Emirati potter, Shaima Ahli, discusses her art, the industry and advice for the next generation
Tell us about your business – what inspired the idea and when did you start it?
My yearning for creativity and an outlet to express my emotions on a daily basis drove me to the art of ceramics. Once I started back in 2013, I just couldn’t stop! I was busy with my master’s in public health for a couple of years, but still practiced my skills during my summer and winter breaks until I moved back to Dubai in 2017. I decided to dedicate time every day to ceramics. I had to juggle my time between my full-time job at the Ministry of Health and my love and need for creating functional ceramic pieces. Once I found that balance, I turned it into a business!
What do you consider to be your greatest personal and professional achievements?
My greatest achievements have always been around finding my passion and fulfilling my spiritual needs. Finding a career that I’m in love with and finding an art that feeds my soul and brings beauty into this world in addition to a smile on the faces of those using the ceramic pieces.
What are the keys to creating a profitable business?
Study the market! Dubai’s market is fast paced, and businesses pop out of nowhere everyday so being ahead of the game is important. The second major thing I found to be important in any business is its reputation and the story behind the business. My small pottery business is profitable mostly due to my willingness to share my story and my passion on all social media outlets and in person, building connection with people, and getting personal.
What were your biggest business challenges? How did you overcome them?
My numerical skills are weak so keeping tabs of how much I am investing into the business versus how much I am making out of it at the end of the day was a huge challenge that I had to overcome. I asked for help and guidance from those more experience in business.
What advice would you give to the younger generation that might want to follow in your footsteps?
Just go for it, believe in yourself, seek guidance from people you trust and see as role models, and ask for support from those closest to you. Try to overcome your fear of failure because learning from your mistakes is the best way to get to know yourself better and come back stronger.
How do you cope with the daily stress of managing your business?
I vent to my husband and my friends and reflect a lot. No matter how Zen I think I am, I also go through episodes of breaking down under pressure. I am human after all. I make sure to take relaxing breaks to spoil myself and allow my mind and body to heal and recover from stress. Spoil yourself! You deserve it as long as you do not procrastinate often.
How does social media make you feel in general?
Social media can be overwhelming if we allow it to take over our lives and minds. I try not to consume too much of it and mainly use it either to promote my ceramics, or to share useful information with my followers. I also share content of my favourite creature, my dog Kuma.
Do you feel that magazines, brands, and PR agencies lack diversity in this region? Do you feel you are included and represented?
I honestly feel neither included nor represented. Brands can often seem too pretentious and have an agenda other than truly representing REAL women and real communities. I am glad that artists, who are the individuals who add life and colour to our societies, are being more supported, promoted, and represented. This is why I was very excited about Unfiltered; it represents a variety of women with different passions and backgrounds with no filter.
What message would you like to give to women out there?
Be yourself. Do not try to mould yourself to a society’s expectation which is ever changing. Surround yourself with people who love you and support you as you are and encourage you to keep evolving as a human. Read books that make you feel stronger and happier. Love yourself more than you can ever love any other human, because only then you will be able to love your community unconditionally.
If you look back over your life and career, if you were given the opportunity to do anything different would you?
I would only do one thing differently. Instead of waiting to be asked, I would propose to my current husband earlier myself, just so we could start building memories sooner and to have been stuck together during COVID so he could build a stronger bon with my dog, Kuma.
What is important to you?
Family and close friends. My career has always been my priority in life but since COVID I have slowly shifted my priorities and taught myself that is it okay to make my career my second priority after my family and friends; that won’t make me less of a woman and will not compromise my independence.
What is your pet peeve?
New people in the ceramics field or any other skilled field, giving workshops when they themselves do not yet have enough experience and research under their belt! Compromising the work of actual experts in the field is my biggest pet peeve. I am extremely supportive of individuals new to art fields, but do not appreciate misinformation.
