Dream, Girl
By Sheen Gurrib
Dream, GirlApr 09, 2021
Beauty Standards for Men, Being a Successful Brown Woman and Finding the Right Husband - Dr Vali
In this spin off episode, we have the pleasure of chatting with Dr Vali who came all the way from London.
Shawana, or simply Dr. Vali as she’s better known to her legions of fans and loyal clients, has cultivated a cult-like following that stems from her approach to radical transparency. Notorious for her invitation-only client base spanning everyone from royalty, and the world’s most powerful CEOs to Victoria Secret’s models, Dr. Vali was born and raised in London to immigrant parents.
She is such a fun girl and we chat all about being brown, being doctors, the standards of beauty and how to find a man in today's time! Tune in for some laughs x
PS: One of the cameras unfortunately did not record, and it was the one facing our lovely guest, but we wanted to share this great conversation either way!
Recorded at Metro Pod Lounge: https://metropodlounge.com/
Boys, Fame, Failure and Faith - Your Host in the Hot Seat
I switch seats in this special episode where my best friend Shweta interviews me for a change, and we get deep! We talk about faith, dealing with fame, boys, insecurities and many more. Tune in for an oversharing experience xx
How To Always Get What You Want - Reim El Houni
In this special episode, I am in a trailer at STEP, as I interview Reim on how she just finds a way to always go for what she wants and make sure she gets it! Join me and learn some incredible tips from this short and snappy conversation!
How To Get What You Want: MONEY, SUCCESS, LOVE | Vishen Lakhiani
In this special episode of Dream, Girl we welcome our first solo male guest: Vishen Lakhiani from Mindvalley. Vishen shares some incredible tips and insights on how to quit your job and bet on yourself, how to find love in today's time and how to explore what spirituality truly is. Tune in and get ready to take notes!
Being A Woman in Dubai and Working With Celebrities - Lara Tabet
In this episode, I am joined by my beautiful friend Lara Tabet. She is TV Presenter, Middle East Luxury Brand Ambassador & Business Developer, Official Spokeswoman for Arab Fashion Council and Philanthropist.
We talk about how Dubai has evolved and what its like to be a woman in media, dealing with celebrities and managing a good work life balance.
Join us xx
Bridging Divides as a Muslim and First Female Economic Editor of the Times London with Mehreen Khan
To start the year, what better way than to share this episode with my long time best friend and powerhouse of a woman Mehreen Khan. She is the Economic Editor of the Times London and has had an incredible journey as a journalist. We reminisce on our times in Oxford and how she helped me move to Dubai and how we navigate the professional world as young Muslim women. Join in!
Follow Mehreen on X : @MehreenKhn
From Amazon to CEO and now My Dubai Bestie - Shweta Johri Scott
In this special episode, I have a chat with one of my Dubai best friends! Shweta is incredible!
She studied at Yale, worked at Amazon and is now running her own company of the comfiest beddings in the Middle East: https://themidori.co/
We talk about the transition from corporate world to entrepreneurship, finding the right partner in business and in life and also how relationships evolve over time! We also share some stories about being women seen as "strong" professionally, and how we dealt with them and how we COULD have dealt with them!
My Family Visits Dubai - Holiday Special
In this holiday special of the podcast, for the first time ever, I present the Gurrib Family!!
It was a super cute recording experience and I got exposed a lot, but a fun episode I'd love to share with all of you!
The UAE’s First Female Aircraft Engineer Dr Eng Suaad Al Shamsi
We discussed many things, focusing on emotional intelligence, being a woman venturing in new professional arenas and how to manage all sorts of relationships as you grow up and older! Join in!
This episode was kindly brought to you by Irony Home, UAE’s no.1 festive decoration and luxury home decor brand.
Their seasonal pop-up store, located in Mall of the Emirates inside THAT concept store on the 2nd Floor, next to Assouline books, is a magical wonderland they create every year so that the customers can experience Christmas in a new light. It is a truly magical experience, so if you are around, I strongly suggest to check it out!
You can find out more about Irony Home on their pages: www.instagram.com/ironyhome/
ironyhome.com/
www.tiktok.com/@ironyhome
Finding the Courage to Follow Your Dream with Vimi Joshi
We discussed her incredible journey, the lows, the highs and the challenges along the way! She is a great story teller so grab your popcorn!
