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Speaker 1: The world is unjust, but I can make a difference,

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Speaker 1: and it is my place to show up. The smallest

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Speaker 1: things I've done have become the biggest things I've done,

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Speaker 1: and you have to really believe that no matter what

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Speaker 1: comes your way, you have what it takes to overcome it.

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Speaker 2: Welcome to the Seize the Yay Podcast. Busy and happy

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Speaker 2: are not the same thing. We too rarely question what

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Speaker 2: makes the heart seeing. We work, then we rest, but

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Speaker 2: rarely we play and often don't realize there's more than

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Speaker 2: one way. So this is a platform to hear and

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Speaker 2: explore the stories of those who found lives they adore,

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Speaker 2: the good, bad and ugly. The best and worst day

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Speaker 2: will bear all the facets of Seizing Your Yea. I'm

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Speaker 2: Sarah Davidson or Spoonful of Sarah, a lawyer turned unentrepreneur

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Speaker 2: who swapped the suits and heels to co found matcha

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Speaker 2: Maiden and matcha Milk Bar. Ses The ya is a

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Speaker 2: series of conversations on finding a life you love and

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Speaker 2: exploring the self doubt, challenge, joy and fulfillment along the way.

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Speaker 2: Lovely neighborhood, I hope your twenty twenty six is going wonderfully,

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Speaker 2: So far, and if you're a tennis fan, that you

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Speaker 2: have been enjoying the Australian Open action as much as

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Speaker 2: I have. I'm so proud to be a Melbournian At

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Speaker 2: this time of the year. I feel like we absolutely

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Speaker 2: turn it on for the tennis and I have been

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Speaker 2: so lucky to have had some amazing experiences over the

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Speaker 2: past week or so. It's been such a ea field

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Speaker 2: start to the year. Speaking of amazing experiences, one from

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Speaker 2: the end of last year was meeting this week's incredible guest.

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Speaker 2: I mentioned that I had uncharacteristically recorded a few special

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Speaker 2: episodes well in advance to be ready for the new year.

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Speaker 2: I must have just had a random spurt of hyper

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Speaker 2: organization at the end of the year, and I've been

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Speaker 2: waiting patiently to send this one into your ears. You

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Speaker 2: know that I believe all of our guests are impressive

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Speaker 2: and inspiring in their own special way, and obviously that's

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Speaker 2: why we're telling their stories. But some are just truly

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Speaker 2: extraordinary humans. And as you'll soon hear, she's a Shahid

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Speaker 2: fit that definition in every possible way. Born in Islamabad, Pakistan,

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Speaker 2: her passion for philanthropy and activism was evident even from

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Speaker 2: her teens, when at just fourteen she started working in

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Speaker 2: women's prisons and volunteering at a relief camp following a

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Speaker 2: deadly earthquake which struck Kashmir in two thousand and five,

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Speaker 2: killing nearly eighty five thousand people. At the age of eighteen,

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Speaker 2: she won a scholarship to study at Stanford University, followed

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Speaker 2: by pursuing a high flying career at McKinsey and Company

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Speaker 2: in Dubai as a business analyst before founding her first business,

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Speaker 2: now Ventures, focusing on funding startups. I barely have enough

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Speaker 2: breath to even get that out, and it seems crazy

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Speaker 2: to skate over such huge achievements with just a single

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Speaker 2: line each. But that's because there's still so much more

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Speaker 2: to squeeze in and Shisa is only just getting started.

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Speaker 2: She is also the co founder and CEO of the

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Speaker 2: Malala Fund, championing the right of every girl to education,

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Speaker 2: alongside Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yusufi, who was shot

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Speaker 2: by the Taliban for campaigning for girls education. And if

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Speaker 2: that weren't enough, She's has also gone on to create

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Speaker 2: Our Place with her husband, an incredible director consumer brand

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Speaker 2: of non toxic cookware rooted in her heritage and uniting

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Speaker 2: people through shared meals. You will have seen it in

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Speaker 2: our kitchen if you've ever dined with us. The range

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Speaker 2: is absolutely incredible. On top of all that, I learned

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Speaker 2: when she turned up for our recording that she is

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Speaker 2: pregnant with her first child and about to conquer yet

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Speaker 2: another frontier. What an extraordinary woman to have the chance

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Speaker 2: to meet. You will be taken by her eloquence, humility, determination,

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Speaker 2: and warmth instantly as I was. I hope that you

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Speaker 2: all enjoyed this one as much as I did. She's

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Speaker 2: our welcome to Cca.

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Speaker 1: Hi, thank you for having me. I'm so happy to

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Speaker 1: be here.

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Speaker 2: Thank you so much for joining. As I mentioned to

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Speaker 2: you when you first arrived, when you followed someone's journey

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Speaker 2: for so long and followed their work, and just have

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Speaker 2: so much admiration when you actually you get to meet

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Speaker 2: you in person. When you got out of the car,

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Speaker 2: I was like, she's a real person. She's a real person, a.

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Speaker 1: Real pregnant person who luggage got lost and worry. We

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Speaker 1: found it, so now I have Now I have my

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Speaker 1: clothes back.

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Speaker 2: Well, you look glorious. I also didn't know you were pregnant,

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Speaker 2: so that's even more special, and I know even more

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Speaker 2: what an effort it would have taken you to be today.

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Speaker 1: And you look amazing, so I'm so excited. It's my

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Speaker 1: first time in Australia, my first time in Melbourne, my

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Speaker 1: first time meeting you. It is it is cold, it's chilling.

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Speaker 1: I'm sorry we haven't had the sun out, but it

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Speaker 1: is okay.

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Speaker 2: It is so greateful to welcome you, and it's beautiful though. Yeah,

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Speaker 2: well I'm glad you love it. Melbourne is my favorite city.

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Speaker 1: Great food and lovely people, and I get to I

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Speaker 1: get to talk to you, so what more can I want?

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Speaker 2: That's very kind of you. It is truly a privilege.

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Speaker 2: Your story is so diverse and interesting and fascinating in

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Speaker 2: so many ways. I was actually telling Darzi, our producer,

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Speaker 2: before you got here, and we're both mind blown and

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Speaker 2: we haven't even started yet. But I thought perhaps we

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Speaker 2: would start at the very beginning, because now reading your story,

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Speaker 2: it's or inspiring and I think the dots sort of

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Speaker 2: connect when you look back, but it's always really inspiring

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Speaker 2: to remind people that everyone started as a child, everyone

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Speaker 2: started as a blank slate without you know, the preconceptions

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Speaker 2: that society kind of starts to influence us with. So

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Speaker 2: what were you like as a child? I mean, growing

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Speaker 2: up in Islamabad is very different to what most of

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Speaker 2: our listeners would have experienced.

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Speaker 1: Well, some things never changed. I loved to eat, so

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Speaker 1: that started early. There's legendary stories about how much I

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Speaker 1: could polish off in one sitting. But I grew up

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Speaker 1: in Bakistan, and I grew up in a place full

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Speaker 1: of contradictions, and I think that really shaped me. It's

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Speaker 1: a beautiful country, beautiful culture, incredible food, warm hospitality, some

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Speaker 1: of the kindest, most big hearted people you ever meet.

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Speaker 1: But it's also a country with a lot of poverty,

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Speaker 1: limited freedoms for women and girls. And it's also a

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Speaker 1: country that, at the time that I was growing up,

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Speaker 1: had a lot of instability that really spilled over from

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Speaker 1: the war and neighboring Afghanissan so and things like terrorism

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Speaker 1: suicide attacks were part of my reality in my teenage years.

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Speaker 1: I had many dreams. As a child. I wanted to

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Speaker 1: be a writer because I love to tell stories, But

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Speaker 1: as I grew older and entered my teenage, I really

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Speaker 1: wanted to be a change maker and organizer, an activist.

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Speaker 1: I was sort of witnessing the world around me, witnessing

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Speaker 1: the difference in the privileges that I had. I come

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Speaker 1: from a modest family, but a family that worked hard

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Speaker 1: gave me the very best education and all the freedoms

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Speaker 1: that I could have dreamed of. But right down the

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Speaker 1: street I would see girls who weren't going to school,

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Speaker 1: either because they couldn't afford it, or because they weren't allowed,

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Speaker 1: or because their families had to make hard decisions in

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Speaker 1: an economy and a country where their futures were not guaranteed.

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Speaker 1: So I spent a lot of my childhood showing up,

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Speaker 1: asking questions and volunteering and organizing when I was angry

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Speaker 1: because the government had done something, taken away civil liberty,

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Speaker 1: declared martial law. So was very driven by purpose as

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Speaker 1: a child, and very much a sense of the world

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Speaker 1: is unjust, but I can make a difference, and it

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Speaker 1: is my place to show up.

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Speaker 2: Already at this point, we're still in your childhood, and

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Speaker 2: the purpose and drive that you have at such a

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Speaker 2: young age is so unique. But something that always fascinates

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Speaker 2: me so much in anyone's story is how we are

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Speaker 2: shaped by our experiences from quite a young age, and

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Speaker 2: most of our guests, the vast majority of our guests

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Speaker 2: on the show, we pieced together the parts of their

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Speaker 2: identity in a very calm and neutral environment, like they're

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Speaker 2: often brought up in a very safe country, mostly Australia,

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Speaker 2: and I'm making decisions about who they want to be

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Speaker 2: with the safety of stability and political stability, government support,

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Speaker 2: you know, access to education that we easily take for granted,

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Speaker 2: and that gives us, many of us, a really great

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Speaker 2: chance at doing great things. So it's fascinating to have

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Speaker 2: an insight into how different that was for you and

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Speaker 2: how early that shaped you into channeling anger at injustice

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Speaker 2: into something so wonderful. What drove you to volunteer from

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Speaker 2: an age younger than most of us even know what

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Speaker 2: volunteering is?

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Speaker 1: You know, I did have a safe childhood, even though

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Speaker 1: there were things happening around me. My parents made sure

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Speaker 1: I was safe and loved and and sent to a

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Speaker 1: good school, and I did have the privilege of that

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Speaker 1: foundation in a different way from Australians, but it was

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Speaker 1: a sense of home and grounding. At the same time,

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Speaker 1: there was a clarity that there was a lot going

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Speaker 1: on around me that was unjust. And this is true

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Speaker 1: in Pakistan, this is true in Australia, right, this is

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Speaker 1: true in every part of the world. I think I

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Speaker 1: was just exposed to it. My parents weren't shielding me

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Speaker 1: from it. I think a lot of parents typically shield

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Speaker 1: their children and sort of unknowingly steer them away from

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Speaker 1: feeling like you can do something about this, you know.

