PEOPLE ALWAYS ASK ME
Attar is a successful entrepreneur who has co-founded and led numerous businesses through successful transformations. She is known for her strategic thinking and her ability to turn businesses around. Attar has a strong focus on creativity and brand strategy, which has led to innovative retail experiences and brand experiences that have helped businesses stand out from their competitors.
A strong advocate for building confidence in the workforce. She believes that when employees feel confident in their abilities and their place within the company, they are more likely to be productive and engaged. Attar has implemented various programs and initiatives aimed at boosting employee confidence and fostering a positive work environment.
Throughout her career, she has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills. Attar has a talent for identifying and nurturing talent and has been able to assemble highly effective teams that are able to achieve business goals. Attar's approach to leadership is centered around empowering her team members to take ownership of their work and providing them with the tools and resources they need to succeed.
A highly accomplished entrepreneur who has made a significant impact in the business world through her leadership, strategic thinking, and focus on building strong brands and confident workforces she has been featured in numerous global publications and interviews focused on her track record and achievements. Here are some of the FAQ’s often asked.
What is the most important thing to you?
My faith and values.
That’s the most important thing to me.
How do you affect change?
I am passionate about what I do, I am brutally honest, direct and emotionally engage everyone around me. They have to know that they make the difference, not me, I am just an enabler. I genuinely care about people. Someone once said to me once in a frustrated voice “Asil you don’t do politics”, my reply, “That’s right, I DON’T”.
How do you increase profits by an average of 150% within 12 months of joining a business?
I am not a one woman show, I drive change through my teams. I am an excellent decision maker, hard negotiator, I understand turnaround, my experience over two decades means I come with a great deal of knowledge. Firstly, it’s about fully understanding the business, its capabilities, its talent, strengths, weakness and opportunities, I usually do that within the first two months. I make it a priority to meet every single individual in my business, I mean everyone, whether it’s 500 or 1500 people, I meet all of them and those that have worked with me know that this is absolutely true. The teams have to know that there is someone there that is accessible, passionate and needs them to drive the engine.
I don’t come in guns a blazing assuming that I understand everything, I am not arrogant. Once I have the facts, that’s when change happens. There is no cookie cutter approach to transforming a business, each business has its own nuances and challenges. Then it’s about, focus, passion, alignment in the vision and empowering with accountability. The pace in which I work is overwhelming for many, I usually do 2/3 years work in half the time, it’s tough to keep up, but the best do.
How do you achieve a staff retention and employee engagement above 90%?
Listening, caring, communicating, empowering, engaging and being a part of their lives not just a figure head in an office. I am part of my business, not just leading but inspiring and motivating.
How do you mix creative and commercial?
This is my greatest asset. I am a hybrid and have worn both hats equally, for the first 10 years of my career it was creative led and the second half commercial, therefore, I have full understanding of what brands represent, the thought process of creativity and the art behind it. Equally with that understanding I drive its commercial potential, changing and adapting to market needs and engaging the brands to drive the change and businesses to respect brand integrity so it’s a mutually a win win situation. It works.
How do you build relationships?
I am honest and open, what you see is what you get.
How do you build a brand and make it sustainable?
I understand the consumer first, what they want, what they are looking for, where the opportunity is, how they would like to experience it, then I build it around their needs, but always with a USP(Unique selling proposition). It’s all about the brand experience, otherwise it means nothing, then it’s not a brand it’s a fad.
What motivates you?
Changing people’s lives and making a difference.
Who inspires you?
My mother and father, God bless their soul. They drive my ambition, they were remarkable people. Those around me who strive to make a difference, they inspire me. I have learnt from all the businesses that I have been a part of, what to do and what not to do, taking the best of each one.
Are you a city or country girl?
Neither, I am a nomad.
What is your favorite city in the world?
Barcelona, it’s special, something about the air that you breath, that’s why they produce the creativity that they do, Gaudi, Miro, Le Corbusier, enough said.
What is your favorite country?
India, the colour, the people, the passion, the heritage.
Do you socialize a lot because you are in the industry?
I don’t. I am an incredibly private person, I am actually an anti-social freak, believe me, people think that I socialize all the time, I don’t.
Words of wisdom to some starting out in business
Don’t hold back, reach for the stars, you are the only reason that holds you back from achieving. Be ambitious, get a great mentor, listen and learn, you don’t know what you don’t know. It’s a constant learning and do what you love, otherwise you won’t succeed.
Do you have any words of wisdom for women?
I believe that success comes from confidence, ambition and hard work. I took a decision when I started my career that I wanted to firstly learn everything there was about the global fashion industry, and then set out to place myself in jobs that empowered me to learn the A-Z of business, fashion and retail. I started on the shop floor as a sales associate and am proud of that. I always say, find your passion, set your ambition and achieve your goals. We are all blessed with the ability to learn, it depends on us to use that ability and to pursue our dreams, AlhamdulALLAH. Believe me it is a lot of hard work, but it’s all about investing in yourself. There is no such thing as the glass ceiling, I earnt my career through merit, it is possible you just have to go for it.
What would you have done differently?
Nothing, otherwise I wouldn’t have learnt through my mistakes.
What is your passion?
Social responsibility, I work to make a difference, preserve culture and heritage, I would love to launch SALT in a global way to achieve this.
After all these years, what are the challenges that you confronted in the business world?
With challenge comes opportunity, without challenge you don’t evolve, and business is all about evolution and innovation. In today’s world our challenge is keeping up with the pace, what is relevant today is not necessarily relevant tomorrow, customer habits are changing, relationships are changing and if you don’t keep up with the change you get left behind. The business of fashion and retail has always been dynamic, setting and leading trends, and my background has always been focused on business turnaround, restructure and building foundations for future business development. This is one of the most exciting times in the industry and we just have to make sure that we are ahead of the game.
What are your favorite brands?
All things Vintage, Dries Van Notten, Miu Miu, Megan Park, Jamin Peuch, all of my own brands of course.
What is your view on the global fashion landscape, present and future?
These are interesting times, we have to recognize that omni and digital are all merely tools, they are enablers to react to speed, to reach the customer quicker as time is the greatest luxury today. However, they will never ever replace human engagement. There is nothing more powerful than face to face. The reasons why so many businesses are failing and closing doors is not because of e.com, it’s the fact that good old fashion old school story-telling, brand experience and customer service has disappeared. Communities should drive every brand, bringing back social engagement, loyalty, the good old days when you knew everyone’s name and they knew yours, that’s what makes a successful business. If we use technology to drive that engagement then it’s great, if we believe these tools will take over and are the answer then that’s a disaster, they won’t, you actually have to work at it from every aspect.
What would you say about yourself?
I am brutally honest, never compromise on my values, passionate in everything I do, I expect a lot from people because I give so much. I think and work at lightning speed which is tough for people to keep up with and am incredibly generous. If I could give all that I have and more I would. I am focused, a tough negotiator, driven and am an excellent decision maker. I believe in my capabilities and know my potential. I have to be motivated and inspired in everything I do, otherwise it just doesn’t work for me, or those around me.
What would your teams or those who work with you say about you?
I am tough, I have a big heart, I expect high performance, lightning speed of thought and decision making, I kick and hug, I am fair, brutally honest, passionate and compassionate. I drive my teams hard, expect them to think as fast. I empower and lead by autonomy. They will say they learn so much.
What next?
I want to build a legacy and create social impact through making a difference, that’s my vision, the rest is with ALLAH’s subhana.