Meet Lenora Marouani of The Souk in Manhattan Beach

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lenora Marouani.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Lenora. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I am a wife, a mother of 2 crazy girls, and an entrepreneur with a mind that runs wild & free. I love love love good food & wine! I also thrive off of good books, poetry, music, art, fashion, & design.

My life as a mother is pretty hectic! I have a crazy haired 4 year old girl, Pash, and a rambunctious 21 month old girl name Sura! They bring light, fire, and life to my world. They are both strong willed, tenacious, and full of the crazies! I love them to life…I just can’t stop kissing them!

I’m married to Adnen, my best friend & business partner. We met in Las Vegas, the land of dreams & love as Chefs! We both have a love and fascination for cooking & experiencing culture through food! Together, we have created Barsha Wines (Wine Bar & Wine Shop) in Manhattan Beach, which we opened almost 4 years ago. Pash was born a couple of months after, so it’s definitely been a family experience!

We’ve also recently open “The Souk” in Manhattan Beach. A home decor shop featuring artisan products from Tunisia, where my hubby is from! We carry vintage rugs, ceramics, clothing, jewelry, textiles…everything home decor! It’s been such a beautiful journey opening The Souk. To have the opportunity to showcase the artisans of such a well deserving country. Also, to featuring and empowering the women behind such fantastic product…these women behind the weaving, the hand-painting, the labor.

I’m just a woman trying to figure life out as I go. I love not knowing the answers to life, but living out the question until I get a bit closer to the answer.

My mind is constantly moving, asking questions, wandering, trying to find purpose.

The feeling I get when feeding my girls till their tummies are bursting is the same feeling I get when I read a great book, listen to a fantastic vinyl…when I’m exposed to a great mind.

I love love love my family, I love being an entrepreneur… I love life!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Starting up any small business has both its beautiful rewards and challenges. One of the biggest rewards is connecting with your customers and telling them the story behind the product! I would say one of our challenges is getting the online store out there to the public. The online market is definitely a whole other monster…. just trying to figure out the trends and how to keep people engaged visually…as if they were walking into your actual brick & mortar keeps my mind working full throttle!

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the The Souk story. Tell us more about the business.
The Souk is a home decor shop featuring artisan products from Tunisia, where my hubby is from! We carry vintage rugs, ceramics, clothing, jewelry, textiles…everything home decor! It’s been such a beautiful journey opening The Souk. To have the opportunity to showcase the artisans of such a well deserving country. Also, to feature the women behind such fantastic product…these women behind the weaving, the hand-painting, the labor.

I’m most proud of the cause behind the Souk, which is to empower the women artisans in North Africa. I’m actually working on a non-profit that will partner with women empowerment initiatives in Tunisia and abroad to create a certified program for these women artisans enabling them to become more dependent upon their entrepreneurial skillfulness.

I definitely have passion for home decor, interior design & women empowerment. I think my excitement attracts people that appreciate not only good product, but a good cause behind it!

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t really believe in good luck or bad luck…but I do believe in being at the right place at the right time paired with major hustle. I’m also a firm believer of creating your own opportunity if there are no doors around to be opened. It’s important to build up your business smarts, expand your creativity, hustle & grind, and most important, to remain enthusiastic and to keep your passion alive!

http://voyagela.com/interview/meet-lenora-marouani-souk-manhattan-beach/