Interested in starting your own journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Samira Harnish, Founder of Women of the World, located in Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
What's your organization, and who are your members?
Women of the World is a tax-exempt non-profit that supports forcibly displaced women (refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants) to attain self-reliance and gain a voice in their community.
Tell us about yourself
When you support women, you enable the whole community to be more gracious and supportive, more diverse economically, with subsequent generations that are well-rounded and educated. Women of the World asks women to put their hands together to overcome traumas and bias, educate in English, and place women in good jobs that enable career growth, have holistic benefits, and encourage family wellness. I see every day what a big difference our programs of customized service, economic empowerment, and community development are having on our ladies and on the communities they live in.
What's your biggest accomplishment as an organization?
In 2018, I was selected (out of over 500 applicants) to represent North, Central, and South America as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Nansen Award Nominee. This international recognition of Women of the World’s grassroots, custom approach was one of the highlights of my leadership of WoW.
More than anything, though, I was proud to be able to meet the needs of our ladies during the pandemic. Our clients are often frontline workers and suffer from the ill effects of misinformation and poverty. Furthermore, our ladies are not able to access resources or employment online due to their lower-than-average English, technical skills, and job experience. We stayed open, taking all necessary precautions, as a necessary social services facility, and were able to help our clients with job losses, health issues, and wellness offerings.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being an organization?
I always say that starting a human service non-profit is like starting two small businesses at the same time. You have to keep your clients happy and innovate new programs that will uniquely serve their needs, AND you need to have a fundraising business as well that can show the value of your impact. It has been hard to run both of these projects full-out, but you have to in order to thrive, not only survive.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow an organization today?
- First, you need to be committed to your business; you have to be ready to sacrifice a lot of time to get it just right. There is no way to be successful by going 1/2 way, and especially when you start, you will be the only one willing and able to commit your time and energy to your vision.
- Second, be data-driven. I’m an engineer, so I have come to trust first in the data, to set my strategic plans based on this analysis, and set goals for staff and Board based on a clear dashboard.
- Finally, surround yourself with people who believe in you. You don’t want them only to tell you “yes,” but you should be able to trust their kindness.
Where can people find you and your group?
Website: https://www.womenofworld.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/womenofworld.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenworldut/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/womenworldut/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samira-harnish-43223a32/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.