Trailblazing Empowerment: Asmaa Alkuwari on Leading Women to Purpose and Change

Meet Asmaa, the founder of Asmaa Consultancy and the “You’re Not Alone” community. With a passion for coaching and empowering women, she embarked on a journey to bring positive change to her community. Through her dedication and perseverance, she has created a supportive space where women can connect, learn, and grow together. Join us as we delve into Asmaa’s inspiring story and the impact of her work on the lives of women around her.

What inspired you to start Asmaa Consultancy and the “You’re Not Alone” community?

I started Asmaa Consultancy when I decided I wanted to be a coach for my community. At that time Coaching wasn’t well known back in 2018 and having a local coach that understood the society, the culture and tradition wasnt existent. I have just finished at that time my coaching training program, which I entered merely because I just wanted to become better as a person, not with an intention of becoming a coach, but finished the program with a major decision of actually wanting to become a coach and take on that path that was less travelled. It was a hard decision to make because I was paving the way and being a trailblazer for a new concept in society and change always comes with its setbacks.

But the more I believed I can actually help people live their lives with purpose and reach their goals, the more I kept going. As for the “Youre Not Alone” community it began after my coaching training where I was truly craving having deep meaningful conversations with like minded women, where we can lift each other, connect, learn and grow. I wanted to attract like minded women like me to become a force for empowerment and change for a better society because I truly believe change happens when women lead. Women have been leaders forever, mainly leading from the back not being in the spotlight, but it is time to create that change and let women lead loud and clear, no matter what their role is in life. Whether they are a full time mother, an executive, a business owner, each with their role can unlock their potential, reach their goals and become the role models of the coming generations.”
Can you share a personal story that highlights the impact of “You’re Not Alone” on women’s lives?

There are so many success stories behind building such a powerful community. In January 2024 we celebrated our 5 year anniversary of this amazing community and it was such a blessing to see this idea prosper into a wave of change for women. Some of the key successes of our members have been the following: One member was able to find her voice again and passion to pick her business back up and succeed in it.

She was having trouble juggling all the different roles she played in life being an employee, a mother and a business owner which made her feel overwhelmed. With the support of the community and our gatherings, she was able to prioritize herself again and find her voice within all the different roles she plays, and she reconnected with her love for her business that made her take decisions that supported her business to prosper.

We have also had another member that was going through a difficult time regarding her health, which we weren’t aware of at the beginning, but I began to see her come to the sessions more often and on a regular basis, until one day at the end of one of the sessions she came up to me and gave me one of the biggest hugs and told me “you have no idea how much of an impact you have had with my healing journey, thank you for holding this space for us to grow, learn and have a shoulder to lean on, it’s been a game changer and has gotten me through one of the toughest times i’ve been through”. That just made me feel so grateful for building such a community and a message for me to keep going because this community is truly changing the lives of these women! That is why I do what I do and why I decided to continue with the community as well as give more to my coaching business.
What challenges did you face as a young woman in the coaching industry, and how did you overcome them?

It’s been a whirlwind of a journey at the beginning being a local Coach in Qatar. Society at that time didn’t even know what coaching is and how coaching can support people to become better versions of themselves. I was one of the first coaches to go publicly as a figure on social media to talk about coaching and share what coaching can do for you. First of all being a woman in society coming to speak about something new already had its challenges, but also being a young woman added to that challenge even more.

But I was up for that challenge. I remember when I decided to go publicly with my profession and start my personal brand of coaching on social media, my mother sat with me and we had a one on one conversation.She told me that you know this will not be an easy battle to go with, and that people always resist change at the beginning, so are you prepared to deal with all that you will face? Do you feel like you are ready? And when I responded with a clear yes, she told me to go ahead and that she will have my back no matter what. We live in a society that fears what others say about them, and for my mother she fears what others might say about me that can ruin my reputation, especially coming from a very small conservative society (Qatari National are just 300,000 in population, so truly everyone knows everyone).. But that became the fuel that kept me going even with all the setbacks. I was told that I was ruining women’s minds by giving them the power of their voices, I was called different names, I was told to stop doing what I’m doing, and the more I got pushbacks, the more I kept pushing.

Now I’m at a point where all the people that were pushing back are cheering for me and applauding for me. I guess that’s the nature of all changemakers, and that is a badge of honor I will always wear and be proud of!
How did your own experiences influence the creation of “You’re Not Alone”?

I think the road to becoming a coach made me want to create such a community even more, because I knew that I wasn’t the only one feeling the way I did when it came to finding and creating meaningful conversations that help us grow and prosper,and also become a platform of women I can support through coaching. I was sick of the shallow conversations and the gossip that I faced on my weekly gatherings with people around me, and that’s what sparked the need to start such a community. And the first step into attracting what you want is becoming it, and at that moment taking that step helped attract like minded women that have been an integral part of my journey.
What are some key lessons you’ve learned from leading a women’s community?

