Meet Ainee Hamza

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ainee Hamza. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ainee , so great to have you with us today. There are so many topics we want to ask you about, but perhaps the one we can start with is burnout. How have you overcome or avoided burnout?

For me, burnout tends to show up as a loss of motivation, low energy, and a constant feeling of anxiety or stress and sometimes that pressure comes out as frustration or anger. Over time, I’ve learned to notice those signs early and take them seriously.

What really helps me is creating a sense of balance between my work and personal life. As a Chief of Staff at R PR firm, the pace can be intense, so I make it a point to take a walk in the park every morning, that’s my reset time before the day begins. I also try to incorporate self-care, even if it’s just once a month, and I take about two weeks off during the year to completely unplug and recharge.

Something I truly value is how much my employer and our founder, Emily Reynolds, prioritizes employee well-being. She actively encourages mental health breaks, listens to concerns, and makes adjustments when needed so everyone feels supported and valued. That kind of leadership plays a big role in helping employees avoid burnout; knowing that your efforts are recognized and your well-being matters creates a positive, motivated work environment.

Outside of work, I spend time on my creative hobbies — making cold process soaps, shampoo bars, and press-on nails. Those small creative projects ground me and remind me that life exists beyond deadlines and emails. I’ve realized that avoiding burnout isn’t about doing less, but about doing things that refill your energy as much as your work takes from it.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

Professionally, I serve as the Chief of Staff at R Public Relations, where I manage calendar organization, coordinate internal and external meetings, and provide direct support to R amazing and superb founder, Emily Reynolds. In my role, I act as her right hand; helping manage priorities, streamline communication, coordinate teams, and ensure the organization runs smoothly. Beyond the operational side, I’m also involved in onboarding, and supporting employee well-being. Working closely with leadership gives me the opportunity to understand both people and operations, which has deepened my appreciation for how interconnected they are.

What I find most fulfilling about my role is the constant opportunity for growth — taking on new challenges, building trust, and working within a space where leadership and empowerment are encouraged. Every day is different, and that variety keeps me motivated and learning.

Outside of my professional life, I love expressing my creativity through making cold process soaps, shampoo bars, and press-on nails. It started purely as a personal hobby — something I do for family and friends — but it has become a meaningful outlet for relaxation, creativity, and sustainability. I enjoy experimenting with natural ingredients and learning how small details can create something both beautiful and practical.

Right now, I’m focused on deepening my expertise by pursuing a professional certification in Human Resources, building on my MS in Human Resource Management. I’m also exploring more about haircare and skincare formulation, as I find that area of learning incredibly rewarding.

For me, whether it’s coordinating teams in a fast-paced firm or creating something by hand, it all comes back to growth, creativity, and finding balance between structure and imagination. That’s what makes my journey truly exciting.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I’d say the three qualities that have shaped my journey the most are reliability, patience and problem-solving, & trustworthiness.

Reliability has been the foundation of everything I do. Whether it’s supporting leadership, coordinating a team, or managing projects, people need to know they can depend on you. My advice for anyone starting out is simple: show up consistently. Reliability builds credibility faster than anything else.

Patience and problem-solving go hand in hand. Not everything goes as planned, and maintaining calm while finding solutions makes all the difference. Early in your career, learn to pause before reacting. It gives you space to see the bigger picture and respond thoughtfully.

Lastly, trustworthiness is what holds it all together. Building genuine trust with colleagues, clients, and leadership doesn’t happen overnight — it comes from consistency, honesty, and integrity in your work. When people trust you, opportunities naturally follow.

We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?

I’ve always believed it’s better to be well-rounded by investing effort into improving the areas where you aren’t as strong. Strengths are your foundation, but growth happens when you step outside your comfort zone and work on the parts of yourself that need development.

In my own experience, I’ve found that focusing solely on what I already do well can limit long-term progress. For example, I’ve always been organized and reliable, but earlier in my career, I realized that communication and delegation were areas I needed to strengthen. I made a conscious effort to improve; asking for feedback, observing how others managed team interactions, and taking on responsibilities that challenged me to speak up more confidently. Over time, those areas became some of my biggest assets.

I think being well-rounded doesn’t mean you have to be perfect at everything. It means being self-aware enough to recognize your weaknesses and willing to work on them. That mindset not only helps you grow professionally, but also builds resilience, empathy, and confidence in the process.

Contact Info:

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aineehamza/