Boss Lady

from PakistanToday Paperazzi Issue 364 5 Sep 2020

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#BossLady ENTHUSIAST

ZAINAB RUNS A MULTI-NATIONAL ORGANISATION WHICH SPANS ACROSS THE UK, UAE AND PAKISTAN. SHE IS A FASHION ENTHUSIAST AND MARKETER WHO BLOGS OCCASIONALLY!

Tell us a little about yourself?

Hello. I am Zainab.I run a multi-national organization which spans across the UK, UAE and Pakistan. I am a fashion enthusiast/marketer who blogs occasionally. I support all kinds of human being and believe everyone has a top notch potential if they polish it.

Did you stumble upon your career or was it something that you always wanted?

I was working in fashion for some time now and naturally ecommerce was next evolution. However I was confident that I would never step into any generic ecommerce marketplace. Brandzilla was different, it combined my love for fashion with ecommerce and gives me a very hands on role. just now when the pandemic hit us and the

What are the top three things that you cherish the most in your life?

Family and Friends My Health Career

What is the #1 thing yet to be ticked off your bucket list?

A trip to the International Space Station

What does nobody tell you about being the boss?

In order to prove your self-legitimate as women you step on a lot of toes and honestly you cant make everyone happy. Except our customers, they are always happy. HAHA

Name one boss lady that inspired you take your own path, and how did she inspire you?

We are surrounded by strong independent women who are achieving something or the other every day. They don’t just achieve their goals, they set examples for women like me. So naming one would be unfair. First of all Musharraf Hai has been a great market leader I learn so much from her, Mahira Khan taught me how to be humble even after achieving so much. Eva Chen taught me you can achieve everything if you are determined no matter what the color of your skin is or how big or small

Did you ever consider or experience a career change? Describe a typical day in Zainab’s life?

Yes my current role is a huge career During the pandemic I try to live a life change, but like I mentioned before, where I protect myself , my family ecommerce is the next evolution and everyone has to step into it I just "I LEARN SO and my team as much as I can. So my day is all about figuring out what wanted to beat the curve and do it before it becomes main stream. This MUCH FROM HER, room of the house is motivating me to perform . I spend my day on my wasn’t the only time I changed career MAHIRA KHAN phone either discussing agendas with I have always been open to options to grow. Even during my days at Asian TAUGHT ME HOW the team or meeting new designers and sellers and offering them the Institute of Fashion and Design(AIFD) I started my degree in design and TO BE HUMBLE opportunity to grow and go global. Thank God for zoom ended up with a degree in fashion EVEN AFTER marketing. Btw no regrets. ACHIEVING SO Complete this sentence, ‘To me a #BossLady is…’ Did you ever feel discouraged midMUCH. " Is someone who knows what she way your routine? How did you push wants , how to achieve that and who through it? to engage with. A boss lady knows no Oh yes. So many times when things one can stop her form achieving what go out of my hand. Went through one she wants. global operations ceased. There were a lot A lesson your biggest failure might have taught you? of people looking at me for strength. It wasn’t It’s okay to feel sad and vulnerable as long as know how an easy time but I had to pull everything together to to pick yourself up. Though the process is not the easiest overcome the hard times. I tell you.

your eyes are.

Which world leader would you most like to have dinner with?

Oprah Winfery now but if you had asked this two years back I would have said Karl Lagerfeld.

What advice would you give to young girls who look upto you and have goals and dreams like you?

Dear every young girl reading this, support other girls and help them grow. Trust the timings and never hold onto your weaknesses. It’s not like you are less talented than your best friend or cousin, it’s just that their talent isn’t your talent. Be you!

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

BEHIND THE CHEF TEHNIYAT AZAM

My journey started differently not at all Culinary in the beginning, I was very studious one may say I did my Masters from Kings college London in biomedical sciences but while I was there since you have to like obviously make your own food and all so I kinda developed an interest in the kitchen particularly baking/desserts and all, from there.

IWhat inspired you to become a pastry chef ? I came back and kept on experimenting in the kitchen, growing up I’ve always seen my baba and Ammi make amazing food, they both love preparing food so really they’ve kinda inspired me to get into it as well. So yeah I started baking at home and things took off from there, that ended up in me doing a culinary diploma, traveling to the Middle East for pastry training and then to being a pastry instructor while at the same time running my online bakery, Inside The Box.

Is this what you always wanted to do?

It won’t be true if I say it is, I always wanted to become an astronaut, that was something I had my mind on since childhood but obviously didn’t work out and here I am. However it didn’t take me long before I realized that I really am passionate about being in the culinary field, desserts if I am to be specific.

What’s your most favourite pastry?

Hmm that’s a tough question because I absolutely can’t pick one but if I have to I’m gonna go with a classic pecan pie with home made vanilla bean ice cream, any day!

What’s your least favourite pastry?

My least favorite pastry I know a lot of people won’t be happy about it but it’s the Lemon meringue pie, I don’t know it’s just too tart for my taste.

If you weren’t a pastry chef what would you be doing?

I would definitely be a food critic traveling the globe in search of delicious food, absolutely!

What’s the most wanted item on your menu?

The most wanted item would be my double chocolate pecan Brownies, that’s what I started this culinary venture with 5 years ago and they’re still going strong Allahumdulillah.

If you could survive on 3 deserts for life, what would you pick?

Love this question ok so that’s easy it’ll be Chocolate fondue Pistachio macarons Mint choc chip ice cream Can choose more but gotta be three

What was the best advice given to you?

That for me would be “never compromise on your ingredients and hence the quality of your product” at the very start of my online bakery. I absolutely live by it because I know being in Pakistan it’s not always easy to get the good quality ingredients either they’re unavailable or too pricey, but that is something I never compromise on, as my motto has always been to delivery quality.

What famous chef would you like to have dinner with and what would you ask them?

Haha! That’ll be very non pastry as it has to be with Mr Gordon Ramsay and I’ll ask him why do you have to be so rude :D that’s something I’ve always wanted to know, I mean honestly.

What’s your dream project?

My dream project would be to open up my boutique bakery/cafe in two specific destinations: obviously one would have to be in Lahore my home town and the second one would be in London. To begin with, that’s where it all started, where I discovered my passion for pastry, owing it to the many many boutique bakeries there at every corner of the city and looking at them I always imagined myself owning something like that too some day so why not.

What would you like to say to our followers?

Hey guys! So if you love a good brownie and haven’t found one yet in Lahore, I’m gonna go ahead and say it, order Inside The Box’s absolutely decadent Double Chocolate Pecan Brownie, who knows we could end up being your go to place for all kinda desserts.

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