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Speaker 1: I think about that first interaction that a child can

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Speaker 1: have with someone who's maybe unhoused, and they see someone

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Speaker 1: who is in a difficult circumstance and their parents says,

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Speaker 1: you know what, don't worry, don't worry about it.

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Speaker 2: You know, yeah, look away, take away.

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Speaker 1: Okay, right, And the instinct is to protect because a

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Speaker 1: child is distressed. But I think what's happening is we're

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Speaker 1: teaching our children it's not your place. It's okay, someone

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Speaker 1: else is going to fix this. Someone else's richer than you,

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Speaker 1: older than you, smarter than you, better than you. This

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Speaker 1: is not your place to fix this. And so we're

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Speaker 1: almost kind of dulling that innate empathy and instinct that

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Speaker 1: I think we're all born with. The difference for me,

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Speaker 1: is nobody related that for me? And so something would

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Speaker 1: happen and I would. I would drive down to the

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Speaker 1: nonprofit and say, I want to help. What can I do?

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Speaker 1: And no one was pushing me to do that, but

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Speaker 1: no one was stopping me from doing that. So from

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Speaker 1: a very young age, I felt a sense of purpose.

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Speaker 1: I felt that, you know, yes, I was in school

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Speaker 1: and I could write an essay that my teacher would

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Speaker 1: read and i'd get, you know, good grade. Fine, But

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Speaker 1: after school, if I ran over to the camp that

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Speaker 1: was housing people who were displaced by the earthquake, and

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Speaker 1: I spent my afternoon raising money for donations for blankets

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Speaker 1: that actually kept someone warm, and that act was so

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Speaker 1: much more meaningful than that essay and getting that a

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Speaker 1: And so I knew what it felt like to have consequences,

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Speaker 1: to do things that were real and not just in

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Speaker 1: this bubble of school. And I felt that I had

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Speaker 1: purpose and I could make a difference. And I think

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Speaker 1: that was really important to my childhood but also to

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Speaker 1: how I would eventually become an entrepreneur.

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Speaker 2: It is still so extraordinary to me reading the many

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Speaker 2: different things you had done before you were even of age,

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Speaker 2: Like at fourteen, you were working in prisons for women

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Speaker 2: who were convicted of crimes and then, as you mentioned,

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Speaker 2: volunteering at the relief camp after one of the deathly

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Speaker 2: earthquakes that struck Kashmir, and I think one of the

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Speaker 2: reasons I am so fascinated about this drive with you

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Speaker 2: and also how education has played a role for you

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Speaker 2: against a backdrop where a lot of Pakistani women did

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Speaker 2: not have the right or were not given the right

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Speaker 2: to access education. I was actually born in an orphanage

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Speaker 2: in South Korea in the eighties, when very different context,

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Speaker 2: but the prospects of me having an education if I

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Speaker 2: was not adopted into Australia were very, very small, and

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Speaker 2: so every day that I was in school and every

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Speaker 2: day that I've been able to reap the benefits of

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Speaker 2: the education I've had here, I'm so grateful for that

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Speaker 2: because it could have been so different for you, going

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Speaker 2: from this young girl with so much philanthropy and generosity

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Speaker 2: of heart at such a young age. What then, the

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Speaker 2: gap between that teenager and then going to Stanford fill

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Speaker 2: in that gap for us? What was the decision making

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Speaker 2: process that helped you go from I'm just volunteering after

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Speaker 2: school to this is what my career is going to be.

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Speaker 2: Because I think translating your interests and passions into a

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Speaker 2: career in that sort of light tane early twenties pot

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Speaker 2: is often the most confusing time we can go through.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I don't know that I did that. Yeah, you know,

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Speaker 1: I don't know what. I don't know that I ever

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Speaker 1: was that strategic or thinking that far ahead. I think

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Speaker 1: I was very much this has happened, or this person

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Speaker 1: needs help, or this is wrong, and I think I

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Speaker 1: can show up and do something. Yeah, And it was

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Speaker 1: just it would be one thing after the other. Right,

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Speaker 1: you show up and then you start to see the

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Speaker 1: next dot and the next dot and how to connect

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Speaker 1: them and one thing bills. I don't think I was

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Speaker 1: ever thinking about what my career would be or how

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Speaker 1: I would map out the perfect future. I know intention

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Speaker 1: of going to Stanford. It was because I had done

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Speaker 1: work that was meaningful that I was given the opportunity

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Speaker 1: that I was given a scholarship to move halfway across

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Speaker 1: the world and study for free and one of the

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Speaker 1: best schools in the world. But I didn't plan that,

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Speaker 1: and for me, it was very much just I am

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Speaker 1: going to work on the things that move me. And

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Speaker 1: because I leaned so hard into that those things were

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Speaker 1: noticed and those things were then recognized and they would

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Speaker 1: bring new opportunities. Yeah, I think it was very organic

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Speaker 1: in my case.

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Speaker 2: I love that so much because our preoccupation in many

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Speaker 2: of our episodes on this show is about proactively planning

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Speaker 2: your future and how people lay out the pros and

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Speaker 2: cons for every decision that they make when they reach

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Speaker 2: forks in the road, and sort of how we forge

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Speaker 2: a pathway for ourselves. So it's quite unique, but really

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Speaker 2: fascinating to hear a very different, more reactive, organic version

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Speaker 2: where you didn't set out to become what you've become.

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Speaker 2: The un kind of led you there.

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Speaker 1: I mean, I've never made a pros cons list? No,

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Speaker 1: why no? I don't think that you map out your

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Speaker 1: career on paper. I don't think that that's where it happens.

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Speaker 1: I think it happens in the field. I think it

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Speaker 1: happens in the work. And for me, it was a

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Speaker 1: less reactive, more intuitive, it's more, oh, okay, this is

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Speaker 1: in this moment, this is how I think I can

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Speaker 1: have the greatest impact, and I'm not going to think

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Speaker 1: about how it leads to the next thing and the

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Speaker 1: next thing and the next thing, because nothing that I've

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Speaker 1: done was planned, but it's all connected, right, It's all

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Speaker 1: very clear to live a life with purpose, to create

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Speaker 1: things with meaning, to have an impact, to be creative,

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Speaker 1: to think outside of the box, to make a difference.

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Speaker 1: Like those things have always been the well spring, and

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Speaker 1: that's always been very clear. There are so many ways

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Speaker 1: in which you can do that in the world, and

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Speaker 1: the opportunities in front of you in your twenties are

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Speaker 1: different from those in your thirties, and the world and

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Speaker 1: your circumstances change, and for me, geography has changed, and

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Speaker 1: industry has changed, technology is changing. So if you're sitting

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Speaker 1: down and writing pros and cons lists and planning, writing

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Speaker 1: out a thirty year plan, I think that only works

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Speaker 1: for very linear careers. Like if you want to be

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Speaker 1: in eurosurgeon, yes, there's a very clear way to do that,

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Speaker 1: and you should follow that because it's a very because

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Speaker 1: you have to it's a fix skill set and craft,

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Speaker 1: and you've got to put in that path. You've got

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Speaker 1: to work that path. But if if you want to

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Speaker 1: be an entrepreneur, if you want to start a nonprofit

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Speaker 1: or a business, or you have to think differently. There

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Speaker 1: is no blueprint for that.

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Speaker 2: That unique approach is so powerful, and I think it

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Speaker 2: will be for our listeners because I think many people

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Speaker 2: do set out with the the metrics that they use

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Speaker 2: to measure and experience. Is worth is often if it's successful,

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Speaker 2: if it's financially stable, and if it does lead to

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Speaker 2: we are often thinking five year, ten year, fifteen year plan.

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Speaker 2: I won't take the next step unless it's beneficial for

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Speaker 2: the one after that. But to have forged your entire

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Speaker 2: career based more on intuition and purpose is I think

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Speaker 2: what we all hope to end up doing. It's just

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Speaker 2: you reached there very early in life, which is amazing.

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Speaker 2: When you did go from Stanford to I think the

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Speaker 2: first chapter of your professional life was at McKinsey as

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Speaker 2: a consultant. I also think that we, if we haven't

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Speaker 2: spent time, if we haven't spent time in Pakistan, for example,

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Speaker 2: have this conception of, for example, the limited access to

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Speaker 2: education for women, that it would be a big culture

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Speaker 2: shock for you going from there to Stanford and McKinsey.

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Speaker 2: What was that chapter of your life like before you

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Speaker 2: then entered the Malala chapter.

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Speaker 1: Well, American culture is quite ubiquitous, as you know, and

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Speaker 1: so even growing up in Pakistan, you know I'd consumed

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Speaker 1: a lot of it. I'd watched friends, and you know,

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Speaker 1: that was less of a shock. I think the shock

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Speaker 1: for me was undergraduate college life, because you know, here

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Speaker 1: I was this sort of driven, serious activist teenager and

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Speaker 1: now I was given a scholarship to study at one

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Speaker 1: of the best schools in the world. I was, you know,

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Speaker 1: in a class of twenty students with Condeliza Rice the

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Speaker 1: year she left office. I had access. I had never had, wow,

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Speaker 1: and to me it felt like a very serious thing. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: there were very serious things happening back home. It was

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Speaker 1: a particularly turbulent time in Pakistan. I was very worried

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Speaker 1: about a lot of what was happening in my homeland

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Speaker 1: at the time, and you know, undergraduate life can be

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Speaker 1: quite a bubble, and so it was hard to sort

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Speaker 1: of focus on writing a really good paper that didn't

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Speaker 1: really matter in the real world when I felt really

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Speaker 1: called to make a difference in the real world, and

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Speaker 1: also trying to connect the dots of how do I

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Speaker 1: take this opportunity being here in Silicon Valley at Stanford

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Speaker 1: and actually make it mean something for the work that

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Speaker 1: I intend to do. So I think that part was

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Speaker 1: a little bit harder. But that restlessness has always served

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Speaker 1: me and it's always told me to do other things,

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Speaker 1: which is what I did. And I kept creating and

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Speaker 1: kept going back and reaching out to people who needed

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Speaker 1: help and starting things. And so looking back, it was

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Speaker 1: exactly the experience that I was meant to have. I

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Speaker 1: wasn't meant to have, you know, a joyful, fly, immersive,

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Speaker 1: you know, join a sorority undergraduate experience. I was meant

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Speaker 1: to be restless and creating in the world. But now,

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Speaker 1: of course, with the privilege and the luck of having

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Speaker 1: you know, Stanford University's part of my education, and my resume,

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Speaker 1: which you know, coming from a middle class family in Pakistan,

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Speaker 1: you know, helped me be taken just a tiny bit

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Speaker 1: more seriously because people do care about the labels you

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Speaker 1: start to put on your resume, and it gave me

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Speaker 1: a little bit more access. And it showed me also

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Speaker 1: that there were different ways to create. Growing up in Pakistan,

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Speaker 1: government and nonprofit was sort of what I saw around

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Speaker 1: me in the capital city. I didn't see women entrepreneurs

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Speaker 1: starting AI companies and raising capital, and now I was

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Speaker 1: witnessing that in Silicon Valley and witnessing how startups could

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Speaker 1: be an engine for social good sometimes and sometimes not.

