HAVEKİ - About us
Sharing history makes relationships special. We, three childhood friends, share a journey spanning over 40 years together. Our relationship withstood divorces, children, and various life events. Despite everything, it never broke and always picked up where it left off. Then one day, a dream one of us had, brought us back together. We all shared a mutual liking and pursuit of this dream for similar and different reasons. Our stories are available below if you want to get to know us better.
I grew up with artist parents who nurtured my interest in art, particularly cinema. As a result, I pursued filmmaking and worked as an assistant in many films. I even had the opportunity to work as a 2nd assistant director in the 1993 Oscar-winning film, "Journey of Hope." Eventually, I made my own films.
However, when I had children, I decided to leave the film industry to spend more time with them. I worked in the advertising industry as a graphic artist in Germany where I lived for many years. There, I honed my skills in the digital field and won awards in logo competitions. I also created promotional materials for major companies' campaigns. Later on, I returned to my family's tradition of painting. People who see my paintings always comment that I tell a story, and I believe every aspect of art tells a story because everyone has a unique story to share. Upon returning to Turkey, Neslihan and I got together and she told me about her book project. I believed in it and now, HAVEKİ has become a brand. I feel fortunate to be doing something I love and believe in.
Starting from my elementary school teacher, all of my teachers encouraged me to write. I still remember their supportive assistance in critiquing and improving my poems and stories. I have known Konstantin and Rozi since I was 10 years old. I grew up with both of them. I cannot forget the joy I had with my childhood friend Rozi when our play written in English was staged at the age of 12. However, the stage lights were never right for me. Writing became a form of therapy for me. Expressing myself through writing helped me overcome internal censorship and aided in my journey of self-discovery.
Working in diverse fields allowed me to understand not only myself but also human nature up close. Though I continued my writing journey as a copywriter and screenwriter, it was interrupted when I was exhausted from TV scriptwriting. People told me to write a book, but I didn't feel ready for it and didn't want to experience rating or sales pressure again. While thinking about my options, I made a list of things I loved doing. Among the top things was listening to people tell their stories and writing.
I wanted to combine these two passions to create something unique. I imagined a book that I would write for a single reader, just to make that reader happy. I love listening to people telling their own stories. They become more beautiful. It is a sincere, honest, and very special sharing. When I embarked on this journey, my goal was to create something special that not only holds tangible value for the reader but also symbolizes a very special connection for me.
When I met Neslihan at school 40 years ago, it marked the beginning of my transformation from an extremely shy child to a social person who loves people. Our friendship started with holding hands and exploring school together on the first day. This allowed me to get to know Konstantin as well. Although our joyful days during childhood and youth were physically interrupted by entering university and going to different countries, Neslihan and I never lost touch. I started writing letters to her from abroad, which may have been the beginning of my love for writing and communication.
Returning to Turkey, I began to focus on marriage, children, and life. My interest in human resources and executive coaching grew from my attempt to understand people, listen to them, and give accurate feedback when needed. My 30-year career in this field came to an end, and I found myself in a tremendous void. Neslihan, Konstantin, and I had prepared a training video for my former company, and during our discussions on how to create more educational videos together, we stumbled upon Neslihan's concept of "personalized books." She had started this a few years ago, and it intrigued us. This is how I started my journey with HAVEKİ.