The difference between success and failure is in taking the
initiative. The Girl Boss series aims to highlight the achievements by women
just like you and me who are doing amazing things. Hopefully their stories will
inspire you as much as they inspire me. This week we chat to Tasneem Randeree,
founder of Nura, an online accessories store, and MSc Molecular Biology
student.
1. Who is your favorite female fictional character and why?
Wow, so many to even mention, I really love Khaleesi and Sansa Stark from Game of
Thrones. But, if you asked my brother, he would say Mulan (both fictional and real) because I was totally obsessed with
the movie growing up (still am and can recite the movie back to front).
2. Everyone's been making New Years resolutions. What are
your New Years resolutions?
I’m not big on resolutions; I like to work through goals at my own pace. But if I had to pick
one it would be; to be less judgey,
there is way too much hate going on in the world and it needs to end. It’s time
to start empowering others. More importantly, I feel like I’ve held myself back many times because I was
worried about what people would say. It’s been so bad that I don’t even
comment on pictures often because I wonder what people will think. So maybe if I let go of times I judge, I’ll be
rewarded with the same energy. Also, it’s a big year for our business so
there’s many resolutions and goals to work on (fingers crossed). If my husband
and mother decide to read this, my other
resolution is keep my cupboards more organized. My make up and shoes are everywhere!
3. If you could have lunch with any woman, dead or alive,
who would it be?
Again, my brother would say Mulan (the real one). I am really
inspired by empowered and strong women. Growing up, there were way too many
fairytales about women being rescued by a man. Mulan was the first one I
remember where the female lead saved
herself instead of waiting around. Plus, it dealt with so many themes and
topics that are still so relevant today.
4. What did you want to be growing up?
I think a ballerina
for a while, I never really had an idea of where I wanted to be or who I wanted
to be growing up. Which was great actually, because it landed me in science, although some days I think that was inspired
by The Big Bang Theory.
5. Miss Scientist! What is it like as a woman in STEM?
I’m still currently doing my masters in molecular biology so not a full scientist yet. I started
off with a Bachelor of Science because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study.
The course had really good credits but after the first month I realised that it was where I wanted to be. It’s great
being a part of the STEM community, and as a female it’s extremely empowering.
Of course, some days people ask me if it’s a stepping stone for Medicine or
Pharmacy and I feel pushed back another 10 years. It’s an incredibly uplifting experience and community and I would recommend
it to anyone who is interested.
6. What inspired Nura?
There was no real inspiration for Nura, we just needed money, so we started a small business and found a niche
to work with. We made the effort from the start that we had to try and be different. We grew to love
the work. I think sometimes it’s great to acknowledge that you don’t have to be passionate about something to try it.
7. What was it like starting a business? What are some of
the challenges and wins you've experienced?
It’s incredibly hard,
we picked a random name to try and keep some anonymity. We also refrained from
telling people because we were so nervous about it. But getting out there was
the hardest part. Once we overcame our fear, building up a base became a lot easier.
Every day presents itself with new challenges, the worst and the best part about business
is the people. There are some days, where you are so frustrated you feel
like giving up but more often you will have people that remind you why you
started. Our biggest win was our collab
with Nabilah Kariem last year, there are so many people that we have met
along the way that have just made our experience so amazing.
8. What's it like working with your significant other? Don't
you get tired of each other (Lol!)?
It’s really great actually, I wouldn’t have it any other way. We disagree on the smaller things
often but we’re pretty much on the same
page when it comes to running of the business. We’re learning how to work around and with each other, but we
also have our studies and jobs away from the business to focus on, giving us a
break.
9. What keeps you motivated when you feel like giving up?
Honestly, there are days where everything really brings me down to the point where I just don’t
want to deal with it anymore and give up. We attend to messages whenever we
can, even if it is late at night or early hours of the morning. We package
orders at ridiculous times and lost tons of sleep. That’s when I like to scroll
through messages and pictures that people have sent us where they are happy
with our products and services. The
people who support you will always carry you through. We are honestly
nothing without the people who encourage and support us.