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Speaker 1: I was seeing how fast technology was changing, so it

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Speaker 1: was sort of why my aperture and how I could

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Speaker 1: do the work that I would eventually come to do.

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Speaker 2: I love that you use the word restlessness, because I

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Speaker 2: think that is I often refer to it as agitation

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Speaker 2: for change. That's how I know when I'm ready for

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Speaker 2: something new, is when I start to get it's almost

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Speaker 2: like an itch of I need to take action, I

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Speaker 2: need to do whatever the next thing is. And you've

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Speaker 2: been so extraordinary at moving between projects that are quite different,

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Speaker 2: all quite different to each other, but it's like you've

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Speaker 2: seen something, like you said, you've felt that drive, and

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Speaker 2: then you've just gone to do it. And so it

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Speaker 2: sounds like many of us will know the work of

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Speaker 2: the Malala Fund, which is truly extraordinary, and you would

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Speaker 2: think that that would have had a five ten to

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Speaker 2: fifteen new plan behind it. But reading the story of

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Speaker 2: how you sort of saw Malala's story on YouTube and

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Speaker 2: then just took action and went to visit, and it

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Speaker 2: seems like you're so no fuss about taking steps to

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Speaker 2: just get something done. How did that come about? And

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Speaker 2: for those of us who have started a foundation with

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Speaker 2: a Nobel Peace Prize winner, which is most people in

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Speaker 2: the world. What does it take you to have an

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Speaker 2: idea and then go I'm going to do this? How

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Speaker 2: do you build the infrastructure? How do you even organize

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Speaker 2: to meet Malala?

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Speaker 1: Like?

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Speaker 2: How did this all come about? Yeah?

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Speaker 1: It was again as you said, it's those small things

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Speaker 1: that become big things, right, And the smallest things I've

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Speaker 1: done have become the biggest things I've done. And it's

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Speaker 1: because I show up and I'm not. I haven't in

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Speaker 1: the past at least been paralyzed by what's the fifteen

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Speaker 1: year plan and what's the pros and cons checklist? And

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Speaker 1: how much is this going to pay me? Although I

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Speaker 1: do believe people should make money and you know, be

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Speaker 1: successful in all the ways. But for me, so much

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Speaker 1: of it is just the pull of the heart, and

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Speaker 1: that's how it began. I first reached out to Malala

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Speaker 1: when I was nineteen years old and she was eleven,

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Speaker 1: and she was already incredibly brave and using her voice

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Speaker 1: as an activist in her hometown. And I spent some

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Speaker 1: time working with her and her father to help in

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Speaker 1: any way that I could, And when she was shot

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Speaker 1: by the Taliban. Four years later, I was with them

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Speaker 1: following the attack, just as someone who cared deeply and

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Speaker 1: wanted to be there and help, and as Malala and

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Speaker 1: her father made it clear that in the aftermath of

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Speaker 1: this experience and this horrible thing that had been done,

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Speaker 1: they were going to take everything they had and put

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Speaker 1: it towards building a movement that would prevent other girls

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Speaker 1: from being denied their right to go to school, that

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Speaker 1: would get governments to invest more into secondary education, because

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Speaker 1: it's the issue of girls. Education is not a denial

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Speaker 1: of education as much as it is lack of access.

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Speaker 1: Right there aren't opportunities for girls to go to schools

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Speaker 1: and have outcomes that will change their lives, and so

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Speaker 1: parents are often in a really tough physician making decisions

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Speaker 1: about whether they should send their daughter to school or

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Speaker 1: not because is it safe, will they be fed? Will

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Speaker 1: this lead to opportunities that allow them to build a life.

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Speaker 1: When it was clear that Malala and her father wanted

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Speaker 1: to continue to use their voice and their courage to

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Speaker 1: bring change around the world, and they asked me to stay,

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Speaker 1: they asked me to help. I was twenty two years old.

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Speaker 1: It was not part of the plan. I was working

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Speaker 1: as a business consultant at McKinsey, I was in Dubai,

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Speaker 1: I was a year out of college. The five year

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Speaker 1: plan was to go to business school, right, finish my training,

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Speaker 1: then maybe consider it. But the world and this horrible

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Speaker 1: act of violence really kind of pulled me into feeling

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Speaker 1: compelled to do something, and so I quit my job

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Speaker 1: at twenty two, started the Malala Fund, became founding CEO,

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Speaker 1: set the foundation for it, and really just asked a

436
00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:02,760
Speaker 1: lot of questions. Right. What I had learned even in

437
00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:06,199
Speaker 1: that one short year at McKenzie was if you ask questions,

438
00:25:06,280 --> 00:25:09,840
Speaker 1: you'll figure it out. How do I set up a nonprofit?

439
00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:13,879
Speaker 1: What is the legal structure? How do I design a

440
00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:19,120
Speaker 1: logo right? How do I build a website? How do

441
00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:23,080
Speaker 1: I vet programs that I want to give grant funding to.

442
00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:29,240
Speaker 1: You can ask those questions and understand how to do anything,

443
00:25:29,840 --> 00:25:31,919
Speaker 1: and then you need clarity of vision and purpose. What

444
00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:35,320
Speaker 1: do you stand for? What do you believe? What are

445
00:25:35,359 --> 00:25:37,800
Speaker 1: the ideas that you have for how you're going to

446
00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:39,919
Speaker 1: solve this really hard problem.

447
00:25:40,160 --> 00:25:44,359
Speaker 2: I love that you have called out your compulsion, like

448
00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:48,160
Speaker 2: how you've seen things that have motivated you to act

449
00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:50,720
Speaker 2: and use your skills and talents and apply them in

450
00:25:50,760 --> 00:25:52,680
Speaker 2: a way that maybe you didn't plan, but that it

451
00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:54,760
Speaker 2: was compulsion. And I have to call out that I

452
00:25:54,800 --> 00:25:57,680
Speaker 2: so often refer on the show. Obviously it cees thea

453
00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:01,920
Speaker 2: on the fact that people decide a lot of things,

454
00:26:02,359 --> 00:26:04,240
Speaker 2: or that I encourage people to decide from a place

455
00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:07,560
Speaker 2: of joy, but of course that's not always possible, that's

456
00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:11,040
Speaker 2: not always everyone's pathway, and that you know, that's a

457
00:26:11,119 --> 00:26:12,960
Speaker 2: luxury to be how to say, I decided because I

458
00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:16,080
Speaker 2: wanted to be happy, But the compulsion for a cause

459
00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:20,480
Speaker 2: and for impact is equally such an incredible way to

460
00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:21,640
Speaker 2: find your place in the world.

461
00:26:21,640 --> 00:26:23,480
Speaker 1: I don't know, I think you're onto something because I

462
00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:26,920
Speaker 1: think even hard things have joy. Right, difficult things, heavy

463
00:26:26,920 --> 00:26:30,439
Speaker 1: things still have joy. The work can still be joyful,

464
00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:32,479
Speaker 1: and I think it's important that the work be joyful

465
00:26:32,520 --> 00:26:36,600
Speaker 1: because otherwise you burn out. And so just because it's

466
00:26:36,840 --> 00:26:40,199
Speaker 1: you know, not a makeup or jewelry brand, but a

467
00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:44,240
Speaker 1: nonprofit focused on girls' education, doesn't mean that there's any

468
00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:46,600
Speaker 1: less joy in it. The joy comes from purpose. It

469
00:26:46,640 --> 00:26:49,960
Speaker 1: comes from working in a culture with people you respect

470
00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:54,360
Speaker 1: and enjoy spending time with. It comes from that feeling

471
00:26:54,359 --> 00:26:56,520
Speaker 1: when your brain is on fire in a good way

472
00:26:56,560 --> 00:27:01,040
Speaker 1: because you know you're solving a creative challenge. Those moments

473
00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:04,120
Speaker 1: of joy exist regardless of what you're working on.

474
00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:06,359
Speaker 2: I can pretty much close this podcast now. You have

475
00:27:06,560 --> 00:27:09,960
Speaker 2: just answered the entirety of what my mission has been.

476
00:27:10,119 --> 00:27:11,800
Speaker 2: You're on point.

477
00:27:12,560 --> 00:27:15,440
Speaker 1: You kind of figured it out is accurate.

478
00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:18,640
Speaker 2: We have now proven it conclusively. No one has ever

479
00:27:18,760 --> 00:27:21,399
Speaker 2: described it as your brain being on fire. But that

480
00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:24,280
Speaker 2: is exactly what I mean when I say, I mean

481
00:27:24,440 --> 00:27:27,840
Speaker 2: the thing that lights your brain and your soul on fire.

482
00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:31,480
Speaker 2: And that's how I kind of decide what I do next.

483
00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:35,000
Speaker 2: It's what is lighting that fire in me. But I

484
00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:38,880
Speaker 2: think the bigger the undertaking or the bigger the endeavor.

