Naureen Ahmed: Uplifting Women with Balance & Belonging

Meet Creating Hospitality: a conversation series where we explore an important question that impacts the journey to joy: how can today’s hospitality leaders create healthy, happy teams categorically capable of helping guests find their joy?

We chat fun and unique stories with hospitality leaders to inspire others how to build successful teams, careers, and customer experiences from the start.

In episode five, we chat with Naureen Ahmed, founder of Inspiring Women in Hospitality, about gender imbalance in the hospitality industry and how she’s creating space for women to grow as leaders alongside one another.

Episode Transcription

Shawn Gaines: Welcome to Creating Hospitality, a conversation series that explores how today's hospitality leaders can create healthy, happy teams categorically capable of helping guests find their joy. I'm Shawn Gaines, your host, Sertifi’s CMO, and just a guy who gets inspired by talking with cool people. And we have a very cool guest today that I am very excited to chat with. Naureen Ahmed, welcome!

Naureen Ahmed: Thank you so much for having me, Shawn!

SG: Yeah, it's great to have you. I'll let you introduce yourself. Can you tell our listeners a little bit about yourself? 

NA: Sure, my name is Naureen. I am the founder of Inspiring Women in Hospitality. I like to introduce myself by saying I'm a community builder, gender balance advocate, and co-creator of inclusive leadership. So, that's my short intro. 

SG: I love all those things and I'm excited to dive into each of those more. But you know, Naureen, I do love to start with a basic question. You can interpret it however you want, but what's your story? What got you to where you are today? 

NA: So, with that, I need to go further back. I always like to start with a bit of context with my background. So, I am Bangladeshi-Swiss, born in Bangkok. So, with a very multicultural background. I think I was destined for hospitality. I lived in about four different countries by the time I was 10. Because of my mixed background, I always wanted to be in an environment that was diverse as well, so hospitality was that perfect fit for me. I was felt a bit odd, like the odd one out growing up, especially when I went to high school in Bangladesh. But when I arrived in hotel school in Switzerland, I wasn't the odd one out anymore. Everyone had a weird story like I did so I really felt like I belonged. That started my journey within hospitality.  

After a couple of operational roles in F&B (Food and Beverage) and then in revenue, I then moved to a company that does data analytics for hotels and ended up having a 12-year career with them. And it's really during that time that I started noticing that gender diversity in leadership positions was not quite diverse or not quite balanced and I wanted to do something in that space. So, during COVID, as a passion project, I launched the podcast under the name of Inspiring Women and that's just been a journey since. I've since started running my own events, I have my own membership, I do coaching, run workshops, I'm a speaker now as well, at different events - well, I've always been a speaker, but just in different content now, and really being a champion or as I said in my intro, an advocate for gender balance and really focused on building community amongst the women in the industry at a very global level also. Because that was one of the things that I was able to build, is an international network and I wanted to see how I could leverage that network to elevate the conversation around gender balance. So that's my journey so far. 

SG: Got it. And for you listeners, if you haven't listened to Naureen's podcast, it's the far superior podcast. It's very delightful, I listened to a few episodes leading up to this conversation. So, when you're done listening to this one, please jump over to Inspired Women in Hospitality and check it out. But something interesting you said Naureen is, especially when you were younger, you were kind of seeking this sense of belonging. I think you said it was high school when you kind of fell into, like, you feel this belonging. And then you got into hospitality, and you were hoping to see the same environment of diversity and belonging, but you realized there was room for further diversity and a greater sense of belonging for women in this space. I ask, were there specific incidents? What was it about your time there that made you realize, oh, there's an opportunity for me to step in and provide more visibility with women in hospitality? 

NA: I think it was during my career development or my own career journey while I was in the corporate environment where I was looking for a network or a community where I could really tap into and just ask questions that was on my mind or look for some resources. I just wanted to have a space where I could ask questions that maybe sometimes you don't feel that comfortable asking within your own work environment, right? Where especially sometimes you don't want to go to your manager, you don't want to go to HR, but you just want to talk to somebody. And I guess that could have been some kind of mentorship type of relationship, but I was also too nervous or scared to ask for help. I thought I had to figure it out all by myself and I felt like I was on my own in that moment.  

