You graduated from King's with a degree in Business Management, what did you do next?
I first took the decision to continue my studies and pursued a master's degree in Public Policy. My favourite classes at King’s involved applied economics and behavioural economics, so I was keen to learn more about how they affect government policies and business.
I also completed a summer internship in investment banking during my studies which helped me decide where to start my career. I joined Citi's London office and worked across different business areas for several years.
My last role was in the consumer and retail investment banking team, helping clients to complete important transactions such as raising investment in capital markets, or to pursue strategic mergers and acquisitions.
When did you decide you wanted to become a founder?
It happened late last year and I would describe it as a "seize the moment" type of decision, that seemed sudden but in reality had been in the back of my mind for a while. My start-up is a financial planning business for Muslim women and it’s called Nisa Invest.
For many years, I had a blog called Fahan Finance where I would share my experiences with money in my 20s. It was largely for family and friends and started on Word Press, then YouTube and then Instagram until a friend invited me to speak at our local mosque’s sisters circle. We gather once a month and we're invited to speak on our area of expertise. Standing in front of everyone and talking about personal finance led me to think “maybe I could do this for a living?” I had reached a point in my day job where I was happy to go and find a new challenge so it worked out.
What's your entrepreneurial journey been like to date?
It began from that moment of speaking in my local mosque. I wanted the business to be a source of knowledge and guidance for Muslim women on personal finance across all of life’s stages. I had a deck of questions I gathered from everyone and turned it into a Q&A podcast to start a dialogue online. The podcast has been a helpful constant this past year.
Personally, the start-up journey was also an opportunity for me to learn new skills. So much of my time has been dedicated to retraining and passing my exams to be a financial planner, as well as learning to code. Coding led me to meet developers, who were training at the same coding bootcamp this summer. They helped me build the MVP of the Nisa Invest platform.
Why did you apply to King's Start-up Accelerator?
There are many aspects of the accelerator that appealed to me. Firstly, the team at the Entrepreneurship Institute make a great effort throughout the year to get all members of the King’s community to consider entrepreneurship as a path for them.
I learnt about the King's Start-up Accelerator at a peer-to-peer pitching event organised by the Women Entrepreneurs Network. Idea Factory came next and I had a wonderful experience prepping for the semi-finals earlier this year.
Throughout all these experiences you realise that King's is invested in your development as a founder and the positive impact your venture will have on the planet. The simplicity of that proposition was what sold it to me.
How does it feel to be back at King's, receiving support for your venture?
I’m a proud alumna of King’s so it feels great to be back. I’ve joked in the past that if you had told me on graduation day that, a decade later, I would still be swiping the same red lanyard, I’m not sure what I would have said – especially considering how focused I was on securing a full-time role in banking at the time.
I enjoy working in a busy environment and feel very fortunate to be able to make the most of the office space at Bush House. I used to have a business coach in my previous job and we have similar support at the Entrepreneurship Institute which I definitely value. Our most recent sessions with the Experts-in-Residence on Growth and Sales have also answered so many of my questions.
What impact are you hoping to create with your start-up?
I believe that having the tools and knowledge to make informed financial decisions can help us all gain greater control over our future choices. With that, my hope is to inspire my clients to dream big—not just for themselves and their loved ones, but also in the legacy they leave through their impact on the world.