485
00:27:39,560 --> 00:27:43,080
Speaker 2: On a world scale, particularly where politics are involved and

486
00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:47,080
Speaker 2: it is multinational, there are so many different things violence,

487
00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:49,840
Speaker 2: there's terrorism involved. That's aspects that the average person doesn't

488
00:27:49,840 --> 00:27:53,119
Speaker 2: have to deal with. This kind of work always involves risk,

489
00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:59,600
Speaker 2: often opposition, sometimes violent opposition. And I think anyone taking

490
00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:05,080
Speaker 2: a step deals with self doubt, external doubt in naysayer's

491
00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:10,280
Speaker 2: fear imposter syndrome, but in your case starting a foundation

492
00:28:11,520 --> 00:28:14,760
Speaker 2: in a situation like this, the opposition is tenfold to

493
00:28:14,800 --> 00:28:19,600
Speaker 2: what most people encounter. So when you are faced with

494
00:28:20,320 --> 00:28:23,679
Speaker 2: the enormity of a task like this, do you have

495
00:28:23,720 --> 00:28:26,840
Speaker 2: any advice that we can maybe extrapolate for how you

496
00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:29,000
Speaker 2: just get started when it's like this is the task

497
00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:31,720
Speaker 2: is so big? Did you feel fear? Do you feel

498
00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:34,159
Speaker 2: self doubt? And how do you work through those things?

499
00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:36,840
Speaker 2: At the very beginning of a new chapter?

500
00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:39,120
Speaker 1: Yeah, I feel fear in self doubt all the time.

501
00:28:39,320 --> 00:28:40,840
Speaker 1: I feel fear in self doubt right now.

502
00:28:41,080 --> 00:28:45,120
Speaker 2: You know, No, you're like the genuinely the most inspiring

503
00:28:45,160 --> 00:28:46,160
Speaker 2: person I think I've ever met.

504
00:28:46,520 --> 00:28:48,560
Speaker 1: That's very sweet. But I think that we're sort of

505
00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:53,640
Speaker 1: wired to have these these impulses that are meant to

506
00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:56,240
Speaker 1: keep us safe, but that often make us feel unsafe

507
00:28:57,080 --> 00:29:00,520
Speaker 1: even though we are safe, right, And I think we

508
00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:04,040
Speaker 1: have to understand that that is data that we are getting,

509
00:29:04,040 --> 00:29:07,200
Speaker 1: that's an input, But we have to be able to

510
00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:10,320
Speaker 1: understand the difference between real fear and imagined fear. So

511
00:29:10,560 --> 00:29:14,239
Speaker 1: I am standing at the edge of a cliff, that

512
00:29:14,440 --> 00:29:19,600
Speaker 1: fear is keeping me safe. But if I am stopping

513
00:29:19,640 --> 00:29:23,440
Speaker 1: myself from starting something because I'm worried that I will fail,

514
00:29:23,560 --> 00:29:26,680
Speaker 1: or what will people think? Or am I smart enough

515
00:29:26,920 --> 00:29:31,520
Speaker 1: or am I good enough? That is imagined fear. And

516
00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:34,640
Speaker 1: I think the younger you are, the less you have

517
00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:37,320
Speaker 1: of it. The older you get over time you accumulate

518
00:29:37,480 --> 00:29:45,200
Speaker 1: things and responsibilities and conditioning. I think status right, conditioning

519
00:29:45,280 --> 00:29:49,600
Speaker 1: exactly things you're afraid to lose. And when I was

520
00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:54,120
Speaker 1: younger it was definitely easier. But even then, like taking

521
00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:56,400
Speaker 1: the leap to quit my job at twenty two, I

522
00:29:56,480 --> 00:29:59,200
Speaker 1: was scared and a friend sat with me at the

523
00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:03,120
Speaker 1: time and said, talk me through your worst case and

524
00:30:03,280 --> 00:30:05,120
Speaker 1: I did. I said, Okay, well I could start this

525
00:30:05,240 --> 00:30:07,240
Speaker 1: and I could fail, and then everyone would know that

526
00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:10,520
Speaker 1: I'm a failure and I wouldn't have a job. And

527
00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:13,040
Speaker 1: at the time I only had one passport, which was

528
00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:16,880
Speaker 1: my Bakistani passport, which, for anyone who has context on this,

529
00:30:16,960 --> 00:30:18,720
Speaker 1: means it's very hard to travel, it's very hard to

530
00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:21,600
Speaker 1: work anywhere. You're very much sort of limited in your

531
00:30:21,640 --> 00:30:25,040
Speaker 1: global mobility, no matter your education, no matter your aptitude,

532
00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:28,120
Speaker 1: and so only getting harder with sort of the very

533
00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:31,720
Speaker 1: regressive immigration policies that we have in the world today.

534
00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:34,800
Speaker 1: You have incredibly talented people who just aren't able to

535
00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:39,320
Speaker 1: travel and work and build. So I kind of laid

536
00:30:39,360 --> 00:30:41,520
Speaker 1: out all of this, you know, fear that I had.

537
00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:44,600
Speaker 1: And he looked at me and he said, okay, so

538
00:30:45,160 --> 00:30:48,120
Speaker 1: just to be clear, will you not have somewhere to sleep?

539
00:30:49,320 --> 00:30:51,120
Speaker 1: And I said no, no, no, of course not. I

540
00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:55,200
Speaker 1: could move back, you know, my parents' house. They'd probably

541
00:30:55,240 --> 00:30:56,280
Speaker 1: be happy to, you know.

542
00:30:56,400 --> 00:30:56,760
Speaker 2: Left out.

543
00:30:56,760 --> 00:30:59,280
Speaker 1: When I was eighteen, I went halfway rest the world.

544
00:31:00,320 --> 00:31:04,160
Speaker 1: And so you'd still have a really good education. You

545
00:31:04,200 --> 00:31:06,840
Speaker 1: went to Stanford, right, I was like, yeah, it's like okay,

546
00:31:06,920 --> 00:31:10,080
Speaker 1: and you would have started something, assuming you would have

547
00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:12,360
Speaker 1: met a lot of people because you're building something. You

548
00:31:12,360 --> 00:31:15,400
Speaker 1: would be out there, you'd have learned how to start something.

549
00:31:15,440 --> 00:31:18,680
Speaker 1: It's like, yeah, he's like, okay, so your worst case

550
00:31:18,760 --> 00:31:23,080
Speaker 1: is actually pretty good, right. And I often think back

551
00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:26,200
Speaker 1: to that conversation because in my head I had all

552
00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:28,000
Speaker 1: this fear, but when it came down to it, my

553
00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:32,560
Speaker 1: worst case was so many people's best case. And I

554
00:31:32,600 --> 00:31:34,720
Speaker 1: often try and remind myself of that, of Okay, what

555
00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:37,760
Speaker 1: is the worst that can happen? And which parts of

556
00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:41,520
Speaker 1: this fear are real versus imagined? And what am I

557
00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:45,640
Speaker 1: ascribing power to people's opinions and these things that really

558
00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:48,360
Speaker 1: don't matter and holding myself.

559
00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:53,719
Speaker 2: Back, that's such excellent advice, And I often asked myself

560
00:31:53,760 --> 00:31:57,640
Speaker 2: something similar when I realized I talk so much about

561
00:31:57,640 --> 00:32:02,200
Speaker 2: the fear of failure, I actually one day realized, just say,

562
00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:05,200
Speaker 2: for example, I've never ridden a horse, and I went

563
00:32:05,240 --> 00:32:06,880
Speaker 2: to do on a questrian course and I fell off

564
00:32:06,880 --> 00:32:09,160
Speaker 2: and I was really bad at horse riding, I wouldn't

565
00:32:09,200 --> 00:32:12,080
Speaker 2: automatically think I'm a bad person or that I'm therefore

566
00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:15,360
Speaker 2: not qualified for everything else in life. I'd just be like, cool,

567
00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:18,120
Speaker 2: I'm not good horse riding, that's fine. But if I

568
00:32:18,200 --> 00:32:20,640
Speaker 2: knew everyone I'd ever met would see me fall off

569
00:32:20,640 --> 00:32:23,080
Speaker 2: the horse and be bad at it, I'd be mortified.

570
00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:26,320
Speaker 2: And I realized, we're not really scared of failure. We're

571
00:32:26,320 --> 00:32:29,000
Speaker 2: scared of looking like a failure. Like if someone said

572
00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:30,600
Speaker 2: to me I could fail at anything and no one

573
00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:32,680
Speaker 2: would ever find out, I wouldn't be scared of it.

574
00:32:32,720 --> 00:32:34,000
Speaker 2: I'd be like, oh, well, if no one's ever going

575
00:32:34,040 --> 00:32:36,400
Speaker 2: to find out, then who cares. And so it's interesting

576
00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:40,000
Speaker 2: we're so worried about the perception of having.

577
00:32:39,840 --> 00:32:42,680
Speaker 1: People don't care, like nobody if you care. If you

578
00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:45,640
Speaker 1: got on a horse and everyone was watching you, they

579
00:32:45,680 --> 00:32:47,920
Speaker 1: would not be watching you, they'd probably be talking to

580
00:32:47,960 --> 00:32:51,400
Speaker 1: each other, they'd probably be on their Instagram. You'd fall

581
00:32:51,440 --> 00:32:54,400
Speaker 1: off the horse and you'd walk back out and nobody

582
00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:58,320
Speaker 1: would know. Yeah right, because nobody is actually that obsessed

583
00:32:58,400 --> 00:33:03,240
Speaker 1: with us. Rudely, it's us who think everyone is watching

584
00:33:03,320 --> 00:33:07,360
Speaker 1: and everyone cares and affair. Then it's just that's just odd, right,

585
00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:10,480
Speaker 1: that's that's more on them. So that's kind of what

586
00:33:10,600 --> 00:33:13,320
Speaker 1: you realize is like everyone's got their own thing and

587
00:33:13,360 --> 00:33:17,520
Speaker 1: their own their own struggles and their own fears, and

588
00:33:17,640 --> 00:33:24,200
Speaker 1: nobody's watching, and nobody's opinions should trim in your life's

589
00:33:24,240 --> 00:33:27,760
Speaker 1: path because more likely they're not. They're they're not thinking

590
00:33:27,760 --> 00:33:29,280
Speaker 1: about you one hundred.

591
00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:31,960
Speaker 2: And then that's what I always have to say, is

592
00:33:31,960 --> 00:33:34,400
Speaker 2: like falling off the horse is usually the worst case scenario,

593
00:33:34,480 --> 00:33:36,920
Speaker 2: which is not a bad scenario. So like, what are

594
00:33:36,960 --> 00:33:39,480
Speaker 2: you so worried about fans and how you feel? Yeah, yeah,

595
00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:40,960
Speaker 2: well that's true, that's true.

