Episode 51 Insider tips on landing your dream job with international HR industry and recruitment expert Deqa Gelle

Today we have a very interesting and eye-opening episode with Deqa Gelle.  Gelle is the founder and owner of One Stone HR and has 10 years of professional experience working in the Recruitment and HR industry and has worked for corporations in London UK, Toronto, and Hong Kong.

Today we have a very interesting and eye-opening episode with Deqa Gelle.  Gelle is the founder and owner of One Stone HR and has 10 years of professional experience working in the Recruitment and HR industry and has worked for corporations in London UK, Toronto, and Hong Kong.

 

In this episode, Deqa shares with us very important ideas and tips on job seeking and business startup. Deqa specializes in the hiring process and by connecting all the missing dots in the resume and most importantly, giving training that will help each person find the missing link in their interviewing skills so that they get the job offer of their dreams and giving them an edge in the already overcrowded labor market.

 

In this episode

 

●      The “Sales” side of H.R

●      Lessons learned and skills developed from Sales job positions.

●      Why Deqa started her own business

●      Biggest challenges of starting your own business and how to overcome them

●      Tips on writing your first resume, cover letter and looking for a job

●      Deqa’s do’s and don'ts for applications

●      A great tool LinkedIn. - Tips

●      Networking - Get out there and just do it

●      Interviewing Skills - Things to practice and prepare before interviews

●      Confidence   

●      “People might not remember what you said to them, but they'll remember how you make them feel”

●      Starting your business - “How to” and “what to” tips

  

Contact Deqa

Website: www.OneStoneHR.com  https://www.deqagelle.com/

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/deqa-gelle

Transcription

FOUSIA: Hey, guys, Asalamaleikum and welcome back to another episode of The Nap Time Is Sacred Podcast. This is Fousia. I'm so excited to have another episode with you guys. And this episode is gonna be part of a series about Muslim professional woman. And I can not wait to share the rest of this year with you guys. So definitely subscribe. And let's get right into today's episode. Today I have with me Deqa Gelle. Welcome to the show.

 

Deqa: Hi, guys. Fousia I thank you so much for having me. I am so excited. I can't tell you how much I've been stalking you guys. So I'm feeling super honored it today. Thank you.

 

FOUSIA: Oh, I'm so excited to have you on. And I know our listeners are going to benefit from the wealth of information that you have. So tell us a little bit about yourself or those people who are not familiar with you or your work.

 

Deqa: Okay. So I am originally from Somalia, but I grew up in the U.K., London, and seven years ago I moved to Toronto. So ever since I left school, I've been in some kind of like recruitment or H.R in the U.K. and now here in Toronto. That's a little bit about myself professionally. I've worked for corporations in North America, London and also in Hong Kong. And about two years ago I started my own business because I just wasn't feeling fulfilled. And I wanted to be in a little bit more control, you know, more freedom, I guess, financially, not only financially, but really so that I can give back to my people that don't necessarily have the resources that come so easy to somebody who an industry like me.

 

FOUSIA: That's amazing. Mashallah I feel like just that a little bit about yourself. It opens the door to so many questions that I have for you. And the first one is going to be why did you get into like H.R. or recruiting? Did you have a passion for it or is it something that you saw once you started school and that's what you really wanted to do?

 

Deqa: So I studied international relations and politics when I was in school. And, you know, I had dreams and aspirations of working for the U.N. and things like that and traveling around the world. And it didn't materialize. I couldn't find a job. That's the honest truth. So I was going to a lot of interviews and I just wasn't getting anywhere until finally. Honestly, I fell into recruitment and in H.R by accident. So my first job was recruitment. And I don't know if anybody knows, but if you work for a recruitment agency, it's a lot of sales required at the beginning. Surely because you're cold calling. You have to get out of your comfort zone. You're going to be... a lot of people are going to tell you, now, get off my line. I'm not interested. But it's the best way that I can say is like, imagine a car salesman, like in a suit, you know, working in Base Street or, you know, in Canary Wharf in London. Basically, that's what it is. So there's a lot of cold calling and so forth. And that was my first job. And then I progressed into a different kind of career, but all within the same industry.

