Issue 30- Whatever Challenges Life Puts in Front of You, Always Be Ready for Life

On November 19, International Women Entrepreneurs Day, we talked with Esen Türker, the President of TOBB Ege Region and the Aydın Women Entrepreneurs Board, about the goals of women entrepreneurs and their entrepreneurial journeys in our country.

Can you tell us about yourself? Who is Esen Türker?
I was born in Söke, Aydın. I completed my primary, secondary, and high school education in Söke and my university education at the Faculty of Agriculture at Ege University. Due to my marriage, I lived in Denizli for about 12 years, and then I moved to Aydın. I have been continuing my career in the business world in Aydın for about 20 years. I am the founder of Naturaliza and Youtopia, which are still in operation.

How did you enter the business world? Was there someone you looked up to as a role model in your business life?
Throughout my education, I had a great curiosity about production. At that time, the word "project" was not as central to our lives as it is today. But looking back from then to now, I realize that all the works I have been involved in have been in the language of projects.

After completing my education, I was only involved with non-governmental organizations for about five years. At the age of 22, we established an association to support children eager to learn. This has been a work that excited me a lot. My role models have always been productive people. The fact that productive people do not get tired, but rather maintain high motivation, has greatly influenced me.

How did the idea of starting your own business come about? Did you receive any support in this regard?
I value that the work should involve the human touch. As I saw that producing brought me great happiness and profit, I began to think about what more I could do. Then, I stepped into the textile industry. We were working with a team of about 30 people. Of course, my companions, whose thoughts and suggestions I valued, were important. However, my nature is to start and grow a business through my own effort and dedication. This has always felt very good to me. I have not given up on this in the past or now. When I look back, I have always tried and strived to do the work that makes me happy, such as the brands I have created in food and textiles. I also provided consultancy services periodically.

Can you tell us about the goals and principles you have set for yourself to be successful in business life?
I am someone who knows how to make room for gains and losses in my life. My gains nourish me, while my losses have further strengthened me in reaching my goals. I have always remembered the promises I made to myself. Therefore, I have never given up on my goals. I am someone who internalizes change. Naturally, being open to innovations, changes, and developments nourishes me incredibly. You realize the benefit you create for society through production. As a result, you focus on success.

You are the President of TOBB Ege Region and the Aydın Women Entrepreneurs Board. What kind of work do you have to support women entrepreneurs and women’s employment as TOBB Aydın Women Entrepreneurs?
I have been serving as the President of the 4th and 5th terms of TOBB provincial and Ege Region presidency. The misfortune of my 5th term was that it coincided with the pandemic. In the 4th term, we engaged in activities that made us very happy. One of these was during my presidency of the Aydın Women Entrepreneurs Association before starting my TOBB duties, where we included projects themed around land, women, and production. Touching and changing human lives will not happen in a short time. That is why I believe that this chain should continue link by link; hence, I continued some projects during my TOBB term.

For example, every year, we introduced nearly 200 women producers and their handmade products to the public under the name “Handmade Market.” I can sincerely say that we collaborated with working women who turned their labor into their jobs in about two projects and ten organizations. Every year, we participated as exhibitors in both our handmade market and the fair organized by the Aydın Commodity Exchange and the Aydın Chamber of Commerce. In addition, we facilitated access to fairs organized by TOBB in other provinces.

With the collaboration of the Aydın Governorship, Aydın Provincial Directorate of National Education, GEKA, Aydın Chamber of Industry, Aydın OSB, and TOBB Women Entrepreneurs Board, we implemented a project called “Happy Children for Working Mothers,” which allows working women in Aydın OSB to leave their children at a nearby school with peace of mind while they work.

We were the implementers of the “Sisterhood Project,” carried out in collaboration with TOBB, Habitat Association, ITU, and Coca Cola Turkey. We ensured that the Sisterhood Project, aimed at supporting women’s participation in the economic life, was implemented in our city and districts. About 90 women benefited from this training.

