[gallery size="medium" td_select_gallery_slide="slide" td_gallery_title_input="Saudi women give tough competition to male counterparts" ids="91745,91747,91746"] INSTEAD of searching for a job in the public or private sector, many Saudi women have launched startup businesses, giving a tough competition to their male counterparts. The government has removed the obstacles that used to block the path of women who wanted to start a business. Women today are given more opportunities to contribute to the development of economy, Al-Riyadh daily reports. Bashayer Al-Johani, who graduated from the school of accounting, said she is planning to start a beauty salon that will especially offer manicure services. "It is going to be the first such salon in the entire Qassim region. I have already purchased all necessary tools and furniture. Customers will enjoy sitting on highly comfortable chairs, which are recommended by American physicians and cosmetologists. Strict hygiene standards will be maintained to prevent any possible infections," she said. The salon will offer pedicure and make-up services as well. Only natural products, extracted from plants, will be used. There will be 500 nail colors from global brands and a special section for hair dye and skin exfoliation. Saja Al-Issa, who graduated from a law school two years ago, wanted to be a lawyer but could not find the job of her passion. She then decided to pursue her hobby of cooking for a career and started a small eatery. She created an Instagram account to market her dishes. "Cooking has been one of my hobbies since I started college. I took several cooking courses to hone my culinary skills and learned a lot from the courses," she said. Right after the launch on Instagram, many people who liked her food started placing orders. She began with three meals on weekends and later started preparing food for different events. Her father supported her along the way and helped her start off on the right foot. "The road to success was not easy," Al-Issa said. She cannot attend most of her family or social events because she has to spend hours and hours in the kitchen cooking food and preparing the orders of her customers. Aram Al-Wasil searched in vain for a job after she graduated from the school of economics. Unflinched by the bitter experience, she took up courses in making pastry and started a small project from home. Her husband and family encouraged her to open accounts on social media websites and offer her services to friends and colleagues. It worked and Al-Wasil was able to attract a large number of people who liked her items who became her permanent customers. "After a short time, I expanded my business. I hired and trained Saudi and non-Saudi workers to help meet the increasing demand for my cakes and sweets. My parents helped me financially to implement the project," she said. Noura Al-Shoshan did a bachelor's degree in fabric sewing and started a small project from home. She designed and sewed women's dresses and sold them at local bazaars. As shoppers liked her designs and bought the dresses on the spot, Al-Shoshan's friends encouraged her to expand the business. "I am going to open my own boutique soon to sell dresses I design. I like fashion a lot and always keep myself updated on the latest developments in the fashion world."
