We had the good fortune of connecting with Naramsin Marokeel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Naramsin, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
The thought process behind starting my own business is in the way I grew up in a very traditional Assyrian household. I didn’t grow up with many Assyrians, especially in school, and I think that’s what encouraged me today to start AssyrianPride. I’ve always been obsessed with my people’s ancient history and I wanted to showcase it in a new form for people who have no idea what the word “Assyrian” represents. I wanted to bring inclusivity to the name. I wanted people to wear merchandise that proudly displays Assyrian culture/heritage and explain what it is and represents, even if they aren’t Assyrian. For such an ancient name and culture, there are still many people out there who have no idea who we are and I would love to be the person to introduce them to it.

What should our readers know about your business?
AssyrianPride was something I wanted to do for a long time but never convinced myself to do until about a year ago. I remember asking my friend for some help to get things running and ever since then it’s been a wild ride. What excites me the most about running AssyrianPride, is the way I can run it! I love getting into contact with customers for custom orders or listening to supporters when they suggest something. It makes you want to run a business with passion. It’s definitely not an easy route to take, but the outcome was worth it. It took a lot of patience, effort, and determination to get it where it is today, but overcoming obstacles isn’t always easy. I’ve really learned to take my time and to really critique my own work. It’s made me become a better person and a better business owner.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
One of my favorite places to go in Arizona is Sedona. It’s my little quick get-away spot and it’s just one of those places you go to destress. I love hiking through the park and absorbing the scenery to spark some creative ideas. Another spot to definitely show off is the Desert Botanical Garden for all the same reasons. It’s so nice to walk through and enjoy the beauty of Arizona.

I’m also a big fan of any sushi place in Arizona and will be absolutely hitting up all the happy hour spots around the city. I love our small business restaurants here. They’re always so delicious and worth every penny.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate this shoutout to my family and friends. As cliché as it is, they truly have pushed me to do better and have reassured me at times to keep going and don’t give up. The support system I’m surrounded by really has made AssyrianPride what it is; from just a simple thought, to a full-fledged e-commerce store. I am very thankful and blessed to have such great family and friends by my side.

Website: AssyrianPride.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/assyrianpride.shop/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/assyrian_shop

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/assyrianpride.shop/

Other: Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/numsinn/?hl=en Personal Twitter: https://twitter.com/numsinn

Image Credits
Dalia Mouarkesh Naramsin Marokeel

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.