10. What advice do you have to girls who want to start their
own business but are too scared?
I know it’s scary, truthfully, there is nothing to fear. Once you have decided that this is what
you want, take the leap. It’s not easy but will be worth it. All
small business at some point only had 100 followers, everyone comes from humble beginnings. You will also learn along
the way, so you don’t have to be an expert in business to start. There is great network of small businesses who help
each other, always offering advice or a willing hand. You are not alone in
this.
11. Tell us a bit more about yourself.
I grew up in a small town in Northern KZN, moved here to
study and now Durban is my temporary home. Small
town and big dreams. Omw, I’m not that interesting. I spend most of my free
time napping, eating, Netflix, watching videos of kittens doing stupid things
and annoying my husband.
12. If you could give your 13 year old self one piece of
advice, what would it be?
To relax, you
will leave the small town, you will see the world, you will have your life
together. Life has a weird way of
working things out. Just take it one step at a time and everything will
fall into place. It’s often advice I still give myself.
13. Lastly, where can we find you?
You can find me on instagram: @Tasneem.Randeree not very active on other social media but you can
check our business out on instagram: @nuraonline_
or facebook: Nura Online
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Hello, February!
A month of love and affection, chocolates and roses and of course, my new favorite fake holiday, GALENTINES DAY.
A month of love and affection, chocolates and roses and of course, my new favorite fake holiday, GALENTINES DAY.
With the New Year, New Me mindset wearing off it's time to go back to doing what we do best - binge watching series and movies on Netflix! It's actually the best time to do it considering the academic year has barely started, and most of us have some free time on our hands before things get crazy.
No family is perfect - that's the tagline for the new local movie, 3 Days To Go. Can it get any more relatable?
In 2019 I’m leveling up my New Year’s resolutions by setting realistic goals and actually pursuing them with help from the Uber Eats app.
Although not a South African tradition, for the past 3 years I've made it my own tradition and made eggnog. Eggnog is a dairy, alcoholic beverage (Or non-alcoholic) mainly enjoyed during the festive season (November-December).
Eggnog originated in the United Kingdom and was passed onto American colonies in the 18th century. It was typically a drink enjoyed by the aristocracies as its main ingredients, milk, eggs and sherry, were foods of the wealthy. In the 21st century it became more popular with North Americans and Canadians. Home made eggnog is typically preferred over store bought eggnog.
As far as I know, you can't buy eggnog in any of our South African supermarkets so why not just make our own! This is a quick and easy eggnog recipe that I make. I prefer to make non-alcoholic eggnog because I don't like the mix of dairy and alcohol but you can easily make it an alcoholic drink if that's what you prefer.
Eggnog originated in the United Kingdom and was passed onto American colonies in the 18th century. It was typically a drink enjoyed by the aristocracies as its main ingredients, milk, eggs and sherry, were foods of the wealthy. In the 21st century it became more popular with North Americans and Canadians. Home made eggnog is typically preferred over store bought eggnog.
As far as I know, you can't buy eggnog in any of our South African supermarkets so why not just make our own! This is a quick and easy eggnog recipe that I make. I prefer to make non-alcoholic eggnog because I don't like the mix of dairy and alcohol but you can easily make it an alcoholic drink if that's what you prefer.
In this heat that we're facing in the southern hemisphere, the best way to spend the festive season is in front of the tv with the fan on high (Although I'm guessing those in the cold northern hemisphere feel the same way - except with a heater instead of a fan!).
Netflix has tons of Christmas movies - they literally show you most of them the moment you open Netflix! Christmas movies tend to be so heart-warming and are such a good way to get into the festive mood.
So grab your laptop/TV, make some popcorn and position your fan in front of you for these Christmas gems available on Netflix in South Africa!
Netflix has tons of Christmas movies - they literally show you most of them the moment you open Netflix! Christmas movies tend to be so heart-warming and are such a good way to get into the festive mood.
So grab your laptop/TV, make some popcorn and position your fan in front of you for these Christmas gems available on Netflix in South Africa!
