Failure Decoded

Rachel Vollmer & Shamsiya Khabeer

Learn how to face your fear of failure to achieve the life you want. Get actionable advice from founders who have embraced failure and built stronger businesses because of it.

  1. 11/12/2023

    Failure is not for the faint-hearted and weak-willed: Power talk with Melanie Elturk

    Melanie Elturk. a former civil rights attorney, is the visionary CEO behind Haute Hijab, a preeminent U.S. hijab brand. A graduate of Wayne State University, Melanie's academic prowess paved the way for her to attain a Juris Doctorate from the university's esteemed law school at a remarkable age—23. Armed with a passion for social justice, she seamlessly transitioned from the realm of civil rights advocacy to  the fashion industry. Melanie Elturk's entrepreneurial journey is a captivating narrative of trailblazing resilience, clarity of vision, steadfastness, honesty, leadership and pursuit of how to  find contentment in the face of setbacks and failure. Melanie explains with clarity how faith,  detachment, courage, social justice, patience are key catalysts to transformation into something more beautiful and impactful. We unravel the layers of Melanie's story, gaining profound insights into the woman behind the brand and the impactful strides she's making in reshaping the narrative of hijab in the world of fashion.  Her commitment to bridging cultural gaps and fostering inclusivity and building communities is not merely a business endeavour; it's a testament to her unwavering dedication to societal progress and self actualization. Show Notes 1:00 Melanie Elturk’s Legacy, an introduction. 4:17 Navigating challenges and setbacks during the  Covid-19 Pandemic as an entrepreneur. 10:34 Haute Hijab’s most heartbreaking difficult time. 15:34 Secret to Melanie’s  trailblazing confidence and exceptional leadership qualities. 17:34 Everyone has a role to play and that forms the core of Haute Hijab. 18:19 Haute Hijab has the best team, they are warriors.  20:10 How was Haute Hijab built? 25:10 I am a Hustler. 34:28 Choosing Haute Hijab over an enticing Law career in Dubai. 38:28 Haute Hijab is a symbol of Power and Resilience. Links Haute Hijab Website Haute Hijab Instagram Failure Decoded Your Hosts: Shamsiya Instagram LinkedIn Rachel LinkedIn Twitter

    42 min
  2. 10/01/2023

    Embracing Failure: the key missing piece in entrepreneurial success with David Silverberg

    David Silverberg is a freelance writer, journalist, entrepreneur, editor, poet, storytelller and writing coach. From embracing rejection to discussing the importance of failure in entrepreneurship, David's journey from reporting on Fuck Up Nights Toronto , writing to BBC, to coaching writers is a testament to resilience and niche expertise. Learn from his experiences and gain insights on lessons learned, startup ecosystems, and the power of mentoring in the entrepreneurial world. 7:34 Anyone who works in the freelance space is an entrepreneur. 9:14 Rejection is part of the process, just keep at it. 14:14 The experience of covering F**k Up Nights Toronto. 15:24 Talking about Failure completes the key part of the entrepreneurial puzzle. 15:35 What happens when something does not go right. 19:20  David Spielberg’s personal tryst with Failure. 20:24 Do not fall into the trap of catering to everyone, Niche down. 26:44 What lessons were learnt from the Epic failure of Google’s Smart City in Toronto . 33:34 Canada’s changing startup ecosystem and how it compares to the United States of America. 38:21 Mentoring is a great way to monetize existing skills as a consultant, entrepreneur, and freelancer. David Silverberg Instagram Website David Silverberg Become a Better Writer newsletter: https://t.co/Rj2APNLDZC Failure Decoded Failure Decoded Instagram Your Hosts: Shamsiya Instagram LinkedIn Rachel LinkedIn Twitter

    46 min
  3. 09/11/2023

    Power Up: Exploring new business opportunities to navigate the global financial crisis of 2023

    In this episode  Dr Pradeep Kumar Sacitharan shares his experience and insights about the current Global Recession and how it has impacted different sections of the society and businesses. The year 2023 has seen the collapse and failure of some of the biggest banks in the United States of America and the European countries are experiencing rising cost of living that has left many people food insecure. The resilience of an economy is influenced by numerous factors, and it's important to recognize that the economic performance and resilience of a country can be influenced by a wide range of internal and external factors.  This conversation dives deep into the different business sectors impacted by inflation and how pivoting and building stronger business systems could be the way forward to avoid failure and build stronger and powerful economies. So let us Power Up. Show Notes: 3:00 Not everything is in our control, not even the looming recession however, our response can control the outcome. 4:00 Covid, disruption of the supply chain, impact felt by consumers and challenges for entrepreneurs. 9:12 Offer the best quality products at a good price to the customers and do not cut corners. 12:57 Tips to invest in commercial real estate at this time. 20:28 The  challenges faced by the food industry and rise of food insecurity. 22:57 Import and export strategies to implement now. 26:08  Establishing new and ethical export trade deals with developing, resource rich  countries can prove to be lucrative. 33:05 Business is a numbers game, building strong networks takes time and hustle. Links: Pradeep's Social Media Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Your Hosts: Shamsiya Instagram LinkedIn Rachel LinkedIn Twitter

    40 min
  4. 08/08/2023

    Allow yourself to fail, it is not the end of the world.

    In this episode we talk to Iman Grewal about entrepreneurship and compassion. Iman's  journey is one of creativity, business, and relentless passion for helping others. She embarked on her professional life as an artist, immersing herself in the world of performance, production, and curation. Iman's artistic endeavors took her to prestigious organizations and events around the globe, including the World Economic Forum, where she left an indelible mark with her talent and creativity. Multi hyphenated, multi faceted artist, entrepreneur navigating challenges and achieving success but never at the cost of mental health. Infact, Iman is one of the few entrepreneurs who very early on realize how important taking care of one's mental health is that she has created businesses around it so that she can offer her wisdom, knowledge and experience to others. In this episode Iman also talks about how immigrant children, herself being one, have very different challenges. They take on responsibilities very early on and the hustle-growth mindset comes with a huge responsibility to never fail. Show Notes 1:00 Iman Grewal, the performer, producer, curator, event programmer and entrepreneur. 4:58 Sharing stories is very important, especially the failure stories. 5:26 Connecting on a deeper level which is becoming difficult with technological developments. 6:54 Iman’s story  and stories of immigrant children, escaping genocide and starting a life in Canada. 9:54 How immigrant children have similar experiences and children becoming parents to parents. 12:23 Resilience, growth mindset, hustle, not letting ourselves fail might not always be a good thing. 15:32 Entrepreneurial spirit and what it means. 17:50 Mental Health Challenges faced by Entrepreneurs. 19:37 Iman’s encounter with never stopping and Burnout. 21:41 Educate and spread awareness to equip others to manage mental health better. 26:13 Organizations have to make work spaces safe for all people, the onus is on them to make everyone feel included. 34:48 Intention and power of slowing down. 37:32 Get on the path of learning, learn to be flexible and never fear failure. 48:59 Have compassion for yourself, be realistic and bring on more acceptance for yourself. Links Iman Grewal Linkedin Website Your Hosts: Shamsiya Instagram LinkedIn Rachel LinkedIn Twitter

    49 min

About

Learn how to face your fear of failure to achieve the life you want. Get actionable advice from founders who have embraced failure and built stronger businesses because of it.