CANCER PATIENT TURNS HANDCRAFT HOBBY INTO 6-FIGURE BUSINESS

Cancer is a crushing and life-altering experience that led one mother, after being unable to speak, to leave her job in sales to create a 6-figure online business.

This is no small feat for a two person team, consisting of Zeynep Prens and her brother, Yusuf, who handcraft their whole leather product line. Working under the brand, Galen Leather, from their humble workshop in Istanbul, the duo make leather notebook covers, pen cases, MacBook cases, iPad sleeves and travel accessories. They ship to thousands of their loyal customers all over the world.

Following the devastating diagnosis of a rare type of head and neck cancer (Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma) back in 2012, Zeynep was forced to consider alternatives to her successful career in sales. Doctors warned the cancer treatment may leave her incapable of speech. Following a painful four months of treatment, their prognosis became reality. It completely turned her family’s life upside down.

Zeynep says, “Without the ability to speak, I was no longer able to speak with customers and make sales. My career was over. This forced me to look for a new job model that would allow me to work without speech.” Read more

Dynamic Business - 14 Jan 2019