Alina Sultani

Your city: Karachi

An insight on your profession:

After completion of my Bachelors in Business Administration from SZABIST, my father wanted me to join his business; Ali Traders, however I wanted corporate experience therefore I joined Gumcorp Private Limited as Assistant Marketing Manager for their brands namely Kernelpop popcorn and Spunfun Cotton Candy (SpunFun is the first packaged cotton candy to be launched in Pakistan). Due to thier innovative business I found this job to be one where I had a lot to learn. After a year of gaining experience in this Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) Company, I joined Ali Traders (My father’s business). We are manufacturers and suppliers of over the counter surgical instruments. My experience in corporate life helped me in learning the tactics of FMCG industry which I am currently applying in business. I have purchased a wholesale store from my savings in Denso Hall so that I can handle part of business on my own as well.

What has been your drive?

My golden nuggets for success have always been Firm faith and Hard work.

I started my professional career at the age of 17 as a teacher soon after my intermediate because I wanted to finance myself and of course pay my University fees from my own, hard earned funds. Many people told me I am asking too much from myself as SZABIST is quite pricy, and it was not going to be easy, but I was not going to give up. I promised myself I will not ask my parents for help and after one year was only able to raise enough to last me one semester alone, this was heart breaking but there was no giving up. As I started my University I was able to get some scholarships from SZABIST. I also did free lancing as a content writer and this is how I paid my fees till the fourth semester.

I took up a full time job, used public transport, freelanced and studied, my friends and family said it was impossible but I managed it with 4 hours of sleep a day. Soon I was offered a job in a Retail Brokerage. The pay over there was twice as much as I made in the NGO that I had my full time job at, therefore I agreed to join it.

How long have you been in this profession?

I have joined Ali Traders a couple of months back after leaving my job from Gumcorp Private Limited.

What has been your vision and what do you most love about your career?

I have set milestones for me at every age. For example I had set a milestone that before my 22 I will

have enough funds to have my own business and I was quite successful in that as I mentioned I have a wholesale shop of my own. I had always wished of being in a National Newspaper, on National Television and at National radio before 23 of age and I did that too. My vision has always been to challenge myself.

This is the part that I love most about my career that with hard work, I am always successful in doing that, in breaking stereotypes of others and achieving my goals. My goals keep me on my toes always and the feeling that I get after achieving them cannot be expressed in words.

A word of advice you would like to pass on to women of Pakistan who look up to aspiring professionals like you. (Think of it as an advice to somebody who wishes to pursue the same career as you)

I have seen women have big dreams and potential to fulfill those dreams but they are scared of being labeled as a REBEL and therefore end up following others wishes. They should not be scared of being a Rebel to fulfill their dreams. I want to assure them that all the criticism would be temporary once they achieve their dreams.