596
00:33:41,000 --> 00:33:46,240
Speaker 1: Actually terrified of borset rating That would would be legitimately

597
00:33:46,280 --> 00:33:46,920
Speaker 1: scary for me.

598
00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:53,040
Speaker 2: That's big risks, physical risks. Pulling off a bicycle, yeah,

599
00:33:53,200 --> 00:33:56,080
Speaker 2: in a park. And so then a lot of people

600
00:33:56,520 --> 00:34:01,880
Speaker 2: having you know, done such impactful global recognized meaningful work

601
00:34:02,400 --> 00:34:05,280
Speaker 2: would then sail off into the distance, as this is

602
00:34:05,280 --> 00:34:07,600
Speaker 2: my title, this is the mark I've made on the world.

603
00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:10,640
Speaker 2: I don't need to do anything else in my life.

604
00:34:10,640 --> 00:34:13,560
Speaker 2: And I think we sometimes believe that the ya that

605
00:34:13,640 --> 00:34:16,520
Speaker 2: we find is going to be this static destination that

606
00:34:16,600 --> 00:34:18,880
Speaker 2: you arrive at, you tick all the boxes, and then

607
00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:23,160
Speaker 2: that's it. But I think in the search for fulfillment

608
00:34:23,160 --> 00:34:25,719
Speaker 2: and happiness, that attitude of I'll be happy when I

609
00:34:25,760 --> 00:34:28,440
Speaker 2: get there is what makes people unhappy because then they

610
00:34:28,440 --> 00:34:31,479
Speaker 2: get there and it's what's next, or because they really

611
00:34:31,520 --> 00:34:36,640
Speaker 2: get there, there's no there. So what drove this next

612
00:34:37,040 --> 00:34:42,280
Speaker 2: huge chapter, which is founding our place with your husband?

613
00:34:43,160 --> 00:34:45,600
Speaker 2: There have been so many chapters in your journey. And

614
00:34:46,440 --> 00:34:48,600
Speaker 2: if I think a lot of people might meet you

615
00:34:48,680 --> 00:34:51,319
Speaker 2: now and see the incredible work you do with our

616
00:34:51,360 --> 00:34:54,320
Speaker 2: places and not have even known everything that's come before,

617
00:34:54,360 --> 00:34:56,360
Speaker 2: that what sparked this idea?

618
00:34:56,600 --> 00:34:59,000
Speaker 1: You know, I'm an immigrant, my husband's an immigrant, and

619
00:34:59,040 --> 00:35:03,000
Speaker 1: we always to say we literally found our place in

620
00:35:03,040 --> 00:35:07,480
Speaker 1: our new communities by cooking food, inviting friends to our

621
00:35:07,520 --> 00:35:13,600
Speaker 1: dinner table, and turning them into chosen family. And we've

622
00:35:13,640 --> 00:35:17,160
Speaker 1: always believed that food and home cooking especially is at

623
00:35:17,160 --> 00:35:19,719
Speaker 1: the heart of connection, and we both grew up in

624
00:35:19,760 --> 00:35:24,080
Speaker 1: cultures where hospitality, like how you make people feel when

625
00:35:24,120 --> 00:35:26,719
Speaker 1: they're invited into your home and how you treat them

626
00:35:27,200 --> 00:35:30,439
Speaker 1: is a really really big part of who we are

627
00:35:31,160 --> 00:35:35,360
Speaker 1: and how we love and how we show respect and

628
00:35:35,440 --> 00:35:38,880
Speaker 1: how we forge bonds. And we were also sort of

629
00:35:38,960 --> 00:35:44,040
Speaker 1: having this experience while we were living in a world

630
00:35:44,120 --> 00:35:49,480
Speaker 1: that feels increasingly divided, increasingly polarized, fear of others, of

631
00:35:49,600 --> 00:35:52,600
Speaker 1: people who believe something different, who look different, who come

632
00:35:52,640 --> 00:35:56,319
Speaker 1: from a different place. Really the sense of growing isolation

633
00:35:56,480 --> 00:36:00,719
Speaker 1: and disconnection and fear and hatred opening at the same

634
00:36:00,719 --> 00:36:03,279
Speaker 1: time that we just weren't having dinner together. We were

635
00:36:03,280 --> 00:36:06,360
Speaker 1: sitting in front of the TV, eating out of a

636
00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:09,840
Speaker 1: cardboard box of takeout, and it just felt like we

637
00:36:09,880 --> 00:36:15,000
Speaker 1: could get more people cooking food, sharing food, having conversations,

638
00:36:15,040 --> 00:36:19,280
Speaker 1: breaking bread around the table, celebrating their cultures, sharing their cultures,

639
00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:23,680
Speaker 1: discussing their ideas. It would be our little way of

640
00:36:23,719 --> 00:36:26,919
Speaker 1: bringing the world closer together. It was from a very

641
00:36:27,040 --> 00:36:31,480
Speaker 1: personal place. What followed from that exploration is we were

642
00:36:31,480 --> 00:36:35,480
Speaker 1: building our own lives, our own family. Was also this

643
00:36:35,640 --> 00:36:38,719
Speaker 1: sense of wow. The product design in this category is

644
00:36:38,880 --> 00:36:43,440
Speaker 1: really outdated. Everyone is designing the same way they did

645
00:36:43,440 --> 00:36:46,680
Speaker 1: one hundred years ago. There's no innovation. Most brands are

646
00:36:46,719 --> 00:36:51,399
Speaker 1: still using forever chemicals and toxins. Not only is there

647
00:36:51,440 --> 00:36:53,760
Speaker 1: not a brand that's speaking to us in the kitchen

648
00:36:53,840 --> 00:36:56,799
Speaker 1: at home, there aren't products that are designed for the

649
00:36:56,800 --> 00:36:58,680
Speaker 1: way in which we cook and live today, and there's

650
00:36:58,680 --> 00:37:00,680
Speaker 1: an opportunity here to do something different.

651
00:37:01,760 --> 00:37:04,759
Speaker 2: It's so funny because most people, I think, particularly that

652
00:37:04,840 --> 00:37:07,560
Speaker 2: we're living the life that you were at the time,

653
00:37:08,520 --> 00:37:10,279
Speaker 2: would have an idea like that and see a big

654
00:37:10,320 --> 00:37:12,080
Speaker 2: gap in the market and then go, oh, well, I

655
00:37:12,080 --> 00:37:14,520
Speaker 2: hope someone else solves it. And it's this recurring theme

656
00:37:14,560 --> 00:37:16,759
Speaker 2: of you being like, that's going to be me. I

657
00:37:16,920 --> 00:37:18,759
Speaker 2: have enough on my plate, but I am going to

658
00:37:18,760 --> 00:37:21,160
Speaker 2: start a brand new business in a whole new industry.

659
00:37:21,600 --> 00:37:24,560
Speaker 2: And I love that about you. It's so empowering just

660
00:37:24,640 --> 00:37:27,239
Speaker 2: to remind people, why not you? Why wouldn't it be

661
00:37:27,280 --> 00:37:28,000
Speaker 2: you who did that?

662
00:37:28,040 --> 00:37:30,000
Speaker 1: Why not you? Also, I don't start every idea I

663
00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:33,439
Speaker 1: have had it. I have a tenant. I just just

664
00:37:33,560 --> 00:37:36,759
Speaker 1: the ones that you know I do think. And we

665
00:37:36,800 --> 00:37:39,399
Speaker 1: actually talked about this for tiears before we ever started it,

666
00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:42,759
Speaker 1: really and then We worked on it for tiears before

667
00:37:42,800 --> 00:37:46,080
Speaker 1: we ever launched it, and so it's definitely you know,

668
00:37:46,920 --> 00:37:51,319
Speaker 1: having an idea but then not being able to look away, right.

669
00:37:51,440 --> 00:37:53,600
Speaker 1: That is I think another part of it is it's

670
00:37:53,640 --> 00:37:56,680
Speaker 1: not just this instantaneous Okay, I had an idea, let's

671
00:37:56,680 --> 00:38:01,759
Speaker 1: go do that, yeah, because that can be kind of panic, right,

672
00:38:01,960 --> 00:38:04,880
Speaker 1: And that's it's like, oh, I have this idea, I

673
00:38:04,920 --> 00:38:07,160
Speaker 1: believe in it, I feel deeply cold to it, and

674
00:38:07,200 --> 00:38:10,000
Speaker 1: I cannot look away. I can't stop thinking about this

675
00:38:10,680 --> 00:38:12,880
Speaker 1: because it's going to be really hard. Whatever you do

676
00:38:12,960 --> 00:38:15,120
Speaker 1: is going to be really hard. So you've got to

677
00:38:15,120 --> 00:38:17,359
Speaker 1: make sure you're really obsessed with it and you're going

678
00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:19,160
Speaker 1: to be in it for the long haul.

679
00:38:19,440 --> 00:38:22,319
Speaker 2: That's also a really interesting insight because I do think

680
00:38:22,360 --> 00:38:27,319
Speaker 2: there's a lot of dialogue in business and in entrepreneurship

681
00:38:27,680 --> 00:38:30,960
Speaker 2: literature or podcasts about like strike while the iron's hot,

682
00:38:30,960 --> 00:38:33,240
Speaker 2: when you see the gap, jump in and don't lose

683
00:38:33,320 --> 00:38:35,000
Speaker 2: the chance you have to be first to market and

684
00:38:35,040 --> 00:38:37,759
Speaker 2: all that kind of stuff, And there's a lot of rush.

685
00:38:37,880 --> 00:38:39,719
Speaker 2: There's a lot of done is better than perfect. I

686
00:38:39,719 --> 00:38:41,200
Speaker 2: say that all the time. I'm like, don't sit on

687
00:38:41,239 --> 00:38:43,320
Speaker 2: your idea for so long that you never get started.

688
00:38:43,719 --> 00:38:47,319
Speaker 2: But equally, I think it's such a valuable perspective to

689
00:38:47,560 --> 00:38:49,680
Speaker 2: remind people sometimes you do have to sit on it

690
00:38:49,719 --> 00:38:51,680
Speaker 2: because you do have to be sure.

691
00:38:51,520 --> 00:38:54,360
Speaker 1: We'll work on it. Yeah, there's a difference between I

692
00:38:54,400 --> 00:38:56,399
Speaker 1: had an AD and I launched something. That's not how

693
00:38:56,400 --> 00:38:58,359
Speaker 1: anything goes right. When you have an ADA, you think

694
00:38:58,360 --> 00:39:01,759
Speaker 1: about it. Yeah, then you talk to people, you research,

695
00:39:03,040 --> 00:39:05,120
Speaker 1: and if you're actually making something, you have to build it.

