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Kariyer Gelişimi İçin Önemli Fırsat: Yetenek KapısıKariyer Gelişimi İçin Önemli Fırsat: Yetenek Kapısı

Afyon Kocatepe University (AKU) Women and Family Research Application and Research Center organized a panel discussion titled "Women in the Business World and Inspiring Success Stories". The discussion took place at the Sabri Bektöre Conference Hall and was attended by the Director of the Women and Family Research Application and Research Center, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Letife Özdemir, the Chairwoman of the Afyonkarahisar Business Women Association (AFİKAD), Samiye Hancıoğlu, the owner of Kocaçay Logistics Company, Ayşe Kocaçay, as well as academic staff and students. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Letife Özdemir, the Director of the Women and Family Research Application and Research Center, stated that despite the challenges and discrimination faced by women in the business world, they are also desired due to certain characteristics. Özdemir said, "Unfortunately, women face various challenges in the business world. We apply for jobs under the same conditions and qualifications, but women often have to prove themselves once again. In many sectors, women are not wanted as managers. They are expected to be secretaries or assistants. At the same time, there is a desire to have women in different sectors because women are more disciplined, organized, determined, and persistent in achieving success without deviating from their goals. Due to these characteristics, it is desirable to have women in some management boards." Chairwoman of AFİKAD, Samiye Hancıoğlu, drew attention to the difficulties of being a woman in the business world. Hancıoğlu said, "Being a woman in the business world sometimes brings along its own challenges. If a woman is present in the business world, she can be a secretary but not a manager. Certain roles are assigned to women. There is no gender for professions. They always see the boss as a man. While men do not generally have to prove themselves, women have to. Gender does not matter. We all need to work, but we need to work even harder. Women have the ability to multitask, which means they can perform multiple tasks at the same time. This skill gives us an advantage in the business world; we can do several things simultaneously. After proving and demonstrating this ability, people start to think that women can do better. We may not have a high presence in decision-making mechanisms, but we are making efforts and we want our numbers to increase." Ayşe Kocaçay, the owner of Kocaçay Logistics Company, mentioned that she became an entrepreneur without any financial or emotional support. Kocaçay said, "I am a high school graduate and a mother of three children. I started my career at the age of 32 after my husband passed away. After losing my husband, I renounced my inheritance. I had no financial means left and I had to work. I had to survive. I researched and evaluated what I could do. I decided to start a tow truck business that I had some knowledge about from my husband. I had no money, no capital. I applied for a loan from banks, but they didn't give it to me because I didn't have any previous business experience. I couldn't benefit from incentives. I managed to start my journey in the business world by buying a used vehicle with outdated equipment, using the loan that a friend had taken. I had no market. No one trusted me. I approached insurance companies with the idea that there could be a corporate market. They accepted it for a trial period. Of course, my family objected. They said, 'What are you doing in a male-dominated industry?' People around me opposed it and said I couldn't do it."