How has the journey for Athena’s Furniture and Home decor been so far?
Athena’s Furniture and Home Décor spread its wings back in 2004 with 12 staff members initially. Our first Showroom had been set up in Gulshan and the factory was and still is in Tongi.
From where I live, visiting and supervising both places became an issue as I live in a joint family; this entailed taking care of my three children, my husband, and my in-laws. It became an immense challenge to juggle both work and family life. However, as our operations started to settle, things got easier and the company blossomed. The Athena family now comprises of around 500 staff members after operating for 12 years. We now have three showrooms in Uttara, Banani, and Gulshan. Our success stems from the satisfaction of our employees; at our organization they are entitled to several benefits. Due to this, they have honored me by treating me like their own family, which I consider a huge achievement.
We celebrated our 12th anniversary a few months back on the 7th of May 2016. It had been a successful program and the deep love and appreciation of everyone who joined me for the special day showed how far we have actually come, by the grace and mercy of the Almighty.
What sets Athena’s Furniture and Home Décor apart from other Furniture companies?
The furniture business is more of a male-oriented world. Therefore, as a full-time mother, stepping into such a business had not been an easy expedition, especially with antique furniture. I was basically inspired through some interior design courses I had taken. This was at a time when most of my female compatriots were stepping into the boutique business. I, however, decided to put my passion for furnishing and creativity to test.
Athena’s started its journey with mesmerizing Victorian and Italian designed furniture, made locally from the finest Indian oak wood. I decided to blend ethnicity and contemporary concepts as I was inspired by elegant and sophisticated interior designs. Athena’s is a boutique furniture shop where you will not encounter ordinary designs. Instead, each client is dealt with according to their personal taste and contentment. We also adhere to very high standards of quality and ethics. Instead of aiming for profit, we target customer satisfaction.
What have been the opportunities and challenges associated with building your own furniture business?
Athena’s Furniture and Home Décor reflects the dreams and creativity of a rather reserved housewife who was bold enough to come forward with her ideas in a male-dominated business. My initial budget was very limited and my spouse had discouraged me from taking any bank loans. He loaned me the initial capital amount, and I had to work very hard in order to pay it back. This had been one of the most difficult challenges. I came out of this struggle with a renewed resolve which aided me significantly when dealing with my future endeavors.
Working as a female entrepreneur in a sector dominated by men was never going to be easy. The stark realities of my gender hit me when I had to face harsh criticism from my male counterparts. Females in most cases are not cordially given the position of being the commanding head. Thus, gaining their acceptance as the Managing Director turned out to be quite challenging. However, I worked past all of this, often staying at the office late at night, sometimes till dawn, in order to prepare my designs and documents.
I could not have overcome these hurdles without the support of my family and the blessings of the Almighty. My husband was always there to both applaud my victories and criticize my mistakes. He even aided me in rectifying my mistakes. His consistent advice and ideas helped me flourish. I feel tremendous gratitude towards my father-in-law who recognized my dreams and motivated me to pursue them. His affection and support made me feel like I had always been a part of the family. My mother-in-law was there to take care of my children when I was busy running my business. If not for her, I would not have been able to make the necessary progress in my endeavors. I am grateful for my business traits as they show that I am carrying on the legacy of my father and grandfather who were both renowned individuals from Chittagong.
What are your company goals for 2016?
We recently successfully launched our Banani showroom in June. We are also looking forward to opening a new showroom in Chittagong in November. Later on, we will open a branch in Sylhet due to the huge demand from the London NRBs. Currently, we are looking for a plot in Dhanmondi so that we can open our fourth Dhaka-based showroom. We can proudly say that Athena’s have now established itself as a renowned brand. We are currently planning to get involved in the export business as we have received offers from India and Australia through the international fairs that we regularly attend. This will be our way of contributing to the growth of the country as well as helping to improve Bangladesh’s branding on the global stage.
What drove you to undertake such a challenging profession?
I was born to a family where business had been a natural instinct. My father always spoke about it, and taught us to be self-dependent. My father, Sekander Hossain Meah, took over the family business of textile, weaving, oil, rice and salt from his father then set new heights. He was involved with the Federal Chamber of Commerce and Chittagong Chamber of Commerce. He became the president of Chittagong Club Ltd and later his honesty and passion towards work led him to become the Mayor of Chittagong. He was also a very loved MP of Chittagong. I have always dreamt of following my father’s footsteps. Unfortunately he is not with us today as he passed away when I was 15 years old. I believe he would have been immensely proud to see me in this position.
Another inspirational person is my father-in-law, the renowned Anwar Hossain who is the Chairman of Anwar Group of Industries. He is one of the most inspiring businessmen I know. His immense support and guidance was also instrumental in helping me set up and establish my business.
