Flair Magazine A dynamic duo who took the scene for being known for dancing, singing, acting, all the way through to starting an innovative business…the Seif Twins became a household name. After securing a place among eight finalists in a competition held by Injaz, they were able to launch ‘More Of’, a business dedicated to empowering performing artists to find work, gain exposure and learn the business skills to become their own agents. We sat with the twins to get to know them better and talk about their story.
Tell us how your passion for performance started.
Hania: As young kids, we were always surrounded by big shows and professional performers. We grew up attending night shows everyday in Hurghada, where our father worked, hence this is where we first got into it. I used to choreograph dances for fun at school, whereby eventually, we developed different interests in dance. I took the Salsa route, while Sarah is now more into tap dance. As for singing, we discovered our talents in a course we took at the American University in Cairo called Singers On Stage.
Sarah: We were also raised at our grandfather’s house where we were constantly watching performances by Michael Jackson and musicals like The Sound of Music and Singin’ In The Rain. Even in school productions, we were encouraged to play really fun roles that included singing and dancing. This is how our passion grew.
How did More Of come about as a business?
S: We both studied marketing communications and performing arts, and we were always working as business developers and had many connections. The good thing is we managed to study marketing and run the public relations side for our performances simultaneously. I wanted to help people do “more of” what they love (hence the business name. One day, as I was talking to a friend, I started jotting everything down. Then, I came across a business competition, specifically for startups, by Injaz and saw that the deadline to submit a video proposal was in 12 hours. After convincing Hania to cofound, we got accepted for the first round of interviews and eventually made it to the incubator program, where they signed us as a company and gave us a starting fund!
H: Looking back at the experience, it was just an idea and we didn’t know where it would lead us to. All the while, we were telling ourselves that whether or not we make it throughout the competition and win, we would be doing it for the experience and for the fun of it.
What type of services do you offer to performing artists?
H: Mainly, we provide tools and tips to our clients on self-management, as well as consult them on other matters. Along the way, we noticed that it is never only about the talent. It is also about the entrepreneurial side of the business. You need good networking, PR, marketing and the skills to handle your social media accounts. We make it our business to teach clients to become self-managed until they grow bigger and can afford to hire someone if they want to.
Which is usually a priority—performing or startup?
S: More Of usually is the priority. From our experience, it is essential to build a platform that is strong enough for other performing artists to acquire a base to start from. This is a road we have to pave first.
What type of challenges have you faced so far?
H: The biggest challenge is finding where the real gap is. It took us so much time to figure out. We changed our business plan so many times until we settled on what we have right now because this is what the market currently needs.
Where do you see More Of in the future?
S: We want to be the platform performing artists rely on when they want to perform somewhere. We want to offer them a full-fledged package. A month or two from now, we will be creating more platforms for performers and launching talent incubators to produce shows. There is more to the scoop, but we’ll keep it a surprise.
What tips would you give performing artists regarding personal branding these days?
S: I would encourage them to invest in their personal brand as much as they invest in their talent. Talent is not the only thing that will drive you forward. Art without an entrepreneurial foundation is just a fantasy. How will you reach your goals if you don’t have any networks or the skill to talk to venue holders?
Any potential collaborations in the future?
S: We want to collaborate with CNN Music, magazines and PR agencies like Stardust to help expose talents.
Which musicians inspire you the most?
H: Nesma Mahgoub is definitely my idol. I literally started my singing journey with her. Without her, I would’ve never thought to take my passion a step further. She’s someone I really look up to. Not only did she teach me so much, but she also really inspired me as a performer. I love her stage presence, her confidence and her voice. And then of course, Michael Jackson is an all-time favorite.
S: I really admire and respect Michael Jackson because he used his art to actually make a difference in the world. His lyrics revolved around social causes. As a performer, he was so innovative.
Have you performed previously abroad? And if not, any plans in the future?
S: Never. We don’t have any plans at least for the five years ahead. We want to perform here regularly before we start thinking about that.
For Sarah:
How is your experience managing the E-Commerce Summit?
It’s an overwhelming experience but in a positive way. It teaches you a lot about leadership, and time and event management. The skill set I’m acquiring while managing this summit is probably worth a decade of business experience.
For Hania:
How has your experience singing with A caPop influenced your career?
I consider singing more of a hobby than a career. This was advice given to me by a very dear professor who told me that when I graduate, if I find the most fun job ever, it would still become boring in 10 years. Also, he encouraged me to invest more in a hobby. A caPop was that for me. I love it because it introduced me to singing in a choir and that comes with a different audience than what I’m used to.
By Sarah Guirguis
