MY SKILLS
I am a multi-disciplinary electrical and computer engineer who writes, creates, and talks. I believe in failure.
Product Innovation
My work spans from ideation, user interviews, mock ups, graphic design, user experience design, customer engagement, analytics, and recreation of features based on need. I enjoy making user-friendly products that bring delight and simplicity to end users.
Growth & Business
Although I have no formal business education, I have built three of my own companies (all failed) and consulted with a handful of organizations like Facebook, Google and Yale, in growing aspects of their business to new markets.
People Management
One of my most favorite aspects of my day to day work is mentoring and growing people. Having led teams of up to 20 young people fresh out of college, I believe the most rewarding and long-lasting impact we can have with our work is being a supportive teacher.
“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope… And that enables you to laugh at life’s realities.” – Dr. Seuss
MY WORK
I have over a decade of experience from Wall Street to NGOs to Startups to Consulting. Click on a photo below to learn more about the companies I’ve worked with.
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
What people say about me and my work often feels like an exaggeration, but I’m proud of what I’ve created and excited it moves others in special ways.
SHAYON DASVERMA
“Shabnam is one of those leaders who would never give up on you if you have the passion to learn and grow. I have had the privilege to work with Shabnam and see how calmly she used to deal with stress. She never let the external pressure pass on to her team. I can strongly say that Shabnam has managed to build one of the best workplace cultures I’ve ever seen wherein all of us embraced failure without fear. It is just because of Shabnam’s vision in the company to make everyone learn that all of us in the team has seen an amazing learning curve and accelerated growth. I would highly recommend Shabnam. She is a true leader!”
TONI MARAVIGLIA
“I can’t more highly recommend another person in the edtech field. What can I say? This woman is amazing. Shabnam continually pushes me to think critically about our company’s vision and feasibility in the Kenyan edtech market. She is thoughtful, yet challenges me to dive deep into problems and find real solutions. She is one of the reasons I don’t ever want to give up what I’m doing. Her love of the work inspires me every day, and I can’t thank her enough for her honest feedback. She truly cares and gives all she can to other people.”
JOHN TRIDENT
“I’ve read many self-help books & nonfiction ones pertaining to this genre specifically. Never have I encountered any book which talks about failures in depth & gives such vivid description about it. It has been explained, extrapolated with instances & also examples from real life situations have been taken to make the readers understand what it means to fail & never give up. Because life is all about trial & errors, one must be relentless, persistent, never give up, keep moving forwards by learning from failures. The author takes us through her journey & her viewpoint in India with a noble deed. The zeal of honesty & dedication is worth appraisal. The book has been written in an unbiased manner!”
CORY ZUE
“There are so many books that tell of the founding stories of billion dollar companies, but so few that document the 90% of typical companies – ones that start from an idea or vision, grow a small team, achieve some degree of success/traction, and then go through struggles and ultimately don’t succeed. It’s the story of so many businesses in the world and yet one we hardly ever see. The writing in the book is excellent, and Shabnam doesn’t hold back in baring her soul, flaws, and insecurities to the reader. She also does a good job weaving in different themes – including a thread on the unique cultural and gender dynamics around trying to be a female founder in India – throughout the main narrative.”
MY CLIENTS
My clients include Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Yale, IIT, and Pearson
CONTACT ME
I currently reside in Kigali, Rwanda, but am available to take new clients for consulting, writing, and speaking opportunities around the world.
MY OFFICE
WAKA LIFE
KIYOVU
KIGALI
RWANDA