NEVER surrendering despite the obstacles that face her in life has been the key to the success of Dr. Aisha Natto, CEO of the Eye to Eye optical company and member of the board of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI). Natto said that she learned how to overcome difficulties by stressing positive action and by dropping the word “no” from her dictionary. “There is a “no” in life but the most important thing is how to change it to a “yes” and then to concentrate on whatever problems or obstacles are facing us in our life's journey,” she said. Natto was raised in a business family in Makkah from which she inherited her love for the business world, which later led to her becoming a company CEO. According to Natto, her career began by studying English literature at university. “I always loved the English language and wanted to learn more about it, which was why I chose to study it as a major in the university,” she explained. “After graduation, I continued my studies in business in order to prepare myself for the future.” Natto, established her company in 1990, and in 2009, it was recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in the Kingdom, providing her with an opportunity to be one of several Saudi women to be selected to meet King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. “My love of work has been behind the fast progress and the number of awards the company has received. The success of any business is not dependent upon having a male or female manager. We are all human beings capable of doing many things,” she said. “Meeting the King had been one of my greatest dreams ever since I was at school. After my dream came true, I realized that King Abdullah is not only a King, he is a father to all Saudis, which is evidenced by the care and love he has for his people.” Natto decided to share the experience that she had gained in establishing a small business by giving a number of lectures to small business owners in towns and cities all over the Kingdom. “There is a lack of supervision among small businesses in the Kingdom. People who decide to start businesses are not aware of the obstacles involved and what they need to know before they get started,” she said. “Based on my experience and my studies, I tried to share the basic knowledge that every small business owner should have, especially in the small towns in our country where there is not a lot of business information available.” According to Natto, as a growing society, we need to focus more on small business by establishing an official organization that trains business owners and follows up the progress of small businesses in all parts of the country. In 2005, Natto was the first woman to ever cast a vote for candidates standing for election to the JCCI. Recently, she and Fatin Bundagji, were appointment to the JCCI board by the minister of commerce and industry. Natto said that the announcement of her appointment came as a complete surprise. “Early in the morning, I was stunned by the large number of congratulatory text messages I received on the new appointment,” she said. “Later I received a letter from the ministry. The appointment was unexpected since I had not nominated myself as I have a full schedule of work with my company.” Natto said that she plans to leave a “noticeable fingerprint” during her work on the JCCI board and promised to give importance to women's issues by calling for the right of women to work in pharmacies and optical shops. Natto's business success has never prevented her from giving full attention to her two children who have carved out successful careers for themselves in medicine and engineering. “My family has always given me their full support and encouragement in all the projects that I have undertaken. I feel that there is still a long road in front of me with much more to accomplish in my life.”
