Successful Restaurant Owner Lobna Helli Provides Mentorship to Women Entrepreneurs
Successful Restaurant Owner Lobna Helli Provides Mentorship to Women Entrepreneurs
March 4, 2022 | Nawar Maarri
Lobna provides guidance to women entrepreneurs on human resources, challenges and risks, problem solving, marketing and grant applications within the Fast Integration Project, organized by Building Markets in cooperation with Matrix Talent Consultancy.
Lobna Helli came to Turkey in 2015 from her hometown of Aleppo, Syria. She began working as a volunteer to help other refugees, but soon decided to start her own business in order to provide for her family. In November 2017, Lobna opened a dessert shop in Gaziantep, which eventually expanded to a restaurant called Lazord, serving both Syrian and Turkish food.
Since opening Lazord, Lobna has faced a number of challenges. “It’s been incredibly tough since 2020. We survived COVID-19, the declining value of the Turkish Lira and economic downturn, and despite everything we are still standing,” she says. “All the credit goes to Building Markets’ services, especially the mentorship program, which was a pivotal step in my business and helped me determine the right direction.”
After seeing the value of mentorship, Lobna decided that she wanted to be able to provide similar support to other SMEs. Through Building Markets’ Arabic-speaking mentor training program, Lobna received the tools and skills needed to be an effective mentor. Today, in her mentorship sessions with women entrepreneurs, she also brings her personal experience in human resources management and her own entrepreneurial ideas to the table. She provides guidance on human resources, challenges and risks, problem-solving, marketing, and grant applications within the Fast Integration Project, organized by Building Markets in cooperation with Matrix Talent Consultancy.
Lobna believes Turkey offers many exciting opportunities for women to start businesses, and society is encouraging women to join the workforce. Most of the challenges that entrepreneurs, particularly those coming from different countries, face are related to a lack of knowledge about Turkish laws and regulations, a language barrier, and difficulty attracting Turkish customers. The Fast Integration Project helps women entrepreneurs address these challenges.
According to Lobna, it is important for women to start businesses, build their capacity to improve their own financial and social standing, and assert their independence. “Women entrepreneurs play a significant role in producing jobs for improved economic growth and stability within a country. This is what I focus on in my business, where all the staff are women,” she says.
Acting as a mentor has been a rewarding experience for Lobna. “The most valuable moment for me is when I hear positive feedback from the mentees. We all feel great positive energy after each session, and hopefully, we will start reaping the fruit soon!” she says.
Moving forward, Lobna hopes to expand her own restaurant, opening new branches and exporting homemade food products. Her advice to other women entrepreneurs? “No matter how difficult the circumstances are, don’t stop. You will be able to find the way and the support to continue.”
