Page - 286 - in Digital Entrepreneurship - Impact on Business and Society

3.2.2 WIB Start-up We interviewed the founder ofWIB.com (WIB stands for “Women InBusiness”) Lynn (the name of the company and the interviewee have been changed to ensure anonymity). WIB.com is an online beauty and health shop. Lynn is a young entrepreneur, who started by selling andmanaging a singlemakeup brand, which was theofficial providerof anoriginalmakeupbrand inLebanon.She later decided on incorporating a variety of beauty and skin care brands, and health and fitness items, expanding it intoWIB.com. 1. Lynn’s Vision: Lynn’s visionwas selling good-qualitymakeup at very fair and reasonable prices compared to othermakeup brands. She says that she’s beenworking on themain beauty brand in WIB.com for two years. She spent this time positioning and advertising thebrand, in addition to testing thewaterswith her overseas supplier to make sure she could trust them. Therefore, WIB.com started as a small-scale business atfirst, but after gathering feedback fromcustomers regarding the quality and the packaging of the products, Lynn has been rapidly growing her business. The founder points out that she associated her drive for starting and succeeding at her venturewith the concept of self-actualization,which is “end-goal” inMaslow’s Hierarchy ofNeeds. Self-actualization includes personal development and satisfy- ing one’s inner needs of achievement. She says, “as awoman in theMiddleEast, I am achieving something and contributing to society.” 2. Role of Education: With respect to her education, Lynn has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and is currently finishing up her master’s degree in finance. The university she received her higher education from did not offer any courses on digital entrepreneur- ship. Lynn, not having a business background, was motivated to start her online shop by being influenced by her friend who is an entrepreneur and also hadn’t studied business. Hence, Lynn participated in workshops and received certificates on online marketing (e.g., the tools to use to promote a brand on social media). Lynn’smarketingdegreehelped inmarketing thebrandandher store.Additionally, Lynn taughtherself somenecessaryentrepreneurial and technical skillsbywatching videos and tutorials on online shopping and trendmarketing. 3. Role of Social Capital: Lynn’s familywas very supportive of her decision to start a business: “my family has always supportedme in everything I do that they deem feasible.” In addition to her family’smoral support, Lynn’s family ties provided herwith an opportunity to expose her business to the public. At a dancing event organized and hosted by her brother, where most of her dance students and friends had attended, Lynn found and used the opportunity to promote and sell her brand. Challenges andOpportunities for Digital Entrepreneurship… 295