Imane Diouri

Founder and CEO of Diouri Art. Leading a new direction in Moroccan artistry

Imane Diouri

#BOSSLADY DETAILS

 Name & Surname: Imane Diouri

Strengths: Vision. Detail. Quality. Women first.

Country: United States

Industry: Home Decor

Favorite quote: The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance. Aristotle


Please give us a bit of background on yourself

My name is Imane Diouri and I am the founder and CEO of Diouri Art. I was raised between Paris and Los Angeles. I spent my life traveling all over the world and lived in many countries (including France, England, Morocco and the United States). I studied in Paris and my education consists of a bachelor’s degree in international trade and a master’s degree in engineering and project management. At 25 years old, I moved to Morocco, where I worked in event planning and luxury conciergerie. I wanted to discover my father’s country and be closer to my family and my roots. I discovered a new part of myself in Morocco and I grew up a lot. Five years later, I decided to move to Los Angeles without money, connections, or a place to stay. I had a dream and I worked really hard to achieve it and to succeed in the city of Angels. I worked in the diamond industry and ran a fashion company for many years. Now I have opened Diouri Art.

Its definitely an eclectic background but all my colorful experiences coalesced wonderfully to create one mission for me:  to show the world how beautiful and uplifting the Moroccan aesthetic is.

What are some of your biggest achievements throughout your journey?

My biggest achievement was setting up Diouri Art. The project evolved in my head for so many years and I always said to myself that I would create my company when I would be ready. It has been very exciting and interesting to develop Diouri Art. Ideas originate in my brain every day because I always think of how I can improve it. It is actually surprising how fast the hours fly by when you are working on your own company. You have more pressure, but it is much more exciting because it is your project.

I am delighted to be one of the people showing the workmanship of Moroccan art. I work hard to make Diouri Art a prestigious brand for me, my family and also for all the Moroccan people. The world deserves to know the fabulous artistry and beauty of Morocco.

What are 3 business principles that are of core value to you?

Integrity

Having integrity means you’re dependable and follow through on commitments. You keep your promises. You have strong moral principles. These are core values that translate to an honest, successful business. 

Loyalty

All my life I looked for loyal people. It is to me the most important value in life. I don’t want to give my trust to people who are not loyal and will put their interests first. Loyal people are generally honest and dependable. In business like in life, it is important to communicate well when there is a problem, whether it’s to a customer, co-worker or partner.

Determination

Whatever you will do and achieve in life, you will need determination, persistence and willpower. Determined people have a firm intent to achieve their goal. They don’t let their past define them, they enjoy challenges and competition, they focus on their life and their own goals. With determination, you overcome obstacles easier. It is the inner strength that keeps you focused and driven.

What is the hardest part of being an entrepreneur?

 It is never easy to start a company. Most of the time, we have to take risks, and we have to calculate each risk. The financial part is also challenging. I had to create and manage my own company while having my 9-5 job. So the hardest part of being a start-up entrepreneur is time and money. Lucky are the people who set up their company with a good investment at the beginning. It is also difficult to start without any help, without a staff. You have to work on everything, on every task until you make enough money to hire people. You need some knowledge in accounting, marketing, communication, social media, finance, … It takes time and effort to be well known and trusted as a company. Usually, you work hard for many months before getting results. Don’t give up. Hard work always pays off.

 How do you stand out in this digital world?

I stand out in this digital world because I have a strong communication and marketing strategy. I have new ideas everyday and I am passionate about what I do. I am mature enough and I learnt a lot from working in different companies and different fields. My website is my most effective tool. I have an important budget for marketing and communication. Nowadays, we all need to have a social media strategy / plan. We have to understand our niche and plan accordingly.

It is a journey to grow your business. You have to reach the right audience, the right target. You also have to advertise globally. You have to determine the right budget and make a financial plan.

 What was one of the biggest mistakes that you have made throughout your journey and what lesson did you learn from it?

My biggest mistake is that at first I listened to people tell me how hard it would be to open my own business, especially being a female from another country. And I admit, they put some doubts into my head. So I temporarily put my dream of starting a business on hold. But I could not get the thought of opening my company out of my head.  All the time I thought about developing my business plan.   I just needed the courage to do it. But one day while I was looking at some of my father’s art, I knew it was time. Something just changed for me.  And that’s when I started Diouri Art. 

 What is your key to success?

My key to success is determination and tenacity. Never give up and always go wherever you want to go. Everything is possible as long as you give all the effort necessary to achieve your goals. Listen to your instincts, even though people ask you to do something else. You will always find obstacles on your path. Be ready to fall. Accept failures in life, learn and embrace it. If you really like what you do, it will keep you driven and focused.

 What does success mean to you?

The closest definition of success is happiness and freedom. When I was younger, I dreamt of success, career and glory. I wanted to be recognized as a business woman. I wanted to wear a fancy Swiss watch, and it means become successful, healthy, and financially stable. As a young woman, I imagined myself travelling all the time for work, going from flight to flight, and seeing the world. Today, I still don’t wear a fancy watch but I work hard to make all my dreams happen. I know everything will come at the right time. I am healthy, my family is too, I have a beautiful life, I eat everyday and I have a home. I couldn’t be happier. I am blessed and grateful, and I try to remember every day how wonderful is my life.

Success also means doing something you love on a daily basis, being in control of your time and your life, keeping your values at work, maintaining a good life-work balance, living the lifestyle of your dreams, feeling inner peace, celebrating small victories, standing ground when you believe in yourself or in something, and giving the world a little bit of yourself.

You can’t define success in a concise manner and I think that success is an attitude and a way of thinking. We all have different goals and desires in life. Don’t consider failures a negative thing. Make up your mind to go after whatever makes you happy.

 

What is the story behind Diouri Art?

Diouri Art began centuries ago on the silk road. My ancestors have been trading rugs on camels for centuries. Although I grew up in Paris, this part of our lineage never left. I just want to express my passion for Moroccan artistry and keep my family’s heritage alive. Our history of selling artisans’ goods is important to me. I am proud of my origins and I want to tell the world that Morocco makes a lot of beautiful handcrafted items and is home of wonderful art.

I really want to help women in Morocco to grow as they wish and to have the life they aspire to. We are partners with women weavers who handcraft Berber rugs in Morocco. They use such a wonderful technique that they were taught for generations. Those artisans use natural and organic wool. The dyes are plant and spice based. All our rugs are chemical free, preservative free and cruelty free. Our rugs are environmentally friendly.

Imane Diouri

GET IN TOUCH WITH IMANE DIOURI


Website (link): https://diouriart.com

 Email address: info@diouriart.com

 Facebook page (link):  https://www.facebook.com/DiouriArt

 Instagram page (link):  https://www.instagram.com/diouriart_/