By Cemil Özyurt - In this edition, we bring you a collection of fascinating stories, unlike anything you've read before. For 22 years, we have been on a thrilling journey, and with our New York Life & Beyond brand, we continue to connect with our readers with the same excitement. In this issue, you will discover stories of women who stand out with their achievements, entrepreneurs making waves, and extraordinary professionals who are reshaping their industries. Our cover story features Onur Şafak, a young entrepreneur who has quickly made a name for himself in New York with his Blue Meze brand. He recently opened his second restaurant in the historic New York Life building. We’ve dedicated this issue's cover to Onur, the new tenant of the building that houses the New York Life magazine. Other stories include Afa Zada, CEO of Palm Beach County-based Zada Advisors, who transitioned from a diplomatic career to visa consulting, and Hürrem Hammam & SPA, which brings a fresh take on the traditional Turkish bath style to Miami.

Onur Şafak, who had been investing in various sectors in Europe until 2008, moved to the United States, taking the first steps toward his future success story. His entrepreneurial spirit and willingness to take risks made him stand out as a Turkish entrepreneur in New York. Onur Şafak, Chairman of Maya Prestige Group, started his journey in the United States with the ice cream industry and combined this experience with many other ventures and business experiences. His strategic steps, along with his education and experience from Turkey and Europe, led him to establish Maya Prestige Group in 2024. After working for an export company in America for four years, Şafak ventured into his first entrepreneurial experience by opening an auto gallery. After eight years of education and knowledge acquisition, he entered a new industry: the food sector.

Entrepreneur Yiğit Yalçın has never been motivated purely by money; success has always been his driving force. As the third-generation member of a family with a 100-year commercial legacy, Yalçın’s roots run deep in business. His grandfather, Hüseyin Yalçın, founded the first timber factory in Tekirdağ, Türkiye. Following in his family’s entrepreneurial footsteps, Yiğit opened his first car dealership in Austintown, Ohio, with the goal of building a lasting legacy like his ancestors. In the years since he opened his first dealership, Yalçın has launched two more in Youngstown. Since starting operations in 2017, he has sold over $100 million worth of cars. Yalçars, Yalçın’s dealership group, has established itself as a reliable partner in the auto industry, and Yalçın plans to expand nationwide through trusted partners and franchise models. Though the COVID-19 pandemic slowed his growth plans, his ambitions remain strong.

Fejir Uğurlu, one of New York's emerging Turkish-American attorneys, has built a reputation for advocating passionately on behalf of accident victims, particularly within the Turkish community. Uğurlu's path to the U.S. legal scene is anything but conventional, involving international education, high-stakes cases, and a deeply personal motivation rooted in family tragedy. Uğurlu began her legal journey at Maltepe University in Türkiye, where a scholarship opportunity allowed her to continue her studies in Germany. This was followed by a stint in London, where she gained practical experience before taking on leadership roles, such as serving as Vice President of the European Law Students' Association (ELSA) in Türkiye. She was selected to participate in a prestigious delegation to the United Nations, representing one of only five individuals worldwide, further honing her legal acumen at the UN's Permanent Mission of Türkiye.