About Me page.  

Those who know me and give me their endless support have always called me under a nickname, whose meanings have ended up becoming a part of me, representing one of the many things that make me be myself.

My nephew, Eddie, referred to me as Moki when he started talking at the age of 3 (it means “deer” for the Native American tribe of Hopi); a wonderful, close friend of mine greets me with Mikita (in the Kivila language, it can be translated as “the truth we all know but agree not to talk about”), and my best mates in the Army chose Smiley as my name among the group.

And why “smiley”? I was smiling all the time, but it’s deeper than that: according to them, I was positive even on the worst situations, the setbacks and the letdowns, because I knew how to see the bright side of everything, the funny part of life; and I also tried to be a fixer, tirelessly looking for the solution to each problem which was coming our way.

So, who Am I exactly? Someone with the animal spirit of the deer, which the Native Americans associate with gentleness and intuition? An “elephant in the room”, the English concept for Mikita? Or a smiling girl, who tries to find life-hacks and consistent solutions? I like to think I’m all of those, and I mean to blend those virtues on everything that I do; but I also want to take my life experiences as an inspiration to go further.

My story goes all the way to the East: I was born in Egypt and I graduated with a degree in International Relations & Foreign Trade, which allowed me to acquire a broad, amazing understanding of the planet where I live in; as it’s so much more than our surroundings. To be able to comprehend, study and take part into the cultures I observed was a dream, and also an opportunity to see what could I learn from them, which things I could adapt into my everyday life.

Right after high school and all the way through my college years, I developed and invested on businesses that were quite successful in Cairo, like event planners and souvenir stores; but once I’d finished my career, I was feeling that there was something meaningful for me waiting in another place. I had to be where the challenges, changes and adventures were happening, as I was stuck on the comfort zone at that time. Faced with the situation, and the achievements I knew were just a change of heart from distance, my wanderer soul wanted to see more: to try new things, to live new experiences, and to gain as much knowledge as I could, as I’m only human. So, I took the biggest, most uncertain decision for a foreigner, and moved to the United States. So, I was in the country where everything happens, basically, what would it be my next move? It was easy for me, my analytic, researcher nature paved me the way. I started to work, to learn in detail about the American culture, and to speak proper English, as I just wanted to understand other people’s ideas exactly in the way they were meant to. I ended up joining the U.S. Army, which was seen as a risky, spontaneous action for many, but not for me.

Later, the experiences and new skills I gathered would only set the starting field for my brands. In those years, I really practiced everything I was learning along the way, but I managed an all-time skill that would help like nothing else: Problem solving, in a sort of DIY way. Using my abilities at its best and what I had at my hands, I learned how to fix last-minute issues, instant obstacles and basically how to think out of the box, to come out of what’s expected and use a new, untried method that would turn into a success. It gave me relief to know that my team and I were having great results, but it also taught me that everything I needed to start my dreams was already inside of me.

A funny, curious fact of mine is that I wanted to be an entrepreneur since 2007, but my service and constant deployments had turned this into a dream pending to come true. In 2017, after my time in the Army ended, I had the chance to finally start a brand all over again, something that brought me back to my roots and the things I loved to do (and still love). I created online stores, with the purpose of selling useful, unique objects that ease up our busy, sometimes chaotic routine; but these ones possess a twist: They’re handmade or made from recycled products. Something you should know about me is that I’m constantly traveling to where the new currents are and connecting with the ones who create them; but I’m also an enthusiast for taking care of our Mother Earth through eco-friendliness, green alternatives and organic products.

I’m the one who believes in giving back to the Earth, by restoring its natural and original balance through our actions, so every little thing we do matters, whether that’s buying a table made from recycled wood or just trying out a product which is chemical-free. That’s why I also create eco-friendly products through my brands. My mission is to mix the Eastern culture and the Western, using what I’ve seen and loved about them, but also adding my own essence into this result. My experiences, my choices, my lessons and my perspective; all together just creates a big wave of change which doesn’t know borders, and I can’t wait to see the future of it.