Inc’s Female Founders 100: Shiza Shahid
Shiza Shahid, Co-Founder of Malala Fund, and Now Ventures has been named as one of the Female Founders 100 in Inc Magazine for her startup 'Our Place.'
Shiza Shahid, a Pakistani who was born and raised in Islamabad, also famously known as the Co-Founder of the Malala Fund was named one of the Female Founders 100 in Inc Magazine for her recent kitchenware startup called ‘Our Place.’
Malala was only 15 when she was targeted and shot by the Taliban, it was truly a miracle that she survived and lived to tell her tale and continue to fight for the education of women in Pakistan. However, she was only a child and needed a mentor- luckily, she had Shiza Shahid by her side!
Shiza Shahid took on the job to channel all the energy, fame, and love Malala was receiving and turn it into a movement that creates change. As the founder and CEO of the Malala Fund, Shiza was determined to build an organization that helps women in earning education across the globe.
When discussing the need for the Malala Fund, Shiza Shahid talks about how Pakistan was a safe place while she was a child; she recalls being able to play outside, going to school, and feeling secure. However, by 2009 Pakistan was terribly under the control of the Taliban who had laid multiple restrictions on women and their education. Upon finding out that Malala had been documenting her struggles to the BBC, the people from the Taliban tracked her down and shot her in the face.
Which is when Shiza Shahid knew that she had to do something about this, she met with Malala and took advantage of all the attention her case was receiving by creating the Malala Fund to protect helpless women get an education all over the world.
In 2018, Shiza Shahid and her husband moved onto the profit-making world by launching a kitchenware startup named ‘Our Place.’ The start-up is based completely online and features the most beautiful and intricate kitchenware designs, their brand revolves around the saying “We are in this together.” Making one feel right at home.
Shiza Shahid’s 12-employee, Los Angeles-based business, which launched in September and became profitable in April, is on track to do $20 million in revenue in 2020. Sales are climbing more than 50 percent every month.
She expressed how she had always admired entrepreneurs and being able to instill social change. However, both these things were foreign concepts for women in Pakistan which is why Shiza Shahid knew that she had to make it happen! Then happened her transition from a social activist to entrepreneur and being selected in Inc Magazine’s Female Founders 100 list!
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