696
00:39:05,160 --> 00:39:08,319
Speaker 1: And if you're building it, well, that takes a lot

697
00:39:08,400 --> 00:39:12,879
Speaker 1: of time, right. It's not you know, an Instagram post

698
00:39:13,040 --> 00:39:16,920
Speaker 1: like designing product. Every product we make, we are so

699
00:39:17,120 --> 00:39:22,720
Speaker 1: obsessed with the details of every curve and every part

700
00:39:22,760 --> 00:39:25,160
Speaker 1: of it and the materials and making sure it's clean

701
00:39:25,200 --> 00:39:28,920
Speaker 1: and sustainable and non toxic and beautiful. Takes us two

702
00:39:28,960 --> 00:39:33,720
Speaker 1: years from concept to actually bringing a product to market.

703
00:39:34,040 --> 00:39:37,520
Speaker 1: I'm working right now on things with my team that

704
00:39:37,560 --> 00:39:43,720
Speaker 1: will launch in twenty twenty eight. So, whoa, it's crazy.

705
00:39:43,880 --> 00:39:45,719
Speaker 1: It's not if you have an idea, sit on it.

706
00:39:45,840 --> 00:39:47,600
Speaker 1: It's not if you have an idea, jump on it.

707
00:39:47,600 --> 00:39:49,400
Speaker 1: It's if you have an idea, work on it, and

708
00:39:49,440 --> 00:39:52,319
Speaker 1: as you work through it, you will know if this

709
00:39:52,640 --> 00:39:56,799
Speaker 1: is something that you are willing to spend you know,

710
00:39:56,960 --> 00:39:59,000
Speaker 1: the next fifty years on if that's what it takes.

711
00:40:00,000 --> 00:40:03,720
Speaker 1: You're truly in love with the idea, the mission, the vision,

712
00:40:04,840 --> 00:40:07,880
Speaker 1: and you will go deeper and deeper into it. And

713
00:40:07,960 --> 00:40:10,400
Speaker 1: if you're not, then you won't and you'll sort of

714
00:40:10,600 --> 00:40:13,879
Speaker 1: stay stuck in the place where you began. And that's

715
00:40:13,960 --> 00:40:15,400
Speaker 1: a really good sign to kind of let it go.

716
00:40:15,719 --> 00:40:20,040
Speaker 2: And so our place has really pioneered non toxic kitchen

717
00:40:20,080 --> 00:40:23,560
Speaker 2: ware in as you mentioned, an industry that really wasn't innovating,

718
00:40:23,719 --> 00:40:25,799
Speaker 2: even though it's something we all use every day. It's

719
00:40:25,800 --> 00:40:31,120
Speaker 2: in literally every household. When you mentioned that developing a

720
00:40:31,200 --> 00:40:35,319
Speaker 2: product is such a lengthy, involved process, you had never

721
00:40:35,360 --> 00:40:38,960
Speaker 2: really done that before. Like the businesses and organizations you'd

722
00:40:39,000 --> 00:40:42,600
Speaker 2: run weren't structured in the way of product development. So

723
00:40:42,640 --> 00:40:44,759
Speaker 2: when you did decide we are going to do this

724
00:40:45,600 --> 00:40:49,799
Speaker 2: for anyone listening who has a product idea, we're kind

725
00:40:49,840 --> 00:40:53,239
Speaker 2: of coming full circle back to that, what are the steps?

726
00:40:53,440 --> 00:40:57,200
Speaker 2: What are those initial steps to finding a manufacturer, to

727
00:40:57,400 --> 00:41:00,480
Speaker 2: learning like upskilling as well. I think one of the

728
00:41:00,560 --> 00:41:02,959
Speaker 2: reasons we often get held back by fear is because

729
00:41:03,000 --> 00:41:05,239
Speaker 2: where you know, we've never been in this industry before

730
00:41:05,239 --> 00:41:08,120
Speaker 2: it's a new thing. How do you upscille to know?

731
00:41:08,400 --> 00:41:10,360
Speaker 2: I mean, I wouldn't even know what the steps in

732
00:41:10,440 --> 00:41:13,640
Speaker 2: manufacturing even are, so how did you break that all down?

733
00:41:13,960 --> 00:41:17,840
Speaker 1: You don't have to be the solo entrepreneur. My husband

734
00:41:17,960 --> 00:41:23,239
Speaker 1: is my co founder and he comes from a product background. Oh,

735
00:41:23,480 --> 00:41:27,680
Speaker 1: and we run the business together. We're co CEOs and

736
00:41:27,719 --> 00:41:30,200
Speaker 1: now we have an amazing team. Our biggest teams are

737
00:41:30,239 --> 00:41:33,080
Speaker 1: product design team. But in the early days, we took

738
00:41:33,120 --> 00:41:36,560
Speaker 1: out our savings and we worked on the prototypes, and

739
00:41:36,600 --> 00:41:40,360
Speaker 1: we found and met people whose work we respected, and

740
00:41:40,400 --> 00:41:42,360
Speaker 1: we brought them into the fold, and then we worked

741
00:41:42,360 --> 00:41:46,759
Speaker 1: with them and we designed and sketched and prototyped and

742
00:41:46,800 --> 00:41:51,759
Speaker 1: three D printed and refined and you know, worked with

743
00:41:52,000 --> 00:41:56,640
Speaker 1: craftsmen and factories and created actual models and tested and

744
00:41:56,680 --> 00:42:00,920
Speaker 1: then re drew and resketched and reprototype. That's right, And

745
00:42:01,000 --> 00:42:04,839
Speaker 1: it is this process of iteration and design that is

746
00:42:04,840 --> 00:42:06,920
Speaker 1: so core to what we do, and it's far apart

747
00:42:06,960 --> 00:42:09,480
Speaker 1: in the kitchen were industry. The kitchen industry action doesn't design.

748
00:42:10,280 --> 00:42:13,920
Speaker 1: Most kitchen ware companies white label from factories. They don't

749
00:42:13,960 --> 00:42:16,600
Speaker 1: have in house design teams that are designing from scratch.

750
00:42:16,680 --> 00:42:19,719
Speaker 1: They don't have product labs. That's why everything looks the same.

751
00:42:19,800 --> 00:42:21,880
Speaker 1: You walk into a kitchen ware store and you can't

752
00:42:21,880 --> 00:42:26,960
Speaker 1: tell one black you know, teflon coded skillet apart from

753
00:42:27,000 --> 00:42:30,520
Speaker 1: another because they're all made in the same factories and

754
00:42:30,560 --> 00:42:32,960
Speaker 1: they're not starting with design, and the designs have been

755
00:42:33,000 --> 00:42:35,000
Speaker 1: the same over the last one hundred years. So we

756
00:42:35,000 --> 00:42:37,480
Speaker 1: were really flipping the script and making it harder because

757
00:42:38,280 --> 00:42:40,719
Speaker 1: now you're coming into an industry and saying no, no, no,

758
00:42:41,239 --> 00:42:43,520
Speaker 1: I don't want the handle that way. I don't want rivets,

759
00:42:43,560 --> 00:42:49,120
Speaker 1: I want you. I don't want to see you little imperfections.

760
00:42:49,160 --> 00:42:51,399
Speaker 1: I want this done differently. I want a different shape,

761
00:42:51,440 --> 00:42:53,919
Speaker 1: I want a different structure, and it hasn't been done,

762
00:42:54,000 --> 00:42:56,640
Speaker 1: so you're building the tools from scratch. So we really

763
00:42:56,680 --> 00:43:01,080
Speaker 1: made it hard on ourselves. But we had this obsession

764
00:43:01,239 --> 00:43:04,000
Speaker 1: with at the end of the day, if the mission

765
00:43:04,080 --> 00:43:06,040
Speaker 1: is to build a bigger table, to get more people

766
00:43:06,080 --> 00:43:09,879
Speaker 1: cooking and gathering and connecting, well, the way we do

767
00:43:09,920 --> 00:43:13,480
Speaker 1: that is through objects that inspire. When you have a

768
00:43:13,520 --> 00:43:16,879
Speaker 1: beautiful pan that's sitting on your stove, a beautiful air

769
00:43:16,960 --> 00:43:19,640
Speaker 1: fryer that's sitting on your counter, it's not hidden in

770
00:43:19,680 --> 00:43:20,720
Speaker 1: the back of your cabinet.

771
00:43:21,000 --> 00:43:23,080
Speaker 2: Shoved in the back with all the lids.

772
00:43:23,080 --> 00:43:25,719
Speaker 1: You're more likely to cook when the experience of it

773
00:43:25,840 --> 00:43:29,280
Speaker 1: feels special, You're more likely to host a dinner party.

774
00:43:29,960 --> 00:43:33,200
Speaker 1: And that's what we wanted to do, inspire connection through

775
00:43:33,239 --> 00:43:36,200
Speaker 1: great design in a category that had been ignored. You know,

776
00:43:36,239 --> 00:43:38,160
Speaker 1: we think about our clothes, we think about our makeup,

777
00:43:38,800 --> 00:43:41,680
Speaker 1: but when we actually look at the moments that matter

778
00:43:41,760 --> 00:43:46,080
Speaker 1: most in our lives, the birthdays, the holidays, it's around

779
00:43:46,120 --> 00:43:49,520
Speaker 1: food at the dinner table, and those are the products

780
00:43:49,560 --> 00:43:52,880
Speaker 1: that we've been ignoring and where there's been no innovation,

781
00:43:52,960 --> 00:43:54,960
Speaker 1: to say nothing of the fact that we're you know,

782
00:43:55,760 --> 00:43:59,279
Speaker 1: going to the farmer's market, we're spending money buying you know,

783
00:43:59,400 --> 00:44:02,600
Speaker 1: organic ves vegetables and grass fed beef, and then we're

784
00:44:03,280 --> 00:44:08,359
Speaker 1: plopping them on a pan of microplastics and heating it up.

785
00:44:09,239 --> 00:44:12,759
Speaker 1: And so it just was this thing of this is

786
00:44:12,840 --> 00:44:15,520
Speaker 1: so obvious and we're not thinking about it. And rather

787
00:44:15,600 --> 00:44:21,600
Speaker 1: than create the you know, five thousandth athleisure brand or

788
00:44:21,680 --> 00:44:25,320
Speaker 1: beauty brand, like the entrepreneurs around us we're doing, let's

789
00:44:25,400 --> 00:44:30,480
Speaker 1: actually attack a category that needs reinvention.

