Marrakech – Sihem El Mandoudi, a 35-year-old fitness studio owner of Moroccan origin, has been voted the “Strafste Onderneemster” – or strongest female entrepreneur – of the Belgian city of Mechelen. El Mandoudi, who runs Studio El Mando, a women-only fitness space, secured the title with more than 1,500 votes, leaving the other finalists far behind.
The recognition came just one year after she launched her business. “I did not expect it at all,” El Mandoudi told Belgian press, crediting her close-knit community for the win. Clients sent her messages saying they had voted and urged others to do the same, she added.
El Mandoudi grew up in a Moroccan household of five in Belgium. She is the second oldest, and her parents divorced when she was young. Her mother, she recalled, always pushed her toward independence. “I took her advice very seriously,” she remarked.
Her path to fitness began as a teenager. She struggled with body image despite not being overweight, she noted, looking back at old photos. She started swimming and running, then moved to the gym once she had a steady income. It was there she met a coach who encouraged her to become a trainer herself.
Demand for a female coach came quickly. El Mandoudi explained she personally never felt uncomfortable in mixed-gender gyms but came to understand why many women did. “It gives a safe and trusted feeling,” she observed of women-only spaces.
That principle became the foundation of Studio El Mando. The ladies-only studio has grown into a tight community in just 12 months. Many women stay after group classes to talk, she mentioned. “When you are among women, you can really talk about everything.”
The studio recently hosted an iftar – the meal with which Muslims break their fast during Ramadan – drawing around 30 women, with many more unable to attend. “I had a real wow moment,” El Mandoudi reflected. “We are building a small family here.”
Being Moroccan helps
Her Moroccan roots, she acknowledged, played a dual role. She sometimes feels the need to prove herself harder as a woman of Moroccan descent. But that same background gave her a built-in support network.
“Because I am surrounded by Moroccans, it was actually easier for me to start as an entrepreneur,” she shared. “I was immediately supported by the community.” Her first clients were Moroccan women, though the studio now draws women from diverse backgrounds.
El Mandoudi also spoke about the lack of female role models in the fitness business. “I hope that with a new generation we can change that,” she said. She has already begun mentoring others, including her best friend, whom she met at the gym before opening Studio El Mando.
The friend started as a client, became a personal training student, completed a coaching certification, and now serves as El Mandoudi’s right hand.
Running a business has not been without difficulties, she admitted. “We have had peaks and valleys,” she conceded, adding that she remains realistic about the attention a new venture receives early on. “For me, the real entrepreneurship starts now, from my second year.”
If finances allow, she plans to open a second location and hire additional coaches. For now, she indicated, she is keeping her feet on the ground.
