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Rana Nawas

Rebecca Minkoff: Be Fearless & Follow Your Passion

May 3, 2021 Comments Off on Rebecca Minkoff: Be Fearless & Follow Your Passion

Welcome to Episode 100! We’re ending Season 4 of When Women Win with a fearless bang – talking with world-renowned & industry-leading fashion designer, Rebecca Minkoff. Her massively popular line of handbags, accessories, and footwear are distributed in over 900 stores worldwide as well as her website.

Rebecca started creating her own clothes at just 8 years old. The moment that propelled her talent into the spotlight occurred when she was 21, days after 9/11… A famous actress wore Rebecca’s handmade ‘I Love NY’ tee on the Jay Leno Show, and the name drop changed her entire life. Suddenly there was immense demand for her debut five-piece capsule collection. But what looked like an overnight success to most, was really years of passion, grit, and fearlessness.

On This Episode of When Women Win:

Rebecca and I talked about designing your life according to your passions. We discussed the roles that self-awareness and courage played in her success, and the impact the pandemic has had on her company. Rebecca shared the inspiration behind her new book, Fearless: The New Rules for Unlocking Creativity, Courage and Success. I love the structure of the book: 21 rules we should all break if we want to achieve success. We got into 7 of them, so you have another 14 to discover in the book!

Notable Quotes:
  • “Never not use your womanhood to your advantage.”
  • “You may have to separate that what makes you happy doesn’t make you money.”
Book Recommendations:

Rebecca’s book Fearless: The New Rules for Unlocking Creativity, Courage, and Success drops on June 15th, and if you pre-order it now at readfearless.com, you’ll receive 7 bonus goodies! If you buy it elsewhere, email a copy of your receipt to Fearless@RebeccaMinkoff.com , she’ll still send you the goodies!

Talking Points in This Episode:
  • Pursuing your passion with or without permission
  • Dealing with instant success
  • Adapting a retail business during a pandemic
  • Trusting your gut
  • The myth of balance

You can learn more about Rebecca by checking out rebeccaminkoff.com.

Please get in touch with me at When Women Win and let me know what you think of this episode or the show in general. You can reach me via LinkedIn or the web contact form. Thank you!

 

 

Dr. Nadine Hachach-Haram: How to Build a Business That Saves Lives

April 19, 2021 Comments Off on Dr. Nadine Hachach-Haram: How to Build a Business That Saves Lives

Dr. Nadine Hachach-Haram is a doctor and entrepreneur: she is the founder and CEO of Proximie, a technology platform that allows surgeons from across the world to collaborate and assist virtually in any operating room on the planet. The process sounds like a SciFi movie – but it is here, now! Doctors can virtually “scrub in” on Proximie and, through augmented reality, they can literally point their holographic hands where to make incisions. It’s an immersive experience beyond anything the medical field has ever seen.

On This Episode Of When Women Win:

Nadine and I talked about her journey through medicine and business – it involved inspiration, resilience and breaking boundaries. As a teenager in Lebanon, Nadine saw how access to quality healthcare changed communities. While Proximie started out as an experiment to create positive impact, it has become a global company that epitomizes “the future of surgery.” Nadine discussed her solution-based thinking processes and how that mindset helped her become an entrepreneur. Finally, she talked about how to prioritize commitments to ensure you follow through with your goals.

Notable Quotes: 
  • “Prepare, perform and perfect.”
  • “Create a solution for a problem, not the other way around.”
Book Recommendations:

Nadine recommends reading Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey A. Moore, a guide for marketing and selling in high-tech industries. 

Talking Points In This Episode: 
  • Global health
  • Courage in entrepreneurship
  • Digitizing surgical care
  • Augmented reality
  • Stories of success (including a robotic surgery during the pandemic)

If you’d like to know more about Nadine and her work, you can connect with her on LinkedIn and check out the Proximie website.

Please get in touch with me at When Women Win and let me know what you think of this episode or the show in general. You can reach me via Instagram, LinkedIn – or the web contact form. Thank you!

