Hello Everyone! I hope you enjoyed our interim Secrets to Success series, InshaAllah ( God willing) the series will be continued at a later date. Now with out further ado, I welcome you back to our monthly special series: Shining In the Spotlight! This month we will be featuring: Khadiyja Y. Ali, CEO of Atqana and Associates !
Marketing and development are integral elements in the foundation of a successful business endeavor. This month we will get to know the mastermind executive entrepreneur extraordinaire Sister Khadiyja Y. Ali. Enjoy the interview while learning more about this dynamic sister and where her inspiration to succeed originates! With everyone starting a business these days, there’s no doubt that she will have a word or two of excellent advice.
Welcome Back to Shining In the Spotlight!
Teacher~Tamara (T~T): Please share some information about yourself, your occupation, family and educational background.
Khadiyja Y. Ali (KYA): I was raised in Greensboro, North Carolina and suburban Boston, Massachusetts. I had the fortune to live in Europe when I was young (Germany, Italy and France) as well as Alaska, which is my favorite place even to this day. I can honestly say that my living experiences brought rich culture to my life, which somewhat shaped my choice of profession.
When I lived in Alaska, my father would bring me and my sister dolls from around the world. The eyes of a little girl drank in all of the cultures of countries like Japan and Spain, for example, and created a desire to learn about the people, languages and cultures of the world. My father was an Air Force Major way back in 1969, which was a major accomplishment for a black man at that time. He was also a squadron commander. Commissioned from North Carolina A&T State University (my alma mater as well), he possessed leadership skills as a young man.
My mother returned to school after the death of my father in 1971 and earned her Bachelors’ (from A&T), Masters and Ph.D (from Boston University). This was no easy feat as a single woman, much less African American then. These traits of leadership and strength as well as intellect, I believe, I inherited from both of my parents.
It’s noteworthy to mention that as a little girl living in Alaska in the late 1960s, TV shaped my decision to engage in international business in the future. You see, at that time, the people on TV who seemed important were either businessmen or doctors. There were women, but they were nurses or housewives. I told myself, “One day, I will be one of those important people”. So along with the traits from my parents, the thirst for knowledge of the world around me and what I saw on TV, I have been brought to where I now stand.
These influences, along with the ever changing world of business, also were part of the reason why I chose to pursue my MBA at the University of Maryland University College, with an expected graduation date of December 2009. While pursuing an MBA is not a requirement as an entrepreneur, it has accentuated my strengths and greatly enhanced areas of mine that required growth. Additionally, since the world of business is constantly evolving, I have found it a great asset to obtain current knowledge of theory in areas like management, operations and finance while incorporating current knowledge gained into daily operations and executive decision making.
T~T: MashaAllah, you are an entrepreneur extraordinaire can you explain how and when you got bite with the business bug?
KYA: The bug bit me when I was a kid in Alaska watching TV. Actually, the show that greatest influenced me was Bewitched. I saw plenty of cool businessmen on TV with their suits and briefcases…but the coolest were on Bewitched. Plus, they worked in advertising, the quintessential profession and took long lunches!
T~T : Who in your life inspired and influenced you to be all that you have become today?
KYA: My parents first, but I had two very influential professors at North Carolina A&T State University. The first is Dr. Japhet Nkonge, Chairman of the Department of Marketing, who told me (at that time), that although I was pursuing a degree in management, I really needed to be in marketing! He was right! The second was Andre Vonsiatsky, an accountant by trade, but professor of a class called “Small Business Management”. To this date, that was my favorite class, besides my marketing classes.
I was given the name Khadijah [RA] by a brother, Abu Saif (may Allah have mercy upon him), whom I met in the early 90s. Because of her qualities – noble character, one of the four perfect women and of course, an excellent businesswoman, she is the ultimate role model for me as a Muslim woman.
T~T: In any basic business frame work you must have a vision and mission, what are your life’s visions and missions?
KYA: On a business level, it is to continue to be active in my business units, although in the future I will likely step back from some activities. However, in affairs relating to international business, marketing and culture, I will always be closely involved, as they are my biggest areas of interest and core competencies. The success of women and minorities is also important to me. All of my current and future initiatives are developed for the purpose of fulfilling these objectives.
Academically, I would like to fund an endowment to my alma mater (North Carolina A&T State University). That school was key in bringing me to where I am…and the praise and glory, of course, is all due to Allah. On a spiritual level, I would like for my sadaqah [charity] to be pleasing to Allah and that He accept my efforts, knowing my heart really is to help others and this is the driving force behind current and future initiatives related to our corporate social responsibility.
T~T: How has this vision helped to shape what you do as a CEO of your organization?
KYA: The name Atqana, derived from the Arabic verb “itqan”, means “He (Allah) perfected”. The noun “atqana” itself means “the ability to arrange or dispose of with art to achieve perfect results”. Since this quality has been placed in me, it’s just my nature to construct the best solutions and strategies for my clients.
Or to take what tasks I am charged with in this life, be they business or otherwise and fulfill the obligations with which I have been entrusted. I strive to achieve this in consulting or when I have speaking engagements.
T~T: How is your mission manifested into daily living for you?
KYA: Simply by living and trying to fulfill the responsibilities with which I have been entrusted. Throughout the course of the day, there’s always some strategic planning going on for each and/or any of my business units. I took a leadership assessment as part of my leadership development and coaching, which revealed that I am as much traditional as I am creative. I was shocked to learn that, but then again, not really. The “traditional” part is the consultant, which also manifests in my love of writing; the “creative” part is expressed in my appreciation of art, beauty, language, culture and literature. I try and give my best every day, be it on a business or personal level. And of course, I’m always striving to better myself. My life and the description of “atqana” are intertwined.
Stay tuned for pt 2 of this exclusive interview series with Executive Entrepreneur Extraordinaire!
Khadiyja Y. Ali, CEO of Atqana and Associates!
Commit to a lifetime of learning!
Teacher~Tamara
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