 

FOUSIA: That is so interesting. I always find recruiting interesting. And I didn't know a lot about it until recently because my father in law actually has a recruiting business for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. And I hadn't realized how much work actually goes into it, and especially, like you said, like sales. That's not something that I thought that you had to do in that kind of field. So it's been really interesting to see that side of H.R. and recruiting.

 

Deqa: Yeah, absolutely. And that's what I tried to teach. You know, I wish everybody got a job as a sales some kind of sales person. You know, when they're 16 or 17, because it teaches you so much about yourself, because every career and everything that we do there, there's some pot of sales involved and not the obvious sales. But you know how you present yourself, how to get a promotion, how to talk to people and also understanding that you will get no's and that people will be uninterested in your services or whatever the case might be. But what sales teaches you is that's OK. And you just keep it moving.

 

FOUSIA: Yeah, it kind of makes you like be able to develop that skill.

 

Deqa: Absolutely. You learn perseverance. You have to otherwise like you'll cry in the first week. And, you know, some of these really big shots that you see in any downtown and so forth, they all have to do some kind of sales. I think that part of why I left as well is it also teaches you to be a little ruthless as well, but honestly has a lot more good than bad. So I would highly recommend as as a first time job after you leave school to, you know, something that has some kind of sales. Wow. I definitely would recommend.

 

FOUSIA: Oh, my gosh, that's amazing. I never thought that would be like... but for me personally, like going in to sales sounds scary. But you made it seem like there's so many different things that you can take away from that. And I hope that that's beneficial to people, especially our younger listeners who are, you know, graduating high school or graduating college. Those life skills will definitely help, like especially learning how to deal with different personalities. What makes one person buy doesn't make the other person buy. So I think it really has a lot of psychology and sociology into it, too.

 

Deqa: Without a doubt. So, you know, the later parts of my career, I spent hiring salespeople. So what I found actually was that women tend to be better sales women. Women in general are actually better than men. And one of the reasons why is a big part of sales is also understanding the need of the other person, what they need. Right. And being able to listen and really listen and then trying to find a solution for that. So it's not about just pushing a product at all. It's about, you know, listening and understanding. And I swear, if you have that little bit of perseverance and personality, like the sky's the limit.

 

FOUSIA: I love it. You know, you talk a little bit in the beginning when you were introducing yourself about feeling like you were missing something and starting your business. Tell me, I guess, to start with. What was the most difficult part of that journey for you? And then followed up with the positive so we can give some hope to people who are also going to Insha'Allah one day start their own business.

 

FOUSIA: Absolutely Good question. You know, for me, the easiest part of starting a business is the technicalities. The technicalities is we have a lot of information online. There is a way that you can register and things like that. But the biggest challenge for me about starting a business was like self-doubt. It was me. It wasn't anybody else. It was every old fear and everything that I've ever been scared of really came to the surface. And it was like randomly, I'd have this, I'd wake up and I'd have this thought, like, who do you think you are? Like, what makes you think that you're capable of starting a business? And that was the hardest part for me. And it would paralyze me for weeks. I've wanted to start a business for a long time, but like it only came into partition two years ago purely because I started to take baby steps everyday. I would just give myself a little task. And also, I think what really helped me and I hope it gives a lot of hope to everybody is understanding that, you know, these thoughts that we have, they're not real. The only thing that is real is if we, like, listen to them and stay in bed all day.

 

FOUSIA: Yeah.

 

FOUSIA: You know, and just being aware, just being aware, like it's funny, the things that I say to myself, I would never say to another human being. So just being aware of that. So that was my biggest challenge. My biggest challenge was self belief and self-confidence. So I watched a lot of motivational. I got a lot of help. I talked to a lot of people. And I hope we talk about this. But it's also aligning yourself with like minded people. I cannot stress that enough. And I don't like to use the word networking because it's such a broad thing. But, you know, like going to an event or, you know, contacting somebody else who's going through the same thing or has started a business or whatever the case might be. So I would definitely say my circle helped me a lot. And whenever I was down, they would be like, hey, that you can do this. You've managed to live by yourself and do things, you know, in Canada by yourself for a while. So you got this. Does that answer your question?

