing an order at Luxurina is simple: just text, inbox or fill in our order form with item codes, sizes (if applicable) and your details. we will provide free cash on delivery in 2 to 3 days. all stuff is ready for delivery and we do not encourage preorders

7. Lastly, we would like to know your experience of being a mother.

Motherhood is the best thing that has happened to me. its wonderful to see a life totally dependent and fully in love with you, who always wants you to be there for her.

 

Lounge Talk with Moneeza Kashif, owner of Ribbons n Bows

Moneeza Kashif is a mother of 3, with the eldest being 12 years of age and the youngest, aged 1. With such a diverse age difference amongst her children, one can only imagine her daily routine. From catering to the endless demands of the youngest to managing the homework schedule of the eldest, it can only be said that such a routine demands patience, perseverance and determination.
However, Moneeza is not just a mama; she's a mama-preneur. Besides raising three fine kids, she has been successful in running a small business of kids wear, which goes by the name of Ribbons and bows.
Ribbons n bows is an online retail business, where Moneeza imports kids clothes from different countries and sells them online.
To us it was baffling as to how she could juggle all of this at once. So we sought out to ask her.

1.What was the motivation behind your business idea?

I always thought that I'd WANT to work, but now I just do it because I have to. My husband never allowed me to go out and work 9-5 and now after 3 kids i couldn't even think of doing that. So i thought of working from home . 
The motivation behind my business idea was that i wanted to  provide more advantages to my children -- a good lifestyle and wanted to earn some money of my own so that
every time I would not have to ask my husband .

For the pretty ballerina: aged 4 and 6 years

2.What challenges do you find in balancing work, family, and life? How do you meet these challenges? 

As I work from home, I do not have to see tears in my children's eyes when I leave home for wok. But still  raising children while working will always be a challenge. In addition, giving attention to my husband, children and home and balancing work is great pressure, which I try to cope with by taking out time to work on the computer when the kids are asleep.
I meet these challenges by making my family my first priority. I made a decision to separate work time from personal time. When with my family, for instance I turn off my laptop or computer. Secondly, I manage my time by organising household tasks efficiently, and set my timings to work on computer according to my family routine.

Mini super-heroes: onesies

3.What is your favourite thing about the work that you do?

My favourite thing about my work is to see my customers happy and satisfied with the product they buy from me.

Style Diva: aged 2 to 6 years

4.What advice do you have for other mamas who work in and outside of the home?

My advice for working mamas is that whatever work you do, always keep your family your first priority.
Secondly you should simplify your domestic life, for example shop online to save time, never over burden yourself and be efficient and organised.

Looking handsome young boy: aged 2 to 5 years

Lounge Talk with TW9Y

TW9Y or more specifically The Whole 9 Yards, is an event management company with emphasis on delivering innovative projects that surpass expectations. TW9Y specialise in creating experiences, tailor made to a client’s unique requirements.
TW9Y is the brain child of two enthusiastic moms, Shaheen Serang and Ishrat Bandukda. 
Exploring their role as mom-preneurs we dwelled a bit more to find out about them and their creation.

1.What was the motivation behind your business idea?

We as women of this society, who in the whole household understand the dearth of entertainment, designed TW9Y to bring people out of drawing room culture, TV and 
Computer ADDICTION, to get rid of boredom, encourage entrepreneurs and introduce healthy activities like:

• DACC Pet Show (Selected as Best Pet Show of 2011 by Style 360)
• Splash (Water Games)
• TW9Y Super Kidz Contest
• TW9Y Women’s EXPO 2012 & 2013
• TW9Y Fashion, Style & Fundraising
• ARY Digital Morning Shows
• TW9Y Go-Aaish (Fundraising)
• TW9Y Car Rally + Scavenger Hunt etc.

Creating new ideas and fulfilling demand of family events in fun-filled environment is the hallmark of “The Whole 9 Yards” (TW9Y). TW9Y has a high-energy, can-do culture, which is merged with a streetwise mindset that puts quick lead times as a key client priority. Nothing is impossible & challenge is what we thrive on and attention to detail is one of our cornerstones of what we do.

2. What challenges do you find in balancing work, family and life? How do you meet these challenges?

We both have been year coordinators and class coordinators of our children multiple times and work voluntarily for their school. We never miss any meeting or extracurricular etc of our kids, do pick n drop and teach them as well. We always try our best to finish our meetings and work in advance and work never becomes a hindrance.

