As college students, we are not all rolling in money. Vouchers and online discount codes are a norm for someone studying full time at college. As a marketing major at George Mason University, Hadeel noticed a lack of a platform that catered to both the consumer and the suppliers’ side. At 18, she and her family set out to found a new marketing platform that provides deals for consumers, but also allows business owners to market their own deals how they want and when they want. More importantly, unlike other websites, DealYah gives 80% of the profits back to business owners, which in most cases are small local businesses. And thus DealYah was born. I sat down with her to talk more about this new company that set to launch this Columbus Day.
Ayca: What would you say inspired you to start DealYah?
Hadeel: Happiness. I always told myself whatever I choose to pursue in life I want it to be with a purpose and that’s to bring happiness to other lives. DealYah, does just that. I took a service that was causing a lot of business owners problems and consumers dissatisfaction and recreated it. Growing up I had it rough. Nothing was ever given to me. I always had to work for everything I wanted in life. And so did my parents. Immigrating from Lebanon, they had to start a new life here in the states. So like every Lebanese family that comes to America, they ran a small business, Dominos to be specific. I was only 5, but man did I know how to make a pizza. Always hanging out in the store, my parents had me help them with everything. I watched them work day and night just to help my siblings and I have food on the table. Life wasn’t easy and unfortunately it got harder over the years, moving from one home to another, sometimes not in the best neighborhoods. But that’s all we could afford. I remember there would be weeks where we couldn’t even afford buying food so we had to make do with whatever we had. Then when I turned 18, everything hit me on all ends. I just began going to a university and I couldn’t even afford it. So having to work 2 different jobs got even harder. I was just fed up with the way my family and I had been living. I wasn’t happy with my life. I wanted change. And most importantly I wanted to do something with my life that mattered. And that was exactly what I did. One day George Mason University was passing out a free book to all commuters on campus and that book changed my whole entire life. The book was called “Start Something That Matters” by Blake Mycoskie. This book gave me the push to start my own company. It gave me a good base on what kind of company I wanted to establish and most importantly what kind of example I wanted to set for the rest of the world.
A: Being 18 at the age you started DealYah, what would you say was the hardest challenge?
H: I would say the hardest thing was trying to compromise my social life for my goals. It’s hard having big dreams and at the same time wanting to be a normal college student. I sometimes miss out on a lot of fun times with my friends because I am so focused on my company. But I know it will eventually pay off. The key is to stay focus and have fun doing it.
A: What motivates you?
H: Me in 5 years. I have this idea of what type of woman I see myself to be in 5 years and I try my best to do it in a year. Makes me work harder for that goal.
A: What do you think is the most significant barrier to female leadership?
H: Male leaders. I think women try too hard to compete with male leaders, when in reality, the way males lead works for only males. Women are much different. They have a great gift and that’s the ability to have good communication skills and be emotional. I think if women stop trying to be like the male leaders and focus on their strengths as female leaders, they too can be just as great as men.
A: If you tell your younger self one thing you know about business now, what would it be?
H: To start reading more. If I was into reading business and self-development books as I am now, I think I would have been the happiest and most successful woman by now.
A: What would you tell all the women out there that want to pursue their dreams?
H: Never settle. Figure out what type of person you want to be and what type of life you want to live. Then choose a career that can help you achieve both those things. And never give up making that happen. Understand that you will fail during your journey of success. But if you start learning to fail forward, you’ll eventually get there and be happy doing it. Life’s too short to settle for anything. Only fear regret because I promise you this, if you fear regret you won’t fear anything else.
As a female entrepreneur, Hadeel is determined and possesses a strong will power for herself. But more importantly, she encourages other women in her community to do the same. Neither rejection nor failure scares Hadeel in her pursuits of starting a new company and she takes that same mentality and applies it to all aspects of her life. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in life’s mess, but with a little focus and motivation, we too can make great things, just like Hadeel.