Dr. Maryam Zamani Talks Female Empowerment
As a woman, what makes you feel empowered?
“I feel most empowered when I make people feel good about themselves and give them the self-confidence they seek. We live in a society where everyone wants to be beautiful, and heavily influenced by social media. The need to appear youthful, attractive and desirable at all ages, is innate in our DNA and is the underlying reason patients come in to see me. Our skin reflects physical and emotional health and is greatly influenced by lifestyle choices such as diet, exercise, stress management and sleep. The desire is to look well, feel well, and live well. I also feel empowered when I feel like I have a well-balanced life! I help my patients look the best version of themselves at every age.”
What does beauty mean to you?
“Beauty surrounds us, it is everywhere and it is a state of mind. Of course I am surrounded by the concept of beauty every single day, but for me, beauty is how we live and observe around us. It is about how you nourish yourself and take time to do things that you enjoy; the things that fuels you on the inside to bring a smile to your face, to make you feel confident, to really just make you happy. I see beauty as a lifestyle rather than external physical features. I feel beautiful when I have had a good night’s sleep, I see beauty when my kids shower me with hugs and kisses or make a cute little card or when my parents share stories with their grandchildren….beauty is about all the details. Of course a good delivery from matches or net-a-porter always helps! I also think that beauty is to be perfectly imperfect- that is what makes us all unique.”
What women are you personally inspired by?
“I feel fortunate to be surrounded by inspiration in so many fabulous and fierce women who are also my friends as well as from entrepreneurs around the world who raise the collective bar higher. I am inspired by those that have taken a risk, put all their energy into creating or supporting something that makes a difference. I love hearing, learning and seeing their visions come to life, in the midst of craziness. I remember that photo with an iceberg, where everyone sees the top but they do not realise the journey it has taken to get there. As a young entrepreneur I now see the sacrifices and hard work it takes to make one’s vision a success. I love the energy in people who have gone out and taken a risk and said: ‘You know what, I’m going to try this’ and then making it work and then sometimes having it explode is just phenomenal. Inspiration just comes in the strangest of forms and surrounding yourself with people who are amazing just lifts everybody up.”
Women need more…
“Self-confidence! Ask mentors for their opinions, don’t be shy- what is the worst that can happen? Put yourself out there- that is something I find very difficult to do, but I am trying more and more to do this- you never know who you may meet that may change or perspective on what you are doing. If you have an idea, constantly try to analyse it, make it better. Trust your instincts- they will serve you well! And finally, make sure you have the best support you can, because this will make everything so much smoother. Keep true to yourself, follow your own path and try not to compare your journey with someone else’s- you have no idea what their situation was or is. BELIEVE in yourself!!”
What does female empowerment mean to you?
“Female empowerment means different things to me at different levels. In my clinic, I take great pleasure in helping people feel good about themselves and empowering them the self-confidence they may need. We live in a society where everyone wants to be beautiful, and heavily influenced by social media. The need to appear youthful, attractive and desirable at all ages, is innate in our DNA and is the underlying reason patients come in to see me. Our skin reflects physical and emotional health and is greatly influenced by lifestyle choices such as diet, exercise, stress management and sleep. The desire is to look well, feel well, and live well. For me personally and as an entrepreneur, I feel empowered being able to do what I love doing every single day! I help my patients look the best version of themselves at every age. I help MZ Skin consumers by giving them the very best combinations of ingredients and formulations to keep them looking and feeling their best. I think being a female founder comes with a lot of responsibility and pride and I love seeing more and more women forging their paths and working together. I am a true girl’s girl and hope that I can help those behind me in their own journey to create and improve the lives of others. Helping others along the way has been the most gratifying to me. I feel hugely privileged to have the ability to hopefully encourage, support and maybe inspire others. Because of this I have started a series of inspiring women entrepreneurs who are ploughing their way with their own visions and goals. I am thankful for those that gave me their time and energy and always look to help others.”
How does your personal style empower you?
“I definitely think that embracing your own personal style is a form of empowerment. For me, that means bringing colour and playfulness into my style- it makes me feel happy and that in itself is empowering. I don’t follow trends but really pick and choose on what makes me smile. In recent years I have thought more about sustainability, and i often go shopping in my own wardrobe, finding lost treasures with happy memories attached!”
What obstacle have you faced being a woman – in your career, or otherwise?
“Now that I am a mother, I sometimes find it challenging to create a balance between work and family life. Like all women, I want to give my all to my family and my business but that doesn’t always work harmoniously together. However, I am adaptable, solutions oriented and hardworking; three important attributes that help overcome any potential obstacles that may come my way. I feel that I have been extremely fortunate and lucky in the way my career has progressed so organically. I have done what I love and worked incredibly hard to be and do better. I think attitude is always crucial- I definitely have a can-do attitude, solutions driven. I think that anything you want is achievable, and that there is ALWAYS a way, even if you cannot see it immediately. Ultimately, I have put my heart, soul and a whole lot of sweat and I have had the never-ending support and guidance from my husband and family. Their support and particularly my husbands has given me the wings to fly. And I think it’s also super important to be able to prioritise. Sometimes it’s work and sometimes it’s my family and it’s ok to realise that that’s ok.”
What advice would you give young girls today?
“You have to trust your instincts. No one knows you or your thoughts better than yourself. If there is something inside you that doesn’t sit right, listen to it. Don’t second guess yourself. Sometimes we are all a little insecure, myself included, and I’ll listen to someone else, even though I know in the back of my mind and in my heart that it is not the right option. With time, I usually revert back to where I started. Trusting your intuition is really important and don’t get too stressed over the small stuff. Also, surround yourself by people you admire. Ask mentors for their opinions, don’t be shy- what is the worst that can happen? Put yourself out there- that is something I find very difficult to do, but I am trying more and more to do this- you never know who you may meet that may change your perspective on what you are doing. If you have an idea, constantly try to analyse it, make it better. And just go for it!. Keep true to yourself, follow your own path and try not to compare your journey with someone else’s- you have no idea what their situation was or is. And finally, BELIEVE in yourself!!”