Who is Ayeda Husain, could you please introduce yourself?

I am a longtime journalist with a double masters  from NYU.  I am also a Shaikha, one of very few female Sufi teachers in the world today. When I am not writing, I teach Sufi meditation, chanting and philosophy with a special emphasis on Rumi’s poetry as a means of healing and evolving. I have run Sufi healing centers all around the world,  led spiritual retreats worldwide, taught Sufi meditation to Buddhist monks in Tokyo, and been invited to the UN as part of an international delegation of spiritual leaders.

What is your business and when did you start?

Currently I am focusing on my latest publication, The Sufi Tarot which was published by Hay House in September 2022.

What inspired you to start your business?

I created The Sufi Tarot (the first deck in the world ever to portray traditional tarot through the lens of the healing, mystical tradition of Sufism) during the pandemic when I was locked up at home with a broken arm!

What were the challenges in the initial stages of your business and how did you overcome them?

Combining the healing tradition of Sufism with tarot had never been done before and I was apprehensive about finding a publisher. I was lucky to have my dream publisher, Hay House, publish my deck and guidebook which has already become an Amazon bestseller in the US, Canada, UK and Japan in less than a year.

What motivates you about your business?

I love leading healing workshops, talks and retreats that focus on my two areas of expertise – Sufism and tarot. What motivates me most about doing so is the number of people who get healed!

What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs?

It’s okay to have eccentric interests! If you want a product that is unique, you need to embrace what makes you unique!

Interesting fact most of the people do not know about you?

I used to be a model in New York!

The best business advice I ever received was…

To embrace what makes me unique instead of trying to do what others are doing.

My definition of success is…

Loving what you do so it does not feel like work!

If I could go back in time when I started my business, I would tell myself to…

Not be scared! Not all businesses have to be large and based in huge offices. Once can be successful today if one is committed to doing something unique.

My personal tagline is…

The journey to true success always begins with healing.