Umida, which means "hope" in Uzbek, gives hope to women who need a little more inspiration and courage to follow their dreams and turn ideas into reality. Originally from Samarkand, from a very young age her entrepreneurial spirit and family support allowed her to see an unmet need in the chandelier business and illuminate the homes of Uzbekistan with bright and beautiful lamps. She later began producing LED light bulbs, packaged in fun, colorful packaging that embodied her positive and resourceful personality. Now her next goal is to go completely digital in lamp production. New ideas keep her awake until she finds a way to materialize them.
She does not see her competitors as a threat but rather as a help, she convinced them to place all such stores on one street to make it easier for customers, she believes that even on the same street each store has its own personality and attracts attention . her own clients, and if they choose another place, she doesn't mind. She sees everything in a positive light and cooperates with her competitors, who seem to be all male owners of lighting stores on her street. Her customer-centric approach has brought her great success.
Umida has four children and they are a real team, helping each other, all self-made and self-taught, with an enthusiasm and professionalism that is quite remarkable. In addition to helping Umida with all aspects of her business, her son (25) and daughter (21) create creative video ads and distribute them online, taking their first steps into digital marketing.
As Umida began to tell her story, her eyes lit up like the many lamps in her store and shone with a hope, resilience, and passion for her work that truly inspired her.
A loan of 2 billion UZS for 5 years from Mortgage Bank helped her start her light bulb business, and she is now considering financing her light bulb business. Cautious and responsible, like most women in business, she weighs all the risks and makes such decisions only after careful consideration, and then the sky is the limit once the decision is made. I have been with Mortgage Bank since 1999, a loyal client with an excellent credit history.
Umida already has a website, a Telegram page, an Instagram page, and is in the process of developing an online sales app. It aims to receive payments online and leverage e-commerce opportunities. She happily enrolled in the e-commerce courses offered by Ipoteka Bank as part of Betakror's non-financial services package for WIB. She is also interested in the possibility of consulting services supported by the EBRD's ASB to update her website and complete the development of the application.
Umida's story as a mother of 4 children and the founder of 2 businesses with new ideas is a true inspiration for any woman, which shows that when there is a will, there is a way, without any excuses. When a woman finds the courage to take the first steps, then support and opportunities appear, such as Mortgage Bank's financial and non-financial services for women in business, which can truly accelerate the growth of her business and take it to the next level.