In fact the most important thing is that our whole family gets involved in our events and kids learn and enjoy being in the family sort of atmosphere.

3.What is your favourite thing about the work that you do?

There are a couple of accomplishments that we are really proud of. Fundraising for The Garage School, Providing FREE 15-20 booths to well Known NGO’s to support deserving & outstanding, Involving the whole family to participate in family activities, Promoting SPECIAL PEOPLE who are making a difference in life.

4.What advice do you have for other mamas who work in and outside of the home?

Struggle, Survive & Strive for Excellence.

Lounge Talk with Moppets

Fashions fade, style is eternal

Well said, Yves Saint-Laurent.

That is why since toddlers, children try to emulate their parents because they believe they are the most stylish people they could ever meet. However, parents can improve upon that style by dressing up their children in not only stylish but also comfortable clothes.
Building upon this idea is Moppets. 
Moppets is a comparatively new brand offering quality cloths for kids ageing 1-7 years. Their stuff ranges from casual cotton wear to formal western and eastern dresses. For convenience, customers can buy their variety online. 
The success of Moppets can be attributed to the woman behind the show. This Mother's Day we asked her to share her success story with us.

1.What was the motivation behind your business idea?

Quality clothes which are offered by different brands are very few in market and they are very expensive, not in the reach of middle class. So my aim was to provide good quality clothing at a lesser price. Especially fancy clothing for little girls from ages 1 to 7 years. 

a trendy skirt for the trendy girl - age: 4 to 5 years

2.What challenges do you find in balancing work, family, and life? How do you meet these challenges? 

Alhamdulilah, luckily I have full support from my family especially from my husband, so i have no such challenge to be pointed out. Yes dealing with workers is always difficult, so when i work, i speak their language which i have learnt from them :) and i come to their mental level to explain them what i really want a piece of cloth to become.  

glam her up for an evening out - age: 4 to 5 years

3.What is your favourite thing about the work that you do?

First of all i love making and designing clothes, and kids' clothes are always very cute, When i design a dress i get so much curious to see how it will look like and when people like it and appreciate it, it gives me so much satisfaction and pleasure which is UN-explainable. Playing with colours is always fun. 

beat the summer heat in this light coloured dress - age: 3 to 4 years

4.What advice do you have for other mamas who work in and outside of the home?

My advice is that mothers should set their priorities. Their kids and family should be on top of it; it is her most important duty to take care of her child or children and always be there when they need her. Then if u have time spend some with your self, do work for your satisfaction and take good care of your self.

Lounge Talk with Life Coach and Family Mediator, Bint e Ahmed

By definition, emotions are a natural instinctive state of mind deriving from one's  relationships with others. This means that while relationships act as a stimulus, the 

expression of emotions is the conditioned response. This forms the human psychology. 

At times when one fails to attain the desired fulfillment from a particular relationship, he is often termed to have a psychological deficiency. While this is true at times, it by no means implies a social taboo. As humans we live in societies for a reason - to seek help from each other. 

People advise with the intention of helping those in need. However, those who are knowledgeable are the best sources. They are professionals who have been trained in the field and add from their personal experience.

Parenting and Relationship Coaching is one such banner. Run by Bint e Ahmed, she is a life coach and family mediator, who strives at overcoming any obstacles that may be hampering the development of healthy relationships.

The team at Mama, Baby and Diapers sought to interview the expert over an exchange of emails to find out more about the inspirational woman.

Beginning with the most clichéd and apt question for introductions: can you please tell us about yourself?

I would like to be known as Bint e Ahmed. Professionally I am a software engineer turned a Life Coach and a Family Mediator. I currently reside in Karachi.

What comprises the project Parenting and Relationship Coaching (Pakistan) and how did it come into form?

