WOMAN OF THE HOUR: AMAL AMEEN

Amal Ameen is one of Qatar’s most influential personalities. She is a Creative Visual Artist, a bona fide Interior Designer and a Fashion Executive. Over the years, Amal has been awarded by local and international award-giving bodies. She is the Founder & CEO of Triple Trend Design House, La Boutique Blanche, Amici Di Moda, Voute Business Solutions, and Hair Couture. She is a leader who conquered the fashion world with her undisputed glamour and determination. For the last few years, Amal´s presence has left an impression in major fashion cities like Paris, Milan, New York, London or Madrid among many others.

Amal has collaborated with The Luxury Network by co-hosting a couple of affluent events and projects and this interview was organized remotely by the TLN Magazine editorial team.

Follow another achievement of Amal as she was appointed to be one of the upcoming The Luxury Network Academy’s Expert.

A lot of young women look up to you, what kind of encouragement do you usually share with them?

Above anything else, I encourage them to follow their dreams, [and]their hearts. To do whatever it is they’re good at, only with passion. As the saying goes, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”.

Also, I would like to assure ambitious women everywhere that it’s never too late to develop their knowledge in any field they are passionate about, even if it’s not what they originally majored in. We live in times where anyone can read, take online courses, research, and be self-taught.

One last thought on this, your only obstacle is you. Get over your fear, dive in, learn from your mistakes, keep an eye on the details, and watch yourself achieve. At the end of the day, ask yourself, “Have I completely depleted my options before I give up?“

How do you set priorities for the different projects you manage?

The size of the project plays a major role in prioritizing it. A profitable project will help my business flourish and afford catering for the smaller size projects that I never neglect. No project is too small, the real investment is in the long-term relationship with my clientele. It’s only a matter of successful business planning in order to achieve continuity and sustainability, along with the security of my employees.

Commitment would be another factor. Once we commit to a deadline, we are ready to move mountains to deliver on time.

That being said, an avant-garde concept can get me and the team too excited to see it come to life, that

“I would like to assure ambitious women everywhere that it’s never too late to develop their knowledge in any field they are passionate about”

we channel loads of efforts towards it. This kind of projects puts us on the map, as pioneers in our field. Hence, they deserve to get prioritized.

How do you handle criticism?

Constructive criticism is always welcome. It is what draw your attention to details you might have neglected. As long as it’s coming from a loving trusted source, criticism is well received from my end. Otherwise, it’s not even detected on my radar.

How do you support your team to take on new responsibilities?

My team must be in harmony. The energy in our office needs to be light and clean even when we work under pressure. Time management is the key since a delay from one member of the team can and will affect the rest, and the project overall. In return, I make sure they know they’re my partners, working hard on a project pays back for the whole team both financially and morally.

What do you think is the importance of “Thinking outside of the box”?

Traditional ways stem from a lot of experience, and they’re vital for any successful business inevitably. ‘Thinking outside the box’ is what I consider the ‘icing on the cake after you’ve baked it to perfection.’It always derives from being open to listening to new ideas from people around you, also not shying away from adventure, cautiously, of course.

In what way do you demonstrate leadership qualities outside of your workplace?

The personality of a leader cannot be concealed even if you try. It would translate into coming up with most of the plans amongst a group of friends, creating atmospheres at home and outside of it, doing things in one’s own way, all while staying flexible and giving other people the chance to lead when they want to.

How do you gain the trust of the brands you represent?

I choose the brands I represent very carefully. I personally purchase their products first, and only agree to represent them once I’ve had a satisfactory experience. ‘Prioritizing quality over quantity’ earns me the trust of my partners.

How do you deal with people who disagree with you?

With utmost respect. There is no right or wrong in the abstract. It’s about the perspective you’re looking at the issue from. I listen, and if I get convinced, I will give my stance another thought.

How do you stay productive during uncertain times such as today?

The last couple [of] months have been traumatizing for us all. We went into surviving mode, using our existing resources, letting go of any luxuries and controlling the factors that can be controlled. We also planned a lot. We got ready to boom as soon as things started to go back to normal and we are now amongst the first companies to implement our post-COVID-19 plans successfully.

Complete the sentence: “When in doubt, _______.”

I choose faith.. in God, in myself, and in others.