Women in Biz Profile...Our Southbay
Lenora Marouani
Owner, The Souk
The Souk in Manhattan Beach features ceramics, rugs, clothing and accessories from Tunisia, North Africa and abroad. Owner Lenora Marouani is a trained chef who has worked in the restaurant industry for more than a decade. Drawing from her passion for food and design led her to create The Souk this April.
How do you remain true to yourself and find your own voice in your industry?
“You have to do what you love. Be willing to jump into it, breathe it, give everything in your power to grow it. I feel like I find my voice by empowering these hardworking women behind our products—giving their voice an opportunity to be heard.”
Give us a few tips for finding work/life balance.
“Being a mother of two girls and running a couple of businesses is extremely challenging at times. But one thing I have learned is the importance of being flexible and using my time more effectively. When I work, I work. When I’m with my girls, I’m with my girls. I also think that as a woman, it’s so important to give back to ourselves. I personally need my time to breathe and rejuvenate … to figure out how to be a better woman, wife, mother and entrepreneur. I truly feel that my success is not only measured by my business but also by my family.”
What is your best piece of advice for a female entrepreneur just starting out?
“Start off simple! As an entrepreneur, your excitement can lead to 100 more ideas and concepts. Keep the excitement alive, but don’t overwhelm your mind. Perfect your basic concept, then build from there.”
How does social media play into your business’ marketing strategy?
“Social media is huge! Since I manage our social media, it puts me in direct contact with my clients. It’s a great way to personalize and grow in your marketing strategy. Also we’ve recently launched our online store, TheSoukMB.com/collections. I’m really excited to expose our Souk products to the whole world! We’re also focusing on building more relationships with local designers and stagers.”
How do you give back to your community?
“At The Souk, we recycle and re-use old local newspapers to stuff our poufs. It feels good to play a role in making our community a bit greener!”