I was getting increasingly unsatisfied with my 9 to 6 job and working with abstract software code. I always wanted to do something different; something that would connect me to people, something that would help me make a difference in people’s lives.
I was always aware of my empathetic nature and listening skills, yet was not sure how to use them until I got the opportunity to attend training in Life Coaching first, and then Family Mediation. My experience working with lawyers and social workers gave me a clear direction.
I then moved to Pakistan in the end 2011 with the objective of starting workshops for parents, teachers and care takers. However, the turnout at these workshops was disappointing. That is when I created the Facebook page for Parenting and Relationship Coaching (Pakistan), with the purpose of creating awareness. It led to a remarkable response from fans.
One fan asked me if I could provide individual coaching. I took it as a challenge and agreed. The client was very happy with the way I guided her and this encouraged me to advertise a one on one coaching program on the fan page. A few fans signed up for the program which led to appreciation from the clients. Since then Alhamdo Lillah more and more people are showing interest, joining the program and brining major positive changes in their lives.
Many of my clients have commented that the improvement is so significant that their friends and family members can notice the change in their approach to life and communication style.

How would you describe your background and training?

I have received training in Life Coaching, Family Mediation and many other relevant topics from Canada and have worked with lawyers and social workers. I got opportunity to work with abused people, divorced couples and immigrant community in Canada. This has indeed been an enriching experience.

What is your coaching philosophy?  What’s your mission as a coach?

Parenting and Relationships need skills that are not taught in educational institutes. With the trend of diminishing joint family system in Pakistan, the informal guidance and emotional support has become unavailable. In the past few decades the way we live has changed drastically. Old ways of parenting and maintaining fulfilling relationships do not work anymore. Divorce rate and family conflicts are ever increasing.
My mission is to provide guidance, emotional support and impart skills to help women raise children with character and maintain smooth and fulfilling family relationships.

What procedures do you use to evaluate the areas of weakness of your clients and how do you help them perform to the best of their abilities?

When a client shows interest, I arrange an intake call with her over the phone, Skype or viber. During the first call I get a fairly good idea about what kind of help is needed. Week by week we discuss problems and issues of concern. Each week I give them reading assignments, help them define family rules and activities to follow and practice to help create harmony and structure in the family.
I coach them on       
                                                                           

• Time management
• Organization skills,
• Assertive communication skills
• Positive discipline
• Managing emotions
• Problem solving
• Conflict management
• Negotiating differences

Can you please quote a real life experience and how it aided to benefit your clients?

Sometimes simple adjustments in your attitude can make big difference. I always advise my clients not to show an immediate reaction when an argument flares up. I coach them on different techniques on how to contain their emotions and take time out to control immediate reactions. Many clients have given the feed back that this almost invariably helps contain the conflict and because of lack of immediate reaction the other party loses interest and is not so keen on opposition.

What do you think are the main factors that contribute to healthy relationships amongst a child and their parents? How can they be incorporated into daily life?

Positive discipline, bonding and structure. Implement one rule each week and see how it brings harmony and peace to your household.

In your experience, what have been the most common factors that lead to strains within relationships?

We are products of our experiences. We unconsciously learn lots of things that are not so helpful.
Blaming, complaining, nagging, desire to control, desire to always be right and lack of communication are some of those things and a sure sign of an unhealthy relationship.

Has there been a time when you gave coaching sessions, yet the participants had difficulty in understanding the topics you were covering? What did you do?

I adapt to the participants’ level of understanding and language. Alhamdo Lillah most of my clients have made very positive changes in their lives. Though there are some clients who were not so receptive and insisted that it is the other person who should change. They think that I can teach them how to change the other person and make the other party realize their mistakes. Now I make it clear from the beginning that change should always come from within first. As most of our interactions are interdependent the other party adapts with you and a process sets in motion that may bring profound changes in the way you interact and relate.

How can interested participants get in touch with Parenting and Relationship Coaching (Pakistan)?

Details of contact are provided below:

Life Coach and Family Mediator

Bint e Ahmed

Ph: 0300 2643988, 0315 6123656, 

Viber: 0307 7198611

Skype: parenting.relationship.coach

Email: wonder.life.coach@gmail.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ParentingAndRelationshipCoaching

Going back in your life 10 years, what do you find you could not do then that now you have no problem doing?

Stay calm in panicky situations; control my anger, disappointments and reactions to unpleasant situations.
I am amazed at how easily I can forgive now whereas it was almost impossible before and how forgiving takes a heavy load off your chest.
I have also learnt not to be judgmental and communicate assertively

Would you like to end with a positive advice or a note of inspiration? 

Parenting and maintaining healthy relationships are indeed difficult in these times of tremendous social change. Don’t be shy to admit that you need help. This can turn around your life. Give yourself a chance.