This month, in honour of the upcoming Women’s Entrepreneurship Day – we are featuring our very own founder and owner of Girlfriends Brow Bar – the incredible Aneet Brar. Anyone who know’s Aneet knows she puts her whole heart into everything she does, and is an inspiration for all women in her community and beyond.
Keep reading on to see what she had to say!
Q: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗚𝗶𝗿𝗹𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗕𝗮𝗿?
A: Girlfriends Brow Bar is my baby. I started the journey as a home based business, and the reason I named it Girlfriends is because girlfriends support each other. I wanted to give back to the women in the community and make them feel beautiful and welcomed. I got to meet beautiful, inspiring women, and the business took off and we moved into a storefront. What I love about the brand that we’ve created is that our team has one mission: to give great quality and exceptional service in a place where everyone feels welcome. We always make sure we put the client first, and greet them open heartedly, have lots of conversations and consultations to get to know them, and listen to them, to be able to offer the right service. We want to make sure women feel empowered, and listened to.
Q: 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝘆?
A: Definitely my mom. Her story is incredible. There were two sisters, and my mother was the older one. The family decided to get her married, but she stood strong and wanted to finish her education, so she did, and she landed a great job and raised us, me and my brother. That shows a lot of courage, when society is against you and your dreams, and til today she is always standing strong and is an inspiration for me, having gone through rough times and has always stood strong.
I also find inspiration in women from all over the world, especially in developing countries, working day and night, with kids on their backs, and who don’t necessarily have the same opportunities as we do here in western Canada. We are so blessed where we are for not only the opportunities for women but the safety we have as well. Knowing that gives me the courage and the wings to not just do something for myself, but to create something greater than myself so that I might be able to help other women that don’t have the same opportunities as me. These women all over the world, although I don’t know any of their names, they really inspire me.
Q: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 “𝗮𝗵𝗮” 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆?
A: I’ve always been a creative person my whole life, but what I’ve learned is that only just having creativity doesn’t produce results. You have to have equal amounts of creativity and courage. Creativity needs courage.
Q: 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗲, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗲?
A: I would say “you are enough”. We are enough, as we are, and should not focus on our limitations because we are limitless.
Q: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳, 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 / 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲?
A: Making mistakes is okay. Our world is full of fear and judgement, so we don’t ever really put ourselves out there. It’s about having a healthy balance in your mind and being more kind to yourself, saying positive things to yourself. Try to be your own best friend and nurture your brain and mind so that you can move forward with grace.
Having a great product or service is one thing, but having a deeper meaning with those products or services which connects you to your community, and helps empower those around you, can really make your dreams come true. It’s important to add that human touch and that emotion into your work, your brand, your message. The way you treat your staff, the way you shape your work atmosphere, these things take you ahead in life and you can create a healthy circle around you. If you’re starting out in business, make sure you’re starting with ethics, and never let them go down the drain. Wear them as a badge on your chest.
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Thank you