 

FOUSIA: Yes, it does. And I mean, I love it that you have like this aligning yourself with like minded people, because when we have that imposter syndrome in the beginning, whether it's your first time writing a book or starting a podcast or YouTube or your own business, we're like me? Like, who would let me do that? Like, who would invest in my business? Who would want to be a part of it? Like I'm a nobody. And we have that right, because I think online has made it really easy to portray that. You know, it's really like top notch people. Right. But everyone starts somewhere. So I'm really glad that you addressed that part of it. And then following it up with just people who will uplift you and make you feel good about yourself and help you throughout the process is just amazing.

 

Deqa: You know, for sure, I gave myself small tasks and I made sure that I took care of myself, like emotionally and physically so that I can do these things. But yeah, honestly, my tribe helped me a lot.

 

FOUSIA: That's amazing. I hope they continue to be a benefit to you and you to them. I love friendships like that. They're just amazing. Yes. It's like kind of like when you build that tribe of viewers, it's like you feel like you can do anything. And they'll have your back. And, you know, in business or in life in general, there's going to be always ups and downs and they'll just kind of... they'll be there with you. So it's amazing, Marshallah. And I'm so glad that you have that. And I hope our listeners inshallah kind of align themselves with like minded people, too. I think we talked about this in previous episodes, just finding your tribe. And it's OK if like you outgrow friendship or you outgrow certain people in your life, it's just like grow and it's all about personal growth. So I'm so glad that you tackled that topic for us. What I would really love to talk about, you know, it's it's June, I know in Toronto, people are still in school. But here in Texas, we actually got out a few weeks ago. And it was making me think that, you know, people are graduating from college and. I was graduating from college. It was like, dude, how are you going to get a job like, oh, SAP is gonna be ringing my door, I need to pay these loans back. So what am I going to do? And I think the first thing that I had to learn to do by myself was learn how to write a resumé. And, you know, there were no classes at school at the time for that. There weren't any YouTube videos that I could look up how to write a resumé or anything like that, or even, you know, we had our like word templates. I think back then. But that was pretty much it. So tell me a little bit about your advice for recent graduates who are looking to get into their first like, I guess let's say a real job or even just a starting job for the summer and they want to write a resume. What are some of your tips that you don't think that they could necessarily find resources for online?

 

Deqa: I think one of the things that we need to understand is like we are living in such an abundant time. And what I mean by that is like we have such quick access to the Internet and there is so much resources. Free!!  you know, and really what I mean is like Google... make Google to your best friend and you literally typing something like, you know, "free resume template" and you will actually see all of the information that you need to lead by example. You don't need to reinvent the wheel, by the way. You do not at all. I feel like people get so stressed about creating the perfect resumé when there is no such thing. And number two, always on the side of simplicity. So those are my two biggest advice. Keeping up a resumé to one or two pages. Fantastic. Because I'll tell you why I am on the other side and I'll be reviewing your recipe if I'm 100 percent honest with you. I don't read your resume a word for word because I don't have the time. But I've learned how to skim and I've learned how to look for the key words. And those are the things that you need to focus on. The other advice that I would give is chill out a bit. You do not need to write a thousand word cover letter either. The truth is, hardly anybody reads them either. OK. And that's purely because we again, we live in a time where because of a click of a finger, we get one hundred resumé for just one job applicant. So that means a hiring manager or recruiter like myself. We generally don't have the time to read very long winded cover letters. So I'm going to do a s plug here. But like literally my next video is like how to do the perfect cover letter. And I always say air on the side of simplicity because especially when you're a new graduate. The one thing that you need to be focusing on is numbers. Numbers in the sense of like you need to sit down in front of the computer half an hour a day and start making applications. Action, action, action. Not theory and writing the perfect cover letter and resume me. But actually getting something done. Having a friend or a family or a cousin or an auntie that has any kind of a professional job. Look at it. I'm sure they'll be able to help you and then start applying because your resumé will develop over the years and it will get better, but you will never begin with perfect. And looking for perfect will paralyze.

