POWERHOUSE GLOBAL MAGAZINE (PGMAG) INTERVIEW WITH: ARSHI AYUB ZAVERI (AAZ)

CEO; TrustWithTrade Group & Senior Advisor to the Royal Family, United Arab Emirates

PGMAG: Thank you Powerhouse Arshi for granting us this interview.

AAZ: It is my pleasure to engage with your good self and PGMAG.

PGMAG: Who is Arshi, and what is she about in the world?

AAZ: Quite a question. Let me simplify the same. Born into a family of empowered mindsets, been quite the one who learnt very early that despite all the privileges bestowed, ultimately, have to walk my own walk. As a woman who started her first business at the age of 17, there were few instrumental things that life and experiences taught me. I learned at a very early age that you can tell people what to do until you are blue in the face, but you have to set the tone with your actions. People will not only respect that, they will rise to it. Continued investing into intellectual well - being of own and advancement of everyone around me. Strongly advocate,

“You are strong because you are imperfect. You are wise because you have doubts. And, learn to be okay with that”.

PGMAG: As a person in a very important position, what are your top three tips of leading effectively?

AAZ: Learn from the example set by the UAE leaders. A country based on strong principles of cooperation, tolerance and peace.

First and fore most to lead, it is imperative that one should be responsible and human. Everyone around you is then inspired to emulate and the energy finally transpires into a win – win aftermath. Micro managing might work for some, however provisioning room to breathe, innovate and express, is equally essential. Secondly the only way to succeed, is by enduring short failures. Nobody likes failures, irrespective of their economic position. However as a leader, enduring and coping with failure is crucial.

Finally, share success and give back. That is real progress as well. Remember to go to bed with a clean conscience.

Do a market study geopolitically and culturally to understand the pros & cons. Look for local partners to handhold you, so that market risks can be mitigated to a huge extent and create a potent advisory board.

PGMAG: What would you say to a business owner who is thinking about expansion of their business?

AAZ: Plan, strategize, focus and commence full force. Do a market study geopolitically and culturally to understand the pros & cons. Look for local partners to handhold you, so that market risks can be mitigated to a huge extent and create a potent advisory board.

Works your books and budgets the entirety of the operations. Create a team that is passionate, likeminded and who are in ways better than you so that you always up your measures. Never take no for an answer and doing the work that I did, a NO was a normality. But, there is way to be persistent without being

People will not only respect that, they will rise to it. Continued investing into intellectual well - being of own and advancement of everyone around me. Strongly advocate, "You are strong because you are imperfect. You are wise because you have doubts. And, learn to be okay with that."

ARSHI AYUB ZAVERI

obnoxious. Embrace that slowly.

Hire smart, rather than experienced sales and marketing strength. To expand and create intergenerational wealth, you need to collaborate, undertake challenges, execute a brilliant idea & do things differently.

PGMAG: What is your message for the youth of the world?

AAZ: ‘Learn skills that will make you globally competitive. Youth are the real wealth and the future of national security. Be better and we are optimistic to create a knowledge based economy in the emirates”, – H.H Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

My message is strongly aligned with the UAE leaders, for the youth to finish a college education and find a good mentor who teaches them the ropes to entrepreneurship, skill building, self - sustenance and to optimize opportunities. Find your strength & keep exploring your passions. Be confident and always exude conviction in whatever you put your mind into. PGMAG: What are the two books that changed your life?

AAZ: My Story: 50 Memories from 50 Years of Service by H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai. A man who is extremely kind and a true visionary by all means. He articulated early life, family, education, mentions of his late father and grandfather who ruled Dubai for 46 years. Also who laid the 10 tenets of leadership for nations to learn from. Serve people, Do not worship the position, Set Your Plan, Monitor Yourself, Build Your Team, Innovate or Leave, Communicate and be optimistic, Compete, Create future leaders, Go forth and live a meaningful life.

Becoming by Michelle Obama. Reinstated and reminded me to use my voice to lift up the voiceless and to never disappear on people in need. To be largely optimistic without being naïve; undaunted by conflict; and intrigued by how complicated the world is. Becoming was indeed a fulfilling read.

PGMAG: How do you create a work/life balance in your role as a senior advisor to the Royal Family?

‘Learn skills that will make you globally competitive. Youth are the real wealth and the future of national security. Be better and we are optimistic to create a knowledge based economy in the emirates”, – H.H Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

AAZ: I remind myself each day that to whom much is given, much is expected.

It is periodically overwhelming to aim at the perfect work / life balance. However, I practice parallelism, which simply implies that multitasking not only exists, but is actually good. Conceptually enriching and enables more work to be done faster. Sometimes when you concentrate on more than one component at a time there simply isn’t enough cognitive resource to go round, hence the dealing has to be multifold. Prioritize and segregate, which will help you assess where your presence is needed more. Also very important, and often overlooked between work and family is; time to one own self. Very important and should never be ignored.

PGMAG: What would you say to your younger self?

AAZ: To have leveraged challenges, along with the opportunities that came my way. One of the fallacies is that, when you get successful, it gets easier. It does not. Be ready to fight for the rest of your life, if you chose to live it your way. There will be people to deride you every step of the way. They try to cow you down, your belief by the way of sexist remarks or an inappropriate innuendo. This can actually take you down, or enrage or break you. You can’t shy away from opinions. Instead develop a steel frame around you. What you do consume and what you don’t, entirely at your own discretion.

PGMAG: What makes you laugh?

AAZ: Time with family is always full of laughter and these little moments remind you of reasons to be grateful.

PGMAG: It has been a pleasure interviewing you - we are grateful.

AAZ: Thank You and much appreciation to Pgmag.

PGMAG: If permitted, please share your social links with our readers.

AAZ: Linkedin Arshi Ayub Mohamed Zaveri https://www.linkedin.com/in/ arshi-ayub-mohamed-zaveri-/

Twitter @ArshiZaveri

There will be people to deride you every step of the way. They try to cow you down, your belief by the way of sexist remarks or an inappropriate innuendo. This can actually take you down, or enrage or break you. You can’t shy away from opinions. Instead develop a steel frame around you.