Other Women's Jobs - A Day In The Life And Career Of Hanane Bouchouicha-Sykora

Hanane Bouchouicha is an Algerian entrepreneur based in Dubai, born in 1987. With a background in Accounting and Audit from L’ESAA (École Supérieure Algérienne des Affaires), she has held various supervisory and management roles across different sectors until 2020. Since then, she has been dedicated to bringing Zaphira to life, a brand she founded to celebrate and enhance curly hair. Passionate about haircare and beauty, Hanane focuses on creating natural, vegan, and sustainable products that empower women to embrace their natural curls. She is also a devoted wife and mother.

Let's discover a day in the life of Hanane Bouchouicha-Sykora, Founder of Zaphira Nature, Mother, and Eternal Work-in-Progress

I’m up at 7:00 AM, not with a jolt, but with quiet intention. I believe how you start your day shapes everything that follows, so I ease into mine. The house is still, the world hasn’t quite stirred, and that little window of silence is something I protect. I breathe. I think. I just am.

My daughter is my first meeting of the day—our time together is full of little rituals. She’s two and a half, wildly curious, and so full of life that sometimes I wonder if I’m learning more from her than she is from me. (Spoiler: I am.)

I draw energy from the natural world—the kind that can’t be bottled. If the evening allows, I head to the sea. There’s something about the water that resets me. It’s less about “switching off” and more about tuning back in.

Work officially begins at 9:00 AM. I like to start with structure: clearing emails, mapping out the day, aligning with my team. It sounds very CEO-like, but in truth, some days I’m bouncing between a salon training and a product development call, and other days I’m elbow-deep in marketing strategies or testing scents for our next launch. No two days are ever the same, and honestly? I love that.

Zaphira Nature transcends the idea of a brand—it's an empowering experience tailored for women with textured hair, inviting them to embrace their natural beauty and express their truest, most authentic self. And building it takes creativity, patience, and a kind of deep care I reserve for very few things. I have an amazing team around me, but I stay close to every detail. It’s personal.

Gym happens four times a week, but I don’t chase a specific time slot. I’ve learned flexibility is part of survival—so the gym bag lives in my car. My wellness practice is holistic. It’s not just about fitness; it’s sleep, food, self-talk, learning, and unlearning. My goal isn’t perfection. It’s betterment—just a little more grounded, a little more in tune than yesterday.

Evenings are sacred. At 7:00 PM, I’m back home and fully switched into ‘mum’ mode. That’s non-negotiable. We talk, cuddle, play silly games, and dive into bedtime stories. By 9:00 PM, she’s asleep, and I reclaim a pocket of solitude.

From 9:00 PM to midnight, I journal, read, write, dream, plan. That’s when my best ideas find me—when the world quiets down and I’m left alone with myself. Creativity flows when it’s unforced, and that space is where I reconnect with the “why” behind everything I do.

I’m naturally an extrovert—I thrive on connection, conversation, and the energy of those around me. Still, I’ve learned to make space for quiet moments, to pause and reflect. It’s the interplay between outward expression and inner stillness that keeps me grounded and inspired.

One of the most important lessons I hope to pass on to my daughter is that self-love isn’t something you “achieve.” It’s a choice. A daily one. And real success? It doesn’t start with applause. It starts with knowing what you want and why. Mistakes are welcome in our house. They mean we’re trying. And trying—really trying—is braver than waiting for perfect.