When we talked with Maryam of the Fairy Tale Party, we saw confidence and teamwork personified. Read on for select advice from the best in the business.
The Fairytale Party is located on the first floor of Saar Mall, and offers a wide range of products and services, such as birthday parties, baby showers, bridal showers, engagement parties, and even weddings.
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Can you tell us more about you, your partner, and your business?
My name is Maryam. I graduated from NYIT with a professional accounting degree back in 2006, then pursued my master’s degree in Islamic Financing from De Paul University. I had always been stuck with numbers in my academic and professional life, but felt I had the passion and drive to do something different. I decided to write my own story: The Fairytale Party.
My beloved husband, Khaled Alalawi, and I turned our shared passion for events planning into a reality, and it became a fairytale worth telling. Back in 2012, we planned our very first event for a family member. It was a huge success, as it brought fresh, new, and unique ideas to the world of events. We decided to launch an Instagram account and create a presence on social media. That helped to expand our existing customer base as we introduced new services.
The Fairytale Party is located on the first floor of Saar Mall, and offers a wide range of products and services, such as birthday parties, baby showers, bridal showers, engagement parties, and even weddings.
What was the motivation and idea behind The Fairytale Party?
Our frustration with the limited ideas normally implemented in parties ignited our business. I have seen kids crying over themes and ideas they wanted for their birthdays: a spider’s web, for example, or a princess carriage. We actually make these dreams come true.
Why did you feel that this was something people needed?
It came to our attention that some party planners think primarily about profit; therefore, you see many ideas being repeated. We believe that every customer is unique, and we have the creative touch to make his/her party stand out from the crowd.
Did you choose a specific age group to target?
There is always a little misunderstanding about the age group we target at The Fairytale Party. We believe that no one is ever too old to have his/her fairytale come true. We would like to take this opportunity to announce—for the first time, through Startup Bahrain—that we will officially start taking requests for engagements and weddings from November 1st, 2015.
What has been the most challenging step in your journey with The Fairytale Party since you began?
The most challenging step has been to position The Fairytale Party in the market, and to convince customers to believe in our services: the quality, creativity, and human touch we put into our relationship with them. Obviously, there are other challenges that everyone faces—getting licensed, finding the capital, and finding the right place to operate—but all of that felt like nothing when we start seeing the satisfaction in our customers’ eyes.
How do you present yourself differently from competitors in your field?
We present ourselves as the fresh, creative minds, with top-notch party supplies and international standards. We are the guarantors of the ultimate customer experience.
Do you have any future plans for your business? For instance, expanding further?
Yes. We have a strategic plan that we have set until the end of 2017, by which time we are looking forward to having our own events hall. We will start catering from within, and hopefully start taking corporate events, as well.
Are you getting support from any organizations in Bahrain, such as Tamkeen? How is that experience going so far?
We think that with the support we are getting from Tamkeen, we can create another success story.
Do you feel like catering to very unique tastes is a big challenge in comparison to selling something that caters to all?
It is definitely challenging, but we love challenges. They make us unleash our talents. We previously mentioned that one of the things we disliked about the market was that it kept on repeating itself. We do not want to be one of those planners.
Tell us about your experience managing a business with your significant other.
It is a journey that we hope will take us very far. Our success has happened because we are working together as a team. A bird cannot fly with one wing, and this business cannot grow without having my significant other by my side.
For someone already in your position (or someone who wants to be), what tips do you have?
Never give up. Put your fingerprint on everything you do. Let the customers identify your work without branding it. Entrepreneurship is the best choice you have in the market now. Be creative, be a fighter, and start your own business.
Thank you so much for this opportunity to talk to you two, I wish you all the best.