The Reality of Being Confident While Managing Imposter Syndrome with Shivani Pau
In today's episode we are joined by another Podcast Host, Shivani Pau! We discuss everything from our shared experiences and journey of starting a podcast, and we deep dived into the intricacies of navigating success and imposter syndrome.
In this very candid conversation, Shivani shares her ways of dealing with success and the daily struggles of being an entrepreneur. She also gives some very useful and practical advice to anyone thinking of going out on their own as content creators.
You can check out her channel here: https://www.youtube.com/ @ShivaniPauPodcast
The Courage To Go After Your Dreams with Nelly Attar
In this episode, I welcome the amazing and inspiring Nelly Attar. Nelly is a Saudi born Lebanese extreme sports athlete, trainer, and sports entrepreneur and a former psychologist and life coach. In 2022, Nelly became the first Arab woman to summit K2 and since then she has accomplished several extreme feats and won many awards. She has scaled 23+ peaks globally, completed 6 Marathons, a dozen triathlons, and 1 ultramarathon. She also launched Saudi Arabia’s first ever dance studio – MOVE.
This episode has been brought to you by Stake. If you want to own a piece of Dubai for a fraction of the price, hit the link below and get 250 AED for free to start investing! Why wouldn’t you?!https://getstake.com/rewards?c=SHEEN&n=Sheen
The Secrets to Running a Successful Company with Rima Dardenne - Founder of Irony Home
In this episode, we welcome Rima Dardenne, the founder and CEO of Irony Home. She shares her journey of moving to the Middle East and navigating the challenges as a woman in the world of business. We also share some interesting Christmas anecdotes!
This episode was kindly brought to you by Irony Home, UAE’s no.1 festive decoration and luxury home decor brand.
Their seasonal pop-up store, located in Mall of the Emirates inside THAT concept store on the 2nd Floor, next to Assouline books, is a magical wonderland they create every year so that the customers can experience Christmas in a new light. It is a truly magical experience, so if you are around, I strongly suggest to check it out!
You can find out more about Irony Home on their pages:
https://www.instagram.com/ironyhome/
https://ironyhome.com/
https://www.tiktok.com/@ironyhome
Your Power to Heal your Trauma with Shayoon
This episode was kindly brought to you by The Inner Space, where people are committed to finding answers to your health concerns, utilizing evidence-based treatments, as well as highly effective non-conventional approaches, in an environment designed for comfort and connection. Check it out here:https://theinnerspace.me/
After a severe accident as a teenager, Shayoon was told she would struggle with chronic pain her whole life - until she healed herself. She has also been a powerhouse as a woman and mother, she shares her story of being in a multiracial marriage. Shayoon also actively works against child sex abuse trafficking after going through a horrendous experience of having her son almost kidnapped.
You can find out more about her work here:
https://thelightforcecenter.com/#HOME
Finding Love & Happiness in Today's World with Nour Fayad and Dr Maysar Sarieddine
This episode was kindly sponsored by Loyalty to Your Soul. For the first time, they are bringing their transformative 3 days workshop to Dubai, from the 27 to 29 Oct. Find out more here: https://theinnerspace.me/workshop/loyalty-to-your-soul-workshop-1-dubai-100
To register for the workshop please send a Whatsapp to +971 58 557 5790 and mention « SHEEN » for 10% off.
In this episode we welcome our first ever couple on the podcast. They founded The Inner Space in 2017, a unique healing space that believes in the light within each and every person, and that provides the comfort, connection, and practical guidance to remember that light.
We discussed what it means to love someone, how to find your true calling, and the importance of healing in order to grow. They also shared their experience of running a business together as a couple, and the challenges and rewards of raising children in today's time.
From Abusive Relationships to Running 9 Businesses as a Single Mom with Dr Sara Al Madani
Welcome to Season 4 of the podcast!!
This episode was kindly sponsored by Loyalty to Your Soul. For the first time, they are bringing their transformative 3 days workshop to Dubai, from the 27 to 29 Oct. Find out more here: https://theinnerspace.me/workshop/loyalty-to-your-soul-workshop-1-dubai-100
To register for the workshop please send a Whatsapp to +971 58 557 5790 and mention « SHEEN » for 10% off.
In the first episode, my guest is Dr. Sara Al Madani, star of Real Housewives of Dubai and total business badass. She has received over 140 awards in a wide variety of fields, including an honorary doctorate for her contribution to the business.