 

FOUSIA: I'm so glad that you mentioned that. Like going back to my own story, I was kind of like looking for the perfect template, the perfect way to do it. And I think a lot of that kind of took personality and experience and I should have put on there and it necessarily didn't work out. The other thing that I really want to talk to you real quick was you just mentioned like applications and applying and how numbers are important and just like, you know, hustling and getting that part done when you're writing an application. I mean, there's going to be a lot of different fields that people are in that are listening. But what are some of your dos and don'ts for applications?

 

Deqa: So some of my dos and don'ts. I would say open up a couple of documents, for example, blank, because a lot of times when you're making applications online, they're going to ask you similar questions. So I would say copy and paste those questions and have them ready so that you don't have to do a whole new application and re remember all the things that you said. So, you know, copy and paste. Make sure you have all of that there. And again, you know, numbers game. But I want to go back to like one of the biggest tools that we have right now, which is LinkedIn to LinkedIn is like your bread and butter. Career wise, you should have a professional photo. But honestly, a friend can take that photo and everybody has a smartphone. Now, try to avoid like a Snapchat filter crown..

 

FOUSIA: Unless you're applying for a job at Snapchat or something.

 

Deqa: So, you know, I would say spend some time... and again... There is so much resources online all you have to do is type "how to create a good LinkedIn profile". There is videos on YouTube. You don't even have to read. You just watch a video. So that's what I would say.Other thing as well is recruiters and hiring managers, as a hiring manager myself, I spend more time on LinkedIn looking people up posting jobs than any other platform, so I would say make an investment there.

 

FOUSIA: That's amazing advice and I hope you guys are benefiting from it. And, you know, really going to take some takeaways and just Google learn as much as you can, but also put in the hard work. Get out there. Apply, apply, apply. Because that's how you're really going to learn. Like Deqa said. So you mentioned something else about networking, but kind of like aligning yourself with people and, you know, getting advice or help from people who've been where you are right now, who are professionals, who can give you guidance in terms of resume or interviews or even networking with people in your same field. Tell us a little bit about the best practices for when you're trying to learn about networking. I mean, I know it means something different to a lot of different people, especially kind of likes field specific as well. But for you as Deqa, what's the advice that you give people when it comes to like how to get out there and network? Because a lot of us are, you know, maybe first generation graduates or first generation in university right now. So maybe sometimes even going back to our parents is not something that is feasible for us. So how do we reach out to people?

 

Deqa: If there's anything that you take away from this whole, you know, us talking today? I hope you take away that everything involves a little bit of hustle. So LinkedIn is an amazing platform. And to give you an example. I moved to Canada. You know, about seven years ago, I was married. And then two years into my marriage, I divorced. And I literally had no network. I had no friends. So I gave myself a period of a year. And I was like, I'm going to try to make it in Toronto and that one year. And it was the hardest year of my life, also the most rewarding year. So in that year, you know, I started reaching out to people. And one of the things that I did and I still do. Actually, one of my best friends, even until today, I reached out to via LinkedIn and I said, hey, you know, I don't have a lot of network here. I work for a company that's overseas. Can I please meet with you for a cup of coffee? I would love to buy you a fancy coffee was my line. And you know, I'm flexible. I work around your schedule and you ask them for 30 minutes. Anybody that you'd like the look up, ask them for like 20, 30 minutes. That's not a huge obligation. You're buying them coffee. And honestly, most people will say yes, but you will get people not responding back to you and you will get people who say they don't have the time. And that's OK even till today. I have people who don't get back to me. So that's how I built my network. Another thing as well is, you know, if you have the time, I joined a couple of nonprofit organizations that were aligned with, you know, things that I like. For example, I joined Lean In Canada, which was a book that was written by Sheryl Sandberg. Who's that? The CEO of Facebook. And it's all about getting a seat at the table. There was a lot of women we all supported each other is amazing. So that was one in the last couple of years I joined a couple of Somali organizations, professional Somali organizations. So going to these events and these networking events is how I met like minded women. And for me, I always kind of stuck with women because, you know, there wasn't a question area. You know, girls go.

