Enterprenuer
Poonam Rahman, the founder and chief executive officer of two international 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organizations that provide resources for historically marginalized communities, is Poonam Rahman.
The Virtue mental was her first global nonprofit. Her second nonprofit, Shattering Bias in S.T.E.A.M., aims at providing free academic and professional resources for young girls interested in a career as a S.T.E.A.M. counselor. (Science, Technology Engineering, Mathematics) but don’t have the resources due to socioeconomic status or other factors. Shattering Bias In S.T.E.A.M. is her second nonprofit.
Her book, “Shattering Bias in S.T.E.A.M.,” was published in early 2022.
It focuses on closing the gender gap and creating an inclusive workplace for all women.
Along with Malala Yousafzai and Michelle Obama, she led a Girl Up Leadership Conference workshop.
What is the story of Virtue Mental?
Growing up as a Bangladeshi-American, mental health was always stigmatized and a taboo topic of discussion.
Many parts of Bangladesh consider you less than a human being when you have a mental illness.
I was quarantined and had plenty of time to reflect on my experiences as a South Asian American.
I realized that there weren’t many resources or platforms that cater to the needs of those with marginalized backgrounds like mine.
Virtue Mental was born out of this realization.
I wanted to create a platform that would allow people from all walks of life to discuss mental health issues and cater to their mental health needs.
How do you stay productive?
My typical day consists of studying, working, going to class, writing, researching, and doing Virtue Mental administrative work.
My day is more productive when I block my time into Google Calendar and make a list of my priorities for the next day.
My commute time, breakfast, and family time are all included in my Google Calendar.
This allows me to make the most of each day. It is challenging to be productive all day, and it is easy for people to fall into the “hustle culture,” but I try to make time for myself every day, even if it is only five minutes.
This allows me to refocus my attention, making it easier to be more productive.
How do you bring ideas to life?
It doesn’t matter what I do to bring my ideas to fruition. They often come up as a surprise throughout the day.
On weekends, however, I enjoy taking some time to think about my nonprofits and personal goals.
What’s your favorite trend?
TikTok is currently promoting a TikTok trend called “no bones day,” which refers to taking the day off for rest and self-care.
This trend excites me as it is an ideal that I strive to promote to others. People look up to people who work too hard and are always busy.
But it doesn’t have that to be this way. Modern research has shown that rest is productive.
Take your vacation day, lunch break, or P.T., and enjoy a “no bones day.”
What habits make you productive?
I enjoy building relationships with women founders doing the same things as me.
Every month, I set aside time to meet entrepreneurs and develop meaningful relationships with them.
This motivates and inspires me to be more successful in my entrepreneurial endeavors to empower women all over the globe.
What’s your advice for the Noob?
I would tell her that everything will improve, even though the tunnel at the end isn’t yet visible.
As a child, I recall being bullied and criticized because of my nationality.
Fast forward ten years, and I’m the leader of a mental healthcare organization that aims to make mental health accessible to historically marginalized communities.
What is one thing we can all agree on?
It is essential to rest and be productive.
What do you recommend as an entrepreneur?
Do not just network with people; make meaningful connections with them.
Networking is often viewed as transactional. My entrepreneurial journey has taught me to make lasting connections, not just one-off conversations.
My mentors and closest friends are the people I’ve networked with over the years.
What’s your rich strategy?
Find a niche for your organization. Virtue Mental is not the only mental health nonprofit doing similar work to us.
However, Virtue Mental has developed by creating a separate mission statement.
How do you overcome Failure?
It wasn’t easy to raise funds and write grants.
But with the support of my mentors, I was able to master this skill and now financially support Virtue Mental.
Can you share a business idea?
It would be great to have a Lyft or Uber for women. Women like myself are afraid to use Uber/Lyft in this day and age.
However, it is an excellent way for women to relax by having female drivers.
What’s your recent best buy?
A new iPad. It was more than $100, but it was a significant investment.
I recently began using Good Notes to take notes for school and have used pen and paper instead.
What are your favorite Softwares or Apps?
Calendly, Notion, and Google Calendar. Calendly allows me to book one-on-one calls with my team and collaborating partners.
Notion helps me stay organized throughout the day by writing down my tasks on it.
I also use Google Calendar to plan my day and block time using Google Calendar.
Which book would you recommend?
Jay Shetty’s Think like a Monk profoundly impacted my life. I learned to eliminate negativity and toxic relationships and get rid of them.
My ability to grow and succeed in Virtue Mental and Shattering Bias In S.T.E.A.M. has caused me to lose many of my friends.
Reading “Think Like a Month” has helped me realize that these friendships were not suitable.
One must learn from past mistakes to move forward. Anyone interested in personal growth, mental health, and conquering fears benefit significantly from this book.
What’s your favorite quote?
My favorite quote is, “The struggle you’re in today is building the strength for tomorrow.”
Entrepreneurship can be a complex field. You will experience many trials and tribulations.
But it would help if you remembered that all of this is temporary and that everything will turn out okay.
TL;DR by Poonam Rahman
- Establish meaningful, non-transactional relationships.
- Even if you don’t see it yet, things will improve.
- Self-care is crucial in preventing burnout.