In this episode, we dive into Sara's backstory, her healing journey from adversity and abusive relationships and how she's been shattering stereotypes of Arab women. She also shares how she has built multiple hugely successful businesses and brands, and the lessons she's learned along the way.
We shared a lot of laughs and banter and Sara is so empathetic and warm and very relatable! I felt super inspired and I'm sure you will also feel motivated to achieve your own greatness.
If you enjoyed this episode don't forget to subscribe and leave a comment below with your favourite bit.
It is never too late to start anything - Tracy Harmoush
In the finale episode of Season 3 of the podcast, I have a wonderful conversation with Tracy who has had an impressive journey in the digital world and is a true inspiration for me! She is adamant of making you become the best version of yourself! We discussed career transitions, being a public figure, empowering men and women and also confidence! Tune in for an amazing chat!
Tracy Harmoush instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tracyharmoush/?hl=en
Tracy's app: https://www.un-traceable.com/
Dealing with overnight fame and being in the public eye as an introverted extrovert - Nischa Shah
In this episode, Nischa recalls her journey from being unhappy with where she was professionally to creating one of the most successful YouTube channels on personal finance. She shares the ups, the downs, the challenges but most importantly practical tips on how she overcomes them. Join us :)
From being discouraged in school to setting up multiple businesses - Ashi Karun
Ashi chats to us about her unconventional pathway of trying things she likes and not taking in the negative comments. She is a serial entrepreneur and started from a very young age! She also shares tips on how to approach anyone and start a conversation, because this 'stranger networking' has worked wonders for her, which I have witnessed first hand! Join us :)
Being your own boss, life in your 30s and an impressive weight loss journey - Nikita Phulwani
In this episode, I sit down with Nikita Phulwani to discuss her journey to becoming a CEO of her own company while navigating the daily challenges of being a woman, now in her thirties. We talk about the struggles of finding the right partner and also have a fun conversation about Nikita meeting her biggest celebrity crush in person!
Follow Nikita here:
https://www.instagram.com/niggiphulwani/?hl=en
https://byniggi.com/
Investing in real estate as a woman and being a 'young' entrepreneur - Latifa Bin Haider
In this episode, Latifa shares her story of founding the first woman-focused crowdfunding platform in the UAE region for investments in real estate. She started her entrepreneurial journey at a very young age and has for mission to empower women financially.
Find out more about her work here: https://baytuki.ae/
Finding your purpose and building your confidence through coaching - Aliya Rajah
In this episode, Aliya and I discuss the importance of building and finding the right network, how to navigate the complex world of confidence and self-fulfilment, and how having a coach can help you in various parts of your personal and professional life.
Talking openly about money and the right way to support the next generation of female founders - Lucy Chow
Lucy Chow is an incredible author and investor, who shares her experience of being an employee and now an investor and we discuss the best ways to finally empower women financially, both in the work place and also in the start-up world. We also discuss whether having quotas to support female founders is the best way forward, and explore how gaming is changing the future of work.
Being confident in a male dominated industry and dealing with the aftermath of success - Jouhayna AlMheiri
Jouhayna AlMheiri talks to us about being a female air traffic controller! We explore topics such as being your true, confident and sassy self in a male dominated industry, dealing with bullying in school and most importantly, how to deal with the aftermaths of success, then what?
Buying your first property, personal finance influencer and moving to Dubai - Lamide Elizabeth
Lamide Elizabeth shares her impressive journey from buying her first property at the age of 23 and how she's balancing a full time corporate job in finance with being a content creator! We also talk about her recent move to Dubai and how we navigate female friendships!
Reality TV, investing in disruptive tech and being a woman in Dubai - A conversation with Saba Yussouf
We are launching this season with a bang! Saba Yussouf is a disruption investor, will be featured in reality TV soon and is incredibly fun and lives life on her own terms! Join us as we chat about friendships, career paths, finding your true passion and being an unconventional modern woman!
Hair secrets, believing in your idea and Fable & Mane - A conversation with Nikita Mehta
My guest today is Nikita Mehta! Join us as we chat about Niki's experience of setting up Fable & Mane, the importance of believing in your dreams and the reality of the hustle life. I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as we did xx
Outgrowing friends, starting a business and dating - A conversation with Courtney Daniella Boateng
Join me and Courtney this week as we chat about our experiences of Cambridge University, micro aggressions, starting a business from the ground up and what dating looks like these days!
