At Brilliant Read Media, we always strive to bring meaningful and powerful stories from India and around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. This week we invited yet another passionate woman entrepreneur Zarina Poonawalla for an exclusive interview with us. Zarina is a Leader, Entrepreneur, Leadership Coach, Life Coach, Podcast Host and the Founder of Abbzoh Expertise Unique. Let’s read more about her incredible journey so far and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Zarina:
We are aware of your contributions to the ecosystem; talk us through your background and your journey, please;
My journey has been a very thrilling one so far. I always had big dreams, so after college from HR Mumbai, I went to study at the University of Sydney Australia and completed my higher education there.
While I was pursuing university, I worked as a training facilitator for CRISIL at the age of 19 without knowing I was already gaining experience in the training industry.
In Australia, while I studied I did 3 jobs. I sold credit cards for American Express Credit cards, made Pizza at a popular Pizza Parlor and was a Barista at a café at Bondi beach. When I sold credit cards my boss at the time saw something in me and nominated me for the train the trainer program… That’s how the journey officially began.”
I started Corporate training with MNCs after returning to India… did plenty of training programs, eventually started my own organization at the age of 24 and founded Abbzoh Expertise Unique which constantly thrives on learning and evolving to benefit individuals, leaders, stakeholders and organizations worldwide. At the time the term coach wasn’t as popular as it is now. It wasn’t much known as a profession in India.
I indulged in a lot of self-learning I am a Peak Performance Coach, Leadership Coach with Intelligent Leadership Coaching from John Mattone (Coach to Late Steve Jobs), Life Coach, Emotional Intelligence Practitioner, Cognitive Behavioural Therapist and the podcast host of ‘The Empowering Series with Zarina Poonawalla’ and ‘Monday Mantras’ widely available on Apple podcast, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Jio Saavn Originals etc.
I am usually asked this about my journey and I have one answer “ I didn’t choose my profession, my profession chose me”
A decade later I have to say it’s been the best journey of my life… I have coached Founders, Entrepreneurs, CEOs, Business Honchos, Management Gurus, Families, Individuals, Parents and Student communities across the world and have also been validated with awards and accolades in leadership contribution, women excellence and life coaching.
What made you passionate about ‘Coaching’?
“Coaching is not just my passion, it’s the soul purpose of my life”.
It makes me feel purposeful and fulfilled every single day to know that I was capable of helping someone take a step in the right direction, make a better life decision, weigh out choices, share perspective, get through a phase, be their punching bag or venting outlet, experience leadership styles change for good, better performances, stronger relationships, live through someone’s struggles and watch them soar to success.
The whole process gives me purpose and gratification.”
People want help but often don’t seek it especially those in Leadership Roles, however, if you go through world history, every king and queen from history had advisors, every business tycoon has a mentor.
I for one thrive on helping people who want to help themselves.”
With so much going on, how do you start the day to keep your passion alive?
Given the current circumstances, there is not much to look forward to I understand that, but I have few rituals for my day.
I wake up smiling every day, most people start their day not looking forward to what’s in store, thinking of the chores and tasks, I tell myself ‘I made it another day to accomplish whatever I want.”
Gratitude – Be grateful, show appreciation to people, express gratitude, people who are grateful are less likely to suffer from anxiety and are more likely to achieve success.
A glass of water before anything else energize your organs and replenish them to kick start your day.
Throughout the day irrespective of any unpleasant events I always tell myself, “it’s a bad few moments, maybe hours but it’s not a bad day and I won’t let it be’
It’s okay as long as you learn to bounce right back.
How leadership qualities can help with your career or business growth?
With my experience in Leadership Coaching, I have realized that although leadership styles and traits might differ from person to person and even industry to industry few qualities are gold not just for your Leadership role but for the benefit of your team and organization.
Vision – Keep revisiting your vision every now and then with your organization your tribe, although your vision may be the same times are changing rapidly so you must adapt and evolve with it, hence revisit your vision and make it more conducive for you to achieve and keep going.
Strong Networking skills – I believe Networking Is one of the best investments. A Leader must be resourceful, and to be resourceful you must be able to meet supply to demand, solutions to problems, people to opportunities. Leaders often become too busy to care for the team and its needs. You are their resource and it’s your responsibility to grow a solid valuable network.
Troubleshooting – First off, leaders must try their level best to keep troubles to the minimal, but contingencies and conflicts are inevitable. A winning quality is to be able to put out fires when the need arises, be a problem solver, strong decision-maker and troubleshoot whenever needed.
Be Emotionally Intelligent –
People are emotional
People are intelligent
But most people are not emotionally intelligent because they don’t know what it means… leaders must work on their emotional intelligence in order to be good performers and great influencers.”
They need to be aware of their emotions, their emotional responses, they need to regulate their emotions and channelize them and build empathy and relationships. Grow your people to be transformational.
Zarina Poonawalla with Jim Sarbh (Right)
Given the rapid pace at which the world is changing, what are the leadership traits that are necessary for success?
Adapting to change without compromising on your core values and principals.
We know that you are continuously engaged in helping others achieve their goals. Why do you do that?
I have a selfish motive, I am a big learner, when you are coaching or mentoring you are constantly learning. Introspection, self-reflection and retrospect have become subconscious activities. I do this because I get to learn as much from my clients as they do from me.
I get to be an aware, purposeful and better person every day, hence I do this because I am selfish enough to improve and grow myself.
What about your journey makes it satisfying/exciting?
Most people would think awards/rewards and recognitions make this journey exciting, I have been conferred with several awards and accolades, from humanitarian excellence to iconic woman to Best Leadership coach…for those I am grateful but those are not my drivers.
I don’t do this for validation, it’s the credibility of having one client refer you to another without you asking them to, it’s the personal brand you create not who you are, but what you bring to the table, the value adds you are capable of infusing in another’s life.
The goodwill and reputation you build over the honest foundation you’ve created, that’s always satisfying and exciting.
What are the three most important lessons you have learned building your startup?
As Albert Einstein says, Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
Don’t judge people and their lives.
Your choices change the direction of the life you will live. Be very aware of yourself and your choices, don’t make the same mistake twice, life is short don’t take the liberty of wasting it.
Fall, Fail, Learn and Evolve.
Please share with us – what has worked well for you so far?
Having a growth mindset, being positive and pragmatic as well, openness to feedback without taking things personally.
What are the business mantras you have embraced as you sought to establish your success story?
Don’t focus on your competitors, focus on your growth, otherwise your benchmark will be what your competitors have created not what you are capable of achieving.
Besides I don’t believe in the rat race, the competitive world, the need to be at the top.
My mantra is I am not a rat, there is no race, no finish line, this is my life and I embrace it with all its peaks and valleys. Live mindfully and be grateful always.
In your opinion, what are the keys to success?
No Keys to success. Know when to say YES to opportunities and NO to distractions, half the battle is won between the right yes and no.
I think success is a measure of how many failures one doesn’t succumb to.
Be brave, be ready to fail, be ready to face rejections, be ready for people to put you down and while you are being ready never give up and never give in.
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
My biggest advice is with the growing use of technology people easily confuse success with fame.
If you want to be successful grow your confidence, not your Instagram followers, focus on your own journey and don’t succumb to comparison with others, take your time grow at your pace, stay aligned to the direction you’ve chosen, it’s okay to fail and face rejections
Your story, your journey, your path is unique, you are unique so you keep your eyes on the road.
Sharpen your skills, work on your personal brand, build your network and don’t confuse your social media presence with success, the map is not the territory.
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
