The Coffee Banter

Join me and the celebrated television journalist and positive change activist in Pakistan, Sidra Iqbal as we explore the intersection of mindfulness and aligned living as human beings. Sidra shares her life experiences, we talk about confidence, particularly in women and the common mistake we usually make with the law of attraction.

She is one of the most powerful youth icons recognized as an influential big-picture change agent who champions thought leadership for positive impact.

Sidra has an in-depth understanding of national and regional security, political, economic, governance and human development challenges & environments, based on extensive experience in broadcast journalism and political commentary in Pakistan. 

Twitter: @SidraIqbal

Instagram: @iqbalsidra

In this episode I invite Emilia Ohrtmann to the show, a designer, author, blogger and business owner. She is the author of 'It's Your Life - How to Choose Confidence' book as well as the podcast co-host of the 'Mums in Biz Podcast'. Emilia speaks to me about her journey from being a website designer to an author, developing a niche for your business, staying true to one's brand and quoting tips for your work. She also speaks about her new book, ‘It’s Your Life’, and how the fear of flying actually led her to write the book.

P.S: Emilia has also recently launched her own clothing line for women that inspires confidence, and something she had always wanted to do. She is also a wonder woman who manages to stay super fit, is highly organised and a doting mother of four children.

Instagram: @emiliaohrtmann

Podcast:  @mumsinbizpodcast

Clothing Line: @emiliaohrtmannofficial

In this episode I invite the digital evangelist of Pakistan, Saad Hamid to the show. Saad is currently the Community Manager at Google, part of the DevRel & Ecosystem team. He has been recognised by the World Economic Forum for his work in social innovation and is a WordPress instructor at DigiSkills running a Facebook community. We talk about dos and dont's of community building, his experiences running the Ted events in Islamabad and about his latest venture 'JADU' that helps Pakistanis get trained remotely to find a job in tech, paying no tuition until being hired.

In this episode, Emma Belle, a domestic abuse and sexual violence survivor shares her story with immense courage. She talks about her disturbed childhood, non-existent concepts of boundaries as a minor and the aftermath of being groomed by a close relative. She also talks about her battle with bipolar since 10 years, and how she is stepping up to speak about her experiences as a mental health and trauma mentor in order to help and empower others.

Emma Belle: @emmakbelle

Podcast: @vulnerabilityrockspodcast

Update: At the time of recording this episode, Emma was pregnant but recently had #tfmr termination for medical reasons at 13.5 weeks. The baby was diagnosed in utero with Edwards Syndrome #t18 which meant that her baby would likely not make it to term and if they did would probably only live a few hours/days. My heartfelt love and support to Emma <3

Trigger warning: Contains narration of sexual trauma

In this episode, I have a candid chat with Mimi Nicklin, an experienced marketer and communications specialist, currently the Regional Managing Director for a global advertising agency in Dubai. She is a well-known empathetic leader, host of the 'Empathy for Breakfast' show and 'Secrets of the Gap' podcast. We talk about an empathy deficit leadership and how having empathy can not only benefit the teams at workplaces but also the consumers. We discuss her experiences with launching her book 'Softening the Edge' amidst the global pandemic and she shares some valuable practical takeaways. 

In this episode, I sit down with Nooran Albannay, an Emirati entrepreneur who left her stable job working in the government to pursue her lifelong dream of owning a space that celebrates art and encourages creativity. She had one passion: To make really good coffee, serving it to her customers and see the joy on their faces. Here she talks with me about breaking norms, setting the benchmarks, manifesting her dreams and carrying the loving legacy of her grandmother forward. 

@Coffee_Architecture

In this episode I invite host of 'Hope it Helps' podcast, Khaled Abuljebain to the other side of the mic and talk about his show, the concept behind it and how he aims to help people through it. We also talk about being vulnerable online as digital content creators, on taking that first step on your new journey and about being brave. 

In this episode, I sit down with Lorna King, a certified coach, digital marketer and founder of UAE's women's confidence, & personal brand building network called Project Athena - Women Who Want More. We had a candid talk about being true to one's own self, about self branding and overcoming personal challenges. We also talk about the importance of a women-centric community and how coaching can help dig out answers we  might already have.

In this episode, Junaid Akram, the popular vlogger and social media influencer from Pakistan opens up about his life journey. We discuss how he has been able to use humor to make his point about issues in society and culture, while educating the masses through laughter in a light hearted banter that resonates with people.

In this episode I sit down with Hussain Nadim, an accomplished scholar from the likes of Oxford and Cambridge University who returned home to work alongside the Pakistani government and military agencies consulting in data and policy. Currently the CEO of The Nerve Center he is offering expertise on data and technology to innovate the public sector and media industry.