Home Business Interview Series #4, Khadija Dawn Carryl, Henna Sooq

Today we  round the  corner of our 6 Week Home Business Interview Series. This week kicks off Interview #4  with Khadija Dawn Carryl, owner of Henna Sooq, and e-commerce business that specializes in the sale of henna products for hair, body art design as well as other all-natural beautification and body art products. Khadija has worked as a Professional Henna  Artist since 2005, and has successfully parlayed her interests and skill into her own business.

If you have ever conwsidered starting a website to sell your own, or wholesale products, to the public, pat close attention to what Khadija has to say:

What motivated you to work for yourself?

Being a stay at home mom I wanted to do something for myself, to keep myself occupied and to
earn an income while not compromising me being able to stay at home with my
children. I also became very passionate about henna after I took a henna
body art workshop, and from there it took off.

What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve had to overcome as
a business owner?

Keeping my house clean  Just being able to balance everything. It’s about staying as organized as possible and properly using your time.

What are some skills you’ve had to develop to successfully operate your business?

Book keeping skills, organizing skills. Learn to manage money properly but really how to be very organized. Take great photos was important as well.

When you’re employed by someone else, there is structure already in place for you to follow. As an entrepreneur, you have
to come up with your own work schedule and way of getting things accomplished. Has this ever been a challenge for you?

Yes it can be a challenge when there are so many things to do. It feels
endless at times. You have to really manage your time, and write a list out
so you can do the most important tasks first.

What resources (websites or books) do you recommend for someone
considering starting their own ecommerce business?

I’d recommend Indie Business Network at: http://indiebeauty.com/
They’re very helpful and resourceful.
You may want to check local business organizations or colleges that offer
programs about business, and in work you need to learn more about.
Google will also be your best friend and you can learn so much from just
googling.