ARTSY by Hanane

Hanane J
Nov 9, 2020
4 min read

I'm an artist, teacher by trade and a mom of three little girls! As long as I have remembered I have always loved creating art which has since turned into a passion of bringing unique, timeless pieces into homes. I feel blessed to be able to create meaningful art that sparks joy. In effort to spread more joy, a portion of each sale goes to charity.

I create farmhouse inspire signs and pieces with an Islamic twist. I feel honored that I am able to create beautiful reminders of Allah through pieces that speak to the modern family aesthetic. I love what I do and God willing I will continue for many years to come.

How did you go for your dream? How did you start?

I opened my online art shop on my birthday a little over two years ago and I never looked back since. For years, my family and friends have encouraged me to turn my art into business. Once I shattered the barriers I set for myself (self doubt),

I took the plunge and posted a few pieces my work on Instagram. The influx of love and appreciation for my work was the catalyst that kept me going and striving to do better. I have since created a website, which I would encourage anyone starting out to do, because it makes all the steps easier and more efficient. It's a great investment for your business and I wish I hired a web designer to create one sooner!

I always tell everyone failure is an opportunity to grow.

It's a chance learn from your mistakes and take your business to the next level. Like many small business owners,

I have made a handful of mistakes that forced me to do more research and find ways to create solutions and improvements.

One of my first learning curves was the dreaded shipping and handling. After several mistakes of under calculating and paying out of pocket, I learned the system and invested in a weight scale and label maker and learned that I could schedule for packages to be picked up without ever stepping into post office again! My shipping calculation mistakes led me to finding solutions.

My advice is to never get discouraged by mistakes instead use them as tools to take your business to the next level.

Faith in Allah is the first and only tip I would give others who are facing trials and tribulations.

Kneel down in sujood and ask the 'almighty' for guidance. Our situation, as bad as it may be, is just a minuscule part of his grand plan for us. Trust that everything will work out at the end...inshAllah.

Advice starting a business.

The best advice I would give anyone starting a business is to first and foremost is to be your own biggest fan.

You have to to believe in yourself and your work if you expect anyone else to. This sets the standard on where you set your prices. Which then brings me to the next piece of advice: no is a complete sentence.

As a new business owners you will get some off the wall requests that may compromise your time, integrity and standards. Never apologize or over explain yourself NO...the no will suffice on its own.

Last advice is to always surround yourself with like minded women who are a source of inspiration and push you to be the best version of yourself. It creates a beautiful opportunity to learn from one another. When an environment of women supporting women is set ...magic happens.

What's your process like of coming up with new products and new ideas in your business?

Inspiration for me comes in many forms...it can be from nature, my home or even a trip to my two favorite stores...home depot and home goods! My best inspiration, however comes from previous buyers and friends who challenge me with new ideas.

It's important for me to always challenge myself and to think outside the box.

If you had a list of ‘best-kept secrets’ [websites, books, coaches] you’d recommend, which would you include and why?

I'm a big reader and I love inspiring books. a few of my favorite titles that can build confidence in any woman or someone that is seeking to grow their business are

Braving the wilderness by Renee brown,
High Performance Habits by Brendan Bushard
The Power of Now by Echort Etoli.

These titles should be on the shelf of every woman that desires to grow personally and in the business world.

My personal goal for myself is to continue to use my craft to be able to give back to the community in a grander scale. That is key to keeping me motivated to work hard and surpass my personal creative benchmark. I also would love to have a hand in putting Islamic art and decor in major stores.

I want to see to it that Islamic art is more mainstream and accessible to our community. We deserve that and I am working towards that goal Inshallah.