Groomed for Success
Confidence breeds success and, in turn, can help a business thrive. Sevinj Aliyeva, owner of a beauty salon in Gazakh, a small town in north-western Azerbaijan, knows this firsthand. Thanks to her determination and help from the USAID-supported Azerbaijan Business Assistance and Development (ABAD) program, she was able to realize her dream of building a beauty salon—which she sees as a symbol of the value of women, of their potential, and perseverance.
 |
| Sevinj still makes time to see clients now that she manages the salon |
The early days of Sevinj’s career were challenging. At the end of her secondary school years, her mother passed away and she had to give up the idea of earning a degree in professional design. Instead, she went to a technical school to become a hairdresser. After two years of work as a hairdressing technician, she had to give it up because her new husband prevented her from working outside of the home. Women neighbors still came to her for beauty and fashion tips, though, and Sevinj held on to the dream of one day having her own professional salon.
She saw a brighter path with the emergence of a new market economy in which people were encouraged to build their own private business. In 1999, the last of her three children finished elementary school, and her husband finally agreed to let her start her own business. Years of patience and devotion had won Sevinj her family’s support and helped her husband think beyond the traditions that still govern rural Azerbaijani communities. Finally, out of a tiny room with a single table and chair, she offered hair and nail services for a fee, built a network of clients, and nurtured her professional confidence. Sevinj remembers working long hours, without pausing long enough even to grab a snack.
After seven years in the tiny rented room, she struggled to keep up with demand and many clients grew tired of waiting in lines. Sevinj decided to turn her savings and a loan from her brother-in-law into a bright, sunny, spacious, two-story salon. However, just prior to completion, she realized that her financial resources could not cover all the required costs. She feared that her business would have to be put on hold until she contacted the ABAD program for assistance. Instead, the advisors helped her develop a realistic business plan and approved a partial matching grant to complete the salon’s expansion. With the grant, Sevinj purchased new chairs, tables and mirrors and opened her new site for business in June 2006.
Sevinj is determined to provide her rural community the same range of services as offered in the major cities, from specialized cosmetology services and permanent make-up, to modern bridal gown rental. After launching the new salon, Sevinj created 15 jobs for local women and continues to dream about new expansions with her apprentices. Her enthusiasm, ambition and tangible success bring hope to other women that dreams can come true with hard work and perseverance.
“Being a hairdresser is not the same as managing a salon. You have so many more responsibilities and duties, you have to take care of employees, train them, manage the finances and run the facilities. I am grateful to USAID for the support, guidance, business planning and furniture grant that made this transition smoother,” she says.
Back to Top ^ |