790
00:44:30,200 --> 00:44:33,800
Speaker 2: And you have reinvented it. So beautifully. Like you said,

791
00:44:33,880 --> 00:44:36,720
Speaker 2: you walk into most homeworks and cookware stores and everything

792
00:44:36,760 --> 00:44:41,479
Speaker 2: does look the same. Our Place products stand out from

793
00:44:41,600 --> 00:44:45,920
Speaker 2: a mile away for the shape, the color, the feeling.

794
00:44:46,000 --> 00:44:48,840
Speaker 2: As you said, I often in business kind of refer

795
00:44:48,920 --> 00:44:50,960
Speaker 2: back to the idea that people don't really remember what

796
00:44:51,000 --> 00:44:52,680
Speaker 2: you said, what you did, but they remember it to

797
00:44:52,760 --> 00:44:56,080
Speaker 2: Maya Angelou quote, they always remember how you made them feel.

798
00:44:56,200 --> 00:44:58,160
Speaker 2: And as a consumer, that's what I go back to.

799
00:44:58,280 --> 00:45:01,120
Speaker 2: It's the overall feeling that I get, and cooking with

800
00:45:01,239 --> 00:45:05,319
Speaker 2: our place Corkwak gives you a feeling, and I think

801
00:45:05,400 --> 00:45:08,000
Speaker 2: consumers who even don't know the story behind it and

802
00:45:08,080 --> 00:45:12,600
Speaker 2: don't know how personally meaningful it is for you can

803
00:45:12,640 --> 00:45:15,759
Speaker 2: still engage in that because they are so different to

804
00:45:15,800 --> 00:45:21,120
Speaker 2: anything else that exists. So congratulations firstly on such a

805
00:45:21,160 --> 00:45:27,120
Speaker 2: big pivot, but also what now is the part you're

806
00:45:27,160 --> 00:45:29,280
Speaker 2: most proud of, or the part you enjoy the most,

807
00:45:30,000 --> 00:45:31,440
Speaker 2: and the part that's still the hardest.

808
00:45:31,880 --> 00:45:34,400
Speaker 1: I'm very proud of the products we make. I'm proud

809
00:45:34,440 --> 00:45:37,359
Speaker 1: of the quality and proud of our dedication to non

810
00:45:37,440 --> 00:45:41,640
Speaker 1: toxic and clean, and proud that they make people cook

811
00:45:41,719 --> 00:45:45,360
Speaker 1: more and gather more. And you know, we get comments

812
00:45:45,360 --> 00:45:49,319
Speaker 1: in every day. Oh, I, you know, I lost my

813
00:45:49,360 --> 00:45:54,000
Speaker 1: grandmother and I was missing her, and I, you know,

814
00:45:54,239 --> 00:45:56,560
Speaker 1: took out her old recipes and I made them, and

815
00:45:57,239 --> 00:45:59,200
Speaker 1: you know, you inspired me to try that, and I

816
00:45:59,200 --> 00:46:02,040
Speaker 1: felt connected to her. Or oh, I'm trying to be

817
00:46:02,080 --> 00:46:05,600
Speaker 1: healthier and I just couldn't get myself to cook. But

818
00:46:05,920 --> 00:46:08,640
Speaker 1: this just made it easy because nothing stuck, nothing burned.

819
00:46:08,640 --> 00:46:11,080
Speaker 1: I don't have to spend hours scrubbing. Were just the

820
00:46:11,160 --> 00:46:14,400
Speaker 1: stories of being in people's homes and impacting their lives

821
00:46:14,440 --> 00:46:17,719
Speaker 1: and being a part of their family memories. Right now,

822
00:46:17,760 --> 00:46:21,280
Speaker 1: we've been around for several years, and people are cooking

823
00:46:21,280 --> 00:46:25,120
Speaker 1: for their children in our products, and the kids are

824
00:46:25,160 --> 00:46:27,680
Speaker 1: learning to cook in our products, and so that, to

825
00:46:27,760 --> 00:46:30,919
Speaker 1: me is what I'm most proud of. The hardest thing

826
00:46:31,080 --> 00:46:33,719
Speaker 1: is all the hard things just keep getting harder. You know,

827
00:46:34,840 --> 00:46:37,080
Speaker 1: the more you build, the higher the stakes get, the

828
00:46:37,120 --> 00:46:41,640
Speaker 1: more complex the challenges get. You crack something once everyone

829
00:46:41,680 --> 00:46:43,879
Speaker 1: copies you. Now you got to do it again, right

830
00:46:44,040 --> 00:46:46,920
Speaker 1: and again and again, and you got to be better

831
00:46:46,960 --> 00:46:50,799
Speaker 1: than the best version of you last week. And so

832
00:46:50,960 --> 00:46:54,960
Speaker 1: the challenges just constantly get harder, and you have to

833
00:46:55,080 --> 00:46:57,000
Speaker 1: know that it's not going to get easier. It's going

834
00:46:57,080 --> 00:47:02,239
Speaker 1: to continue to push you in ways that you didn't anticipate,

835
00:47:02,320 --> 00:47:04,279
Speaker 1: and you're not even sure that you have it in

836
00:47:04,320 --> 00:47:08,880
Speaker 1: you to surmount this newest thing. You never even imagine

837
00:47:08,920 --> 00:47:10,680
Speaker 1: that this would be the place you would get to,

838
00:47:10,760 --> 00:47:12,600
Speaker 1: and that these would be the kinds of things that

839
00:47:12,640 --> 00:47:15,279
Speaker 1: you would have to deal with, And you have to

840
00:47:15,320 --> 00:47:18,839
Speaker 1: really believe that no matter what comes your way, you

841
00:47:18,880 --> 00:47:20,600
Speaker 1: have what it takes to overcome it.

842
00:47:20,680 --> 00:47:23,000
Speaker 2: I think if anyone has what it takes to overcome

843
00:47:23,360 --> 00:47:27,120
Speaker 2: basically anything that anyone could throw at them, ever it's you.

844
00:47:27,520 --> 00:47:32,919
Speaker 1: I'm It's like, well, the only way out is through,

845
00:47:33,360 --> 00:47:36,360
Speaker 1: and when you love something deeply, then there's nothing you

846
00:47:36,360 --> 00:47:39,400
Speaker 1: wouldn't do to it, to fight for it and to

847
00:47:39,480 --> 00:47:41,400
Speaker 1: build it and create it.

848
00:47:41,760 --> 00:47:44,200
Speaker 2: You say that, but I think the choice that a

849
00:47:44,200 --> 00:47:46,319
Speaker 2: lot of people have is not to do the big,

850
00:47:46,320 --> 00:47:50,279
Speaker 2: bold things because they are too hard, and it is

851
00:47:50,480 --> 00:47:53,080
Speaker 2: extraordinary that you have continued to do them anyway, and

852
00:47:53,160 --> 00:47:55,839
Speaker 2: to choose I will work my way through this because

853
00:47:55,880 --> 00:47:57,960
Speaker 2: it's worth it to me, and because the impact that

854
00:47:58,000 --> 00:48:00,600
Speaker 2: I can make and the purpose or as you mentioned,

855
00:48:00,600 --> 00:48:03,719
Speaker 2: what was it, the compulsion that you have has been

856
00:48:04,200 --> 00:48:07,200
Speaker 2: worthy of all the hards that come with it, which

857
00:48:07,680 --> 00:48:11,359
Speaker 2: I have just so much admiration and inspiration for you,

858
00:48:11,760 --> 00:48:13,480
Speaker 2: and I had other I have so many other questions

859
00:48:13,480 --> 00:48:14,960
Speaker 2: for you. I mean, I need an eight part series

860
00:48:15,120 --> 00:48:17,959
Speaker 2: just on you because you're such an incredible person. About

861
00:48:17,960 --> 00:48:20,080
Speaker 2: to stop and get lunch, then, yeah, I know at

862
00:48:20,160 --> 00:48:23,680
Speaker 2: least we'll have to cook up a storm. But I

863
00:48:23,719 --> 00:48:27,520
Speaker 2: think one of the really exciting things about what I

864
00:48:27,520 --> 00:48:30,839
Speaker 2: can't wait to see from you next is that motherhood is.

865
00:48:31,120 --> 00:48:33,960
Speaker 2: You know, you're on the doorstep of another huge new chapter.

866
00:48:34,920 --> 00:48:39,760
Speaker 2: How are you feeling towards what lies ahead, and especially

867
00:48:39,800 --> 00:48:41,919
Speaker 2: as someone who doesn't sort of have that five, ten,

868
00:48:42,000 --> 00:48:47,240
Speaker 2: fifteen year plan, how are you treating the impending juggle

869
00:48:47,360 --> 00:48:50,040
Speaker 2: that will then be added to the mix, the role

870
00:48:50,160 --> 00:48:52,920
Speaker 2: that motherhood will will add to everything that you have

871
00:48:53,000 --> 00:48:53,440
Speaker 2: going on.

872
00:48:54,239 --> 00:48:57,640
Speaker 1: It's a good question. I am feeling really good, but

873
00:48:57,719 --> 00:48:59,320
Speaker 1: it took me a long time to get here. My

874
00:48:59,400 --> 00:49:02,520
Speaker 1: husband and I have been together for twelve years. Our

875
00:49:02,560 --> 00:49:05,360
Speaker 1: poor families had almost given up on us. You know,

876
00:49:06,200 --> 00:49:08,920
Speaker 1: we kind of use Persian. I'm bagisanis. These are traditional

877
00:49:08,960 --> 00:49:11,280
Speaker 1: cultures where you know, you get married and you're pregnant

878
00:49:11,320 --> 00:49:12,280
Speaker 1: the next year, right.

879
00:49:12,200 --> 00:49:14,520
Speaker 2: And you feel like they're really guys.

