AN Uppermill restauranteur has been singled out for praise by one of Britain’s most influential business people.
Dr Nighat Awan OBE is the co-creator of the Shere Khan restaurant empire, founder of a fashion chain and started an international floristry business from her hospital bed.
But she says a meeting with Aidhetare ‘Addy’ Hoxha, the driving force behind High Street eaterie Sorella, “truly inspired” her.
Dr Awan, a mother-of-three who has overcome cancer and a heart attack, met Addy prior to giving a lecture at Oldham Library and Lifelong Learning Centre, hosted by Asian Business Leaders.
“If your work makes you happy, then it never feels like work and if you have an idea push it,” she told the gathering of female entrepreneurs,
“You know every level of your business so keep control of it. I have been so lifted by the energy in the room and truly inspired by Addy.”
Now 27, Addy moved to Oldham with her family to escape war-torn Kosovo. From a family of entrepreneurs who learned English and worked their way up, her tale has some amazing similarities with Nighat’s.
She took over Sorella, currently under renovation, at the age of 24, having previously sought other business premises in the village.
“When I heard who was speaking I thought I had to come along. Nighat is such an inspiration,” said Addy, who is fiancée of England and former Leicester Tigers rugby union star George Ford.
Muzahid Khan DL, co-founder of Asian Business Leaders, said: “It was during lockdown I met so many women carrying through enterprising ideas.
“We want them to take those skills and passions and turn them into lucrative businesses.
“We want to support towards their entrepreneurship journey and inspire hope and within that hope there has to be the kind of inspiration Nighat brought.”
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