We had the good fortune of connecting with Noor Molvi and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Noor, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Time management is not my strong suit. I’m the type of person that works best at night and feels the most creative at 2 am, it’s great to have that creative rush late at night but it’s not very conducive to running a business. As an entrepreneur I relish having a flexible schedule but for the first few years of my business I was working all the time. Even though I was sitting at my desk for so many hours, I wasn’t necessarily being productive. If I had a meeting on a Monday I would cancel any weekend plans in the name of “needing to prepare” for said meeting when in reality I would spend most of that time procrastinating and feeling anxious about how much work I needed to do. When I realized I wasn’t able to make time for the things I wanted to do in spite of having a flexible schedule I knew something had to change. I’ve always been very list oriented, so writing down my to do list everyday increased my productivity. Having a visual on what I need to do allows me to plan how I use my time. I also adopted the motto “the less time you have to work, the less time you need to work”, so instead of blocking out a whole day to complete a task that I find intimidating, I give myself the necessary amount of time so that I have less time to procrastinate on it. This allows me to schedule how many hours a day I work which has brought much needed work life balance. I love running my own business but I also want to make sure that I have time to catch up with friends or help out a family member in need. I had to re-train my own way of thinking, just because cooking a meal at home or making time to exercise is important to me does not mean that I am neglecting my business by prioritizing non-work related things. Creativity is a muscle, if you don’t rest it you won’t be able to flex it.
Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
NOORNOIR is a jewelry line inspired by the hidden treasures of the sea and sky. Each piece is handmade in Los Angeles, CA. I’m very proud of how this jewelry line has grown from being an after school hobby to being stocked in independent boutiques all over the country. It took a lot of persistence and creativity to reach this point. I’m proud that NOORNOIR has built a reputation on being the highest quality of costume jewelry.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Depending on how long the line is, I’ll do brunch at either Cici’s Cafe (Tarzana) or Sweet Butter Kitchen (Sherman Oaks). Followed by the best cup of coffee from The Coffee Roaster (Sherman Oaks). Then hanging out at Balboa Lake Park or shopping on Ventura Blvd, my favorite shops are Modernism Furniture (Sherman Oaks) for home goods, Sherman Oaks Antique Mall for vintage, or Soto Lifestyle Boutique (Sherman Oaks). I also love taking friends to stroll Tujunga Village in Studio City and stopping at Aroma Coffee & Tea for lunch. Catching the sunset at the beach is a must so either Santa Monica or Malibu depending on the traffic. Followed by dinner from Hayat’s Kitchen in North Hollywood.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Natalie Ellis & Boss Babe Inc. Podcast. They cover so many useful topics for female entrepreneurs and have really great interviews with female founders.
Website: www.noornoir.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noornoir/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shop.NOORNOIR/
Other: Mailing List: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5ebca2fdfb8a970026988f7e
Image Credits
Neighborhood Creative