It's that time of year again - time to go on 10 mall trips and STILL not find good enough Christmas gifts for everyone! Christmas shopping can be so frustrating, I for one know the struggle.
That's why I'm hoping to make Christmas shopping a little easier for you and give you some gift inspo so that you can go to the mall with a plan and know exactly what to get everyone! This should save you from the multiple mall trips that end up being a waste of time and energy. You'll find something for everyone (and then some!). Hope this helps!
That's why I'm hoping to make Christmas shopping a little easier for you and give you some gift inspo so that you can go to the mall with a plan and know exactly what to get everyone! This should save you from the multiple mall trips that end up being a waste of time and energy. You'll find something for everyone (and then some!). Hope this helps!
I'm sure you would realize by now that I'm OBSESSED WITH CHRISTMAS. It's my favorite time of year (And I hope it's yours too! Unless you have, like, bad Christmas memories - but how could you, it's the most wonderful time of the year!).
I'm also a sucker for Christmas music (Fun Fact: Every year since primary school I start listening to Christmas music as soon as final exams start). I've decided to compile a list of my favorite Christmas albums that I'll be playing on repeat during this month.
I'm also a sucker for Christmas music (Fun Fact: Every year since primary school I start listening to Christmas music as soon as final exams start). I've decided to compile a list of my favorite Christmas albums that I'll be playing on repeat during this month.
It's that time of year again; year end functions, family time but most of all long queues to do Christmas shopping! *sigh* I'm the least patient person when it comes to waiting in a queue at the mall, much less facing the traffic. That's why I'm looking for cool alternative gifts that you can simply shop for online and have delivered straight to your door in a matter of days.
Our childhood favourite is back with a bang (Not that it ever left!). Vaseline has stepped up their game with the new Vaseline Lip Therapy Products.
When people think of KwaZulu-Natal they don't usually think of a holiday in the countryside. This often means they miss out on one of the best destinations in the province - the Midlands Meander. Nestled among the green, lush rolling hills of the Midlands is where you'll find Brahman Hills.
You're on a 7 hour road trip from Joburg to Durban. It's approaching hour 6, almost a whole day on the road. You're grumpy. You're tired. You're HUNGRY. Just like an oasis in the desert you pull off the N3 onto Nottingham Road and see The Midlands Kitchen, a foodie heaven in the Midlands!
High quality skin care products are something we shouldn't have to compromise on. While I'm all about that saving money life, I'm also someone that believes in investments and investing in good skincare products is super beneficial in the long run.
While I personally use just a few essential skincare products, I like to incorporate one or two other more intensive products into my routine from time to time depending on my skin's needs. For 3 weeks I incorporated the Environ Focus Care Hydrating Oil Capsules and Environ Focus Care Youth+ Revival Masque into my routine.
This week we chat to another #girlboss - and she's literally the boss! Nafisa Grey has built a name for herself as a mother, wife, blogger and CEO. This is a unique edition of the #girlboss series and is aimed at motivating and inspiring you to conquer this exam period! Nafisa recently went back to school and is in progress of her second masters degree - talk about doing the most.
Hey you. Yes you, the one procrastinating and reading this blog post - you should be studying!
With Halloween coming up I figured it's the perfect time to do something scary - LIKE GETTING BLOOD INJECTED IN YOUR FACE, ALL IN THE NAME OF BEAUTY. Well, kind of.
I decided to try out the Vampire Facial. The vampire facial is a PRP (Platelet-rich plasma) treatment that uses your own blood to promote the healthy activity and regeneration of your skin cells. I first heard of it a couple years ago when Kim Kardashian posted a bloody selfie in IG (Eeeep!)
In actually fact, as you will see in the video, it isn't bloody at all. The red blood cells aren't used.
PROCESS (VIDEO)
STEP 1: YOUR BLOOD IS DRAWN AND YOUR FACE IS NUMBED USING NUMBING CREAM.
STEP 2: THE BLOOD IS RUN THROUGH A CENTRIFUGE TO ISOLATE THE PLATELETS.
STEP 3: MICRONEEDING OR MICROABRASION WITH THE PRPs (i.e blood) TAKES PLACE ON YOUR SKIN
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO BELOW!
