A rising number of Saudi women are choosing to start their own home based businesses rather than seeking outside employment. Products and services range from full meals and desserts to tailor made clothing and cupping (hijama). While individual reasons for engaging in home based entrepreneurship vary, one overwhelmingly common factor is the flexibility that a home based business offers.
Nada Al Khlewi recently started a cookie and cake business called Scrummy Bites from her home in Jubail. “I used to work as a university instructor, but working from home will allow me to choose the hours and days that I work leaving more time to spend with my two small children.” Nada promotes her products through social media, and sells them at bazars and in several small shops on commission.
Om Adnan also started a catering business from home. Married with five children, she did not graduate from high-school and did not feel that she had the skills needed for most jobs. People had always praised her cooking skills, so when she needed a way to make some extra income she decided to cook traditional Saudi food and have one of her sons deliver it. She also uses social media to advertise. “I was surprised by how many people called when I started advertising. I thought most of them would be men who did not have anyone to cook for them, but about half the people who order are women.” Om Adnan loves her new business for the income it brings in, but she also loves the fact that she is working from home doing something that she knows that she is good at.
Black Velvet is a clothing brand established five years ago by Kholoud and Manal, long-time friends who wanted the flexible hours and creative freedom of having their own company. Each one designs a new collection of jackets, blouses and dresses every year and then they put the collections together and sell them at seasonal bazars under the Black Velvet brand. They spend about four months preparing for Ramadan which is the busiest season for them, and often travel to Dubai, Kuwait, and Qatar to find unique materials to create their designs. Although things started slowly for them, they now have a client base of loyal customers. Income is still sporadic, but they are doing what they love.
