Hilda Louca, founder and CEO of Mitcha: Each week, My Morning Routine looks at how a successful member of the community starts their day — and then throws in a couple of random business questions just for fun. Speaking to us this week is Mitcha’s founder and CEO Hilda Louca (LinkedIn). Edited excerpts from our conversation:

My name is Hilda Luca. As the founder and CEO of Mitcha, I am driven by a passion to revolutionize the e-commerce landscape for local designers across the region. Beyond my professional endeavors, I am also a mother to two wonderful girls, Gabi and Nicole, who inspire my continuous curiosity and drive.

I've been working since I was 16, and I began my career with Lufthansa, where I was the first non-German-speaking employee. It was a challenge, but I learned a lot over the ten years I was with them. I started in ticketing, then I was responsible for all the corporate and VIP customers.

After that, I moved to the US for two years before coming back to Cairo and working for Al Ahram Beverages. I then moved to Vienna, and finally back to Cairo again — that’s when I started Mitcha.

Mitcha is the first online platform for local designers. We started in 2019, and I've been working on it since the end of 2017. I’ve always wanted to do something out of the box since I was a little kid. Since launching in 2019, Mitcha has grown to support over 300 local designers, mainly women, achieving 200% y-o-y growth and establishing itself as the leading platform for authentic local fashion.

Why did I do it? After the revolution, I realized how many talented local designers are selling on Instagram, Facebook, and across social media. I was back from Vienna, where you order everything online, and they support their local talents a lot — so I wanted to do the same and support local designers in Egypt. I didn't want them to only showcase their products on Instagram, but to build professional, scalable businesses.

I saw that there are local talents and designers who do not have the tools or reach to grow. You would only know your local designers by either seeing them by chance on Instagram or a friend telling you about one she thinks is really cool. So, local talents are there, designers are there, but there are no tools.

It never made sense to me, because if you look back at Egypt in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, we were once called the “Paris of the East.” The entire region came here to source fabrics and produce in our factories. Just watch the films of that era — icons like Faten Hamama and Soad Hosni embodied a timeless elegance, and the fashion they wore was proudly made in Egypt.

Customers are also looking for something different, as well as something authentic and local. Especially now with the new generations, but they don’t know where to look.

Mitcha is trying to bridge this gap, making it easier for designers to scale and for people to discover and trust local fashion. This is what drives the business.

My role is basically to make sure growth happens. Every day is different. I work with sales and on partnerships, and I try to set up systems that make the business run smoothly. Every day, I have to put in the numbers, identify market openings, and catch up with all the AI tools that are changing the industry, especially for e-commerce.

Solving problems is part of any CEO’s job — actually, it's the main part. The hardest part is how to always keep the team aligned and motivated, and ensure that they have the same passion that you have. Cultivating a shared passion and vision within the Mitcha team is paramount. I achieve this through transparent communication, empowering team members with ownership over key projects, and fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation. This approach ensures every team member feels invested in Mitcha's mission to elevate regional design.

I am a very early riser. I wake up at 5:30am — 6am feels late for me. I start my day with reflection, praying, and journaling, which is an essential part of my day. Then I hit the gym, which helps set the tone for the day. If this time in the morning is interrupted, the day feels chaotic for me.

At work, my mornings usually start with checking the numbers and reviewing the priorities that I set the day before. I then try to have a quick chat with the team before moving on to more creative work later in the day.

I like the balance between business and creativity, and this makes every day different. I have to juggle the business and numbers side with the creative side, looking at content, production, and designs we’re doing. But I'm not a multitasker, I like to get through things one thing at a time. This is how I stay focused and organized.

I think a work-life balance is all about being present. So when I'm working, I give it my all, and when I'm with my family or resting, I try to be fully present. For me, it's about quality, rather than quantity. I learned this from Mo Gawdat, who says that your life’s true value is measured by the time you are truly present, and this is the only part of life you will remember.

I want to grow something that is meaningful, that lasts — not just a marketplace that sells. I want to onboard local designers from across the region, so that Mitcha is not only a platform for Egyptian designers, but also for Saudi, Jordanian, and Moroccan designers. This would create a really big platform with representation from all the countries in the region and allow customers to pick which country they want to see amazing, authentic designers from.

Our collaboration with Convertedin is a cornerstone of this strategy, empowering designers with cutting-edge AI-driven marketing tools that have already demonstrated a 30% increase in designer sales conversions, positioning Mitcha at the forefront of e-commerce innovation.

The rise of conscious shopping represents a pivotal shift in consumer behavior, and Mitcha is not just observing this trend but actively championing it. We believe that by providing a platform for sustainable and ethically produced local designs, we are not only meeting consumer demand but also setting new industry standards and fostering a more responsible retail ecosystem in the region.

I love to spend time with my friends or family after work. I also love to walk — I don't need anything fancy, just simple things that help me clear my head and recharge. I’m also a travel addict, and I like to discover new cities, explore the small streets on foot, get to know the locals, try their food, and enjoy the weather.

The 5am Club by Robin Sharma changed my life. Atomic Habits by James Clear also affected me big time and taught me practical ways to grow. I listen to a lot of podcasts when I'm commuting between meetings or going to work. I love listening to Simon Sinek for leadership and to Mo Gawdat, who has taught me the real meaning of happiness.

I’ve been fortunate to have many mentors, but the advice that has stayed with me the most is that success comes from consistency and resilience. It’s not about talent alone or achieving something quickly. Social media often makes success look easy and instant, but the truth is, it takes time.

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