Like any other Muslim mompreneur, Rabiya Moola is energetic, passionate, and inspirational. Her vision is to change the way Muslim women are portrayed, and she’s doing this all in her sixties.

For the first time in Ottawa, Muslim business women got a chance to come together to network, share ideas and learn about each other. This networking event was organized by the Muslim Women’s Business Network of Ottawa (MWBNO) on Saturday April 12th, 2014. The event was a huge success and was attended by a total of 28 women which consisted of beauticians, lawyers, professional consultants, etc.

The Muslim Women’s Business Network of Ottawa was established in March 2014 by two women entrepreneurs: Jessica Keats and Mahwash Fatima. They wanted to create a platform where Muslim business women could come together to network, mentor, and share their ideas and experiences.

It all started 6 years ago on her daughter’s seventh birthday. Using icing tips she had bought from the dollar store, Sobia Kamran created a beautiful cake that impressed her family and friends.

Like many women these days, Sobia wanted to stay home with her kids but also wanted to utilize her creativity and talent. She started baking cakes and cupcakes for events like school bake sales and friend’s parties and pretty soon became a baking expert. With a little encouragement from her husband, this little hobby soon turned into a part-time business opportunity.

Like many of her peers, at 22, Nafeesa Salar had her hands full with her full-time university and a part-time job. But her love and passion for art and design inspired her to take a bold move two years ago and launch her own business, Salar Event Planning, a Montreal-based event planning company.

As rare as it is to find a practicing Muslimah who is also an entrepreneur, it is rarer still to find a Muslim man who supports his wife in starting and running a home based business.

Sana Khan began shadowing experienced henna artists at age 21. Within a few years, she had co-founded a business. Now, at 24, she's launched her solo career and is hoping to profit from increasing demand.

Traditionally henna tattoos are worn by women from South Asian, Arab, and African backgrounds for celebrations such as Eid (Islamic festivals). Elaborate henna ceremonies often form part of wedding celebrations as well.