From Labour Camps to Global Leadership: Tariq’s Journey of Resilience and the Rise of SheAdvises – Women Who Chair

From the heat of factory floors to the polished boardrooms of Dubai, the journey of Tariq is not a straight line of success but a winding path marked by sweat, sacrifice, resilience, and vision. His story begins in India, where childhood was framed by the values of education, family, and the quiet strength of his parents. Growing up in a close-knit household, education was seen as the ladder to a better future, and his parents worked tirelessly to make sure he attended a good school. Watching their sacrifices gave him an early sense of responsibility and a determination to make something meaningful out of life. He remembers being curious about the world from a young age, fascinated by the way trains moved, machines operated, and businesses thrived in busy Indian markets. That curiosity was the spark that would later ignite a lifelong passion for creating and leading, but at the time, it was simply the restless wonder of a boy dreaming beyond his circumstances.

Life after school did not hand him easy opportunities. Instead, it pushed him directly into the world of work. His first jobs were in factories, where survival was the only thing that mattered. The air was hot and heavy with the smell of oil and metal, machines roared like restless beasts, and every day felt less like building a career and more like enduring another shift. He worked sixteen to eighteen hours a day, walking miles between his home and workplace, often without proper meals. Rest was a luxury. Discipline became his lifeline. In those long hours, he learned to stop depending on motivation and instead built a habit of persistence. Doing what needed to be done, no matter the fatigue, taught him lessons that would stay for life: how to focus on what truly matters, how to appreciate small wins, and how to see each struggle as the foundation for future growth.

When he moved to Saudi Arabia, the challenges multiplied. He spent nine years there, beginning again at the bottom as a technician. Those early months were the hardest. The culture shock hit like a wall—language barriers, loneliness, and the feeling of being out of place in a society so different from the one he grew up in. It wasn’t just homesickness; it was a deep sense of disconnection that made him question whether he had made the right choice. The turning point came when he shifted his mindset from survival to curiosity. Instead of seeing the cultural differences as obstacles, he began to treat them as opportunities to grow. He learned Arabic phrases, listened more than he spoke, and accepted every chance to connect with people. Slowly, relationships formed, respect grew, and he found a way to not only survive but to belong.

From the factory floor in India to the warehouses and workshops of Saudi Arabia, Tariq carried forward his core strength—resilience. He pushed himself to stay late, learn faster than others, and step up whenever there was a problem to solve. That attitude earned him trust and recognition. He rose from technician to roles in technical sales and services, then to assistant manager, and later to manager. For him, these were not just promotions; they were affirmations that perseverance pays off and that leadership is not about titles but about showing up for others. “It wasn’t just my technical skills that helped me grow,” he often reflects, “it was my heart, my resilience, and the relationships I built along the way.” The years in Saudi Arabia were not easy, but they forged a professional who understood not only machines and processes but also people and cultures.

Behind all of this was his family. His mother, with her patience and strength, and his sisters, with their constant encouragement, formed the invisible backbone of his journey. They kept his spirit alive when exhaustion threatened to break him. They reminded him of his worth when doubt clouded his mind. In their own ways—whether through words, laughter, or simply their presence—they gave him the courage to continue. Tariq openly credits them for his progress, saying that his position today is only possible because of the love and sacrifices of his family.

After nine years in Saudi Arabia, he felt it was time for a new chapter. The UAE called to him with its vibrant multicultural environment, its mix of tradition and modernity, and the possibilities it offered for professional and personal growth. Here, he found not just work but a sense of belonging in a global community. He began consulting and advising in sales for a major engineering company in the UAE, while also pursuing his entrepreneurial dream. His technical background in mechanical and industrial engineering proved invaluable. It had given him not just expertise in systems and processes but also the ability to think strategically, solve problems, and manage complex operations. This foundation allowed him to succeed across roles in sales, marketing, business development, procurement, supply chain, operations, after-sales service, and quality assurance. Each role added another layer of experience, shaping him into a well-rounded professional capable of leading in diverse fields.

But among all the roles he played, it was business development that transformed him the most. Unlike specialized positions, business development sat at the crossroads of sales, marketing, partnerships, and strategy. It demanded adaptability and a big-picture mindset. It forced him to see beyond immediate tasks and to understand how markets work, how relationships are built, and how growth is sustained. In this role, he sharpened his ability to negotiate, to communicate across cultures, and to align people around a shared vision. It was this transformation that prepared him for the leap into entrepreneurship.

In August 2025, Tariq co-founded SheAdvises – Women Who Chair (SA-WWC), alongside his best friend and founder, Richa Shahaney. The inspiration came from witnessing how underrepresented women were in leadership roles, particularly as board chairs and advisors. He realized that many talented women were hesitant to step into such positions due to lack of mentorship, guidance, and supportive networks. He wanted to change that. SheAdvises was created as a platform to empower women, to train them, to prepare them for boardroom responsibilities, and to build a global community of leaders who could lift each other up. Starting as a bootstrap initiative with eight members, the company already has a presence in India and the UAE, with ambitions to expand worldwide. For Tariq, the name “Women Who Chair” is more than a corporate title; it is a call to action, a declaration of confidence, and a celebration of women breaking barriers.

Working with women leaders has also changed him. He speaks of how their resilience, unique voices, and perspectives showed him that leadership is not about fitting into a mold but about creating space for others to thrive. The experience deepened his belief in inclusion, diversity, and the importance of hearing all voices. It became not just a professional mission but a personal conviction.

Tariq’s leadership style today reflects his life journey. From the labour camps, he learned humility, endurance, and the dignity of hard work. From the boardrooms, he learned the importance of vision, strategy, and communication. Combining these lessons, he now leads with empathy, listening to people, valuing their contributions, and building connections that go beyond transactions. For him, leadership is not about control but about enabling growth, both for individuals and for communities.

Even as an entrepreneur, he carries the weight of tough decisions. One of the hardest choices he faced was whether to take investment for rapid growth or to maintain control and grow steadily. He chose the latter, bootstrapping the company to ensure discipline, independence, and clarity of vision. This approach reflects his belief that leadership means balancing vision with trade-offs, embracing uncertainty, and owning outcomes with honesty.

Looking back at his early years in factories and labour camps, Tariq feels a mix of emotions. There is pride in having endured those hardships, gratitude for the progress he has made, and humility in remembering the struggles that shaped him. Sometimes there is nostalgia for the simpler times, even if they were filled with difficulties, and sometimes concern about how technology is changing the nature of work. But more than anything, there is a sense of purpose: the belief that every hardship carried within it the seeds of resilience and growth.

His ultimate dream goes beyond business achievements. He wants to live a life of meaning and balance, to keep learning, to stay humble no matter how successful he becomes, and to give back in ways that genuinely improve lives. Through SheAdvises – Women Who Chair, he hopes to leave behind a legacy of empowered women leaders, a supportive global community, and a more inclusive future. He wants people to remember him not just for his work but for his kindness, integrity, and the inspiration he shared. To him, success is not measured only by money or recognition but by fulfillment, connection, and positive impact.

The story of Tariq is a reminder that resilience is not about being unbreakable but about bending and bouncing back. Dignity is not about where you live or work but about how you carry yourself and how you treat others. And leadership is not about titles but about empathy, vision, and the courage to lift others along the way. From the noise of factory machines to the calm of boardroom conversations, from the crowded labour camp to the launch of a global venture, his life captures the essence of perseverance and transformation. It is a story of survival that turned into success, of hardship that turned into hope, and of dreams that are no longer buried under the sound of machines but are rising into voices that inspire change.

 

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