An indomitable spirit

I had the privilege of meeting an incredible Pakistani yesterday. @sidraqasim is best known today as co-founder and COO of @WearAtoms , a leading footwear company she created with her husband Waqas. 1/n #persistence

Sidra was born and raised in Okara, Pakistan. When she finished high school she had to enroll in an all-boys college but not attend classes with other boys. Studying in seclusion was uncomfortable but she persisted.

When she got her first job in Lahore, it paid PKR 10,000 / month and that meant living in a hostel near Firdous Market where monthly rent was PKR 4,000. Living in a cramped hostel was uncomfortable but she persisted.

When she created Markhor with her husband Waqas, many folks in Lahore would dismiss them because neither had gone to top tier universities. Pitching business to city folk was uncomfortable but she persisted.

When her company got accepted in the @ycombinator program, her visa got rejected. She still figured out a way to make it to America eventually. Migrating to a foreign country was daunting but she persisted.

When she was preparing for YC demo day, she says her accent was proving to be a limitation so she and her husband worked on their accent so their audience could understand them better. Communicating her vision was challenging, but she persisted!

Today, she speaks perfect English.

Today her company has raised over $8 million from top tier investors in Silicon Valley.

But that’s not the most inspiring part of her journey.

When the Pandemic hit, she decided to create face masks because some of her colleagues in South Korea were wearing face masks. She says when she bought face masks that cost $7 each, she felt many in her neighborhood in Brooklyn NY won’t be able to afford this price point.

To date her company has sold over 350,000 of those face masks and donated over 150,000. I am a customer and can attest that these are simply fantastic. Atoms masks cost $10 each and last up to 30 washes.

While she has come a long way already, I believe she is just getting started. Sidra you are an indomitable spirit and role model. Thank you for the inspiration. Godspeed!

Immigrant founders have made incredible contributions to the American economy and the world. Immigrants often come from difficult environments where contractual enforcement isn’t reliable. When they find the fertile environment of America they bring prosperity. #immigrants