880
00:49:14,760 --> 00:49:18,759
Speaker 1: They weren't. They were worried, and we weren't sure that

881
00:49:18,800 --> 00:49:21,279
Speaker 1: we would choose to have children. We work a lot,

882
00:49:21,360 --> 00:49:24,800
Speaker 1: we travel a lot, We have a really deep friendship

883
00:49:24,840 --> 00:49:27,439
Speaker 1: with each other, where you know, our lives are full,

884
00:49:27,520 --> 00:49:32,719
Speaker 1: our brains are buzzing with ideas, and then it just

885
00:49:32,800 --> 00:49:37,040
Speaker 1: felt like, I want to choose the bigger life. And

886
00:49:37,320 --> 00:49:40,160
Speaker 1: so much of what I've done, including how I run

887
00:49:40,239 --> 00:49:43,920
Speaker 1: my business, is guided by love. And you know what

888
00:49:44,000 --> 00:49:46,239
Speaker 1: deeper love is there than the love you have for

889
00:49:46,280 --> 00:49:49,680
Speaker 1: a child, and so I didn't want to not have

890
00:49:49,960 --> 00:49:54,360
Speaker 1: that experience. And she kind of, you know, just I

891
00:49:54,400 --> 00:49:56,440
Speaker 1: don't know it was meant to come into the world

892
00:49:56,560 --> 00:50:00,680
Speaker 1: because she's like, it's a girl, which she was very

893
00:50:00,680 --> 00:50:04,400
Speaker 1: excited about. And so really, you know, that might have

894
00:50:04,480 --> 00:50:06,520
Speaker 1: been I don't know that I made a prison cons list,

895
00:50:06,520 --> 00:50:10,799
Speaker 1: but that might have been the closest I came and

896
00:50:11,120 --> 00:50:13,560
Speaker 1: the scariest thing in the world for me. It wasn't

897
00:50:13,600 --> 00:50:18,319
Speaker 1: scary for me to start my nonprofit or business. It

898
00:50:18,400 --> 00:50:21,520
Speaker 1: was scary for me to make this decision. And that's

899
00:50:21,600 --> 00:50:24,520
Speaker 1: quite you know, that's interesting because so many people just

900
00:50:24,719 --> 00:50:29,160
Speaker 1: have a child, yeah, don't do the for that and

901
00:50:29,200 --> 00:50:33,480
Speaker 1: that was truly maybe the hardest decision. And then once

902
00:50:33,920 --> 00:50:37,680
Speaker 1: she was sort of once she existed, it was almost

903
00:50:37,719 --> 00:50:42,480
Speaker 1: like a switch flipped and there was just this immense

904
00:50:42,840 --> 00:50:47,799
Speaker 1: sense of love and excitement and and just like uh,

905
00:50:48,600 --> 00:50:52,799
Speaker 1: possibility and hope and knowing that she's going to teach

906
00:50:52,880 --> 00:50:57,160
Speaker 1: us a lot, that she is going to expand.

907
00:50:56,800 --> 00:50:58,440
Speaker 2: Our lives infinitely.

908
00:50:58,760 --> 00:51:02,920
Speaker 1: I think I would imagine, you know, I've waited in

909
00:51:02,960 --> 00:51:05,840
Speaker 1: my life to build my career, and I know for

910
00:51:05,840 --> 00:51:07,759
Speaker 1: a lot of women it's hard because they want to

911
00:51:07,800 --> 00:51:10,719
Speaker 1: have careers and they want to be mothers. And I'm

912
00:51:10,719 --> 00:51:12,799
Speaker 1: not in it yet. But I'm choosing to believe that

913
00:51:12,960 --> 00:51:16,840
Speaker 1: she will be a catalyst in both that yes, she

914
00:51:16,920 --> 00:51:21,280
Speaker 1: will bring even more love and joy into our lives

915
00:51:21,320 --> 00:51:24,960
Speaker 1: at home as a family, but that she will also

916
00:51:25,560 --> 00:51:27,920
Speaker 1: make me a better leader and a better CEO and

917
00:51:27,920 --> 00:51:31,279
Speaker 1: a better entrepreneur. And you know, I was thinking the

918
00:51:31,320 --> 00:51:36,280
Speaker 1: other day, I've been like on this mission. When I'm home,

919
00:51:36,320 --> 00:51:38,879
Speaker 1: i will get home from work and then I'll stop

920
00:51:38,920 --> 00:51:41,759
Speaker 1: at the butcher and I'll buy like a really good

921
00:51:41,800 --> 00:51:43,960
Speaker 1: cut of meat, and I'll go home and I'll spend

922
00:51:43,960 --> 00:51:49,480
Speaker 1: an hour cooking dinner just for me and her and

923
00:51:49,760 --> 00:51:52,280
Speaker 1: it was really because right now she's in my body,

924
00:51:52,280 --> 00:51:54,080
Speaker 1: and that's really all I can do is kind of

925
00:51:54,120 --> 00:51:57,719
Speaker 1: feed her and move and take some sort of reasonable

926
00:51:57,719 --> 00:51:59,879
Speaker 1: care of my body. While I'm you know, traveling around.

927
00:52:00,120 --> 00:52:02,520
Speaker 1: I was running a business and probably too stressed out.

928
00:52:03,160 --> 00:52:05,600
Speaker 1: And it occurred to me that the very first act

929
00:52:05,920 --> 00:52:08,279
Speaker 1: that I have of mothering is actually cooking for her,

930
00:52:08,600 --> 00:52:12,000
Speaker 1: and so and the second will probably be her education.

931
00:52:12,160 --> 00:52:13,960
Speaker 1: Right I'm already thinking about how do I want to

932
00:52:14,080 --> 00:52:15,799
Speaker 1: educate her and what does that look like? And how

933
00:52:15,840 --> 00:52:18,359
Speaker 1: do I want to inspire her to have a life

934
00:52:18,400 --> 00:52:21,439
Speaker 1: filled with purpose? And school was in always like the

935
00:52:21,480 --> 00:52:25,279
Speaker 1: best experience for me. What will that look like for her?

936
00:52:25,320 --> 00:52:27,680
Speaker 1: And so I was thinking about my own life and

937
00:52:27,719 --> 00:52:30,000
Speaker 1: you know, starting the Malala Fond, which focuses on education,

938
00:52:30,160 --> 00:52:33,760
Speaker 1: and then starting our place, which focuses on food and cooking,

939
00:52:34,520 --> 00:52:38,719
Speaker 1: and thinking about it's all connecting as I lean into motherhood.

940
00:52:38,800 --> 00:52:43,239
Speaker 1: My first act is cooking for myself and for her,

941
00:52:43,880 --> 00:52:47,480
Speaker 1: and my second will be thinking about her education, and

942
00:52:47,480 --> 00:52:49,360
Speaker 1: so it all kind of comes full circle.

943
00:52:49,480 --> 00:52:52,320
Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, well, what a beautiful way to finish.

944
00:52:52,480 --> 00:52:55,919
Speaker 2: I'm so excited for your next chapter and I'm absolutely

945
00:52:55,920 --> 00:52:59,760
Speaker 2: confident that you will bring the same curiosity and passion

946
00:53:00,120 --> 00:53:05,160
Speaker 2: and balance, and you're just yeah, truly one in a

947
00:53:05,160 --> 00:53:05,640
Speaker 2: billion and.

948
00:53:05,800 --> 00:53:06,120
Speaker 1: Sure, and.

949
00:53:07,600 --> 00:53:09,200
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean it will teach you a lot.

950
00:53:09,280 --> 00:53:10,480
Speaker 1: You're going to send me.

951
00:53:12,239 --> 00:53:15,279
Speaker 2: One percent. And one thing I've been fixated on over

952
00:53:15,320 --> 00:53:18,960
Speaker 2: the last eighteen months has been the societal perception that

953
00:53:19,040 --> 00:53:23,480
Speaker 2: motherhood can make you less than or make things harder,

954
00:53:23,560 --> 00:53:25,480
Speaker 2: or that your identity has to that your career has

955
00:53:25,480 --> 00:53:27,759
Speaker 2: to take a back seat. And yeah, logistically it's a

956
00:53:27,760 --> 00:53:30,759
Speaker 2: lot harder, but it makes you better. It adds a

957
00:53:30,800 --> 00:53:36,600
Speaker 2: depth to you that is extraordinary and indescribable. And I'm

958
00:53:36,600 --> 00:53:39,319
Speaker 2: so excited to see to follow along as you went

959
00:53:39,360 --> 00:53:41,759
Speaker 2: to that chapter. So thank you so much for joining.

960
00:53:41,560 --> 00:53:43,360
Speaker 1: Thank you for having me. This is lovely.

961
00:53:43,640 --> 00:53:45,480
Speaker 2: I think I've mentioned a few times that I've been

962
00:53:45,520 --> 00:53:48,880
Speaker 2: sitting on some big new chapter energy lately, Capital B,

963
00:53:49,040 --> 00:53:51,880
Speaker 2: Capital N, Capital C, Capital E, and sitting in the

964
00:53:51,920 --> 00:53:54,359
Speaker 2: discomfort of knowing that change is coming but not really

965
00:53:54,440 --> 00:53:57,600
Speaker 2: knowing what it is. I'm living my own path, yaight,

966
00:53:57,719 --> 00:54:00,560
Speaker 2: unraveling in real time with you guys. This time and

967
00:54:00,680 --> 00:54:03,759
Speaker 2: in those chapters of life. It is so motivating to

968
00:54:03,760 --> 00:54:07,960
Speaker 2: hear stories like She's as of so clearly finding your

969
00:54:08,000 --> 00:54:12,960
Speaker 2: purpose and following that purpose's evolution through lots of different manifestations.

970
00:54:13,560 --> 00:54:16,279
Speaker 2: What an incredible human being. I feel so lucky that

971
00:54:16,320 --> 00:54:18,440
Speaker 2: we managed to catch her during her very short time

972
00:54:18,440 --> 00:54:20,920
Speaker 2: in Australia so that I could share her energy and

973
00:54:21,120 --> 00:54:24,240
Speaker 2: her wisdom with you all. As always, if you enjoyed,

974
00:54:24,400 --> 00:54:26,920
Speaker 2: please do take a moment to share the episode or

975
00:54:26,920 --> 00:54:29,239
Speaker 2: to leave us a review. It means so much to

976
00:54:29,280 --> 00:54:31,600
Speaker 2: hear what you think and to help grow the neighborhood

977
00:54:31,600 --> 00:54:35,000
Speaker 2: as far and wide as possible. In the meantime, I

978
00:54:35,000 --> 00:54:38,080
Speaker 2: hope you are having a wonderful week and are seizing

979
00:54:38,239 --> 00:54:51,000
Speaker 2: your yay