 

FOUSIA: Yeah. It's less to unpack what is just, you know, you're dealing with other women and you're focused and you're just going after like, you know, meeting people, then being not benefiting yourself, too.

 

Deqa: Exactly. And hands down the thing that has single handedly helped my career professionally, personally, how I've grown who I am as Deqa is honestly like through networking through like people that I've met. So I can't stress that enough. So, yeah. Put yourself out there. But it was nerve wracking at first.

 

FOUSIA: I can only imagine because, you know, like I'm not a like a talker. Right. I know I'm on a podcast, but it's different when you're on the other side of a microphone. Reaching out to people in person is something that I was never really good at until, you know, I've sort of forcing myself to do it and getting out of that comfort zone. You know, like you, I moved to a whole new city I've had recently got married and I didn't know anybody. Right?. Someone was like, oh, like, do someone in our, you know, someone? And he was like, oh, there's somebody in our tribe that lives in Austin. I'm like, oh, it's like a three hour drive. Like, Do you have anyone closer for me? You don't understand. Know, it was hard meeting people, but.. After a while it got easy. You kind of have to, like, put yourself out there. So, like, you know, you guys listen to what Deqa is telling you. Get yourself out there. I know it's weird getting out of your close circle of friends and family, but this is the only way to grow is to meet new people, learn different perspectives of life and kind of just like put yourself out there. So don't shy away from that. And I really hope you guys focus on that as well. Another thing that I wanted you guys to take away from Deqa was interviewing skills and you know, you apply. You applied. You apply. You have that great resumé that you know, it's a work in progress. But, you know, you got your resume through the door and you're applying to jobs. You get that call Deqa. So what do you do when you get that call and you got to go in person and meet these people?

 

FOUSIA: Yeah, absolutely. And so this is where, you know, online platforms really come in handy as well as just do your research. And really what do your research means is there is a Web site called Glassdoor door like glass and then all one word. And in glassdoor, probably about 90 percent of companies, people review companies. They kind of put in there that interview questions that they got asked in an interview and things like that. The company culture and so forth. So that's an amazing platform. It's kind of like an Amazon for the professional. Right? So you already have an example of the kind of questions that they will ask you and so forth but for the most part. Air on you know, the very obvious questions that they're going to ask you, you know, really sit down with yourself and say, hey, you know, I'm Deqa what is my strengths? What is my weaknesses? Look at your past experience. Where do I have, you know, holes in my experience if I haven't been working for three years or four years or I've been a mom for the past five years, you know, how can I say that comfortably in an interview? So these are the things that you need to think about so that, you know, when I call you, I feel like you are unprepared and I don't give you the time of day. But honestly, preparation is the key. There's so much information online to work on if there is any holes in your gap. The other thing as well is if you don't have a lot of experience, how shall I say this? You know, saying more about, you know, what you learned at school, for example, the courses that you learned, even if you did have a two week internship, there's a lot you can say about that every day. You did something different. So it's about practicing honestly and do it in front of the mirror. Yeah.

 

FOUSIA: And I'm so glad that you mentioned, like, you know, Glassdoor and other resources like that like you. It's a good place to learn about the companies that you've applied for and a little bit more detail. Prepare yourself for like you know, what their culture is all about. And, you know, there's some questions that people ask. How do you hear about us? What do you like about our company? You know. Tell us, like, you know, people want to know that you're prepared for these interviews. So, you know, one other thing that I had wanted to talk to you about when it comes to interviewing is, is that, you know, we're both Somali women were women of color, you know, walking into that interview a lot of times. And I don't want to have like a defeatist mentality, but a lot of times we have a little bit more of a difficult time because. Absolutely, we are in a minority group, whether it's her job or no, her job, there's still the color of our skin at the end of the day. So what two tips and advice for people who are kind of worried about that and they don't know how to deal with that workplace kind of culture, those interviews. And I mean, I guess it's not our place to put people at ease, but how do we put our best foot forward and represent ourselves in a way that regardless of whatever assumptions people have about us, that we we show them. But, you know, this is who I am. This is what I've studied. And this is what I'm willing to provide for your company and hopefully make it better.

