Press
What, I asked, would be the biggest problem faced by women setting up a business in Cyprus? “Well, from the comments I receive from members it’s the difficulties faced trying to communicate in such a male-dominated society. We havewomen who are directly competing with men, even worse – at least from a local male standpoint – it’s foreign women who are coming onto their local turf, and that has led to problems. “I know things are changing, attitudes are getting better, but it’s still an awfully slow process, with many men unable to comprehend thatwomen do want to run a seriously professional business , one that makes money and is successful, not just a hobby, set up solely to generate pin money. Our members are all serious players, and many men cannot see this, with the result they have employed some stunning delaying tactics, which they believe will in the end makewomen give up. This is a regular occurrence for our members, but we now know how to circumvent this tactic and, believe me, the women affected don’t give up; in fact it makes them even more determined to keep going until they get what they want.”
Fiona Karayiannis, 38, has a Master’s degree in archeology. Now married with two children, Fiona works with her husband renting holiday villas, she also trained as an accountant and went on to do abusiness studies course, all of which has since aided her family business enormously. “I do like being a member of the WIB group, because I get to meet so many women from completely different backgrounds and disciplines; it’s also a very down-to-earth group, with realistic aims and objectives and no, at least to date there have been no power struggles or bitching. We don’t do the committee route, we all help in turn and get the various jobs done. Anyone coming new to the area and wanting to set up abusiness is able through the WIB immediately to come into contact with 100-200 new people, who can all help in so many different ways, and, yes, mybusiness has been greatly boosted by being a member.”
Dr Inna Matvienko-Papantoniou, 36, is a veterinary surgeon with a thriving practice in both Paphos and Peyia. “I am a rather shy person, probably a lot to do with working with animals all day long, but, I knew I needed to join the WIB group, not primarily because of my shyness but because I wouldn’t have gone out on my own to try and meet some of the greatwomen I have now got to know. “I attended the first meetings and have been a supporter ever since, and my business has benefited from being a member. I have learned a great deal about certain business practices, which I have since implemented into both my practices, and they have all worked. So, the advice I can get and will continue to get is invaluable.” Anna Hughes was born in Hong Kong to a Chinese mother and Welsh father. Anna came to Cyprus with her husband and family in 1999. Since then, she has created her own company ‘One Touch’, which helps in the understanding of the basic human spirit and the damage that has been done to it through all sorts of trauma.
Her work is highly effective and Anna is now recognised as a quite extraordinary healer. “Women in business is all about community and how we can all be of service to the community and at the same time improve our business skills to help bring even more benefit to one own business. It’s also where one can get to know a good community of women, many of whom may have faced the same problems in business, so there is a shared experience we can enjoy. “People are my business, and work is my life so, it’s entirely natural to associate with a well-run business group peopled only by women for women, many of whom will go on to help nurture younger members. That’s vitally important and something that we should really all be doing, regardless of sex or indeed one’s own personalbusiness motives.”
Karen Cunningham is a perfect candidate for membership. She imports ex UK chain store clothes, via shops called Second Sense, one in Paphos the other in Limassol. I asked if she would now consider joining, after hearing about the WIB. “I just wish I had known about it before I set up mybusiness as I’ve had huge problems in the past with customs as all my goods come in by airfreight. Most of my time has been spent finding out how to deal with the authorities without any hassle, and I have had to take the acquiescent route many a time as rulings tend to change regularly. “Now it’s getting better, as I’ve worked out the perfect system, but there must be more I can learn also. And other women may well find my experience useful in the future. Yes, I will join and it’s with the philosophy that with the best will in the world we cannot know everything, so being in a group with shared experiences can only be a huge bonus.”