IPN Spotlight: Shereen Kassam (Business Development Manager, The Walt Disney Company)
Shereen Kassam is a Business Development Manager at The Walt Disney Company. Previously, she has worked in various roles at JPMorgan, Deloitte, and Amazon. Shereen is also a national touring stand-up comedian whose jokes focus on a multitude of topics, including the misunderstanding of Muslims in America. She won the 2015 Improv Clash of the Comics competition and was invited to perform at The World Series of Comedy in Las Vegas. Shereen received her BA from Brown University and an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. She currently resides in Orlando, Florida and has a difficult time saying no to Cadbury chocolates, red Starbursts, and spicy chicken wings. You can learn more about her at www.funnybrowngirl.com or follow her on Instagram/Twitter: funnybrowngirl
What skills have helped you in your career?
• Interpersonal skills have played a huge part not only in my corporate career, but also in comedy. I was a shy child growing up and actually discovered my passion for comedy after taking an improvisation class while in consulting, in order to enhance my client communication skills. The class not only launched my comedy career, but it also helped me to land new clients during my time at Amazon
• Managing my time and my energy are crucial as I try to balance a full-time job, comedy, acting classes, auditions, family, and those all-important 8 hours of sleep. I have had to learn say “no”, as well as schedule regular “me” days to refuel and rest
• Goal setting has been influential in my career. I am constantly creating new goals and evaluating my progress towards achieving those goals (both professional and personal)
What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
I now appreciate that my career path does not need to look like the traditional Wharton career path. Early in my career, I spent a lot of time comparing myself to where my friends were in their professional careers. I am a competitive person and never wanted to feel that I was not as successful. With time, I came to understand that my definition of success might differ from my peers, but at the end of the day, we are all striving to master the natural talents we have been gifted with.
What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
I read as much as I can – I am always scrolling through Flipboard and Twitter. I have tons of Google alerts set up so I do not miss the latest news, trends, and research in my industry. In regards to comedy and acting, it is all about exercising those muscles! I perform at open mics nightly and take acting classes. Recently I have been focusing a lot of time on self-improvement – practicing gratitude, meditating, working out, eating healthy, and sleeping – to stay centered.
What is next for you in your career?
I went to business school with a keen interest in entrepreneurship. I am currently exploring a handful of business models that enable me to merge my love for comedy, and the skills I have enhanced on-stage, with my MBA training and corporate background.
What advice would you offer to others?
I’ll be corny and say, “Don’t be so busy working, you forget to live.”
I was spending so many hours working; I ignored my health, my family and friends, and the activities that brought me joy. Physical exhaustion prompted me to finally take some much-needed time to step back and put my life into perspective. I began to look for a position that would provide me more work-life balance so that I could focus on my passions. Finding that harmony has not only allowed me to pursue comedy and acting, but also find purpose in my life.
I would also say, be bold in your pursuits no matter what those around you may say.
Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Goal setting
• MBA Admission
• General mentoring
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