Dr. Aslı Samancı, a successful female entrepreneur and the producer of patented Anatolian propolis in the United States, has been awarded as one of the world's best CEOs in the competition organized by the renowned UK magazine CEO Today. She has written her name in golden letters by making a great impact with her entrepreneurial story in one of the UK's most important business magazines, CEO Today. She was among the best CEOs at the CEO Global Awards 2023, where many successful CEOs from all over the world competed. The CEO Today Global Awards winners were determined through an evaluation process conducted by the expert team of the CEO Today magazine.
More than 70 International Awards!
Dr. Aslı Samancı, the co-founder and CEO of BEE&YOU, said, "We have received more than 70 national and international awards so far. We continue our journey to make Anatolian bee products a global brand, and we consider the source of our endless energy to be the awards we have earned. Starting with ten beekeepers as the only patented propolis producer in the US, we continue to be a 'global' company that exports to 30 countries, has 5,000 beekeepers and 550,000 bee colonies, and has a 10,500 square meter facility which is Europe's largest propolis production and R&D Center. Representing Turkey in CEO Today, one of the UK's most famous magazines, and being selected as one of the World's Best 50 CEOs is truly an honor!"
Challenges never discouraged me!
Dr. Aslı Samancı, co-founder and CEO of BEE&YOU which is now Europe's largest propolis production and R&D Center, stated, "People around me mentioned that I possessed technical knowledge, but that commerce was different and that I might struggle. However, I did not hesitate. I had already set my goal and fully believed in my abilities. I focused only on my goal, worked tirelessly, expanded my team day by day, and made it to where I am today by putting in a lot of effort. Being an entrepreneur comes with financial and spiritual difficulties, but they never discouraged me, and even in the most difficult moments, I never gave up. I believe that a communication network is crucial when growing your business. I overcame problems with communication, proper use of information, and hard work."
Advice to young people who want to step into entrepreneurship…
Dr. Aslı Samancı advises young people who want to start their businesses to discover their passions and create entrepreneurship in the area where they are passionate. She encourages them to be open to continuous learning and to take advantage of opportunities to improve themselves. She says they should overcome fears, not be afraid to take risks and take bold steps for new opportunities. Building a good network and connecting with people they can collaborate with is essential, and they should be resilient in overcoming obstacles, learn from mistakes, and proceed in a planned manner. Most importantly, they should have strong self-assurance and keep their motivation high.