Content creation, imposter syndrome and meeting your heroes - A conversation with Mayuko Inoue
My guest today is Mayuko Inoue! With over 400,000 subscribers on her Youtube channel, Mayuko creates content to help people find their way through the tech industry and life, through lifestyle, career, and tech advice videos by talking about topics such as imposter syndrome, cultural identity, and emotional vulnerability.
First woman and millennial candidate for the UN Secretary General Election- A conversation with Akanksha Arora
Akanksha has announced her candidacy to challenge the incumbent UN Secretary General in the 2021 UN leadership elections. She shares her journey from refugee grandparents to being a UN audit coordinator, and explains her plans for the future of the UN.
Job rejections, university friendship and cultural identity with Faiza Saqib.
Welcome to the episode 4 of Season 2 of the podcast 'Dream, Girl'!! My guest today is Faiza Saqib, an Afghan story-teller and journalist based in London. She has her own talk show called 'Beyond our Bubble', please check it out! I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as we did xx Follow Faiza on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simplyf.s?igshid=1mtzba08r8iec
South Asian diaspora, colourism and internalised racism with Mehek Bukhari
Mehek is a 23 year old law graduate and podcast host of Brownsplain. She makes really cool videos on tiktok and Instagram. She describes herself as having more opinions than she knows what to do with! She has done some incredible work focused on the experiences of ethnic minorities in the UK. As a second (and a half) generation British South Asian, she grew up on stories of racism within the UK and the horrors of the partition. She is on a mission to discuss issues that are often relegated to the cultural and historical sidelines.
Black womanhood, growing up biracial and self-confidence- A conversation with Anna Malaika Tubbs
My guest today is Anna Malaika Tubbs, the author of 'The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation'. She is also a Cambridge PhD. candidate in Sociology and a Bill and Melinda Gates Cambridge Scholar. We talk about black womanhood, motherhood, the wonderful life of these 3 historical characters and the Meghan-Oprah interview!
Toxic friendships, self-worth and confused identities- A conversation with Ruby Dhal
My guest today is Ruby Dhal, a public speaker, performer and author of 4 books of poetry, prose and self-help. We talk about the life and struggles of an author, the importance of representation, self-worth and the different types of toxic friendships!
Exploring the world of YouTube with Elizabeth Filips.
In this grand finale episode of Season 1, I chat to the new YouTube sensation, Elizabeth Filips, who is a medical student, an artist and an influencer! She shares her experiences of working before going to university, of having an online presence, and about her weird obsession with only owning black clothing.
Re-exploring the path to setting up a fitness empire with Mahlaqa Shaukat.
In this episode, I chat to Mahlaqa about the importance of making fitness more accessible to women in Pakistan, and she shares her journey from Oxford to Deloitte to setting up AimFit with her sister Noor, and how they have successfully secured $1 million in seed funding to further expand online and launch their app.
Discussing the importance of representation of POC in the media industry with Sabreen Ahsan.
In this episode, I chat with Sabreen, the Founder and CEO of PIYA Media, a marketing agency for brands created by People of Colour. We talk about the different routes in to marketing, the ever changing world of the industry and how to level the playing fields when it comes to underrepresented groups. Sabreen also shares her plans with her budding YouTube channel, and we reminisce of our time at Oxford!
Discussing how to balance being a cancer researcher and a national level athlete with Dr. Alia Komsany.
In this episode, I welcome Alia, who is now a lightweight rower for Saudi and also works in public health and cancer research at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York. She shares her journey from rowing novice at Oxford to being a national level athlete. We also discuss the challenges of being a female and Muslim athlete. Alia also shares a bit more about her current job in public health, and how COVID has impacted her work so far.
Exploring the journey of setting up an affordable but natural skincare line with Ella O'Connor.
In this episode I welcome my Oxford 'college daughter' Ella, who has set up an incredible skincare line. WOW YOU! which is not only naturally powered but also affordable, without compromising on effectiveness. Ella shares the story, the struggles, the highs and the lows of setting up her own business. I have personally tried the products and they are so great, and smell like heaven! We talked about the actual chemistry behind skincare and the ways to scale-up a business from the ground. Ella is also a champion of skin positivity!
Navigating the world of Investment Banking with spoken word poet Vedika Parikh.
