A little bit about me

"I'm trying to elevate small talk to medium talk."

- Larry David

I'm Shabina (shuh-bee-nuh). I'm a strategist, shih tzu mom, and shopaholic. I strive to help real people solve their real problems by understanding their real lives.

Here's what you need to know about me: 

I was born and raised in a Texas convenience store.

As a child, when I wasn’t at school, I was hanging out with my dad at his convenience store in Irving, TX. It was my introduction to working retail, being polite to strangers, and people watching. You could say that my first crack at strategy was briefing my dad on the opportunity to stock Baby Bottle Pops in the candy aisle. 

I dropped out of college.

I attended Emerson College in Boston for two years when Sallie Mae finally said, “Nah, fam. You’re not going back to Beantown.” It was an overachiever’s worst nightmare. I came back to Texas, and while selling mattresses full-time, I became a nomad between three different community colleges. Yes, after some time, tears and trauma, I did finally graduate.

I still watch television. 

How did this Indian-Pakistani gal manage to grow up in a Dallas suburb without being completely clueless? By watching TV, of course! I found television to be the ultimate purveyor of American culture, and to this day, still watch television to help me navigate and understand the norms of our society.