My interview with The Dura Society: Financial Wellness and the Power of a Positive Mindset
Hi Everyone,
I hope you enjoy this interview I did with The Dura Society. In it, I share details about my career, my mindset, my daily routine, and my thoughts on financial wellness and the power of having a positive mindset.
Here is a little taste of what we covered. You can read the full interview on The Dura Society website.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your life.
I am half-Moroccan and half-Persian (Iranian), and I grew up in Morocco until when aged 12 I moved to France. I received a Master’s degree from EDHEC Business School in France before moving to London to do a postgraduate in accounting and finance at the London School of Economics. My personal health journey led to my groundbreaking research into chronic inflammation and gut health. My passion is to inspire and educate others so that we all live our best lives, with more autonomy over our diet and lifestyle choices, for long-term physical and psychological benefits. I love visiting new places with my two boys, eating out with friends, and taking my Dachshund, Daphne, for walks around Hyde Park.
Your background is in finance, how did this help you in building your business?
I like numbers, and having a finance background, although mine was not corporate finance but the capital markets, helped me keep on top of my costs and make sure that I was profitable early on. I have managed to develop my business without raising funds, and whilst keeping a strong identity without compromising my values.
What do you enjoy most about your work?
The best part about my work is helping others. After going through such a difficult time in my life, I felt that I had been robbed of those precious years when my children were young. When I started helping people or whenever I saw somebody feel better, I kept thinking that was my return on investment or, rather, my return on suffering and that the suffering that I had been through was not in vain if I was able to help others.
Can you tell us about the anti-inflammatory approach you have to skincare?
Skin is our biggest organ, I can see that when I stick to the Eat Burn Sleep lifestyle and to the green food lists 80% of the time, people tell me I’m glowing. I notice I have fewer fine lines and bouncier, fresher skin. I am someone who suffers from melasma, which flares up when I’m eating inflammatory foods, have a lack of sleep, or if I’m stressed. It fades when I’m being good. I like to have a natural approach to skincare. I like using a lot of oils and massage my face, but what I put in my body is more impactful than what I put on my skin.
Describe your relationship with money and personal finance in three words.
Money is freedom.
What does Wealth mean to you?
Being healthy.
How do you manage your day-to-day money?
I like to be cautious. I enjoy myself, and I treat myself to nice things, but I’m always on the cautious side.
What have been your main resources for developing your confidence with money?
Not making a big deal out of it. Money flows. Be generous, know to give, and it comes back to you. Money is like energy. You need to give and be able to receive.
What was your first investment, and where is it now?
Art. My family is very much into art and I’ve always bought art from a young age and it has done well, though when I bought my first art I didn’t think of it as an investment. I bought it because I loved it.
What long-term investments have you made?
Property and some early-stage investing in various companies.
What is your number one financial priority?
I have two things. On the one side, there is wealth preservation with my capital, and on the other side, there is growth and risk through my businesses.
What was your first job?
I worked as a sales assistant in a clothes shop in France when I was in my 20s, and that is the best thing that’s happened to me from a career standpoint. I was treated quite badly by the shop manager and the clients. It made me realize how lucky I was that my parents could afford to send me to good schools and how lucky I was to study where I was studying. It made me so grateful for my first job when I enrolled in the graduate program at Deutsche Bank.
What is the most important life lesson you have learned?
The most important life lesson I’ve learned from my story of struggle is that no matter what I’m faced with in life, I have to come with a positive mindset. I always tell myself: “I can handle this, I will be fine”. It’s a positive warrior state of mind.
