Deqa is one of Kista’s many female entrepreneurs, who combines entrepreneurship with social engagement. She’s founded the entrepreneurial network Bling, won the award Årets Selma and is a member at Helio Kista.
Please tell us, who are you and what are your passions?
My name is Deqa Abukar and I’m a 26-year-old woman of Somalian background. I have a background in political science and have always been passionate about the question: “How can society be improved?”. I found the answer to be combination of political science and entrepreneurship, which resulted in BLING.
I’m passionate about justice and creating a more equal society. I get my energy from making a change, on a local and global level.
How has your business adjusted to the current situation; have you had to change plans or found another way to swim against the stream?
The current situation has forced us to make our network more digital, so we’re arranging everything from network video meetups to online lectures. We’ve always planned to go digital, and COVID-19 sped up this process.
What does a normal day at Helio look like?
This might sound cliché, but as entrepreneurs, our days vary from day to day. But, to find a red thread, most days consist of meetings with members or partners.
Then, there’s a lot of planning and brainstorming. We’re a creative team that’s constantly striving to find new and creative solutions. This requires a creative environment and place of work, which is what Helio is.
Wednesday breakfast or Friday coffee break?
Friday coffee break with Aysha’s baked goods… Psst, don’t miss out on her chocolate balls!
Rumor has it you’re making a podcast studio. Is that something your company would use and, if so, what kind of podcast should we expect to get?
We’ll certainly use the podcast studio; we want to shout out to our amazing members and role models with stories that are not often told in other public media.
Are you curious about office spaces or coworking at Helio? You can read more about our memberships here.
