I had a beautiful conversation with an upcoming young Muslim entrepreneur.We spoke about halal business and the modest brand. I won’t waste much of your time. Please enjoy our chat.
SMN: What is your Full name
DC: I’m Fatimatu Umar Sanda.
SMN: Was your business born out of neccecity or passion?
DC:My business was born out of passion because I’m a very stylish and creative person and I believed that could be translated into a modest fashion brand. So I worked towards it. This has complemented me in getting lots of customers , reason being that I’ve realized today’s Muslim ladies want to dress modestly but in a stylish way.
SMN:Which year did you fully start Operation?
DC: I commenced operation fully just last year(2018)
SMN: WHY DASANDA CLOSET?
DC: I chose the name Dasanda closet because Dasanda is a combination of Damilola( my tribe(Yoruba )name) and Sanda (family name). I chose Damilola over Fatima because of its meaning. Damilola means Prosperity. I added Sanda because I love my family name and always want to be known with it😊
SMN: What do you sell.
DC: I sell female modest wear. Abaya, hijabs, skirts, kimono, everything a modest lady will want in her closet.
SMN: How is your business doing?
DC: Alhamdulillah! My business is doing well even more than I expected.
SMN: What are the challenges you face in managing your business?
DC: One challenge I face is the fact that I don’t get time to manage it well. I don’t get time to communicate with my customers on time. Secondly, I’m struggling to get good designers whose charges are moderate. Most of the ones I get are good but the charges are high and if charges of designers are high, it affects the total price of an outfit.
SMN: How do you get customers?
DC: I get customers on social media, through friends and some customers. I get customers from immediate customers because someone can order for something and after the person wears the dress, another friend of hers will see and order.
SMN: How are you able to combine business with work?
DC: Combining business with work is a very difficult task. If one is not strong enough he or she will lose interest in one because both comes with their own challenges. However, I try to put in my best in both sides. I try as much as possible to concentrate on work from Monday to Friday and use weekends for my business rounds.
SMN: Do you feel intimidated by other brands?
DC: Lol. I don’t feel intimidated by other brands at all. I rather learn from them. I even follow most of them on social media and I’m ok with it. They are even my role models😊
SMN: Do you Love your Job? If yes can you tell us why?
DC: I love my job despite the fact that it has it’s pros and cons. I love it because I’m able to bring new styles on board and I don’t get disappointed at all.
SMN: Do you like to share with us a tip that’s making your business grow?
DC: What makes my business grow is the fact that I believe in the process. Although sometimes things don’t go as I want it to but I still don’t give up.
SMN: Where is your location?
DC: I am located at Shukura in Accra. But I do deliveries nationwide. One can contact me on +233 20 386 5161(phone calls only) and +233 26 173 8872 (WhatsApp only) My social media handle is DasandaCloset for Facebook and @Dasanda_Closet and on Instagram.
Stylish Muslim Network 