What made you want to do the work you do? Please share the full story.
Helping people find their next step in life has always felt natural to me. I have been drawn to it for as long as I can remember, whether offering advice, encouraging, or simply helping someone organize their ideas when they felt stuck. After working for years in nonprofits, HR, and community spaces, I noticed a bigger problem. So many people and organizations were being left behind because they did not have the right kind of support. They needed someone to guide them through change, not just throw advice at them.
That drove me to establish NextSteps Impact Consulting, a sanctuary where individuals and organizations can find genuine, heartfelt support to cultivate their confidence, clarity, and impact. This work is not just a profession for me; it is deeply personal. It is about embarking on the journey alongside others, guiding them through the steps, and instilling in them the belief that they can construct something more substantial than they ever imagined.
Tell us 3 surprisingly easy and 3 surprisingly difficult things about your business.
Surprisingly Easy Things About My Business:
1. Building genuine relationships with clients is a joy. When you show up with a heart and real solutions, trust naturally builds, inspiring you to do more.
2. Creating processes and systems. I enjoy organizing the behind-the-scenes work to make everything run smoother.
3. Staying true to my mission is not just easy, it’s deeply satisfying. It’s surprisingly easy to stay focused when building something that matters to you, giving you a sense of purpose.
Surprisingly Difficult Things About My Business:
1. Be patient with growth. Building something meaningful takes time, and sometimes, it feels slower than you want it to.
2. Balancing marketing and service delivery is a real challenge. It’s a constant juggle between getting the word out and ensuring excellence in service delivery to existing clients. You’re not alone in this struggle.
3. Navigating self-doubt. Even when things are going well, there are days when impostor syndrome tries to sneak in. You have to keep moving forward anyway.
What are the 3 things you like best about your work and why?
Three Things I Like Best About My Work:
1. Helping people find clarity and confidence.
Watching clients have that ‘aha’ moment when they realize they are stronger and more capable than they thought is incredibly rewarding. It reminds me why I started this work in the first place.
2. Building real relationships.
My work transcends mere transactions; it’s about fostering trust and building partnerships. The genuine connections I form, which extend beyond business, add a profound sense of value and meaning to everything I do.
3. Having the freedom to stay true to my values.
As a business owner, I can choose the kind of impact I want to create. Every project, every client, and every piece of work reflects the mission I care deeply about: growth, empowerment, and doing good in the world.
What are your greatest 3 skills and how have they helped you succeed?
Three Greatest Skills That Have Helped Me Succeed:
1. Strategic Thinking.
My ability to see the bigger picture and break it down into manageable, actionable steps provides a clear direction in guiding my clients toward long-term success. This strategy prevents feeling overwhelmed or lost in the process.
2. Relationship Building.
Genuine connections have opened more doors for me than any marketing strategy ever could. I remember a time when a strong relationship with a colleague led to a partnership that significantly boosted my career. I focus on building trust and creating genuine partnerships with the people I work with, which has made a lasting difference.
3. Adaptability.
Life, business, and leadership are all about change. The ability to pivot, learn, and adjust quickly is empowering, keeping me resilient and in control, no matter what challenges come my way.
Tell us about a time where you saw a surprising outcome that you did not expect.
When I first launched NextSteps Impact Consulting, I anticipated that most of my work would revolve around resume coaching and LinkedIn profile updates. I invested a significant amount of effort in promoting these services. However, to my pleasant surprise, the actual demand was for support in nonprofit management, leadership transitions, and strategic operations.
Instead of panicking or feeling discouraged, I swiftly adapted. I listened attentively to my clients’ real needs and promptly shifted my service focus to offer more strategic consulting solutions. This rapid pivot not only helped me grow the business faster than I expected, but it also deepened my impact.
The biggest lesson I learned was simple but powerful: never get too attached to your initial plans. The key is to stay flexible and responsive, and your audience will guide you exactly where you need to be. This adaptability is a powerful tool in your hands.
What is the biggest challenge you face each day and how do you handle it?
The biggest challenge I face daily is managing my energy across multiple responsibilities without losing focus or heart.
Running a consulting practice, leading nonprofit initiatives, and managing personal commitments all demand a lot of mental and emotional energy. Some days, it feels like there is never enough time or energy to invest in every project at the level I want.
I rely heavily on structured planning, clear priorities, and grace to handle it. I organize my week around blocks of time for deep work, client service, and administrative tasks. I also give myself permission to slow down when needed, instead of pushing through exhaustion just for the sake of it.
What truly keeps me grounded, though, is remembering that every small step forward matters. Progress, not perfection, is what builds real success. I remind myself daily that consistency beats intensity over the long haul.
What do you value most and why?
I value integrity above all else.
To me, integrity means doing the right thing even when it is inconvenient, unnoticed, or unpopular. It is about keeping promises, standing by your word, and staying true to your values even under pressure.
In my consulting work and nonprofit leadership, integrity is the foundation for everything. It is the bedrock of trust with clients, the cornerstone of meaningful partnerships, and the catalyst for authentic community impact. Integrity has taught me that long-term success is never built through shortcuts or trends—it is built through consistency, honesty, and the unwavering commitment to doing good even when nobody is watching.
