I wish I could tell you all that the life I find myself in was a life built on passion and dreams. But the truth is, life doesn’t always fulfil everyone’s dreams. And that’s okay.

This field wasn’t the one I imagined for myself. I always had a profound love for mathematics and science. But because of my life’s circumstances, I couldn’t focus on my education and instead had to direct my energy towards creating income. When I was 20, I was offered to become a distributor for Keune Hair Cosmetics in my region. Being young and determined, it feels like you have the world at your fingertips, and for a time, I believed it was true.

I was very quickly promoted to the position of a Technical Training Officer, and that’s where my journey as a beautician truly began. I was extremely privileged to get the chance to train internationally, in the Netherlands, and by the time I returned, I was the Training Executive for all of Pakistan, providing hair colouring training to professionals all over the country.

I was offered a position as the Training Executive in Dubai too, but due to life circumstances, I had to not only let go of the opportunity overseas, but also the field altogether.

Then I resurfaced in 2008 with 4 kids and a newfound determination. I first travelled to Malaysia, where I took courses in skin therapy and treatments. I also started working in the field of cosmetics in business, focusing on the product training and marketing sector.

My husband and I were the distributors for the Spanish cosmetics company, PostQuam, in Pakistan, and I was the training and marketing director for a number of years. During this time, I felt stagnant in my life. I always had a thirst for knowledge, and I wanted to explore something new. So I decided to learn makeup, and I learned professional makeup in Hong Kong with my ITEC diploma.

I spent a few years increasing my skills and career in the field of makeup, but I didn’t feel satisfied inside and found myself still searching for something else.

During my time in the industry, I worked with many different beauticians and women aspiring to be beauticians from all over the world. From renowned professionals to village girls dreaming of opening their own salon, I had seen it all. I found that more than my desire to get on top, I had the desire to help others find their footing.

The beauty industry is not just about beauty. It’s a source of freedom for many. Especially women, in societies that otherwise limit their options and keep them confined. This industry offers them a door out and gives them the chance to dream of something bigger. But unfortunately, it’s also an expensive door to pass. From courses, equipment and resources, the costs just keep piling up. And for that small village girl with a dream, it feels like it’s bound to stay a dream.

But I wanted to change that. That’s why, in 2017, I started Sakaaz Academy, opening a branch in Pakistan and then one in Hong Kong. I wanted to give quality education to women of all backgrounds, regardless of their financial capacities. That’s why, even since we’ve opened, I’m proud to say that we’ve always offered scholarships, free courses and business support to those who need it.

Because I believe that everyone deserves a chance to get the highest quality education, and one’s life circumstances do not determine their ability or what they deserve.

When COVID-19 hit, that’s also when I first started my YouTube channel, and I had to unfortunately close my in-person institutes. That’s also when I first began to do my live online classes. Unlike most online institutes that provide pre-recorded lessons, I wanted to give my students the benefits of a live class, while also being able to reap the benefits of being online.

This opened a whole new world of opportunity. Now I could reach students from all over the world, and because we were doing live classes with live discussions, while I offered long-term support and created a whole community of like-minded individuals eager to help and support one another. This created a bond like no other, and I found meaning in the field I once pursued only out of obligation.

I found tremendous success during these courses, and I felt the need to take it further and register my courses, so that my students could not only benefit from the education, but have the internationally recognised qualifications to go with it. I got my courses accredited in Hong Kong through collaborations with other international academies.

I never imagined I would end up here — not as a teacher, not as a mentor, and certainly not as the founder of an international academy. But life, in all its unexpected turns, led me to a purpose far greater than I could have ever planned.

What started as survival became a mission. A mission to give back. A mission to open doors that once felt locked to me. A mission to light a path for every woman who’s ever been told her dreams were out of reach.

Sakaaz Academy is more than a school — it’s a community, a second chance, a quiet rebellion against limitation. And every time I see one of my students open their own salon, gain a new certification, or simply believe in themselves a little more — I know that this is exactly where I was meant to be.

I may not have chosen this field in the beginning, but today, I choose it with my whole heart. And I choose to keep growing it, expanding it, and making it more accessible to women everywhere.

Because every woman deserves to learn. Every dream deserves a chance. And I’m just getting started.