 

Bola Adesola: Crafting Your Own Corporate Path

April 12, 2021 Comments Off on Bola Adesola: Crafting Your Own Corporate Path

Bola Adesola is the Senior Vice Chair of Standard Chartered Bank, Africa. She is also on several boards including the United Nations Global Compact and the Women Corporate Directors (WCD), an organization that represents female business leaders around the world. Bola co-founded Women in Management, Business and Public Service (or WIMBIZ) in 2001, and it is now Nigeria’s most renowned gender-oriented network for women. Her high energy and positive outlook are infectious!

On This Episode Of When Women Win:

Bola talked about how determined she was to craft her own path through corporate, and how she was discerning about where to work and what to do. Although she started out to become a lawyer just like her father, after a few years she turned to banking instead. Throughout her 30-plus-year career, Bola learned leadership lessons that she shared on this podcast, such as introspection and reflection… She gave tips for making career choices based on value alignment and purposefulness, and defined what those terms really mean. Bola also examined the defining periods of her life and why those times were so influential to her current position in work and family life.

Notable Quotes:
  • “Be discerning about where you work.”
  • “Failure happens, but it’s not fatal.”
Book Recommendations:

The last book Bola gifted to a friend was Eight Laws of Leadership , a leadership book based on Christian principles.

Talking Points In This Episode:
  • Having a plan
  • Aligning your values with your work
  • A successful career and “childlessness” in Nigeria
  • Bola’s opinion of failure
  • Being a sponsor
  • Giving second chances
  • Build your own table

If you’d like to know more about Bola and her work, you can connect with her on LinkedIn.

Please send me a message to let me know what you think of this episode or the show in general. You can reach me via Instagram, LinkedIn – or the web contact form. Thank you!

 

 

Catriona Wallace: Artificial Intelligence 101 and The Heroine’s Journey

April 5, 2021 Comments Off on Catriona Wallace: Artificial Intelligence 101 and The Heroine’s Journey

Dr. Catriona Wallace is the Executive Chair of Boab, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) accelerator, and the Founder of Ethical AI Advisory. Catriona is a serial entrepreneur, having started a consulting business, a research business and a co-working space. She was also the Founder and CEO of Flamingo AI, the second woman-led company ever to list on the Australian Stock Exchange. Catriona has been recognized by the Australian Financial Review as the Most Influential Woman in Business & Entrepreneurship, and she is one of the world’s most cited experts on AI & Responsible Technology. She is a proud mother of five.

On This Episode of When Women Win:

Catriona demystified Artificial Intelligence and made it easy to understand for someone like me, who has no background in AI. We examined how machines are set to change the world, ethical AI, and her role in ensuring diversity and inclusion is programmed into the future. Catriona shared how her childhood trauma has shaped her as a businesswoman, and how mindfulness has helped her surmount life’s greatest obstacles. The Heroine’s Journey is a 7-part journey that all women take, and Catriona invites you to find out where you are on that journey.

Notable Quotes:
  • “Our journey to great leadership is based around truly knowing ourselves.”
  • “I want to stand in my power so that I can effect change.”
Book Recommendations:

Catriona recommends reading The Heroine’s Journey by Maureen Murdock to get a more in-depth understanding of the concept.

Talking Points in This Episode:
  • Dreams of being a farmer’s wife
  • The police force
  • Computer technology is replacing human leaders
  • AI’s effect on human jobs
  • From abuse to awareness to peace
  • Yearning for the feminine

If you’d like to know more about Catriona and her work, you can connect with her on LinkedIn. And if you want to learn about Ethical AI Advisory, check out the website at https://ethicalai.ai.

Please get in touch with me at When Women Win and let me know what you think of this episode and the show in general. You can reach me via Instagram, LinkedIn – or the web contact form. Thank you!

Elif Shafak, Award-Winning Author: Why Storytelling Matters

March 29, 2021 Comments Off on Elif Shafak, Award-Winning Author: Why Storytelling Matters

Elif Shafak is a world-renowned and multi award-winning author. She has written 18 books in both English and Turkish, and her work has been translated into 54 languages. The Forty Rules of Love was a game changer for me, and The Bastard of Istanbul moved me deeply. Elif is a Fellow and a Vice President of the Royal Society of Literature, has received over 65 prestigious awards (I counted them!). Elif is also an activist for women’s and LGBT+ rights and is a two-time TED global speaker.