 

Deqa: So two things. One of the best advice that I got when I was leaving school, I think it was either Abo (dad) said this to me and he said to me, "act like you belong". And I was like, what? I don't even know what that means. Like. It didn't make sense to me and act like I belong it's like walk into an interview room, like you are going into your auntie's living where an auntie that you haven't met yet,.

 

FOUSIA: Not the one whose couch you jump on.

 

Deqa: And since this is not that what but what a lot of times people forget is I'm sitting across from you. Yes. I might be wearing a suit. Yes, I might look professional. But bottom line, I'm human with human feelings. So it's OK. We know that you're nervous. But honestly, confidence goes such a long way. And I can't tell you like fake it until you make it. And so that's not arrogance, but confidence. Yes, you do have I as a black Muslim woman in North America, have a lot of obstacles. I just.. I walk into the room like I pretend like I  belong, honestly. And that's like what's worked for me the most. I am also a bit of an extrovert. So what I would say, like hands down is make sure that you're prepared because preparation gives you confidence. Preparation always gives me confidence. And, you know, walking with a smile. Humble yourself and you're good to go. But if you walk in with your shoulders down and your head down, there are going to be like, how is this person going to do the job? They have no confidence. Or if they're defensive and talk about how how much they've struggled in the wild as a black woman. Yeah, but that's also a red flag. Yeah. So, you know, you can always be like, hey, you know, like a lot of women, I've had lots of struggles, but I don't let that get me down at all. So a smile goes a long way and do your research. I always gravitate towards somebody if they've done a little bit of research on me because I'm human and I have a little bit of ego like everybody else. So if they have looked up my length and profile and they can see that I went to school in London or or and be like, you know, Hey, Deqa. How was your day? See that you went to school in London. What brings you to Toronto? I'm like, wow. I sit up and take notice. Yeah. So that's the advice that I would recommend if you're wearing a hijab If you're not wearing a hijab, it's honestly like most people are just human. Most people are attracted to positive, like minded smiley individuals.

 

FOUSIA: Totally. I love that. And I hope that for those of you guys who are listening, that you really take that away. That confidence is something that will go a long way when it comes to, you know, university life, getting that first job, you know, starting your own business. All these amazing aspects of life, you have to feel like you can do it. And if that means that, you know, you just got up, start doing it and take those interviews. Your first, second, third might not go great. But you're getting that practice and and you're learning how to speak to people and represent yourself in the best way possible and stay positive throughout the communication, whether you get the job or not. So one thing that I love.... Yes... And I'm so glad that you keep bringing that up, because it's really all about staying positive no matter what you're doing in life. Right? It could be in a jar or recruiting or in your home life or your business. But it always goes back to being positive. And I think that's how people really take away. You know, the good from you is that they can they can feel those good vibes. They can see that you're happy and they don't have to worry about, like, you know, someone who's not confident all the time and who doesn't know how to put themselves together. But people gravitate towards you when you're happier? I'm so glad that you get up.

 

Deqa: And the other thing, as well as you know, there is this old saying and it's so true. That is, "people might not remember what you said to them, but they'll remember how you make them feel". So if somebody walks in and they make me feel comfortable and ease and, you know, they've done a little bit of research, they make my job easier.

 

FOUSIA: Yes.

 

Deqa: So people remember that. I won't remember what you said word for word or things like that. But I will remember how you made me feel because we as humans are always thinking about us and how we feel and all of that. So I want you to remember that and really take the time to be nice and courteous and ask about the interview, all the hiring managers day.

 

FOUSIA: Guess that would be amazing. And just like even taking notice of the accomplish of the companies recently. But did they receive an award? Did they get an accommodation? Did the city do something special for them in recognition of something that they did? Makes you look like you've done your research too, and that you like the company and the work that they're doing. So giving them that positive feedback like, you know, I saw an article about you guys and you know, that's really amazing. And it aligns with, you know, whatever it is that you're doing, that really goes a long way, I think.