And whilst I had attended other networking events during my time and also focus on women, it wasn't very structured. It wasn't like you could just go in there and ask things that are on your mind related to your career, it was a lot more informal, so it never really led to anywhere. So, the first thing I wanted to do was, I wanted to know how did women get to where they got to? Like, how did they develop their career? How did they progress? How did they achieve the success that I can see from the outside that they've achieved? Because there were many women that I admired in the industry, yet I didn't know their stories. So that was really the catalyst for me, and I couldn't find it. So, I was like, OK, let me do something about it. And that's really when I started the idea to start with the storytelling through the podcast. 

SG: It sounds like that then is what snowballed into more of the community building aspects and the bringing folks together physically, right? 

NA: Indeed. 

SG: To that end, what's your goal coming out of it? What makes you feel like, this is a successful program, doing what I wanted it to accomplish? 

NA: Well, I actually don't have the answer to that yet. I think it's still growing. When I started, I never thought I would be running a membership or running events. It's grown very organically based on what I've been hearing from the industry, the community, the woman that I'm working with. I very much rely on their input and their feedback to help me develop further insight. The end goal, of course, is gender balance, right? That's the ultimate goal. How that's going to be achieved, I don't know. Is it going to be achieved everywhere else, I don't know. But what I wanted to do was do something to help contribute towards those who do want to make a change. And we've started with looking at ourselves and looking at the community as a strong network of women. But there's certainly a lot more that needs to be done by engaging with the industry as a whole and by engaging with companies because everyone needs to be part of the solution, and one size is not going to fit all. We're going to have to see what's going to work in different organizations, or even in different parts of the world. 

SG: So, while you're out there inspiring women throughout hospitality, who inspires you? What leaders do you look up to? 

NA: I think one of my original inspirations was my maternal grandmother. Her story, which I would need a whole episode on its own, she he taught me how to be brave, how to be courageous, and how to just persevere. She took so many leaps of faith throughout her entire lifetime and has also reinvented herself many times over, which I feel like I'm doing as well now. And just so knowledgeable, and just very open minded. I think those are definitely qualities that I try to emulate in the work that I'm doing today. 

 SG: You know, taking a leap is one that comes up a lot in conversations with leaders, especially leaders who build something new. So, to that end, how did that feel to you? You were at an organization for over a decade. So, probably a pretty stable role that you have there. And then you took this leap to try to build something that is going to be beneficial for a lot of people in the industry but hasn't really been created before. 

NA: Yeah, I think I was very much in my comfort zone for a very, very long time. I was very comfortable in my role, in my position. And that's easy, right? It's easy to stay in there. But I definitely had the sense of like, I felt like there's something was missing. I felt like there was more that I could do or there was a greater impact that I still had to make. I just didn't know what it looked like at the time. And if I'm honest, this is not going to be right for everyone so this is definitely not advice, but I didn't feel like I could do it at the same time, when I was fully employed. Like, if I really wanted to focus on it full time, it was something that I really needed to let go of my previous corporate life and then go after it. So yeah, it was one of those sort of milestone years. I was turning 40. My grandmother, who I was just talking about, she passed away. So, it was one of those wake up moments. We were coming out of COVID, and my family lived in so many different parts of the world. I just took a leap of faith and decided to take some time off to figure out what I wanted to do next because I didn't leave with the intention of doing something, I left with the intention of let’s see what's out there.  

So, this is a very, very scary moment in your life when you're leaving everything secure behind you. I was in a position that I was able to do that so that's why I'm saying this is maybe not necessarily the case for everybody, but it was what I needed to do and what worked for me. And I think you do that in other moments in your life, but none of them are also the same. And I think everyone's circumstances are going to be different. However, what I will say, and this is a lot of what I share as well, until and unless we take action, we will never create something. We will never build our confidence. We won't actually have that courage to do something if we're just thinking about it. That's scary, but at the same time, nothing will ever change until you've taken some kind of action. 

SG: Yeah, taking that leap, right? 

NA: Yeah. 

SG: So, in this role, I don't think I ever asked you this Naureen, are you doing this solo or do you have like a team that kind of helps and supports and organizes the activity that Inspiring Women is doing? 

NA: So right now, it's solo! Me, myself, and I, so I call myself a solo printer. On the other hand, I'm really lucky that I have a lot of people who are supporting me in various different capacities, in various different ways. I do now have mentors who I reach out to, and they help me brainstorm different ideas of how I should move forward, how to take the next step or where I can be of best use. I also have within my community what I call an advisory team that will help me to develop what we're going to do next. The membership has developed quite significantly in the last year and a half or two, almost two years now since I started.  

