Aysha
“Trust the process. But don’t forget to work hard and do your best. Things have a way of falling into place.”
Aysha is highly motivated, diligent, and inventive. She has adapted her creative lens to the digital space, helping entrepreneurs and small business owners build their online presence in dynamic ways. Her website features design templates, industry insights, and online courses to assist and guide individuals in growing their brands. When the going gets tough, she has learned the value of remaining optimistic and believing in her own potential. Meet Aysha. This is her story.
K: Please introduce yourself!
A: I'm Aysha Samrin, a multidisciplinary designer based in Vancouver, Canada. Over the past 7 years, I've worked with tech startups, solopreneurs, B2C boutique businesses, B2B organizations, nonprofits and design agencies and I've realized that what I'm best at is helping passionate people, early stage start-ups and small businesses turn their ideas into tangible digital products. I love giraffes, pistachios and I want to sail the oceans someday (like Sindbad).
K: Describe yourself in your own words
A: I am independent, persistent, and a visionary.
K: What is your favourite thing about yourself?
A: My tenacity. Once I decide I want something, I go after it. I truly believe that every problem has a solution and every hurdle can be overcome, so I rarely ever give up something that I've set my mind on.
K: Tell us a story. Have you had an experience that’s defined you or made you stronger?
A: When I started my first full-time job in the UK, right after university, I had a full blown existential crisis. Even though I had my dream job in a city that I loved, I couldn't bear the idea that the rest of my life was just waking up, going to work, eating, sleeping and repeating. I wanted to quit my job and just run away and live in a cave. Now the important thing here is that I was on a student visa, transitioning into a work visa and if I quit my job and left the country, I could probably never come back.
Working in the UK had been my dream since the day I set foot in the country and now after 3 years of working hard to achieve this goal, I was prepared to throw it all away, because I was lonely and stressed. I called up my boss and told her that I wanted to hand in my 2 weeks notice and what she told me is something that changed me. She said, "Aysha, you can't quit now. You need to suck it up and get through this. Because this is what it means to grow up and be an adult." She told me about how when she moved to the UK from Germany as a young woman, she went through the same feelings of stress and loneliness and how getting through it made her stronger. I listened and promised to give it another shot. I stayed in that job for three and a half years and learned a great deal of things before I moved to Canada in 2019.
During that period, my boss also encouraged me and supported me to pursue a Masters degree while working full-time. The time I spent studying, working and living in the UK and the people who were a part of my life during that period defined a large part of who I am today. Anytime I feel overwhelmed, I remind myself that getting through stressful situations is just a part of growing up.
K: What is one piece of advice you’d give to your younger self?
A: Trust the process. But don't forget to work hard and do your best. Things have a way of falling into place.
K: What does being a woman mean to you?
A: To me, womanhood is about strength and fierceness.
K: Who is one woman that inspires you? What would you say to her if she were here now?
A: I am inspired by the woman I want to be. My future self. If she were here now, I would tell her that I am proud of everything she has accomplished.