Selina Ved: Find a problem to solve and dream big

Also in this package. Azhar Sajan: I want people to respect me for who I am Hrishikesh and Rohit Datar: The go-getter and the critical thinker Arjun Dhanak: Knowing people and respecting all is key to success Dimple and Heena Tahiliani: Carrying on a family legacy .Selina Ved, Founder & CEO of NESSA.Tell us a little about yourself..I graduated from the University of Western Ontario in Canada last year with a degree in business, specialising in consumer behaviour. Beauty is my passion. I spend my spare time either creating makeup videos or watching tutorials. I love to express myself through makeup; it’s my happy place..What's a regular day in your life like?.Ever since I founded Nessa, my life has mainly been revolving around it. I usually spend most of my day at work doing the usual meetings/calls. After work, I love spending time with my family. Coming from a household with four entrepreneurs, we’re always busy with our own schedules, but always make time for each other. We love family dinners..What defines you as a person and as a business head?.The loyalty I have for what I do, the commitment towards my business, and patience. Staying calm makes me more approachable..Growing up, did your parents give you business responsibilities to handle?.Growing up, I spent my summer holidays shadowing my father and interning at Apparel Group. This experience enhanced my knowledge about how a business works..Since both my parents and sister are entrepreneurs living under one roof, business-related discussions are a staple at our dinner table. Sometimes these discussions turn into interesting debates with all four of us sharing our opinions..Were you interested in pursuing the business?.After graduating from University, I decided to work at Apparel Group’s e-commerce venture 6thStreet.com and that is when I realised that I was ready to handle the launch of my own business. Since I have always been interested in makeup and cosmetics, I decided to create NESSA..Three business-related lessons that you picked up from your father/mother?.First, find a problem to solve and dream big. Don’t stress about capital, as long as you have a vision, capital will follow..Second is to find a mentor, they will help focus on guiding you..Last, create and utilise relationship capital, that is what will set you apart from your competition..Can you share two incidents/moments in your professional life when you felt you lived up to the expectations of your mentor?.The day Nessa launched was an exciting and rewarding experience. We had been working towards the launch for five months and couldn’t believe it when we were officially public on the App Store. Furthermore, my first interview with Gulf News, as it was the first time I announced Nessa publicly and put myself out there..How would you like to be known – as a person and as a business head?.Being a business-minded person is in my personality, naturally. I believe in building relationships with whomever I work with, from brands to my employees..Tell us one difficult issue/problem you faced after assuming your role in the company and how you tackled it..As a business, you never know when and how problems can arise. During the beta launch of Nessa.com, we faced technical issues and had to figure out how to list our brands, products, and logos all over again within 24 hours. This involved coordinating between different departments to find the most efficient solution to meet our deadlines..What do you think is your strength?.I think my biggest strength is my mindset, which is something I learned from my parents. Being resilient and mentally strong is the only way to get ahead in this industry..And your weakness?.I feel I’m a soft-hearted person, which sometimes gets the best of me..What do you consider your greatest achievement to date?.Being able to graduate and launch my own business, including launching the App and website within the same year. Bringing Nessa to life has been the most rewarding experience in my life..What keeps you awake at night?.My to do list. There are times I wake up in the middle of the night because I remember something or have an idea and I can’t sleep until I write it down..What is the most important lesson life has taught you?.Not to take anyone or anything for granted, and that life is too short..What did you want to be when you were growing up?.It’s actually funny. I wanted to be a lawyer by day and DJ by night..Inheriting a business comes with a baggage of expectations. How do you deal with that?.Since Apparel Group is owned by my parents, it has been possible for me to learn about the beauty business through our brands. This exposure gave me the confidence to launch a unique brand under the Apparel Group portfolio, which is currently online with the potential of going brick and mortar in the future..Our belief is that our future in-store business will need to accommodate this reversal of process, whereby having an initial online presence will provide enough data to curate the perfect brick and mortar store. The expectation is to be hard working and have work ethic, which is something that is highly valued in our house. My parents have always been my inspiration. I grew up witnessing their hard work and commitment to building the business they have today..In case you don’t know me.1. My 3am friend is… my childhood friend Rhea, but according to my colleagues, it’s my pen, paper and WhatsApp..2. My garage has… Been, at one point, the Nessa office..3. On my bedside, you’ll find… usually my notebook and a pen..4. I can’t live without… my makeup!.5. After office, I love to… honestly, I either go out or nap. But most of the time, it’s coming home to nap..6. My idea of a dream holiday is… just relaxing with a book and spending all day reading it..7. On a Friday morning I love to… sleep in..Read more. Period problems: Meet the women tackling menstrual hygiene issues head-on ‘It’s all in the mind’: Smart life lessons from 4 successful UAE teenagers UAE mumpreneurs: Mothers who wear the crown at home and at work