IF you read Dr. Aisha Bakr Natto's CV, you will notice that this businesswoman, born on Jan. 26, 1950 in Makkah City, is highly educated and persistent at goals she sets for herself. She is a businesswoman equal to a tribe of men. She has worked hard to achieve her ambition in the business world. She is passionate about anything related to business. Her priority is to show the world, through the mass media, how Saudi women have contributed to developing their homeland. Natto holds a master's and PhD in business administration, a BA in English literature and a diploma in education. In addition to being the first Saudi female trainer licensed by the British Academy, she has taken many courses in management, planning, leadership, marketing and development. Today, she has considerable experience in different fields. She has been working in real estate since 1984. She was the manager of Eyes Optics Group between 1990 and 2006 and the chairwoman of the board of directors of Eye to Eye Optics between 2000 and 2006. In addition to being a member of the British Human Resources Academy and Absar Society for Women in Jeddah, she also holds a membership certificate from the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Natto has several personal capabilities. She is proficient in Arabic and English, has experience in the field of planning for small businesses and projects, can understand people's personalities and psychological state, is good at negotiations and can persuade people easily. No wonder her friends call her the Hanan Ashrawi of Saudi Arabia because of these skills. She is also highly-skilled at managing work team, societies and organizations; keeps up with the daily developments in marketing, investment and business; loves to learn about everything new in the market and life in general; and is adept at designing and using computer technologies. On a personal level, she loves everyone, is patient, compassionate. She is enthusiastic about her mission and vision in life. She always takes the initiative. She has a simple approach to events. Her solution when facing any negative experience is “How can I change this situation to a positive one?” Her motto is: “ ‘No' is not a word in my dictionary”. She always makes her vision clear to everyone around her and shares her successes, accomplishments and happiness. Natto started her career with Shakespeare and Charles Dickens' novels in the literature department, culminating in a PhD in business administration. As a student she did not know she would end up in the world of optics. Her family helped her start her business. Her family gave her different tasks. She was responsible for following up the procedures for the license of a factory in Riyadh. She was also in charge of paying compensation entitlements for Makkah real estate and building a tower at Harat Al-Bab near the Grand Mosque. “I knew that working in the field of business was a challenge and that only my achievements would speak for me. I also knew that a free business did not depend on a monthly salary but there was a financial return which required focus and hard work.” She married at an early age and gave birth to Helmi, now an engineer and Ahlam, a doctor. She says that the support and love of her husband and family had a great effect and major role in her success in life and business. Therefore, she says her motto in life is love. Natto loves her family for standing by her in her journey in the business world. She believes in Anton Chekhov's words, “If you can love, you can do anything you want.”
