Realising Your Dreams Ft. Zara Tahir

In this conversation I sit down with Zara Tahir, and honestly, her story is the kind that makes you believe in second chapters. Zara spent over a decade climbing the corporate ladder in accountancy, a path she had been sure about since she was a teenager. Then one day, she just knew it was time to walk away. Not because she had a perfect plan, but because she had a quiet, persistent voice telling her she was meant for something else. That something else turned into a natural skincare brand built from her kitchen, with all the chaos and courage that comes with starting from zero.

The corporate ladder and the leap

Zara was the person who had her career mapped out since 9th grade. Corporate accountancy. Stability. A clear trajectory. She spent twelve years in the oil and gas industry, and by all outside measures, she was doing well. But inside, something had shifted. She told me about the moment she decided to leave. “I went to my manager and said, I want to leave. I don’t just want sabzi aur roti, I want more than just getting by.” Her manager, who she describes as a kind man, offered her a part time arrangement so she could explore her side passion. But Zara knew herself. “I cannot focus on two things at once. It would not be fair to my employer or to my own dream.” So she took the leap, fully and finally.

Starting from scratch in Raja Bazar

The early days were anything but glamorous. Zara and her husband found themselves in Raja Bazar, a place she had never been before, hunting for raw materials. “We started with little, no idea what we were doing,” she laughed. She began making soaps, experimenting with oils and butters, posting pictures on a Facebook page. There was no grand launch, no investor backing. Just a woman in her kitchen, figuring it out batch by batch. The learning curve was steep. She remembers the frustration of not finding good quality oils or proper packaging. “The spiral binding I wanted for my product labels? In Pakistan, you can get black or white plastic, but the quality I needed simply wasn’t available. I had to import it.” That became a recurring theme: the gap between the vision and what the local market could offer.

The quality struggle and Pakistani pride

Zara is deeply committed to using natural ingredients, but sourcing them locally has been an ongoing battle. “I want to take pride that this is Pakistani,” she said. She sources oils from Gilgit and other parts of the country, but for many raw materials, she still has to rely on imports. The customs clearance process is a headache she never anticipated. “There are always miscellaneous charges, delays at the port. You request something and it just sits there. It is very difficult.” Yet she pushes through because she believes in the product. She talks about the lack of technical documentation for local raw materials, the absence of data sheets that tell you the pH or proper usage. “It is a real problem for anyone trying to create a premium product here. You end up making compromises you don’t want to make.” Still, she keeps going, driven by the idea that a local brand can stand for quality.

Balancing motherhood and business

When Zara became a mother, everything got harder. She was honest about the early days with her daughter Haniya. “After she was born, I felt like I was not there for her the way I wanted to be. I would come home and feel guilty.” The to do lists never ended, and the mental load of running a business while caring for a baby felt impossible at times. She had to learn to let go of control. “You cannot do everything perfectly. Some days the house is a mess, and that is okay.” Her husband’s support became even more crucial. He works from home now, and they tag team. “When I need to focus, he takes over. We have a system, but it is always evolving.” Zara’s story is a reminder that balance is not a fixed state; it is a constant negotiation.

The support system and the naysayers

Zara is quick to credit her husband and father in law for being her backbone. “My husband is a giver, not a taker. He has always pushed me to do more.” Her father in law, with his own business experience, offered guidance and resources. But not everyone was encouraging. “People always tell me, why are you doing this? It is difficult, you should not do it. Especially as a woman, they don’t take you seriously.” She has faced the subtle and not so subtle doubts that many women entrepreneurs encounter. “Sometimes a vendor would call my husband to complain about madam, instead of talking to me directly. My husband would just text me and say, handle it your way.” Having a partner who respects her authority has made all the difference. She has learned to draw boundaries and trust her own decisions.

Why this conversation matters

Zara’s journey is not a polished success story. It is messy, full of trial and error, and still unfolding. That is exactly why it matters. So many of us hold back because we think we need the perfect plan or the right timing. Zara shows that you can start with nothing but a curiosity and a willingness to learn. She also reminds us that building something of your own, especially as a Desi woman, means constantly pushing against the current of log kya kahenge, what will people say. But the joy of creating something real, something that is yours, makes the struggle worth it. If you have been sitting on a dream, let this be the nudge you needed.