We are wired to care, wired for connection. The human baby flourishes with care and regardless of age or wisdom, we thrive on care. How we show care matters; it might be the difference we make in someone’s day. As you step into a small retail store or cafe, saying “hello! how are you doing?” might seem trivial. Quite to the contrary, it’s in these small moments that we show our humanity. Next time, stop and say hi and build a little connection with the employee standing in the store. Be the odd person who asks “how was your day?” in the lift. There is magic in these small moments.
The importance of failure, f*ckups and errors
Our conversation about failure needs to be reframed. It is ok to fail. I give you permission to fail. Now go do something and give yourself permission to fail.
I wrote this piece and originally posted it on Medium, after a night of being inspired by failures of female Venture Capitalists and entrepreneurs. You can read it here https://medium.com/@symaahmed/the-importance-of-failure-f-ckups-and-errors-f9fd612e7570
5 Lessons I Learned in 2017 to Avoid Burnout
The year 2017 turned out to be a remarkable year for me for a multitude of reasons. My body showed symptoms of burnout, which I ignored completely. I was focused on getting jobs done perfectly and there were never enough hours in a day to do all that I wanted done. This made me suffer more intensely from burnout.
Eventually I learned to let go of old routines to make room for new practices focused on taking care of my health. Now I adhere to practices of meditation, yoga and pilates in my daily routine. Here are a few key lessons that I have learned in this brilliant, turbulent and challenging year. (more…)
Notes from Lahore: Finding Values of Sufism in the Midst of Materialism and Terrorism
I carry the city of Lahore in my heart no matter where I go. I visited Lahore during July 2017, and I woke up early every single morning to take shots of our garden to capture the beauty of this land.
Micro moments can make (or break) experiences
The entire experience of an organisation can be built or broken in the tiny details or micro moments. As Ahmed Shuja, an experience designer, aptly explained over coffee
“Micro moments really matter to users because small niggling problems, which they know can be fixed, drive them more mad than bigger problems. Feelings of empathy towards the brand can make users a little forgiving when it comes to big problems.”
Impact of Crisis on Brand Equity – Dreamworld Tragedy 2016
Dreamworld made world news during the past few days for all the wrong reasons. The tragic incident at Dreamworld Gold Coast is still unfolding as police carry out their investigations. We know one thing for sure – it is not opening as soon as Dreamworld and some fans would have hoped. (more…)
From Heathrow to Brisbane: There are no coincidences in life
Everything happens for a reason, whether you figure it out or not. There are no accidents. James Redfield, author of ‘The Celestine Prophecy’, helped many connect to their deeper, more sacred spiritual selves. Life takes a new meaning when you seriously consider that people who cross your path have a message for you. When you seek meaning and purpose, it comes to you like most good things in life. I narrated my entrepreneurial story recently when Dr Shane Pegg, during a lecture at the University of Queensland, asked me to share my experience with the class. (more…)
Falling in love with food in Australia
Buying fresh produce early in the morning could be the best way to start the day when you have some time on your hands. (more…)
The Effect of Purpose Branding on Brand Equity
My Masters thesis focused on the effect of purpose brands (i.e. job-specific brands) on the resulting equity of the brand. The abstract of the thesis and the link to the thesis can be found below.
Abstract:
Purpose brands create powerful means of differentiation in the minds of customers as they are tightly associated to the job for which customers hire them. (more…)