Houda Naji, the CEO and Founder of Younoh Media tells us how she started her professional journey. During the interview, she also shared about her company’s goals, challenges, adaptability and a lot more which helped us understand the business ways of Younoh Media. Houda is an inspirational leader with a versatile experience in digital marketing and communications.
Her deep understanding of digital marketing and emerging technologies helps her thrive and come up with innovative solutions. Houda Naji has more than 21 years of working experience. Learn more through the interview below.
Starting Up The Entrepreneurship Pathway
Our first question was, “What’s the idea behind your company?”
“Younoh Media was created with the dream of becoming a business owner in mind. I had identified a gap in the market for a boutique digital agency that had the right expertise and trained team to provide proven return on investment to clients at a reasonable price and high standards to help business grow in the digital space.
I believe that the key to a successful digital agency is having the right team of experts with the right skills and knowledge to deliver a service that is second to none.” says Houda Naji.
As Houda has extensive experience in the digital marketing sphere, we were curious to know how it all began for her. So we further asked, “How did you begin your career journey? Do you have some advice for beginners?”
She replied, “Many years ago, I began my professional journey in the field of IT. This industry is both challenging and rewarding, and I was fortunate enough to have had some exceptional mentors to guide me along the way. Eventually, I decided to take the leap and start my own business, and I received a great deal of support from my former colleagues and clients in doing so.
One piece of advice I often give to those just starting out on their entrepreneurial journey is to seek out a mentor in their field who can provide guidance and support as they grow and develop their business.
Mentorship is an invaluable tool for entrepreneurs, especially those who are just starting out. Having someone who has experience and knowledge in your field can provide you with valuable insights, advice, and support as you navigate the often-challenging world of entrepreneurship.”
To Deliver Measurable Results
We further What’s the goal of your company?
I wanted to create an agency that would not only be able to provide a good service to its clients but also be able to deliver results that can be measured. I believe that by providing a service that is of high standards and at a reasonable price, we can help our clients to achieve their goals and grow their businesses.
We believe that teamwork is a crucial aspect of every business and it can decide the levels of success a company can attain. However, different leaders have a different approach to teamwork and treating the employees. To know more about it from Houda’s perspective, we asked her a few questions in this regard.
Building A Positive Workplace
How important are employees’ energy levels to the success of your company?
She says, “Employees’ energy levels have a significant role in the success of my business. Motivated and engaged, I make sure my employees are happy in the workplace. It reflects on their productivity and creativity. Having happy employees makes them go that extra mile and put in extra effort to achieve company goals and objectives. I have created a positive and supportive work culture that boosts their energy levels by creating a sense of belonging and purpose.”
How do you plan to motivate your team to go an extra mile?
“To boost employee morale and motivation, it is important to recognize and reward good performance. One way to do so is by providing bonuses and promotions, as well as public praise, we also do monthly company events to socialize and just have fun together.” Houda added.
Apart from teamwork, how a company tackles challenges along their path can also determine their growth. So we further asked, “What keeps your company moving forward even during challenges?
“Being adaptable and resilient is how we navigated the pandemic and grew when other businesses were struggling and closing down. Being open to new ideas, approaches and being able to pivot quickly when necessary is key.” said Houda Naji, the Managing Director of Younoh Media.
Technological Adaptability
Post covid era, there are being transformations in businesses with the help of using technology. We were intrigued about understanding if it’s the same about Houda Naji and her company. So, we asked her about it.
Our question was, “How do you think technology is leading to changes in businesses? Do you feel it’s helping your company grow?”
With that, Houda continues, “Technology is leading to many changes in businesses, and it’s impacting almost all aspects of the way companies operate and how they interact with customers. Some of the ways technology is leading to changes in businesses include:
- Automation: Technology is allowing businesses to automate many tasks, such as data entry and analysis, which can improve efficiency and reduce errors.
- Digitalization: Technology is enabling businesses to move many of their processes and interactions online, which can increase convenience for customers and make it easier for companies to collect and analyze data.
- Artificial Intelligence: Technology is enabling businesses to leverage AI to automate repetitive tasks, analyze data, and make predictions, which can improve efficiency, productivity, and decision-making.”
Digitalization & Innovation For Growth
While discussing technology, digitalization also comes to mind. So we also discussed it with Houda Naji. According to her:
“Digitalization can help a digital agency grow in several ways:
- Increased efficiency: By digitizing many of their processes and workflows, digital agencies can improve efficiency and reduce errors. This can help to save time and money and allow them to take on more projects and clients.
- Automation of repetitive tasks: Digital agencies can automate repetitive tasks with the help of AI, which can improve efficiency, productivity, and decision-making.
- Remote working: Digitalization allows digital agencies to work remotely, which can reduce overhead costs and improve flexibility.”
We further asked, “Do you use innovative ideas to be unique?”
Houda Naji replied, “Yes, being a digital agency, we are early adopters of all new technologies and solutions that become available for example, we have been using the latest AI technology to:
- Content Creation
- Virtual reality and augmented reality
- Chatbots”
The Major Business Aspects
Houda’s words sparked our interest in understanding how exactly Younoh Media works and what are the definitive services that they offer. So, we asked, “What are your services and upcoming plans?”
She said, “The main services we offer are:
Web design and development: creating and building websites, web applications, and mobile apps implementing e-commerce solutions for businesses, including online stores, shopping carts, and payment gateways.
- Search engine optimization (SEO): optimizing a website for search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo, to improve its visibility and search engine rankings.
- Social media marketing: creating and managing social media accounts for businesses, and developing strategies to promote and grow them.
- Content marketing: creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and engage a defined target audience.
- Email marketing: creating and sending targeted email campaigns to promote products and services for our clients, and to keep their customers engaged.
- Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising: creating and managing advertising campaigns on platforms like Google AdWords, and Facebook Ads.
- Video production and animation: creating videos, animations, and motion graphics for websites, social media, and other digital platforms.
- Branding: This involves creating and developing a brand identity and visual style, and applying it to various elements such as logos, colors, typefaces, and messaging.”
“Our new service is the creation of metaverses for our clients, which is an exciting and innovative service that is becoming increasingly popular in the UAE. A metaverse is a virtual reality space that allows users to interact with each other, digital objects, and virtual environments in a shared and immersive experience. This can be used for a variety of purposes, such as entertainment, socializing, education, and business.” she adds.
How To Choose A Digital Agency?
Lastly, we asked, “Would you like to say anything else to our viewers?”
“Choosing a digital agency to work with can be a complex and challenging task, as it requires finding an agency that can align with your business goals and objectives, and deliver quality and effective solutions. Here are some key factors to consider when choosing a digital agency:
- Expertise and experience: Look for an agency that has experience and expertise in the specific services or solutions that you need.
- Communication and collaboration: The agency you work with should be able to communicate effectively and be open to collaboration. Look for an agency that is responsive and easy to work with, and that is willing to listen to your needs and concerns.
- Process and methodology: Look for an agency that has a clear and transparent process for delivering projects, and that is able to provide regular progress updates.
- Reputation and references: Look for an agency that has a good reputation in the industry and that can provide references from previous clients. This can help you to get a better idea of the agency’s quality of work and level of service.
- Scalability and flexibility: Look for an agency that is able to scale their services to meet your growing needs.” Houda Naji concluded.
Connect with Houda Naji on LinkedIn.
