In this episode of MERI podcast, we sit down with Hawi Awash, the co-founder of YEMA, an African-inspired apparel company based in the United States. Join us as we explore Hawi's personal and professional growth, delving into the origins of YEMA and its remarkable journey over the past seven years. Hawi shares her motivating story, offering valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs and women in business. Discover how YEMA came to be and the challenges and triumphs the company has faced along the way. This friendly conversation is a must-listen for anyone looking to start their own business or seeking inspiration to pursue their dreams. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from Hawi's experiences and be empowered to take your own ventures to new heights. Tune in now for an engaging and informative discussion that will leave you feeling motivated and ready to take on the world! Links: Website: www.yemacalif.com Instagram: @yemacalif TikTok: @yemacalif More from our partners: EthioTelecom Website: https://www.ethiotelecom.et/ Telegram: https://t.me/ethio_telecom Dashen Bank Website: https://dashenbanksc.com Telegram: https://t.me/DashenBankEthiopia 00:00 - Introduction 03:52 - Opening 05:16 - Who is Hawi, what's her story 07:46 - Time at the university 13:58 - What is Yema? 18:37 - Shifting from place to place 23:41- Excitement of opening a new shop 26:17 - Surviving COVID 33:48 - Outsourced manufacturing 38:16 - Marketing Strategy 40:18 - Target Customer 42:22 - Foreign Customers reaction to the traditional designs 44:50 - Online vs shop sales numbers 48:05 - Opening a Big Shop in New York 52:53 - the courage to start at a bold price point 57:34 - Western world conditioning 59:42 - what were the feedbacks 01:01:03 - Painful Moments throughout your journey 01:02:56 - Overcoming those painful challenging moments 01:06:06 - recording nationalities of customers 01:08:24 - Celebrities that rocked the brand 01:09:02 - Future Goals 01:11:18 - Gamechanger advice from a mentor 01:19:21 - Biggest influence in Life 01:21:01 - Life wisdom 01:24:56 - Closing Social Links https://www.linkedin.com/company/meripodcast/ https://www.tiktok.com/@meripodcast https://twitter.com/MERI_Podcast https://www.instagram.com/meripodcast/ https://t.me/MERI_PODCAST https://youtube.com/@Meriwoch?si=yIpJ3byprnVNwKi1 Copyright Notice for Meri Podcast: All rights reserved. The content featured in this podcast is protected by copyright laws. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or modification of any portion of this podcast is strictly prohibited. For permission to use our content, please contact us at meripodcastet@gmail.com Thank you for respecting our copyright.