And, in different parts of the world, if I cannot be there, I do have community members who are able to co-host events in my absence. I can support them virtually but then they will have to be there on the day to do things, which is brilliant because then that means I don't have to be everywhere all the time, even though I would love to. This also means that they are also getting some of that visibility and able to build their profile within their space so, under the brand of Inspiring Women in Hospitality, but they also get that opportunity to be recognized and seen to be supporting these initiatives. Also, there are different companies who are now coming on board and supporting the membership in different ways. So, the network is growing but in terms of the business itself, it's just me, but there's definitely a wide network of supporters who are there as well. 

SG: How did you build that team? It sounds like that's an important part of what you do. 

NA: It goes back to networking. Actually, it's not just networking, it’s cultivating relationships which is what I like to talk about. We often talk about the fear of networking and making the first move. That's not the hard part. The actual hard part is what comes afterwards, making sure that you are staying in constant contact. For example, next week I'm travelling to Bangkok for a conference there and as I'm getting ready for it, I'm already reaching out to people that I know who are going to be there or who I know are there. Even if it's just a small WhatsApp or a message on LinkedIn, you keep that connection and make sure that you try and make plans to see them. And even though maybe I won't be able to see everybody, they've heard from me. And then the next time we'll have an opportunity to maybe catch up with something. And then as you're talking, you see where the interests align and then you will ask. Until you ask, you will never know. So, it's really finding those people who are also as interested as you or as passionate as you in the same tough topics and want to make a contribution also. And they don't have to. It's not something that I ever say you must do. In fact, it often happens the other way around, when they come to me and say, hey, Naureen, I'd like to support you with this or help drive this. You need that person like myself to help make sure that it actually happens, because there's a difference between saying I want to do something and then actually doing it. 

SG: For sure. Now, you talk about your travels and the different roundtables. Let me make sure I got these numbers right. You mentioned hosting 24 Inspire roundtables in 11 cities. Is that right? 

NA: Yeah, it started with roundtables and now they've kind of gotten bigger because originally, we were just 8 to 10 and then went to 12 and then 16 and now a lot of my events are almost 30 plus, so, it's not quite a roundtable format anymore so I'm just calling them events in different parts of the world, but yeah, 11 cities. I'm going back to what I say about cultivating. Even if you just go to the city once, try and create opportunities where you're going back a second time or a third time even. That way the group starts growing bigger and you're building those connections that way too. 

SG: What's interesting is you're probably our most global guest I've had a chance to talk to yet. Like in terms of going from city to city. There's probably a lot of similarities in the hospitality world, but I'm sure plenty of differences in terms of culture or environment. How do you adapt and lead when you're running some of these different group meetings in different countries or cities? 

NA: I think I've been very lucky because from such a young age we moved around a lot, so adaptability has always been sort of at my core. Always being curious and open-minded to different cultures has been very important. And I would say no matter where I go in the world, the skill that I rely on the most is facilitation, to ensure that everyone is part of the conversation, and then everyone gets an opportunity for their voice to be heard. So, in a group of eight, that's quite easy to do because you can call them out, you can invite them into the conversation, you can make sure they can be heard. And what I do in some of the larger events, you kind of make subgroups so that, in a smaller environment, people feel more comfortable, or a smaller group, people feel more comfortable to share. What's most important is that they all feel safe to share whatever is on their mind and to know that it won't necessarily go beyond these walls, virtual or in person. And it's all about building that trust and building that space where you feel like, I'm not the only one going through this, which is what I was struggling with in the earlier part of my career. 

SG: I'm really glad you mentioned that. I feel like often times the importance of the facilitator role isn't spoken enough about because in terms of creating an inclusive, safe environment, that's almost like the only way, right? The facilitator is really responsible for making that happen. Do you have any thoughts or techniques for others, how other leaders might be able to facilitate or foster that type of environment, whether it's in meetings or in their day-to-day interactions? 

NA: At the very beginning, if you can set the intention or what we are going to be talking about. Even in the run up to the event, people want to know what to expect, who's going to be there, what is the purpose of it, and then once you're there, you share, you start with introductions. And I think it's important for you as an individual also to be open and vulnerable because I think once you share and you share the level of details that you're prepared to share, that then opens up the conversation for others as well. And it's also about listening. Really be present. Just turn off as much distractions as possible. It's definitely easier to do when you're in person, but even in a virtual environment, you can turn off notifications and things like that. If you're not paying attention, people will know. They feel it immediately. So, I think the other thing that I do is to really be present and to really let the others know that I'm here in this room with them right now and I'm not anywhere else. 