AFTERCARE
Right after the treatment your skin might be a bit red with a sunburn texture (i.e cancel any plans you have for the rest of the day!). You have to apply sunblock and should not wear makeup directly after. Make sure to continue applying sunblock even after, although you should be wearing sunblock anyway. After a day or 2 your skin may be very dry and start to peel off (which is what I experienced). Then, after around 3 days you should see results - beautiful, glowy skin!
Disclaimer: My treatment was complimentary but all opinions expressed are my own.
Time for another #girlboss interview! Get to know what keeps these Queens motivated to do the mostest! This week we chat to Danielle Jayne Dass, a fashion designer with her own fashion label, blogger and recent mom of 2!
If you're in the Umhlanga area looking for a place to go out for dinner with your man or the girls then you're no doubt spoilt for choice. Just a walk down Palm Boulevard or the village will make it evident that there are literally hundreds of options. But what makes one option stand out from the others? Apart from good food, when you're choosing a restaurant you're also looking for a good atmosphere. You're not just looking for a good meal, but you're looking for a whole vibe.
Last weekend, I gave News Cafe Umhlanga a try. It's conveniently located right opposite Gateway Shopping Centre which is my usual stop when I'm in the area. One thing that stood out about News cafe was the atmosphere which seemed to get better and better as it went from afternoon to early evening.
To eat, I stuck with the classics and chose an original burger and Strawberry Daiquiri and my brother chose a Chicken bowl and a white hot chocolate, and we had taco's as a starter. The (soft shell) taco's were a bit plain but they were very filling, after having just 2 I felt almost full! My burger was juicy and although I'm not much of a burger person, I did enjoy it (I don't eat much bread so I took out the top bun). And the strawberry daiquiri was amazing! I wanted to try out more of the cocktails but I had another commitment later that evening the required me to be sober (*Sigh*). But there's always next time! The music really set the tone for the atmosphere and even though it was a cold rainy day, it was warm and cozy inside.
Even though I was so full, I wanted to stay a bit longer after my meal and just relax. I ordered a piece of Bar One cake for dessert, sipped on my Strawberry Daiquiri and just unwinded with a chilled Saturday evening at News Cafe Umhlanga after a long week.
Will I be back? Definitely, but this time with a group of friends and more time on my hands to sample the long list of delicious sounding cocktails.
Time for another #girlboss interview! Get to know what keeps these Queens motivated to do the mostest! This week we chat to Dr. Rohini Bisaal, a dental surgeon, international model, brand ambassador for Miss Uniworld and dancer.
August's theme of Women Empowerment is in full swing! Every Friday this month you've experienced an interview with another #girlboss and got to know what keeps these Queens motivated to do the mostest! But why just stop at August? Women should be celebrated every month. So every second Friday for the rest of 2018 you can expect a new another one of these Girls Boss interviews - I hope it inspires you as much as it inspires me! This week we chat to Teshie Ogallo, a UCT student and fashion blogger who just this month launched her online store, STYLETECH by Teshie Ogallo.
If you've been to any clothing store lately you've probably
come across some kind of shirt with the slogan "The Future Is Female"
- as soon as corporate finds an opportunity, they commercialise on it and this
is no exception. However, the phrase still holds so much weight.
Women are taking over all aspects. This is undeniable. Most
undergraduate classes are at least 70% female, stay at home moms are becoming a
dying breed and in general women are dominating every sector of life. However
the scale isn't completely balanced, especially in the entrepreneurial sector.
While this isn't completely new territory for the fairer sex, it tends to be a
rather hostile one. That's why organizations like Future Females are so
necessary.
What is Future Females?
A movement formed by females for females. It is an
empowerment movement aimed to uplift and helps women from all walks of life
through their entrepreneurial journey. The organisation first launched in South
Africa in August 2017 (Exactly a year ago!) and have already grown to have over
3000 members of the community actively participating to drive our mission
globally with events in South Africa, German and Namibia. The Future Females
mission is to accelerate the success of aspiring and existing female entrepreneurs
and intrapreneurs to provide an environment where females can connect, and
access the necessary resources.
