The PD Women In Business Series is an interview-style blog series on the Pangea Dreams blog that highlights female entrepreneurs who have joined us on Retreats over the past several years. In this series, we will get to know these Alumni better and learn about the incredible businesses that they are running.
Safaa Rauf
- Current Position: CEO at Mad Media and CEO at Utopia Retreats
- Currently Living: Karachi, Pakistan
- Hometown: Karachi, Pakistan
Hey Safaa! We are so excited to have you featured in this series! Can you tell our community a little background about you and how you started your business?
I started my career as a marketing professional and transitioned into the digital world by accident. I loved it so much that I wanted to learn all that I could on the job and in my own time.
I decided to start my own digital marketing agency after 4.5 years of being employed and it was one of the best decisions I ever made.
I loved the feeling of being my own boss so much I built my entire personal brand on Instagram around it and even started another company called Utopia Retreats.
Have you always been entrepreneurial? What led you to take that first step and setting up your own business?
Yes, I think I have always had that streak in me. Wanting to do things my way and learning at my own pace. Being an entrepreneur is so empowering and requires so much more discipline.
The idea of getting a fixed pay for no matter how much amount of effort I put in for a company’s gain started to seem odd to me. So I decided to control my rewards based on my effort. Plus I always wanted more freedom to travel and having my own company give me that.
If any, what challenges have you experienced as a woman in business during your overall career?
Being a woman in a man’s world is so hard in general, let alone in the business world. A lot of people find it hard to digest the fact that a woman is the boss of something.
It’s hard to break through the glass ceiling, but it’s definitely worth the effort.
Where would you say your business was at before the Pangea Dreams Retreat and where would you say your business was after?
I attended the Bali retreat in October 2018. Pangea has definitely helped me feel more empowered as a woman, it has enabled me to believe in the unity of women and the sheer power women can represent by standing up for themselves and together.
What is one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs just starting out in their journey?
I’d say begin already! It’s never the right time, there will always be more to learn and fix, but begin the journey before it’s too late. Also, always believe in yourself and always be ready to adapt.
We as women owe it to ourselves to be a role model for the women after us. Whether you’re a business owner or a 9-5 employed gal, you must change the game for yourself and others around you.
How can someone get in touch with you?
Email: Safaa.rauf@gmail.com
Personal IG: @safaaintransit
Thank you, Safaa!
Safaa is a Bali Retreat Alumni from our October 2018 Week 2 Retreat. You can read about her experience here.