Living with integrity has deeply fulfilled my work. It’s not just about building something real and lasting, but also about the satisfaction of knowing that I’m not just chasing temporary wins. This commitment to integrity is what I want to inspire in others, as it’s the key to long-term success and personal fulfillment.
What are 3 of your goals (could be mix of personal and professional)?
The three goals I am focused on right now are:
1. Growing NextSteps Impact Consulting into a trusted hub for individuals and organizations seeking genuine leadership development and career growth support.
2. Expanding the ANNISAA Organization of Canada to reach more women and offering meaningful programs that build digital confidence, entrepreneurship, and leadership skills within the community.
3. Living a balanced life where my professional achievements never come at the cost of my personal values, faith, or health. I am committed to ensuring that success feels sustainable, not rushed, and not empty.
These goals are important to me because they allow me to create real impact while staying true to who I am, inside and out.
Who is your favorite motivational speaker and why?
Among the thousand inspiring Muslim women in history, Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her) has always been more than just a historical figure to me. She is my guiding light, my source of inspiration.
As the first wife of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), she was a brilliant businesswoman, a strong leader, and a deeply compassionate human being at a time when women were rarely given any power or voice.
Her strength, intelligence, and unwavering support for what is right inspire me daily in my life and work.
When I face challenges, I often think about her patience, wisdom, courage, and ability to lead with dignity while still being deeply kind.
To me, Khadija represents the perfect balance of success, humility, and purpose. That is precisely the kind of impact I hope to leave behind.
What advice would you give to your younger self and why?
If I could sit with my younger self, I would tell her:
“You are not broken. You are not too much. You are exactly who you are meant to be.”
I would tell her that growing up in survival mode was not her fault. That being doubted, dismissed, and bullied was never about her worth. It was about the smallness of others, not the size of her dreams.
I would explain that every time she was overlooked or underestimated, she was actually being prepared—not punished, but prepared.
ANNISAA was not born out of a perfect plan—it was born out of that survival instinct—out of the need to create something good out of everything I had to fight through. It was never about charity work for appearances; it was about giving a hand to women like me who were told they would never be enough.
I would tell my younger self:
“One day, you will take everything they said would break you and turn it into something that lifts others up. Your faith, stubborn heart, and refusal to quit are not weaknesses. They are your legacy. Protect them.”
And maybe I would sit there for a minute with her, no big speeches. Just letting her know that she makes it. She makes it.
Who has been your biggest mentor in life (personal or professional) and how have they helped you?
When reflecting on mentorship in my life, I always return to my faith and the countless women around me who shaped who I am.
I have found tremendous inspiration and guidance in the women of Islamic history — women who embodied strength, wisdom, patience, and leadership long before the world recognized them. Their stories, sacrifices, and resilience became my first and most lasting source of mentorship. At the same time, the women in my community — my friends, family members, and professional colleagues — showed me what quiet strength truly looks like through their struggles and perseverance. Their journeys illuminated both the challenges and the opportunities that exist, fostering a sense of community and support that we all share, opening my eyes to the gaps in support and leadership that too often go unnoticed.
Along the way, I also learned from observing the non-Muslim community around me. I often found myself questioning: Why is it that they can, and we believe we cannot? Why do they build structures of support and leadership while we hesitate? What is truly stopping us? That honest questioning fueled by a deep sense of faith and a refusal to accept limits became the fire behind my drive to build spaces like ANNISAA and NextSteps Impact Consulting.
In a sense, I am not only the product of mentorship; I am now part of that living cycle, carrying forward what was gifted to me through action, service, and believing in others, even when they are still learning to believe in themselves. Whether formally or informally, mentoring others is not a separate act for me; it is simply the next chapter of the story I was handed.
Just for fun, what is your favorite food?
When it comes to food, I will be the first to admit, it is my undeniable weakness. Honestly, food could negotiate any contract with me and win!
When it comes to food, I could easily praise homemade Moroccan dishes like couscous and tajines and believe me, they are truly something special. But if I am being completely honest, nothing compares to the magic of traditional Moroccan street food.
A certain joy, a certain life, comes with grabbing a warm msemen (Moroccan flatbread) fresh off the griddle, or a piping hot bag of maakouda (crispy potato fritters) wrapped in paper. And when you think your taste buds cannot handle any more happiness, you spot the crown jewel of the street carts, a tray of hot, fresh, golden Sfenj (Moroccan donuts), glistening with a light sugar dusting.
Sfenj is not just a dessert; it is a love letter. Light, chewy, slightly crispy on the outside it is the kind of treat that demands you eat it right there, standing on the sidewalk, with sugar sticking to your fingers and a big grin you cannot hide.
The smells, the colors, the sounds it is food that feeds your soul before it even hits your mouth. Biting into these simple, handmade treasures while weaving through the busy streets feels like stepping into a moment that is too rich to rush.
If food is my weakness, then Moroccan street food is my ultimate downfall, and honestly, I would not have it any other way.