August's theme of Women Empowerment is in full swing! Every Friday this month you can expect an interview with another #girlboss and get to know what keeps these Queens motivated to do the mostest! This week we chat to Shenai Bridglall, a female entrepreneur running an NPO, who will soon also be launching a new venture in the fashion industry, her footwear brand called Shenai Briglall.
August's theme of Women Empowerment is in full swing! Every Friday this month you can expect an interview with another #girlboss and get to know what keeps these Queens motivated to do the mostest! This week we chat to Sheena Deepnarain, a South African actress and blogger, living in Johannesburg.
August's theme of Women Empowerment is in full swing! Every Friday this month you can expect an interview with another #girlboss and get to know what keeps these Queens motivated to do the mostest! I'm kicking off this series today with an interview with Michelle Meilhon, a South African blogger living and working abroad in the Netherlands as an au pair. She's actually a close friend of mine who I met exactly a year during a blogging event!
Happy Women's month ya'll!
August is definitely my favourite month because so much attention is placed on empowering women as well as women's issues.
And for some reason, August has also inspired me to get back to regularly blogging! For the past year I've slacked so much with only 7 blog posts (compared to posting every single week last year).
But I'm officially back with a new post every Wednesday (Just like old times!) and a completely redesigned website. So sit back, relax, and expect some amazing new content on Life By Asha Singh every Wednesday!
P.S there might be a little surprise at the end of this post too!
P.P.S what do you think of the new website layout and design? I tried out something that's easier to read on your cellphone. And I think it's pretty lit.
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1. REFLECT ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WOMENS DAY
This is a must for err'body. Don't forget the reason for the season, yo. Just to recap on your high school history class: 9 August (i.e womens day) commemorates the 1956 march of about 20 000 women to the Union Buildings in Pretoria. The march was against SA's pass laws that required South African's classified as "Black" under the population registration act to carry a "dom pass" or internal passport. The first women's day occurred on 9 August 1994 and is now based on the principle of striving for equal freedoms and rights and bringing to light womens issues such as domestic violence. During the march, the women stood silently for 30 minutes and then started singing protest songs. Why not just take 5 minutes to quietly reflect on the position of women and womens rights in society today? I would recommend a drive to a serene place like to beach to just take a moment to feel thankful.
2. SPEND THE DAY WITH YOUR #SQUAD
There's no better way to spend the public holiday than with your girls! They've got your back through and through so why not celebrate them! Here are some idea's on what you guys can do:
- Have a girl power movie marathon. Both Buzzfeed and Bustle have lists of amazing feminist movies to watch but here are some of my favorites : The Hunger Games, Mulan, Bridesmaids, Divergent, Pitch Perfect, Legally Blonde, 10 Things I Hate About You, The Princess Diaries and The Help. So grab your popcorn ladies!
- Coffee Date to discuss new ways to fight the patriarch of course.
- Pamper Day! All this fighting for equal human rights can get tiring, so grab your female ninjas and have a spa day. After all, those legs deserve a pedicure after attending all those women's month marches.
3. SPEND THE DAY WITH YOUR NO.1 LADY I.E YOUR MAMA
Behind every Princess is a Queen! One thing I've noticed about some of the most ambitious women I know is that they have strong moms they look up to as a role model, and there's no better way to spend Women's Day than with your Queen Mama Bear! If you're lucky enough to live close to you mom (And not over 8000km away like me *sigh*) then take advantage of that and have some bonding time. Why not have a movie day or dinner with mom?
4. GIVE BACK TO OTHER WOMEN/ORGANISATIONS
One thing I admire most about the women who took part in the 1956 march is that they were so self less and still united for a cause they believed in. Instead of doing something that benefits you on 9 August, give back to the community. There are so many ways you can do that. Donating to an NGO, volunteering or even just by being a part of an organization empowering women in South Africa.
