We had the good fortune of connecting with Hani Anis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hani, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Work life balance is something that has been a conscious battle for me. When I first started both companies I thought owning a business meant you were working, all the time. I worked 7 days a week and eventually burnt myself out. When I hired employees, my main priority became to give them work life balance but then I thought, I should also work on that for myself. It started with me taking just friday evenings off, and then slowly I added saturday and then finally I was taking the whole weekend off. Now I only work 9-5 really on most days, and I take all weekends off as well as holidays and I get vacation days. But this is still a slow process that I am constantly working on.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I have two businesses:

Anis Collections is my bridal boutique where I design custom Indian bridal clothing for luxury south asian brides and grooms in the US. I started 5 years ago and we definitely have come a long way since then. It was not an easy process especially being so young when I started and I had to figure out quite a bit along the way. Knowing that this is what I wanted to do and seeing the happy looks on brides, and their families was what make the journey worth it for me. In terms of our brand, we strive in creating a couple’s dream look for their big day.

Kahani Digital is my digital marketing and PR agency. I officially founded it last April, but have been freelancing in marketing for about 3 years now. I stumbled upon marketing while Anis Collections shut down during the pandemic and through freelancing and expanding my network, I was able to start this agency. I specialize in South Asian owned or founded brands and help them tell their stories through their digital marketing and PR strategy.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My office is located in Pike and Rose so I would start here and show them a day in my life. Then we would make our way to downtown Bethesda for some of my favorite dessert spots (Georgetown Cupcake / Levain) and go to Tatte Bakery. We then would go into DC where I would take them to walk around the streets of Georgetown for some shopping, sit by the water and enjoy the views of the Kennedy Center, and then make our way to the National Mall with a coffee and cupcake from Baked and Wired. I would then end with a backyard BBQ in my house and with my family because thats my norm when I am home.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Dedication to my parents, Nisreen and Zoher Anis for always being my biggest cheerleaders, listening to all my problems and never giving up on me.

Website: www.kahanidigital.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/kahani.digital

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/umm-e-hani-anis-1b0196114/

Other: www.aniscollections.com www.instagram.com/anis.collections1

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