As you may or may not know, our editor got her start in the world of publications in Dubai. Since then, she’s been particularly supportive of female entrepreneurs in the Middle East. And in her research of ethical fashion there, she recently encountered a wonderful woman.
Her name is Masoumeh Mohammadi. Masoumeh is a successful Iranian entrepreneur in tailoring education. She has significantly impacted online tailoring education in Iran and is striving to revolutionise the tailoring industry across the Middle East – and maybe even the world.
The success story of this woman, who founded the online tailoring education platform “Doukht Bartar,” is both intriguing and inspiring.
Masoumeh Mohammadi began teaching tailoring in schools and training centers in Iran in 1994, almost 30 years ago. Fifteen years ago, she launched a magazine called Doukht Bartar. It was specifically aimed at providing tailoring education. Together with a small team of four people, she managed to turn Doukht Bartar into the most critical tailoring magazine in Iran.
However, as with many magazine owners, something posed a significant challenge for her. Namely, the rise of social media.
The Struggles of an Entrepreneur
Speaking about this challenge, Masoumeh Mohammadi says:
“When social media platforms like Telegram channels and Instagram pages emerged, no one bought magazines anymore. People were looking for educational content and videos on social media. Those were tough days for us. In 2018, four trucks of unsold magazines were returned to our office. These unsold books cost around four billion Tomans (400,000 USD then), but we sold them in bulk for only four million Tomans.”
As a result, Doukht Bartar magazine ceased to exist, and she returned to teaching tailoring in schools and training centers.
However, Masoumeh Mohammadi did not give up. In April 2020, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, she came up with the idea of teaching tailoring online. With schools and training centers closed, she began teaching her students remotely and decided to sell the educational videos she was recording.
Doukht Bartar Hits the Online World
On May 10, 2020, she launched an Instagram page under the name Doukht Bartar. She immediately started recording educational courses using just a phone and a tripod.
“After a while, I realized I couldn’t do it all by myself—teaching, recording, posting on Instagram, and responding to direct messages. I also wanted to reply to every single direct message. In the first month, my sister came to help, and in the second month, I asked two of my students to join and help with responding to comments and direct messages.” Masoumeh Mohammadi explains.
In just the first three months, Doukht Bartar became a team of four. Masoumeh Mohammadi produced and published the content on Instagram, while the other three handled comments and direct messages and coordinated the sale of full-length videos sent over the Telegram application.
The Impressive Growth of Doukht Bartar
In the fourth month, the Doukht Bartar Instagram page reached 60,000 followers. Ms. Mohammadi’s son joined the business, helping with team-building. He started by hiring four people for marketing and sales and training them in sales techniques. Soon after, a videographer, editor, and accountant were added to the team.
The first sale of educational videos consisted of two comprehensive, professional videos, which attracted 150 buyers and generated 30 million Tomans in one week. A highly significant amount!
Shortly after, the Doukht Bartar website was launched. What set these courses apart was that Masoumeh Mohammadi didn’t just sell the courses; as students watched the videos, she provided real-time responses to their questions and concerns. Eventually, she announced that she would answer students’ questions for up to a year after purchasing a course.
The Doukht Bartar team grew, adding solid sales and support teams. Now, with 250 people working online 24/7, they provide comprehensive student support. They also guide them through their courses and help them start their businesses.
Doukht Bartar’s Exclusive Products for Students
Today, the Doukht Bartar Instagram page has a whopping 1.2 million followers. And the Doukht Bartar website offers more than 18 different courses, seven unique physical products, and specialized sewing patterns that have thousands of customers. These patterns are unmatched and not available anywhere else.
Doukht Bartar started with 150 online students, significantly shifting online tailoring education in Iran. Now, over 85,000 students have taken Doukht Bartar’s professional courses, which provide comprehensive training and support and enable them to master their chosen tailoring fields and enter the job market.
Masoumeh Mohammadi is now setting sights on transforming the tailoring industry across the Middle East. She says she plans to expand the Doukht Bartar model to other countries, including Turkey, and create a significant shift in the Middle Eastern fashion and tailoring industry—just as she has done in Iran.