5. READ ABOUT OR LISTEN TO THE STORIES OF OTHER INSPIRING WOMEN
This is one you can do in a few different ways. Women's month is filled with local events with talks by inspirational women that you can attend. You could also just plan a lunch date with an inspiring woman you've always wanted to get to know better and ask her the questions you've had on your mind (Or better yet just hit her up on IG or DM her the questions you've always wanted to know. Beware, some people think they're too famous to reply to DMs. Don't be one of those people.)
Luckily, I've got your back and I'm making this step even easier for you by featuring interviews with some inspiring women throughout this month of August! Every Friday in August you can expect a new post with an exclusive interview with yet another #girlboss! For now, check out last year's interview with blogger, model and law student, Payal Ramlall.
So I turned 21 last month. Damn, time flies! Because I'm me and super lazy, I've just decided to list 5 of the biggest lessons I learnt before turning the big two zero. Let me know what you learnt before turning 21!
via GIPHY
THINGS I LEARNT BEFORE TURNING 21
1. STAY IN YOUR LANE
Especially at this age it's so easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing. Your early 20s are so weird. Some people are buying cars while others are passed out drunk on the sidewalk at 4am - and what matters is that both are happy! We're all running a race that has no definite finish line. Some of us want to get married and have 2 kids, others want to travel the world and some want to become Buddhist nuns (*Uhm long story). The motto here is the 3 G's - Goals, Growing and Glowing! As long as you're doing those 3 you're okay baby girl!2. IT'S OKAY TO CHANGE YOUR MIND
Since entering the big bad world after finishing school I've changed my mind about what I want to do SO MANY TIMES. I've dabbled in so many things, changed my mind so many times and I'm still not sure what I want out of this thing that we call life. And you know what? That's okay. It's okay not to know and it's sure as hell okay to change your mind. What I'm proud of myself for is taking the leap and trying out all these different things. If I didn't try out Mechanical Engineering back in 2015 I would have never knew how much I would hate it! That brings me to the next one.via GIPHY
3. TAKE CHANCES
My other motto lately has been - "What's the worst thing that can happen? You could die." That's it, literally the worst that can happen. And you're going to die anyway. So take that chance. It just makes it all the better knowing you tried and gave it a chance. The goal is no regrets so we have to take these chances.4. CUT 'EM OFF
You meet A LOT of people at this age. And this is where you have to be extra selective about the people you keep close. Luckily for me I knew this from early on. However people also change, and you change. So even though they were "your people" at some point, this doesn't mean you'll feel that way after a year or 2. It's okay to cut people off. It's okay to tell them to GTFO of your life.5. LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE NO MATTER WHAT AGE YOU ARE
This is sometime I've tried to live by since school days. No matter what age or life stage you're in, make the most of it! I don't miss school - but I think I make the most of that stage in my life. Now I'm not saying you're early 20s are perfect - you're constantly tired, hungry and broke and that sucks. But we just have to make the most of it. We look pretty AF. We have minimal responsibilities. We have the world at our finger tips. We have so many opportunities knocking at our door. And best of all hangovers are still pretty much nonexistent for us. I'm going to enjoy every moment of 21, and every other age, and one day I know I'm going to look back with no regrets!
In the past year I’ve probably been to King Shaka International Airport around 30 times. Whether it’s just to drop off or pick up someone or to go on another adventure, this airport has become my second home. Now anyone that knows me knows that airports aren’t my favourite thing in the world (It's no secret!). They generally aggravate my anxiety and cause me to freak out a little (Okay, a lot). But since it’s absolutely impossible for me to totally avoid airports, I had to come up with my own game plan to “deal”.
Here are some of my tips to making the most of your experience at King Shaka International airport!
Here are some of my tips to making the most of your experience at King Shaka International airport!
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| Source: Unsplash |
2 March 2018 is SheDecides Day. The SheDecides movement is founded on a belief in "a world where every girl and woman can decide what to do with her body, with her life, and with her future."
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South Africa is also a part of their worldwide campaign with the SheDecides Flagship Event, to be held in Pretoria, 1st March 2018 and bringing together over 200 young people and politicians from Eastern and Southern Africa.
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