Meet Zoya Salam

We were lucky to catch up with Zoya Salam recently and have shared our conversation below.

Zoya, 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?

Being the only one in the room that looks like me, as a brown Muslim young woman, has shaped how I show up and how I lead. While others may see this as a barrier, I’ve learned to view it as a opportunity and responsibility to increase representation and bring a fresh perspective to the table.
I’ve learned to be effective by coming prepared and purposeful. When I walk into spaces where I’m underrepresented, I make sure I know my work inside and out. This preparation gives me credibility. My purpose demonstrates my resilience and honesty. I make sure to implement this purpose as I speak to make me stand out more. While each room brings a different purpose, my grounding principle has always been making change. Whether its bringing more women into VC or making financial literacy more engaging, I walk into rooms confident in my ability to accomplish these.
I’ve also learned to lead without shrinking myself. Before, I would hide away, afraid of asking stupid questions or messing up in conversations. Over time, I realized that blending in was not allowing me to grow. Now, I ask those imperfect questions and make those silly mistakes, because they reflect my human curiosity and authenticity. I lean into my unique identity, values, and lived experiences. Sometimes they can align with others, serving as connections with others, other times they display my strength in individuality.
Most importantly, I’ve learned that representation doesn’t mean just showing up. It means the act of leading. It may not always be perfect, but the effort it encompasses can drive genuine impact. By taking up space authentically, I’ve learned to turn isolation into influence and impact.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

My story is grounded in the principles of my curiosity, a desire to create change, and a belief that access to financial knowledge can change the trajectory of someone’s life.
Growing up, I watched as my grandparents provided free education to young women in India, ensuring that no girl had to walk away from school because of financial barriers. This beautiful mission of theirs inspired me to look for that same zeal in my own life. However, this came in a more unexpected form than I would have thought. As I was scrolling through the free courses offered during the pandemic era, I discovered a financial literacy program and signed up. After completing the course, I realized that the information provided in the course was invaluable for everyone’s future. This became the start of my journey in exploring how I could ensure this information spread to more people.
I began exploring this pursuit in various forms by creating a Young Investors Society chapter at school, founding a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and speaking to district coordinators about financial literacy implementation in business classes.
Ultimately, this is what led me to co-found Fantasy Funds, a financial literacy life simulator that allows students to learn by doing. Users navigate real-world financial scenarios, budgeting, investing, risk-taking, and long-term planning, so they gain confidence before the stakes are real. What excites me most is seeing students realize that these teachings aren’t boring or intimidating; it’s something they can understand, control, and have fun with. Using my experience with the Dart programming language, I developed the prototype in Flutter and released it on the App Store in March! So far, we have reached over 500 students on the app and secured $8,000 in investment from Westlake Pitch Night. We hope to continue to scale our product by implementing it in more business classes across the country.
Long term, I hope to also break into the financial industry, a space where women have been so underrepresented.

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

1. Curiosity
Curiosity has been the foundation of everything I’ve built. Asking why about systems, inequities, and opportunities has pushed me to explore projects that solve real problems. Curiosity has opened doors for research and leadership roles throughout high school.
Follow questions that genuinely interest you, even if they don’t fit a path or display a clear benefit to you. Read widely, ask “stupid” questions, and allow yourself to explore.
2. Initiative
Some of my most impactful experiences weren’t handed to me, but were from my own creation. Whether that meant founding SmartCents Foundation, a nonprofit organization made specifically for working individuals, or creating Fantasy Funds as students in an exclusive edtech market, I have developed a unique skillset. This includes critical thinking, leadership, and resilience.
Don’t wait to feel for the golden opportunity. Start small but intentionally and learn by doing so. Momentum is built through action, not perfection.
3. Adaptability
Being in unfamiliar rooms, navigating setbacks, and balancing multiple roles taught me how to adjust quickly and keep moving forward. Adaptability allowed me to learn from failure, value feedback, and grow alongside my projects.
View challenges as lessons, not defeats. Stay open to feedback, be willing to pivot, and trust that growth often comes from discomfort.
Together, these three have shaped how I show up, lead, and grow.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

The most impactful thing my parents did for me was show me the world. From Morocco to Thailand to the Maldives, my parents gave me the opportunity to travel to over 25 countries, each one exposing me to a different culture, life, and set of values. Traveling from such a young age has helped me understand that there is no single way to live, succeed, or define happiness, and that perspective has stayed with me as I’ve grown.
Seeing the world firsthand taught me awareness in a way no classroom ever could. I learned how access to education, financial stability, and opportunity can look dramatically different depending on where you are born. Those experiences made me more observant, more grateful, and more motivated to use my education and skills with greater intention. They also pushed me to think beyond my environment and consider the larger impact I could make by understanding more varied perspectives and situations.
Further, by showing me the world, my parents taught me how to navigate it with curiosity, respect, and an open mind. That global exposure continues to shape how I approach the work I do today by grounding my ambitions in a broader sense of empathy and responsibility.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nw89833.wixsite.com/fantasy-funds
• Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/zoya-salam-a467452b5