On This Episode of When Women Win:

Elif and I talked about why storytelling matters. We discussed Elif’s upbringing by two strong women, her mother and grandmother. As an only child who moved around a lot, she grew up entertaining herself with books and started writing stories at the age of 8. We talked about discrimination against women authors and the steps necessary to end it. Elif explained how to be a voice for the voiceless and how writing is one of the most powerful ways to fight injustice and inequality. She also shared practical tips for how YOU can become a writer, as everyone has a story to tell. Bonus! During our chat, we revealed the launch date of her next book… That’s right, you’ll hear it here first!

Notable Quotes:
  • “Literature allows us to travel into the soul, psyche and mind of someone else.”
  • “Whatever you do in life, you need emotional intelligence through reading and writing.”
Book Recommendations:

I recommend reading any of Elif’s bestselling books – head to her website https://www.elifsafak.com.tr/home and take your pick! You can also check out her oeuvre on Amazon.

Talking Points in This Episode:
  • Elif’s family background
  • Why Elif became an author
  • Female writers in patriarchal societies
  • The writing process
  • How do we get men to read?
  • Cognitive diversity

I’d love to hear your thoughts, so do drop me a note or take this 1-minute survey. Your feedback is so appreciated!

Farah Foustok: Invest in Yourself

March 22, 2021 Comments Off on Farah Foustok: Invest in Yourself

Why must you invest in yourself?

On the Forbes list of power women every year since I’ve known her is Farah Foustok, the CEO of Lazard Asset Management in the Middle East. She is also the founder of the Middle East’s 30% Club, Reach Mentoring and TARA speed-mentoring – all platforms designed to help women achieve their professional goals.

On This Episode of When Women Win:

Farah & I discussed taking risks, losing it all, cultivating grit and rebuilding from scratch. Farah talked about her move from corporate to a wild 4-year entrepreneurial adventure in Argentina and Spain, and then back into the corporate world. We discussed why it’s important to invest in yourself and what that looks like. Finally, Farah shared how working in the male-dominated world of Middle Eastern finance fueled her passion for mentorship and her desire to help more women rise to leadership positions.

Notable Quotes: 
  • “I learned to lose everything and then find a way to rebuild.”
  • “It’s important to surround yourself with people who have similar values because you don’t always have the answers on your own.”
Book Recommendations:

Farah recommends reading Open: An Autobiography written by professional tennis player Andre Agassi.

Talking Points in This Episode: 
  • Major changes from young life to motherhood
  • Defining failure as an individual and as a society
  • Living in the Arab world
  • How to bounce ideas off others
  • Collaboration and acceptance in team sports

If you’d like to know more about Farah, you can find her at https://poweroftara.net/tara-team/ and on LinkedIn.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback, so please do drop me a note or take this 1-minute survey.

Thank you!

Zélika García: The Business & Pleasure of Art

March 15, 2021 Comments Off on Zélika García: The Business & Pleasure of Art

Zélika García is the founder and director of Latin America’s biggest art fair, ZONAMACO. She has been running this fair in Mexico City for the last 20 years and her journey certainly did not come without obstacles. Despite literally hundreds of “no”s, Zélika persevered and turned her idea into a massive annual event.

On this episode of When Women Win:

I talked to Zélika about the business side of art – art smarts, if you will. We discussed how to build credibility as a young businesswoman and stressed the importance of patience in navigating obstacles. Though Covid has thrown a wrench in her plans, Zélika is excited by the opportunity to innovate and is hosting an all-new version of ZONAMACO next month in Mexico City. Finally, Zélika explained why you don’t have to study art to enjoy it.

Notable Quotes:
  • “Everybody is good at something different, and you need to explore that in order to make a good team.”
  • “Everything is negotiable. Everything.”
Book Recommendations:

I recommend reading a book by Zelika’s friend Luis Bustamante: New Perspectives featuring beautiful interior designs.

Talking points in this episode:
  • Setting up the art fair
  • Business “the Mexican way”
  • Running an event in the midst of natural disasters & pandemics
  • Creativity in the workplace
  • The pleasure of living with art

If you’d like to know more about Zélika and ZONAMACO, you can check out her website at https://zsonamaco.com and find the event all over social media @ZONAMACO.

I’d love to hear your thoughts, so drop me a note or take this 1-minute survey. Your feedback is greatly appreciated!