Some of the valuable lessons I have learned is that you will never please everyone and that’s ok, because the ones who can click with your vision will continue to become advocates of the community. Because of that we have become the most growing community in Qatar because of the continuous efforts I put into making it the best experience for the members. Another lesson is to be authentically me when it comes to choosing the themes and topics to discuss, because these are what resonate most with the members. A third lesson would be to truly know the value you bring to the table, and that does come with its cost, never be afraid to ask what you deserve. And the most important lesson will be to always have fun!
Can you discuss a particular moment when you felt most fulfilled in your work?

I remember in the beginning of my coaching journey I started my podcast “The Sky’s the limit” I was uploading the episodes on Soundcloud and iPodcast, and I remember getting in my DMs one person that has sent me over 10 voice notes, which I usually don’t open until they write what they need support in, but I was curious what they have sent. I opened the voice messages and it was from a follower that has been a fan of my podcast. I remember her sharing her story with me. She was a visually impaired lady that was going through a lot, and she was sharing how my podcast has helped her and made her feel seen and heard. It was a thank you note to me, and I will never forget that moment where I burst into tears thinking about the impact I’m creating and the change I’m making even if I don’t see it in front of me, it’s really changing people’s lives. That was when I knew that I actually made it and have been able to cross borders and touch women’s lives around the world.
How has your mental health journey shaped your approach to coaching and community-building?

I’m not gonna lie going through such a journey isn’t easy, and sometimes feel so lonely doing it on your own and paving the way. But what truly kept me sane is having my own coach as well as relying on increasing my happy hormones through exercise and disconnecting once in a while. I am an ambivert so as much as I seem like a social butterfly I still need my alone time to re-energize to pick myself back up and continue. These are essential to continue on such a journey.
What advice would you give to women who are struggling to connect with their purpose?

I love this question! I would truly advice women to take the time for themselves to understand their true purpose in their life, because that then becomes the compass they rely on for their life. To know your purpose you can do this short exercise that can help you articulate your purpose and put it in a sentence. I have attached the exercise in a document that can be shared with the readers.
How do you maintain a balance between your roles as a coach, community leader, and writer?

I am a full time employee, a coach, a community leader, a businesswoman and a writer. Its a lot of roles that I play, im a born multipotentialite and love everything that I do. But I play all these roles because Im building the life I want for myself. Im grateful to have such a supportive family that helps me and is there for me, and an amazing group of friends and accountability partners. Having the right people around you is so crucial when your building yourself, you need people who help lift you up and not pull you down.
What strategies do you use to promote and grow your community in a challenging environment?

I think for me its always about not being afraid to speak about your accomplishments. Sometimes we women tend to believe that our work speaks for itself, but if we dont go out there and speak about it, no one will know about the work and impact your creating. Another important thing it to collaborate and parter up with other communities or allies that can benefit from the community you have. That data base or that pool of amazing women can become the strength you bring to the table, which supports you in the long run. I have had organizations and universities get in contact in terms of collaborating because of the impact this community has on our society. And the most important element is being in it for the long run. You need to learn to be patient to see the impact and to become the success you aim for.
How do you handle self-doubt and stay motivated in your work?

I was a person that would rely on motivation before. But when running a community and a business as well, it’s about discipline more than motivation. Discipline is getting up and doing the work even when you feel like you’re not motivated to do it. It’s all about the small steps. And as a recovered perfectionist I learned to be satisfied by 70-80% of the work, it doesn’t have to be 100% all the time and that’s ok. Having accountability partners as well is such a game changer. I have two of the most amazing friends and business women whom we meet on a weekly basis (one is based in Qatar and one based in the US ) and we hold ourselves accountable for the work we do within our service based businesses as well as our lives- Shout out to Dr. Hanan and Dr. Rana, my dear friends and accountability partners.
What are some common issues women face that you address through your coaching and community?

I think the most common is women reconnecting with themselves after they have been lost with the different roles they play in their lives, from daughters to mothers, wives, employees and businesswomen. Other topics are navigating their voices in a patriarichal society, as well as dealing with the good girl syndrome as well as imposter syndrome.
Can you share any success stories from your coaching practice or community that have particularly touched you?

I had once a coaching client that had a narcassistic partner in life and didnt know how to deal them and how it has impacted her life drastically. Throughout her coaching journey, she learned how to be confident in her shoes and learned how to trust herself again, especially after dealing with a narcassistic her whole life. With coaching she learned how to navigate her own emotions, build her confidence and learned how to set her personal boundaries. She was a totally different person at the end of the sessions. And till this day we are in contact as she gets in contact to celebrate her wins in what shes achieving and she has blossomed so beautifully in her own skin!
What advice do you have for other women looking to start their own community or coaching practice?

The word that I always tell other people in the same industry is “Just Do it”. We are sometimes so afraid to start because of our fear of failure or other peoples judgmenets, but we will never learn until we start. I would also recommend to hire either a coach or a mentor in the industry that will help support your journey. And the third is to fall in love with failure, make failures your best friend because they give the most valuable lessons for you to grow.