Success story

by | Dec 31, 2003 | Jordan, my nation

I just read this article in the Jordan Times and it put a huge smile on my face. The article tells the success story of my friend’s family buisness. Very impressive! Keep up the good work, Fairuz!

Businesswoman succeeds in establishing several potential export leads

AMMAN (JT) — Jordanian women-owned manufacturer of terry-towels participates in international trade show for the first time, and succeeds in establishing several potential export leads.

As the eldest in the family, Fairuz Nahar was handed down the business and responsibility of running the towel factory that her father started in 1990. Nahar senior revolutionised the weaving industry for Jordan, by starting the only such business of its kind and size, and by patenting his own inventions for improving the functionality of weaving machines.

Fairuz had a tough act to follow. At a time when competition in the terry-towel industry is fierce among regional neighbours, the Nahar family — under the leadership of first her father and now Fairuz — managed to create an internationally recognised name for their company and for Jordan as a high quality manufacturer and exporter of towels.

With her father’s experience and her business acumen, Fairuz at 24, brought a fresh approach to the family business. Loaded with improved pile designs, and with the Jordan United States Business Partnership, (JUSBP) help, the correct marketing material, Fairuz was ready for more visibility in the international market place.

First stop, the Beirut International Exhibition, Lebanon, which took place end of September. The USAID funded SME development programme, JUSBP, assisted Fairuz in participating at the trade show, and that, in turn, helped this ambitious manager land several potential new contracts and possibilities of locating distributors and agents.

Fairuz said, “Participating at international trade shows addresses the need for our business to look for new trade opportunities and a new global environment. The trade show was an excellent experience. We were all sold out of the towels I had brought for display purposes! Several five star hotels and upper end market buyers expressed interest in buying our towels. Our quality and price fared well when compared to towels from abroad.”

On future plans, Fairuz is now working on a feasibility study to enter the US market and on expanding operations.

Hideous Kinky

by | Dec 30, 2003 | Books, Film

An unexpected performance by Kate Winslet. I never expected to see Winslet wearing a Hijab and performing Muslim Prayers, as she did in Hideous Kinky. The movie explores the quest for spirituality and higher understanding. Watching it was actually very surreal because I couldn’t tell whether the call for prayers was coming from the movie or from the mosque across the street. Good flick, recommended for those with affection for the Oriental!

Still reading Harry Potter and I must admit the boy is spicing up my life 😉

Sequels and more

by | Dec 29, 2003 | Doha affairs, Film, Food and Drink

So I was off and we really had a good day! Woke up at 1:00 PM, then started moving at around 3:30. We had lunch at Chili’s. Man their portions are so big, they are actually humongous. What kind of people are those capable of finishing Chili’s portions? Are they really homosapien?
After lunch, we went to Doha’s second biggest mall “Landmark.” We prefer it over the other one, “City Centre” because it is less crowded. We continued our post Christmas shopping. I got black pants and slippers while Jeff got really cool, funky shirts from his favorite shop in Doha, Zara.

After finishing the shopping, we got ourselves tickets for Matrix Revolutions that was showing at Landmark’s movie theatre. What did I think of the movie? Well, I’m just glad it is the last sequel of the Matrix . I think it was overkill I don’t get it when movie makers decide to smother us with sequels whenever a certain flick makes it big. Don’t they realize that you can’t recreate beauty! Anyway, just a thought!