Ibtihaj Muhammad: Persevering in the Face of Adversity

March 1, 2021 Comments Off on Ibtihaj Muhammad: Persevering in the Face of Adversity

Ibtihaj Muhammad is an Olympic medalist and the first woman in a hijab ever to join the U.S. Olympic team. She is also a New York Times bestselling author, having written two books: a memoir and a children’s book. As a young adult, she and her sisters founded their clothing line Louella, with the goal of giving women in America affordable and fashionable options to dress modestly.

On This Episode of When Women Win:
I talked to Ibtihaj about persevering through life’s most challenging moments. Ibtihaj opened up about her evolution as an athlete – why she picked the sport of fencing and what it was like competing and medaling at the 2016 Rio Olympics. We discussed the physical, mental and emotional adversity she’s had to overcome as a Black and Muslim and female athlete – and Ibtihaj talked about how her faith and her support network helped her through it all.

Notable Quotes:
• “Choose to be proud in the face of adversity.”
• “Use every moment as an opportunity for growth.”

Book Recommendations:
I highly recommend reading Ibtihaj’s inspiring memoir Proud: My Fight for an Unlikely American Dream as well as her children’s book The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family.

Talking points in this episode:
• Wearing hijab in sports
• The challenges of being an entrepreneur
• Honest experiences on the Olympic team
• Ibtihaj as a barbie doll
• Louella by Ibtihaj

If you’d like to know more about Ibtihaj, you can check out her website at ibtihajmuhammad.com and find her all over social media @ibtihajmuhammad.

I’d love to hear your thoughts, so drop me a note or take this 1-minute survey. I’d really appreciate your feedback!

Nathalie Haddad: How to Build a Business That Keeps on Growing

February 22, 2021 Comments Off on Nathalie Haddad: How to Build a Business That Keeps on Growing

Nathalie Haddad is a career dietician. One day, she realized that her clients were not able to implement her health advice because the meal options were not available on the market. She decided to solve this problem, and in 2004 Nathalie established in Dubai the Right Bite Nutrition & Catering Services L.L.C. a specialized center for expert nutritional consultation and bespoke gourmet healthy meal delivery service. I have personally used Right Bite programs 4 times, all post-partum, so I know her system works. But I also wanted to have Nathalie on the show because she has led Right Bite to achieve double digit growth every year for the last 17 years…

We talked mostly about the business process, building for growth and navigating challenges. We discussed the difference between starting up and scaling up, responding to customer feedback, building the right team, being a mompreneur and we even touched on nutrition!

My favorite quote was Nathalie’s advice on managing it all: “Whenever you’re at work, try to be at work; whenever you’re with the kids, try to be with the kids.”

You can find Nathalie at www.rightbite.com

I’d love to hear from you… Please drop me a note or take this 1-minute survey. Thank you!

Silvia Davila: How to Evolve Your Leadership & Confidence

February 15, 2021 Comments Off on Silvia Davila: How to Evolve Your Leadership & Confidence

Silvia Davila is the Regional President of Latin America for Danone Dairy & Plant-Based, one of the biggest food companies in the world. They own brands like Activia, Silk, Alpro and many more… Next time you see a Danone yoghurt in your supermarket, think of Silvia!

She started her career at McDonald’s in Mexico before joining Procter & Gamble’s Marketing department. In 2004, she joined Mars Mexico where she rose to General Manager for the Chocolates division and General Manager for the Pet division. In 2014, she became the Food Chief Marketing Officer of Mars globally, based in Belgium. In 2017, she returned to Mexico to join Danone.

We talked about the dance that we do at work every day – having fun and also taking difficult decisions; being a committed professional while also being a full-time mom, wife and daughter. We discussed the challenges that one faces in the workplace and how they change over time. We talked about networking, confidence, picking your battles and not settling for the status quo.

Silvia’s book recommendation was The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende, and if you’d like to reach her, you can find Silvia Davila on LinkedIn.

I’d love to hear from you… Please drop me a note or take this 1-minute survey. Thank you!

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The Podcast

When Women Win is a weekly podcast where boss ladies and female role models from around the world share their inspirational stories and practical tools and strategies for success. The podcast is currently the most listened to podcast in the Middle East.