Meet Layla: The Queen of Balance
When I tell you that Layla handles everything with grace, you can sense the balance within her soul. She is honest and transparent about how she has arrived at allowing herself to be guided by what truly matters- the heart, soul, and connection of each individual. Her humility radiates from her- don’t miss the light she shines on us all through the rawness of her words! She works with impactful brands such as Little Bridge, Unicef NEXTGen, and Immad’s Syrian Kitchen all working to create a better world!
1. How would you describe yourself and your journey to where you are now?
I would describe myself as someone who has followed her heart and intuition to guide her throughout life. I genuinely followed my heart throughout everything. All the projects I work on now have come from a deep calling. All the people I work with in supporting the people that I do- I feel called to do so and then I use my gifts, skills, and knowledge to advance that mission.
2. Tell us about the mission of your brand- how does it empower women?
The fundamental core of all the things I work on has this higher level principal- to expand yourself as a human being, you have to have access to certain skills, competencies, and consciousness. For a lot of people this comes from religion or a deeper power or a universal magic that is at play that they don’t understand. In order to be able to ascend yourself as a human being, you have to get past yourself. My first focus is getting out of my own way so that I can serve others- those projects are all in their own shape or form focused on the education and empowerment of other people. Whether it’s empowerment through community and how I support people in those communities or the events that Next Gen puts on or the family that I’m working with- the fundamentals of it create jobs and educational opportunities to move the dial on the things that are crucial to human development. The guiding force has been my heart- so when I met the founder of Little Bridge and she shared with me what her vision was for the world- I knew we would work together. When I met the Syrian chef I’m working with, I just knew. You have to trust your intuition- what I’ve learned the most is that everyone who has an idea but only those who go and execute their ideas will know what it’s like to be on the right path. I was deeply moved by the work that Unicef is doing so it’s inspired me to do what I’m doing now, and it became clear that I’m on the right path. I have had my share of learnings on the journeys- it’s not like I woke up one day and had the answer- in hindsight, all these projects hang together in perfect unity but it wasn’t always like that. Follow the little moments when you meet someone and decide you’re going to go all in with it- even if it gets hard! It will take energy, hard work, etc., but it’s about following that intuition.
3. What is the biggest challenge you’ve had to press through as a female entrepreneur? What are the steps you had to take to overcome it?
The first thing that came to mind is just being enough- that I’m qualified to be doing what I’m doing and that I’m good enough to be doing what I’m doing- that I don’t need to be ashamed of my gifts. I fluctuate between feeling like I’m too young to do what I do and on the other hand feeling incredibly empowered and having a voice to do what I’m doing. I struggle with the shame of how I am perceived as successful. Those two key themes of not being enough and being ashamed of when I am enough is what comes up for me. I deal with this through self love practices- learning to enjoy my life and not love myself for what I accomplish but for who I am in the pursuit of them. I have to get out of my head as well. I have to continue to build the habit of doing things for me and not because anyone is watching or because I’m trying to prove myself.
3. What sets your brand apart from others?
In terms of Next Gen, what’s really different about it is that you don’t have to leave your full time job to make an impact, and you can give in ways that work for you. Your startup idea that you always wanted to try you can set up with us! The whole point is that it’s charity in a different way- it works for people who are doing the giving and those who receive the giving- it genuinely allows people to give in the way that works for them. Most charities you write a check for and that’s it- what’s different about Next Gen is it’s accessible and relatable and a place where our generation can create things that they are excited to be a part of while also allowing them to give back to Unicef.
Immad’s is different- the brand I build with the Syrian chef- it’s not just a restaurant, it’s a culture and an introduction into the Middle East that you don’t hear about in the news-. It’s not just a pop up but an immersion in a cultural experience and not just in a food experience but in the way you are treated and the portion size- every detail is about harboring that culture.
With Little Bridge, it brings together children’s education, global citizenship, and social media in one place to connect children through the English language. We help them understand that there is a whole big world out there- it’s a way to immerse them.
4. How do you collaborate with others working towards a better world?
One of the most important things is stepping up- if you can take on more take on more with respect for yourself and without taking on too much, do so. For a team to work, you have to be operating from the same place of “I’ll take that and I’ll take that” but when people sit back and don’t have that “I can do” attitude, things don’t move forward. The second thing is when people are owning things and really there to serve, we can figure out how to do things more quickly and effectively which means understanding the context from which they are working. The third thing is accountability- have conversations with people when they aren’t getting things done and have feedback so that you can do things with integrity. The fourth thing is working with people who share your values and then just get on with it. On sports teams you have coaches, not managers- he or she trains the team and then allows them the space to execute. A lot of team work is about that- trust that they will make the right calls.
5. What advice would you give to female entrepreneurs in the beginning stages of launching their brand or business?
I think 1) don’t be afraid to ask for advice or help. Know where your strengths and shortcomings are because we are stronger in numbers and odds are one of your friends has done it before. 2) The other things is don’t underestimate men. Some of the most empowering relationships I have are with men- the conscious ones are such a source of power! 3) Listen to others advice but ultimately you know what’s best and you’re the only one who has all of the information on what you’re doing so trust yourself. 4) Don’t be afraid to not meet your pre-determined expectations. There is no such thing as failure- understand that someone who has been successful has been successful because they failed and tried again- don’t be worried about how you look to others in the process.
6. Anything else you want to share with our readers?
Ultimately, the most important thing in all of this stuff is the frame of mind you’re in and your well being- focus on feeling good, relax and enjoy the ride! We get so caught up in getting things done but really things will happen for you and you’ll be able to use those gifts if you are in a good state and a good place. Just enjoy! When you’re at the end of the work you’ve done, that process is so much more fun when you’re enjoying it than when you’ve been “waiting waiting waiting” for that last moment of success. We often take for granted in life and the outcome we are supposed to achieve- but this moment, just like this phone call we are on together- like that’s it! Don’t wear yourself out so that you can enjoy whatever it is you’re trying to build.
Instagram: @laylayarjani