 

Deqa: Absolutely.

 

Ahamdullilah. So do I really want to get back into a little bit about starting your business, right? Tell me a little bit about some of the steps that you initially took after you got over that whole, like, you know, imposter syndrome like me?, like how am I going to do this? And you really.. you know, you mentioned that you just put one foot in front of the other. You took small steps and then bigger and bigger steps it to get to where you are today. So tell us a little bit about that part of your journey.

 

Deqa: I learn from other people nothing that I wanted... It was starting a business. Gazillion people have started their business before me. So honestly, one of the things that's helped me is in the last year I've started producing YouTube videos. But there's also so much resources online. So, you know, I would focus on a Web site, for example. How do I create a Web site? What platforms? Right?. Go onto? What services? My offering?. Those are the few things. I had a budget in place. So for me, even before that, let's go. Even before that. So I knew I wanted to start a business, but I was like, what am I going to start a business on? Right. And somebody gave me an advice. And the advice they gave me is do something that you know or something that you are passionate about. Right. Yeah. So what do I know? And my career is in recruitment and H.R. And one of my favorite things to do is when I'm interviewing people is actually give them feedback. So even if they failed this interview that can pass the next interview. Etc etc. So giving back in that sense is something that is not only something that I know, but something that I'm passionate about. So there. But what does that mean? So when you go in, how do I monetize this stuff? And then that's when I did other research on like other competitors. And honestly, there isn't a lot of people who do what I do. So I went online. I tried to find, you know, other Somalis or even black women and so forth. So I found a couple of YouTubers And then I have I don't know if I told you this, but I have kind of two businesses that I started. Initially, the first business that I started was very cold, very rigid. It wasn't me. So this business which is giving back to the community and that was a love. I am a cheery person. I'm a goof, but I'm also super serious. So I put all of that into my Web site. And what I offer. So the advice that I would give is if you're going to start a business, what are you passionate about or what do you know? And then, you know, how are you going to monetize this and not to get into too much details, but what is your value proposition? So why would I buy from you? Why would I use your services, et cetera, et cetera? So these are the things that you have to look at. You have to do your market research, who does what you do, who's out there that does the same thing as you.? So look at that as well. And then the other really good advice as well is like I use the Web site called Fiverr. So I was able to use Fiverr for a lot of the stuff that I needed online. For example, I had somebody do my Web site for me. I don't know how to create a Web site. I don't know how to code. So they were able to do it for me a lot cheaper than if I was to hire somebody in Toronto to do it. So that's kind of the thing. Am I a writer or a talker? I'm a talker. I'm not a writer. So. So I outsource that. I have the budget, et cetera, et cetera. So these are the things that I looked at. And the other thing as well is, you know, I had to address some of my fears and some of my fears was like I was scared to put myself out there because of what I thought, what would people think of me? So a lot of my business friends on like social media providing free, valuable content, providing free, valuable content also means that I have to put myself out there and tell people a little bit about me. For me anyways. So, you know, and people have opinions, but really other people's opinions of us is not our business is what I try to say to myself every day. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

 

FOUSIA: And in time I will continue to be more of the working than not. But it's amazing, isn't it? Like you graduated, you moved to a whole different country and then you started a business. Tell me the story of when you actually thought like, OK, I got this right. I've done it like I'm here and how that felt for you.

 

Deqa: I don't know if I ever have that feeling. I don't know if I ever have that feeling. But you know what? The one of the most amazing things that I'm able to do is, you know, not only sustain myself, but also give back. Right. So I guess that is super. But really, honestly, the thing that gives me.. it and I don't know if this is answering your question, but when somebody contacts me and says to me, hay Deqa, I got my dream job because I listened to one of your videos or the session that we did together like that lights me up for weeks. I can't even tell you. That's when I know I'm on the right. I'm on the right path is, you know, giving what I know to other people.

