Jul 29

Jul 29 Inspiring Lives with Jahara (CEO) of Adara For Fashion Gxd Magazine

Written By Samantha Cee

For our next Inspiring Lives we bring you Adara, an amazing online boutique and home of the "Modesty Movement". Adara is obtaining a vast amount of influence and recognition within the fashion industry as they encourage women to join the "Modesty Movement". The Modesty Movement has more to do with the nature of an individual and less to do with their attire. Adara conveys a universal message geared towards the "fashionably conscious woman.
We knew we had to feature them for our Inspiring Lives column. We bring you our Inspiring Lives exclusive interview with Adara

Social media accounts

Instagram-@adaraonline

Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/adaraonline1/

Fashion Gxd Magazine : How did the idea for your business come about?

Jahara (CEO): Actually, my husband was accompanying me on one of my shopping ventures and noticed how difficult it was for me to find clothes that were stylish, modern and modest. He said, well if we can't find what you like let’s start our own company that curates styles not only for you but other women as well. Surely if I was dealing with such a dilemma so were others.

Fashion Gxd Magazine : How do you find people to bring into your organization that truly care about the organization the way you do ?

Jahara (CEO) :We look for people who get our vision without much explanation. It almost feels as if they can read my mind, so that makes it easy to choose people to join the team. You can always find someone who’s good at what they do, but we need people who believe in our vision of the Modesty Movement.

Fashion Gxd Magazine : What three pieces of advice would you give to college students who want to become entrepreneurs?

Jahara (CEO) :Entrepreneurship can be a daunting task at times, it's also extremely liberating. Strategies will constantly get changed but it's great to have one. Nothing happens overnight so you have to learn to celebrate the small feats as you're persistent in your efforts toward the end goal.

Fashion Gxd Magazine :If you had the chance to start your career over again, what would you do differently?

Jahara (CEO) : Spend more time developing a social media presence. Making people aware of your business nowadays can be a lot easier when those social media platforms are properly utilized.

Fashion Gxd Magazine :What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?

Jahara (CEO) : Persistence, as a new company people want be sure of your sustainability, they see you, they just want to make sure you're the real deal. Know your vision and surround yourself with a team that gets your vision. It won't happen overnight but you have to believe it will happen.

Fashion Gxd Magazine :What have been some of your failures, and what have you learned from them?

Jahara (CEO) : Not knowing as much as those I hire. I understand that it will be difficult for me to know everything but I'm trying. This way you know if it's extremely necessary or if you could even do some things yourself. As an entrepreneur every penny counts. So while you don't want cut corners that will jeopardize your brand/business, you also don't want to just give capital away. Read! Learn as much as you can about every aspect of your business. I find myself reading a wide range of books. Books on Photography, Marketing, Social media, to books on how to be the best CEO like, From Good to Great by James Collins or Quiet by Susan Cain.

Fashion Gxd Magazine : How many hours do you work a day on average?

Jahara (CEO) : More than the average 9 to 5. I lose track of hours, my husband and I find ourselves working well into the night. It's enjoyable working for myself and I realize that you only get out what you put in. It’s hard to pull me away from work, so I tend to work until the current task at hand is done.

Fashion Gxd Magazine :Describe/outline your typical day?

Jahara (CEO) : No two days are the same. It could range from laying out outfits for a lifestyle photo shoot as I simultaneously get my three children ready, or meeting with marketers, to meeting with designers, or designing photos in Photoshop. In this industry you'll find that you must be a jack of all trades. There is no typical day.

Fashion Gxd Magazine : How has being an entrepreneur affected your family life?

Jahara (CEO) : As a wife and mother of 3 it's definitely a lot but extremely enjoyable. Family is a huge motivator for our path. It's great working with my husband and being able to constantly bounce ideas off of one another even with our different approaches :-). Our children are always excited to tell people about our company and partake in any aspects of the business and can't wait to start their own.

Fashion Gxd Magazine :What motivates you?

Jahara (CEO) : My family. Knowing that I can possibly set my children up to own a company reaping significant profit in a billion dollar industry. I watched my parents and many other parents work for years and they’ve set our generation up to carry the baton and move things to the next level. I want to take it even further for our children.

Fashion Gxd Magazine: How do you generate new ideas?

Jahara (CEO) : Brainstorming sessions that focus on separating ourselves from the competition and gaining competitive advantage. Another great practice is examining other industries and finding aspects of those industries that can be applied to retail.

Fashion Gxd Magazine : What sacrifices have you had to make to be a successful entrepreneur?

Jahara (CEO) : Avoiding the urge to keep up with the Joneses. All extra time and resources are reinvested into the business.

Fashion Gxd Magazine : Where you see yourself and your business in 10 years? 20 years?

Jahara (CEO) : As the authority on Modest Fashion and worldwide leaders of the Modesty Movement.