SG: That's great, wonderful advice. I've done this myself a couple times where I turn off my second monitor. I have two monitors set up in my work environment. But if I really need to focus on a conversation, it's not going to happen if I have a second monitor. It's so easy to get distracted in this day and age – and being able to listen. 

NA: Yeah, absolutely. 

SG: So, I'm hoping this conversation, that some folks listening, maybe if they haven't heard of Inspiring Women in Hospitality or maybe just thinking of other ways that they can engage. How can we all be better allies for visibility and for the mission that you're out there working on? 

NA: Yes, I think there are definitely several ways to do that. First is to come on to my podcast as well and share your stories. I do have another channel called Inspire Inclusive Leadership where I invite men and individuals from outside the industry to come in and share their thoughts on different topics. It doesn't always necessarily have to be on gender. It can be on leadership, it can be on networking, it can be on work life balance. So that's one way. Another is to get involved in the different events or memberships that I'm running. Another way is different workshops. Towards the end of last year, I ran a workshop on imposter syndrome where it was for a women's employee resource group, but we had the men attending as well. They were very much invited to be part of the conversation.  

A lot of the work that I do, yes, of course, it is curated around the female experience, but it's definitely not always unique to women either. Whether you're struggling with confidence or if you're struggling with speaking up or you're just looking to learn on some tips on how to overcome imposter syndrome, those are things that anyone can learn if they want to or not. There's something special that happens when it's women only in the room, but we definitely need to start creating more spaces where we can have both genders in the room. So, I'm still exploring different ways in which I can do that. And, what's interesting, there's some research that's been done, depending on the ratio that you have of different genders in the room, it alters the conversation. So, women only, very open, a very vulnerable, very frank, very honest. You insert a few men into that room, it will stay the same. In fact, men will be equally open and honest also. But as soon as that ratio shifts where there's more men than there are women in the room, the conversation will change. It won't be as open and honest anymore. And I haven't done anything with the men only group, that will be interesting. I would say one-on-one, have very good interactions, very open discussions. I still have some more exploring and experimentation to do as well. 

SG: That's really interesting, what happens with the gender balance once you hit that saturation point, one or the other. Not surprising, but interesting and gives you something that you can work with as you continue growing what you're doing. So Naureen, this has been an amazing conversation. But before we wrap, we do have one segment on this show that I really love. We call it Hospitality Shout Out. So, Naureen, do you have any recent experience you could share of a recent wonderful hospitality experience at a hotel or at a venue? Just any recent one that you can think of. 

NA: One of the ones I would like to share, I'm staying with some friends a little bit outside of the city and this is probably one of your typical, more pub experiences, I would say. So you go to the local pub, whether it's for a drink or dinner, and nowadays, especially in the UK countryside, you have these beautiful pubs, and they do wonderful food and it's just warm and friendly and people are coming in, they know each other, they're saying hi to each other, and it's just this wonderful environment. And it's also the kind of place that you can go to on your own if you want to. Especially on Sunday, they do the Sunday roast. It's just a really nice experience and I think this is the beauty of hospitality spaces that you can really create that environment of being welcomed and feeling like you're not on your own and that you can have a really nice experience at the end of the day. I don't think everyone gets that right all the time. I think it really depends on the type of establishment you have.  

I recently have preferred to stay in co-living spaces when I'm travelling rather than your typical hotel because of that community aspect, because they're organizing events and doing different things and people are just generally more ready to say hello and they're staying for a longer period of time. Whereas in hotels, typically, it could be a one night, two-night stay. And, as a woman, you have to be careful of how you're interacting with other people. So, you know, that is definitely a consideration for me when I'm making arrangements for travel or where I'm staying or things like that. But I definitely like the co-living concept. I've definitely become a fan. 

SG: The community aspect is very on-brand. 

NA: Yes, definitely!  

SG: It's everything you stand for Naureen! I love it. 

NA: Indeed. 

SG: Well, again, a huge thank you for joining us today to share your stories. I mean, definitely learned a couple things from you today. I think one, I learned the importance of having the courage to do something. So, whether that is taking a leap to start a podcast or try something new that you think's really important or even just asking for help as you build it and having the courage to do that and let others come to you. And of course, also learning the importance of mentorship and having that group around you to support and learn from. And then being able to do that for other people. So, thank you for teaching me both of those things today, Naureen.  

NA: My pleasure, Shawn. Thank you so much for having me today.