 

FOUSIA: That's amazing. And I'm so glad that you mentioned that because, I mean, I asked you the question, but in reality, most entrepreneurs are always waiting for the next thing. Right?. When am I going to do now? What am I going to do now? What am I going to do now? So I'm so glad that you're honest about that. Not feeling like you ever like they're there, but taking joy in those moments where your work has paid off and people have benefited from it and you actually feel like, you know, you're accomplishing what you set out to do. So I'm so glad that you mentioned that. One other thing that you mentioned that I would really love to touch on was you said you had two businesses and one was more corporate and then we had one that you were giving back to the community. Tell me a little bit about that. I'd love to hear about it.

 

Deqa: So I have two businesses. One of my business is a recruitment company. The recruitment company is called One Stone HR. And what I do is as I contact companies and corporations and sells pots. Right.? And then so let's say Fousia is a company I'll contact her and I'll be like, hey, let me hire a recruitment manager if you need a recruitment manager or marketing person, whatever the case might be. That's that side of the business. Right? So basically I help corporations grow by filling positions within companies on the other side of my business. The other company is called Deqa Gelle. That's it. And what that does is the other side. So say, for example, I don't know... Sara is looking for a job but can't find a job or she's really struggling or whatever the case may be. Then she hires somebody like me. And what we do is we actually sit down via Skype video and talk about her resume, her LinkedIn. And most importantly, we put together a recruitment strategy for you to get that job. So that's what it is. Most of times of my clients like that, what I find is what is stopping them is like self-doubt or, you know, creating that perfect resume or cover letter and so forth that they end up only making like, you know, one application every week or two weeks so they don't get anywhere. The job market is really, really full right now. And the only way you can really get ahead is utilize the resources out there or utilize somebody like me or like, you know, hustle, hustle, hustle, hustle. So that's what I would say. And that's why networking. Just going back to networking briefly is so important because you might be meeting me for a coffee, say, today. Right? But you're also meeting my whole network. Say that you and I have a connection. We meet in person, you know, in one way or another, introduce you to my friends or, you know, I tell you about another opportunity and so forth. So it's not just about meeting one person. You're actually kind of getting a small introduction into that whole network as well.

 

FOUSIA: Yeah. Opens up a whole new opportunities and doors for you that you wouldn't have otherwise been able to by yourself.

 

Deqa: Yeah, absolutely. Some of the greatest opportunities that I've had, especially speaking opportunities, have come to me through, you know, people that I've met through networking, advocating for me. That's it. So I really highly recommend that.

 

FOUSIA: That's awesome. And I think this is a great place to kind of tell people where they can reach out to you, where they can find out more about you and also connect with you on a professional level?

 

Deqa: So you can find me on all platforms, on LinkedIn. Again, just DeqaGelle D E Q A. My Surname is G E L L E . I'm also on LinkedIn, Facebook. I'm most active on Instagram, so hit me up. I try to respond to all messages, so I would love to hear from you. I love when I connect with my sisters honestly.

 

FOUSIA:  I hope you guys take some time to reach out to Deqa. You guys can find her YouTube videos there as well. Same name Deqa Gelle on there. And I'll post a link to all of Deqa's social media in the show notes as well as.. you know, when you go back to the website for transcriptions or the full show notes. You guys can find all of her contact details there as well. I hope you guys really enjoyed this episode and had some great takeaways from it. We would love to hear what you thought about that. So definitely leave comments for that guy tonight to check out later and tell us what you thought about this episode. Thank you so much again for coming on the show. I really appreciate you taking the time and sharing all of these gems with us now.

 

Deqa: Thank you so much. I am grinning from ear to ear. I'm so happy. Finally, I just want to leave you with like. Recently I read something and I'm really paraphrasing. But it's called The Lobster story. It's when lobsters need to grow out of their shells. It's really uncomfortable and painful, but that's the only way that they can grow. They have to break out of their shell, but they only go through a period of maybe a couple of weeks and then they grow a whole new shell and then they're bigger and stronger. So I just want you to wherever you are in life, whether that's a new graduates or a new mom going back into the workforce. So starting a business, you will go through an uncomfortable period, but just know that it doesn't loss and to keep going.

 

FOUSIA: That is an amazing place to end. Thank you so much for sharing that with this until next time you guys take care.