Zahra Amanpour: “[As a Mom] I’ve started to embrace the open door between my personal life and my career” (Episode 19/S3 Ep1)
Good morning and welcome to the new season of Starting Trouble. This season tells the stories of working Moms. And I am very proud to have Zahra Amanpour as our first guest.
In a world of coworking spaces where the focus is on free beers and ping pong tables and generally speaking a college-guy culture, Zahra is a shining beacon. It isn’t just that she is a woman in a male-dominated industry or that she was the first to bring the coworking culture to my town — Jersey City (across the river from downtown Manhattan). At Indiegrove the focus is on creating a beautiful and inspiring work environment for entrepreneurs and addressing three of their top-of-mind challenges: cost savings, community and isolation. Also breaking into the real estate space with a background that has nothing to do with the industry, especially where the real estate market is spiking like never before is oh, I don’t know, beyond brave. All in a day’s work for Zahra.
Zahra and I also started the conversation this season about how small businesses and communities can support working mothers better so they can continue to contribute significantly to the workforce. This is not an easy question and I’m sure there are a lot of complexities to unravel. But I’m very glad to have women like Zahra at the table willing to explore solutions. After all where there is a will, there is a way.
Audio
Video
Guest Profile
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Age: 37 years
Bio:
Zahra Amanpour opened Indiegrove in January 2013. Since then, the Indiegrove community has grown to over 250 members and become a hub for entrepreneurship. Indiegrove is a dynamic and inclusive community that balances comfort and professionalism.
Zahra’s career has been dedicated to economic access and equality. She has a MA in Social Psychology and MBA in International Business. Zahra believes business can and should be used as a tool for empowerment, equality and happiness.
Fun fact:
Indiegrove was named “Indiegrove” before Zahra decided to put it in Jersey City next to the Grove St Path Station.
What childcare option did you go with for your child(ren)? Why?
My daughter was with a nanny for the first year. We moved her to daycare after she turned one because she is a very social child.
How do you continue to work on your professional growth with motherhood in the balance?
I read, participate in events and watch as much as I can to continue to challenge myself and grow my experiences. But I believe most of my learning comes from interacting with other people and learning other perspectives, so being the owner of a coworking space helps a lot. I don’t have as much freedom with my time so I also try to make sure I focus and absorb as much as can with the time I have. With that said, I think motherhood contributes to my professional growth every day.
How do you proactively network given the constraints of motherhood?
I attend as many events as I can, but I also make sure I actively stay in touch with people in my network that I believe are influencers. I believe giving to people is the best way to grow your network, so I make sure I am always keeping people in mind when opportunities come up and connecting people in a thoughtful way.
In what ways does your spouse/family/friends support you and how much does that factor into your success?
My husband has been an incredible partner in my professional growth and success. We give each other the space and time we need to get things done and grow. Our partnership has made me a more focused and happy person.
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