In this episode, I chat to Vedika, who is an incoming investment banker analyst at Bank of America in New York. She shares tips and tricks to securing a job in investment banking, and also shares her experience of setting up Warble, a public speaking training company. She’s also a part-time spoken word poet and is currently doing research for an upcoming historical fiction book.
Discussing how to implement the Sustainable Development Goals with Sharbani Sengupta.
This week I have a chat with my fellow WEF Global Shaper Sharbani, about her time as an engineering student in India, as a business planning specialist in France and as a project manager in Germany. We also talk about the different social impact projects to upskill refugees and to mentor social startups. Sharbani also tell us about sharing a stage with Hrithik Roshan!
Discussing the importance of effective altruism with Dr. Lucia Coulter.
In this episode, Lucia and I chat about her wonderful work in Malawi, as the Director of the Lead Exposure Elimination Project. We chat about her journey from a medical doctor from Cambridge University to co-founding a health policy NGO. We also talk about effective altruism, what it is and how to put it into practice. We also explore the values of being social entrepreneurs, and the challenges of being women entrepreneurs.
Discussing the ups and downs of setting up a social venture with Jahnvi Jhaveri.
In this episode, I chat with Jahnvi, an actuarial analyst at Willis Towers Watson in London. We explore what failure means to us, what is the job of an actuary, and our shared experience of working with Project Access, an educational charity. We also reminisce our journey of setting up ReShape Co. during the pandemic and our plans moving forward.
Exploring the world of FinTech and public relations with Fatema Ebrahim.
In this episode I chat to Fatema, who is the CEO & Founder of Andra Public Relations - A Bahrain-based Public Relations & Corporate Communications firm focused mainly on FinTech. We explore what FinTech really is, the challenges of having a well balanced life as a young entrepreneur, and Fatema shares her experience of setting up her own business in a male dominated industry, and of being appointed by HRH Crown Prince to be part of the board of director for the Bahrain Economic Development Board.
From surviving cancer to becoming a doctor, an influencer and an athlete with Dr. Molly Hunt.
In this episode, I chat to Molly, who in an incredible inspiration to all of us! She was diagnosed with bone cancer at age 10, but then made her way to becoming a doctor after studying medicine at Cambridge University. Her side hustle is a buzzing food blog and Instagram page 'Cambridge Foodie', she volunteers with the charity Over The Wall and she competes regularly in wheelchair racing, having recently completed the King's Lynn 10K.
Being a non-techie woman of colour in tech with Nikita Khandwala.
In this episode, I chat to Nikita, who is a Strategy Analyst at LinkedIn and my wonderful partner behind The WOC Tribe community page on Instagram. We talk about the importance of interdisciplinary thinking, particularly between the humanities and the tech world. We also touch on topics such as the importance of networking, creating content online, as well as the importance of accountability partners.
The interplay of policy and actions for the eradication of period poverty with Diksha Nawany.
In this episode, I chat to Diksha who as part of the Dasra Team works on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene portfolio in India. More importantly, she shares with us the wonderful project, SAHELI, she has been working on with the World Economic Forum Global Shapers Navi Mumbai Hub, UNICEF India and Jeevan Rath. Please do consider donating on this link to help alleviate period poverty in India.
Discussing the importance of mental health support with Zsofia Szlamka.
In this episode, Zsofia and I chat about psychology, participatory approaches in international development and cultures. As the new curator of the World Economic Forum Global Shapers Hub in Cambridge, she shares her experience of working on different projects, tackling mental health and women empowerment. We also chat about the importance of well-being as the key to being resilient and adaptable as a professional. And Zsofia shares stories from her various trips as the 'Traveling Psychologist'.
Discovering the elements of journalism with Mehreen Khan.
In this episode, I welcome Mehreen and we chat about the different paths that can lead to a career as a journalist. She shares her experience of working as a sport reporter, a breaking news reporter and now, as the Brussels correspondent for the Financial Times. We also chat about navigating a male dominated work place, meeting powerful and famous people, and how the news reporting world is changing, adapting to the constantly evolving world of technology.
Relearning the ropes of the education system with Nabila Qureshi.
In this episode, Nabila and I chat about the opportunities and challenges that come from studying at Oxford University and as a science teacher, she shares her experience of the effect of the global pandemic on the education system. We also chat about the importance of female role models to the younger generation and the intricacies associated with leveling the playing fields when it comes to access to education.