We were lucky to catch up with Nadiya Khan recently and have shared our conversation below.
Nadiya, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
I developed my confidence by keeping promises to myself. By doing things that scared me and proving I wouldn’t abandon myself. Every time I walked into a room alone, moved to a new country, started a business with no roadmap, stood up for myself, or chose peace over approval, my self-esteem grew. Confidence didn’t come from people clapping for me. It came from me clapping for myself, even when no one else could see what I was building. I became confident the day I decided that my opinion of me mattered more than anyone else’s. And I’ve been choosing that version of me ever since.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I wear a few different hats, but everything I do is rooted in one thing: storytelling. Whether I’m in front of a camera acting, developing a brand campaign through my marketing agency Elysian Libran, or writing my upcoming book She Who Remembers, I’m always drawn to the same mission – turning ideas into experiences that make people feel something.
Acting was my first love. I grew up performing anywhere I could – school plays, theater academies and living rooms. Today I’m focused on expanding my work in film and television. Parallel to that, I built a boutique PR and marketing agency where I help brands craft emotional resonance rather than just aesthetics.
Beyond business and entertainment, I’m deeply passionate about using my voice in service. I founded I Am Hope, a nonprofit initiative in South Africa that provides schoolchildren with meals and essential resources.
What’s most exciting about my journey right now is that all of these parts – the artist, the entrepreneur, the change-maker…are finally coming together. I’m not choosing one lane. I’m building my own.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three qualities that shaped my journey the most were self-trust, emotional resilience, and relationship-building. Confidence didn’t show up first, self-trust did. I learned to keep promises to myself, recover quickly when things fell apart, and build genuine connections instead of transactional ones. My advice to anyone early in their journey is simple: back yourself before anyone else does, get comfortable being uncomfortable, and treat people well – your character will open more doors than your résumé ever will.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
One book that deeply shaped my growth is The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. It seems simple at first glance, but the principles are life-altering when you actually apply them. The biggest shift for me came from “Don’t take anything personally.” It taught me that most things people say or do are reflections of their own inner world, not proof of my worth – and that realization gave me so much emotional freedom. “Be impeccable with your word” reminded me that the way I speak to others and to myself creates my reality. And “Always do your best” helped me release perfectionism; my best today may not be my best tomorrow, and that’s okay. It’s a small book, but it completely reframed how I relate to myself and the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nadiya-khan.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nadiyakhan
- Other: https://www.elysianlibran.com
Image Credits
TandemPhoto (headshots)
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
