The First Of Their Name: A Blog Series

Last week, I announced the launch of a new blog series named ‘The First of Their Name’. In my Instagram post, I did explain who, according to me, are the first of their names. To summarize, they are the ones who falter, but never fail to give up. They back out when they must, only to return back stronger. They dream when awake, and then work hard to achieve what they had imagined. Exploring their inspirations, their adventurous spirits, has been exciting, to say the least. It is an honor to present eight amazing entrepreneurs, seeking to spread their wings, soar high, and test their own strengths.

Chapter One: Anum Ibrahim

About Anum:

“Assalam-o-alaikum (may peace be upon you), my name is Anum Ibrahim. I am 26 years old and I live in Cincinnati, Ohio. I graduated with my bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of Utah in 2016. I am the founder of Mod Desi Boutique, which launched this year.”

About Mod Desi:

“It is a traditional clothing store, housing Indian-Pakistani fashion-wear, that advocates for modest and modern clothing without compromising fashion.”

What does Mod Desi mean?

“Mod Desi stands for Modest and Modern Desi. Desi is someone/something that is from the South-Asian subcontinent.  I wanted a name that would be simple and easy to remember.” 

Inspiration behind Mod Desi:

“Growing up, I always had problems finding fashionable clothing (Desi and western) that would be compatible with the level of modesty I’m comfortable with. I was constantly having to sew or wear extra sleeves under clothing or pin back the neckline to make it smaller. This is a problem I’ve seen not only for myself but for many of my friends and family as well. This is what inspired me to start my own boutique.”

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Helped by Bachelor’s Degree:

“In business school, I learned that a successful business stems from solving people’s problems by creating a product or service that minimizes the issue at hand. This is what sparked the idea for Mod Desi. I wanted to solve the problem of finding modest clothing by providing products that accommodated accordingly.” 

Challenges faced:

“I faced (and still continue to face) challenges with starting Mod Desi. The biggest challenge was convincing myself to let my fears go and start a small business. Another challenge was finding and communicating with trustworthy suppliers and developing products. To top it off Covid-19 made it difficult ordering and receiving my products in a timely manner.” 

What makes Mod Desi different from other online boutiques?

“One of the main things that makes Mod Desi different from other boutiques is that we sell modest clothing at reasonable and affordable prices. Our clothing line is especially designed and made with full lining in the dresses with high quality materials.” 

Experience so far:

“I launched Mod Desi a few months ago and I hope this is only the start of my endeavors In Shaa Allah. I have learned a lot already with the process of starting my own business from scratch.”

Message to new/upcoming entrepreneurs:

“I know everyone says this all the time, but seriously, follow your dreams. It was daunting for me to start Mod Desi – what if I was a failure? What if no one likes what I have to offer? What if this is a mistake to start with? However, with the support of my family, I was able to ignore those tiny voices inside my head and just go for it, and Alhamdulillah, I’m really glad I did. I knew that I would rather live with the fact that I tried to start my own business rather than living with the regret of not trying. Now that I’ve gotten past those insecurities, I’ve learned that when you set your mind on something and equate that with hard work, the rest should fall into place, (God be willing).”

Where can people follow/purchase from your store?

Visit our website: https://moddesiboutique.square.site/

(Please note we are shipping in the US only at this time)

Follow us on Instagram: @moddesiboutique