Meet Urmi Hossain

We recently connected with Urmi Hossain and have shared our conversation below.

Urmi , thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?

I’ve learned that sometimes, being effective simply starts with showing up.

As a woman of colour and a woman in finance, I work in an industry that’s still very male-dominated. Many times, I find myself in external meetings with multiple stakeholders, and often, I’m the only woman or the only person of colour at the table.

There may not always be representation from a gender or cultural perspective, but my presence is a quiet form of resistance and strength. It can get uncomfortable, but you learn from it and don’t quite mind it anymore.
Just by being there and not walking away, I am already leading the change and changing the narrative going forward.

It is about showing up!

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?

I am a multifaceted woman — a corporate professional with many passions. I’m a self-published author, speaker, mentor to women, YouTuber, podcaster, and blogger.

One of my biggest passions is serving and uplifting the community of women, especially mentoring women of colour.

For the past two years, I’ve also been volunteering with the Women in Leadership Foundation as the Social Media Lead for the Victoria Chapter. It has been incredibly fulfilling and rewarding work.

Through this experience, I’ve had the chance to connect with fearless, bold women and develop my own marketing skills along the way

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I would say the three most impactful traits in my journey have been self-advocacy, curiosity, and determination.

Self-advocacy taught me to speak up for myself, create my opportunities, and not shrink in the face of challenges, especially when I was the only woman in a room full of people who didn’t look like me.

Curiosity led me to follow my intuition and explore different outlets like writing and podcasting. Most importantly, I never stopped learning, whether it was through professional certifications or hands-on workshops. That curious mindset opened doors I didn’t even know existed.

And finally, determination — I’m a go-getter. When I set a goal, I work hard to achieve it. I don’t walk away from the objectives I set, as it feels like I am betraying my own self. My drive to get things done has helped me keep moving forward, even when things felt uncertain or difficult.

Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?

I would spend it on traveling and reading.
I’d use my savings to explore the world — to admire the beauty this planet has to offer and to enrich my soul once again through diverse cuisines, cultures, and people.
I’d also take this time to revisit some of my favourite places, like New York and Kuala Lumpur, and fully soak in the energy and charm of both cities.
When it comes to reading, books are like best friends. When you need someone to keep you company, a great book will do the job. I aim each year to read a book per month, with a total of 12 books per year. Sometimes I wish I had more time to read, as there are too many books to read and to choose from!

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