Today we’d like to introduce you to Hajar.
Hi Hajar, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born and raised in Casablanca, Morocco. Growing up, I was very influenced by American culture through American entertainment and I knew that that’s where I wanted to be. School was my only way to the U.S. but my family could not pay for any of it so I spent a lot of time focusing on academics and extracurriculars to try to get a full ride to a college in the U.S. It was a shot in the dark because it was so competitive but I ended up getting a full ride to Berea College in Kentucky. Everyone was in a bit of disbelief when I got accepted because they didn’t really think it was possible… America is such a far-fetched dream when you are where I am from.
After college, I moved to Los Angeles… Kind of was a “starving artist” minus the artist part for a while. I had $1500 and a dream as corny as that sounds… My dream was to be in entertainment and be successful but didn’t know what that looked like. Soon after I got to LA, I landed a job at UTA as a receptionist and found it to be the perfect position and place for me to be while I explored my options. I ended up falling in love with the company, the culture, the work, and I stayed. During Covid, I had issues with my work permit and temporarily left the company so I had a lot of time on my hands. I started taking e-commerce and marketing courses and planning a skincare brand that I had been wanting to start for a while and that’s how “Ayour” came about which is a Moroccan-inspired spa and skincare brand. That’s also when I discovered my passion for business so when I was able to go back to UTA, I joined the Ventures department that works alongside our clients to create business ventures.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s been a roller coaster to say the least. The roadblocks I had to face were almost always financial. From not having enough money to go to college or to move to LA or to pay for a lawyer to handle my immigration situation, not having money to start a business, etc. There were many situations where it seemed like it was impossible for me to do the things I wanted to do due to not being able to afford them but I think going through that really taught me to have a hustle mentality and never let anything come in the way of my goals. It also taught me to think outside the box and scramble out a solution no matter what the situation is. Now, I know that I will always find a way to get what I want because there is always a way.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Right now, I am an assistant in the Ventures department at UTA which is a talent agency. We essentially work alongside our talent to build and manage their business ventures. It is such a fulfilling job because it combines my passions for entertainment and business in one. I am proud of myself for coming all the way from Morocco, working at one of the leading talent agencies in the industry, and get to have a career I am passionate about at the age of 24. I am also building my Moroccan skincare and spa brand which currently offers organic Moroccan skincare and bath products. It is still in the very early stages but I have so many plans for it and it’s my baby so I am excited about it.
I think what sets me apart is my resilience, ability to adapt, think outside the box, and see things from many perspectives. Throughout my life, I had to adapt to different situations and cultures, make things happen that seemed near impossible and I think that builds a certain grit and get shit done attitude. Being from a different culture, speaking four languages (Arabic, Spanish, French and English) and having lived through different socioeconomic situations also allows me to relate to virtually everyone, and understand people’s mindsets and backgrounds… All of this is super helpful in the industry that I am in and allowed me to connect with a lot of people and get where I am today.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I think that I am in an industry that is constantly changing very fast and where you always have to be innovative and one step ahead. Right now, I am blessed to have mentors that are so accomplished in the industry and I am focusing on being a sponge and learning from them to be the best at what I do. Over the next few years, I plan on growing my platform and career to get to a place where I can have a meaningful impact and help people of color in the industry; be able to build and grow successful businesses and inspire those who dream big to go after what they want and accomplish their dreams.
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