Asking Fariba Rahimi what she does for a living is a complicated question. At the of sixteen she moved from her home country Iran to follow her dreams in Norway.
She ended up running Trøndervask, Norway’s leading real estate, construction and building maintenance company. She’s now also a member of Forbes Business Council. Oh, and if that wasn’t enough, she also happens to be a successful fashion model doing commercials for Versace.
“What’s the most important thing I’ve learned? I would say embrace your failures. Every single startup faces a setback at least once in its tenure. And the only ones who survive are those who embrace their failures and learn their mistakes, rather than giving up.”
But that, she says, is only one part of the equation. “The most important and crucial step for businesses today is to adapt digital marketing practices. This is the trend that is here to stay and if any business fails to connect with the wider market on social media, it fails on every level. Businesses need to adapt to the internet platforms and use all of the relevant social media to cater to a wide segment of the market.”
Another key attribute, she says, is knowing the right people. Having the right connection, the right approach to social media, and being able to network, are things that cannot be measured in value – but you cannot manage without.
“You need to start networking from even before you launch your business. In fact, start spending your early twenties getting to know successful people. Being in their company would motivate you a lot. Create a wide circle of only genuine and successful people who would help you grow both personally and professionally.”
Whatever she is doing is clearly working. She now lives in Trondheim, Norway, and runs her business while partnering with famous brands such as Versace for their advertising campaigns.
Is it really possible to be a Versace model and run a construction business?
“Yes, she says. “I am proof of that.”
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