In cooperation with Garanti Bank and Boğaziçi University Lifelong Learning Center (BÜYEM) in Aydın, along with Aydın Chamber of Commerce (AYTO), we contributed to the training of 80 women entrepreneurs to develop the knowledge and vision they needed for the sustainability of their businesses through the Women Entrepreneur Executive School.

Together with Aydın Commodity Exchange and the Ministry of Economy, we projected a clustering study with 13 food companies.

Under the coordination of the Aydın Commodity Exchange, we organized a project called “Timeless Women,” which included a fashion show-conference featuring Aydın’s leading women who brought the project to life, prepared by researcher-writer İlknur Güntürkün, telling the story of women’s struggles from the Republic’s history to the present day. It was an honor for us to commemorate the historic day of December 5, 1934, when women gained the right to vote and be elected in our country. This was also a project that we, as TOBB AYDIN KGK, took pride in.

We had a work life that adds value to Aydın as women. We included women who lost their husbands but continued their husband’s business, women in the tire industry, and those who grew their businesses with a yufka factory while making yufka at home. Our motto here was to say, “No matter what difficulties life brings you, always be ready for life.”

As of today, Arakne, which collaborates with Turkey's and the world's leading brands within the framework of social responsibility projects, aims to increase the power of Turkish women and their presence in the economy.
The Arakne Project, which was supported by the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Turkey with the application of the Aydın Entrepreneurial Women’s Association, successfully completed its projects with financial and material support provided by the Aydın Governorship, Aydın Commodity Exchange, MB Holding, Kaltun Mining, and EYS Metal. This is a project we implemented to include 53 home-based women in the labor market. The aim was to provide benefits to women’s household economies. The outcome of this project was to produce an entrepreneur. The workshop has now achieved its goal and produced an entrepreneur. Coca Cola's advertising work is done by Arakne. This is a source of pride for us. Mask-making works are being conducted with the support of the Aydın Governorship. When the law on bags came into effect, the first work related to bags began with Arakne. The workshop has become a project that belongs to Aydın. The sustainable aspect is a source of happiness for us.

Suzan Sezgin, with a barcode scanning software project for the visually impaired to use in their grocery shopping, managed to be among the top 10 projects in the “Project Writers” project, which had 1250 female entrepreneurs applying nationwide.
The “Women Writing the Future” project, initiated in partnership with TOBB and Turkcell and hosted by the Aydın Chambers of Commerce and TOBB Aydın Women Entrepreneurs Board, has completed its training, and the project evaluation process has concluded.

Additionally, we provide a special course on private sector and entrepreneurship for students in the agricultural economics department at Adnan Menderes University. The purpose of this elective course is to allow final-year students to present their business projects. Students participating in this course receive entrepreneurship certificates from KOSGEB. In fact, the aim of this course is to integrate students into the life process without taking the easy way out.

Do you have any social responsibility projects that will support the economic and social development of local women producers?
For the development of society and the strengthening of the economy, rural development is essential. The number of working women individuals needs to increase. Economic returns build confidence and self-awareness. We will continue our efforts to make small touches for women's inclusion in production. My greatest desire is for everyone to be sensitive in this regard. Ultimately, a productive woman is healthier, more confident, and happier. This should not be forgotten. We will continue to support local women producers in terms of creating their own awareness. We will break their shells together.

Aydın is a province with rich agricultural land. Are there entrepreneurial women who combine agriculture with trade?
Certainly, there are. Our city is actually a primarily patriarchal city. We see many hardworking women who extract labor from the land in both its mountains and plains. Women know the fertility of the soil. They set up stalls in the market to sell what they produce. Therefore, they also manage their household economy well. When you look at it, there is an Aydın woman who manages her money very well without receiving financial education. We meet and support women entrepreneurs who have set their economies in order in their own cycle to reach their goals. It’s quite easy for us.