What's in a name', Shakespeare had once asked. While in the context of Romeo & Juliet, the question was rhetorical yet there are some who live up to their namesake. Gems & art aficionado Arezou Shisheboran is one such individual who has done justice to her exquisite name which translated to `deep desire' in Persian. The astute businesswoman defied all odds presented by a male dominated country (Iran) and industry and fulfilled her desire to learn the true soul of Persian art at its best.

As a child Arezou was fascinated by gem stones and their beauty. Her fascination for the magical beauty of gem stones eventually led her to study gemology and jewelry design in addition to her architectural studies. As a 4th generation entrepreneur, Arezou carries her great grandfather's legacy by leading Shisheboran Gallery and creating exquisite jewelry.

The gemologist and jewelry designer extraordinaire, begins by analyzing the stone, which is the most significant factor to the business. Beautiful jewelry is then created based on the team's ideas while exclusive designs are custom-made to meet the needs of each individual. Her collection of stones and designs are inspired by a variety of concepts and notions from contemporary art and literature, and wonders of nature.

An astute business woman, Arezoure located at Shisheboran Gallery from Iran to Dubai in order to reach out to more customers around the world, and now intends to establish a digital presence through an online ecommerce platform.

In a conversation with the Women Entrepreneur Magazine team Arezou speaks to us about her areas of expertise, professional journey and future endeavors. Here are excerpts from the conversation.

Introduce us to shisheboran gallery. What are some important features about your expertise as a business leader?

Since 1950 Shisheboran has been a family-owned jewelry business. My Great grandfather was a silversmith in Isfahan Bazaar and it was My grandfather who shifted the business to High Jewelery in 1950. Currently I am the CEO, Executive Director, partner and a partial owner of Shisheboran Gallery.

The most significant aspect of our business is the trust and relationships we have with our customers, because jewelry is associated with some of life's best moments, and people seek out trusted vendors. We have customers who have been with us for years, and my expertise lies in networking with the new customers. Our main business was in Iran, but I wanted to upgrade it, so I relocated the company to Dubai. I'm currently also working on a startup called AREZOU by Ashisheboran.

We're launching an online service for individual engagement ring buyers that allows them to personalize jewelry based on their story, sentiments, and budget. Customers can make the entire journey from choosing a specific stone, going through the design process, to customizing the ring with finest details and finally getting it delivered to them, with Love.

Take us through your early educational journey and prior industry experience. What motivated you to venture into the field of jewelry design?

I was born in Iran in the late 1980s. At the time the country was recovering from revolution and war. It was also a largely male dominated environment; but growing up in Iran also provided me with the opportunity to witness the true soul of Persian art at its best.

As a child I was not interested in computer games; instead, my playground was my grandfather's office, which was filled with jewels and colours. I was always captivated by the inner world of gems. Each gem stone has its unique beauty. My grandfather was my earliest teacher and with his guidance, looking into stones in a loop opened new doors towards jewelry art which I had never thought of earlier.

Growing up I had the privilege of studying at the best international schools where I could grow my soft skills, and once at a charity event I sold some woven bracelets with colourful yarn. I gathered such an amount of money as a 12 year old. It was my first official sales. My fascination for the magical beauty of gem stones led me to study gemology in addition to my academic studies in architecture despite the limitations I had because of my Iranian nationality and sanctions. Architectural school helped me to understand about structures, forms, and the design process from concept to final product.

I studied gemology at the Gemological Institute of America and continued my professional gemology education at the Gubelin Academy in Switzerland. I also underwent a special training programme in Sri Lanka on March 8th, 2019 for International Women's Day, and we were the first group of women to go down into Sapphire mines in Sri Lanka.

As a gemologist and jewelry designer, I have experimented with various sites on each stone and perspectives that look directly into the heart of each and capture the essence of their inner beauty. My collections are inspired by various concepts, ideas from contemporary art and literature, and wonders of nature.

Tell us about the various roles and responsibilities that you currently shoulder at shisheboran gallery. What are some of the most challenging aspects of current role and how do counter these challenges?

I am the company's CEO, executive director, and partly owner. Finding my own way in the male-dominated society was extremely difficult for me as a young woman. But, by educating myself and networking with women all over the world, I was eventually able to form an all-female team with only one man on the team. I wanted to give women greater possibilities to be themselves and accomplish anything they want in the workplace.

“As a Gemologist and Jewelry designer, i have experimented with various sites on each stone and perspectives that look directly into the heart of each and capture the essence of their inner beauty”

The company was relocated to Dubai in order to expand the business and trade with overseas buyers. We want to have an online experience, since in today's world, every aspect of our lives moving online. We intend to leverage technology to grow our company further. Our mission is to increase market visibility and transparency while also sourcing from sustainable resources and contributing to the local mining community.

How did you develop a passion for entrepreneurship? What motivated you to take shisheboran gallery online?

This startup idea came to me after I noticed the need in the market for custom made pieces. People want something that truly belongs to them. I thought I could make an automated way of searching for stones, sending pictures and videos of it to customers, making repeated calls and messages to customers and gem stone dealers, meeting with my illustrators, 3D designer, and goldsmith, answering people's concerns, and so on.

“An astute businesswoman, Arezou relocated Shisheboran gallery from Iran to Dubai in order to reach out to more customers around the world, and now intends to establish a digital presence through an online ecommerce platform”

And that's how we are coming up with an online platform. We will begin with engagement rings and gradually add more pieces. With this endeavor I want to bring greater equality to miners, jewelry designers, and those involved in the sales process.

How do you keep yourself well aligned with the periodic evolutions occurring in the industry and the technology domain?

I am a constant learner who is always interested in learning about new technology and market trends. I try my hardest to attend all international events, which keeps me up to date on the latest trends. I have a network of people who are interested in technology and who assist me in keeping up with the latest trends. With the help of my team we've been able to create a jewelry e-commerce website.

What would you advice women aspiring to become business leaders and entrepreneurs?

To every women out there, know your heart and follow your passion. Your passion is already within you; it is the only thing that you can do with all the strength and zeal; all you have to do is know yourself better and figure out what truly motivates you. When you find it, never stop moving forward. Whether it's studying, doing an internship, or starting your own business, you'll never be exhausted if you work with passion and love and getting out of our comfort zones is the key to success.