I love my Persian roots and I have many strong women running through my genes, but my background also meant that I didn’t fit into the model of society. My appearance and my character were often seen as different but instead of living up to the expectations of others, I made a choice at an early age - to stand up for myself. Both in the circle of friends and later on in my profession and this gave me a head start to really get to know myself.

My personality has played a crucial role in my career and in my opinion, it all starts with who you are as a person. Your personality is unique and can not be copied or ignored. Today, being under constant influence of musts and demands, I really want to encourage others to think about their strengths but also weaknesses and turn them both into their advantage. No matter what you decide to do in life, you must first and foremost believe in yourself.

Music has always been a great passion, my dad was a music teacher and we played a lot of music at home. He also arranged concerts with artists from Iran and already at the age of ten I got to help sell CDs and hand over flowers to the artists.

Throughout my profession I have challenged, been curious, questioned and dared to take place. Of course, I have met both resistance and people who wanted to diminish me, but the adversity has strengthened me knowing that it pays out to stand up for what you believe in. I have always chosen not to get caught up in negative comments and to put my focus and energy on those who have paid attention to me and wanted to help me move forward.

Let no one else limit you. Go ahead and apply for that job or education you dream of and remember that every time you dare to stand up for yourself, big or small, your self-esteem will grow along with you.