Words by Jumana

Fathimath Maisham is the definition of drive, creativity and hard work all rolled into one. We were lucky enough to carve out a few minutes from her busy schedule to sit down and talk about what makes her tick. What we found was an intelligent, incredibly business savvy woman who not only works very hard, but knows what it is like to think of every aspect of the business from every angle.

After being immersed well and good in the corporate field, Mai had been aiming for a career as a cabin crew by completing the IATA CC when a family emergency left her the sole breadwinner. She was soon handling hairdressing equipment and earning first place at a competition in Colombo’s prestigious Hariot Watt Academy.

It was the confluence of these events that brought her to the doorstep of the green rooms of Maldivian Idol Season 1, with the razzle dazzle of the hit show to guide her true passion – the glamorous world of hair and beauty. The business aspect soon followed when, within a year of getting her feet wet in the field and picking up freelance gigs, she was able to successfully launch RPS salon with major help from her mom.

Rock Paper Scissors opened its doors in early 2016 and is still standing strong, with an array of packages for the customer’s needs as well as a very loyal regular customer base. Mai emphasizes the need to be completely hands-on when it comes to all aspects of the business, “I enjoy the creative part of the business a lot, but as someone leading all aspects of the whole business, I take both the risk as well as the responsibility of it”.

“Even with running the logistics of the business, I work very closely with my clients so I am aware of all the little details of their needs… but I am also currently the boss, stylist, HR, and marketing department all rolled into one”

Reflecting back on the Covid-19 pandemic that wreaked havoc on businesses, Mai noted that those were dark times filled with struggle and doubt. She smiled however as she recalled genuinely what pulled her through those, “It was the clients who called even during that time and requested my services because they didn’t want to get their hair done by any other person”. She remembered how much it kept her going.

The glamazon also came out to play as we sensed her true love for the creative part of the field, when we asked her what her ideal advice would be for anyone in terms of style. “I would advise you to pick your style based on your personality as well as the event (in the case of an event) or occasion you are heading to”. She also vouched for the Alfaparf Milano hair coloring as her goto at the moment.

Mai is also the ultimate believer in immaculate and detailed planning as she reminisced on the steps that led her to start her business and get it up and running, “I have always dreamt ofbecoming a businesswoman, being my own boss and having something to call mine”. When asked if she would give any advice to her pre-business self, she stressed that she wouldn’t say a single word that would change how things could have been. Mai noted that it was being able to adapt and put very detailed plans into action that got her to where she is today. It is this kind of strategy that led her to take home Customer Experience Foundation’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2018.

Don’t most of us wish that our boss “could see things from our perspective”? Mai has taken that quite literally, “I am the boss, but I also work alongside my employees. So I can also see things from their perspective- literally. During previous jobs whenever a boss would get angry and shout, I would always think that I would do things differently when I employ people and that’s what I have built today”. RPS also runs Makeup, Beauty and Hairstyling courses for those that wish to professionally learn, with no strings attached.

Her one piece of advice for any aspiring entrepreneurs, “Figure out what you love and go after what you want. It is absolutely possible as a career and don’t let anyone tell you differently”. She expressed how grateful she is for where she is “I love what I do, so I never get tired of doing this. I also love that I can help people with this. The smile of a client when the service is done exactly how they wanted it is very satisfying”.

When asked what’s next, the only teaser we got was that what Mai is gearing up for will benefit the whole beauty industry in Maldives. All we can say is that we are in awe of the powerhouse that Fathimath Maisham is, and we can’t wait to see what’s coming.