Humaira Ahmed
Humaira is the founder of Locelle - a global platform for women to connect locally. She is inspiring women across the world and leading her venture and team with passion and empathy.
Finalist for:
Emerging Leader of the Year
What brought you to Victoria?
The beauty, the calm and my husband’s roots!
Where did you go to school and what did you take?
I went to school in Karachi (Pakistan) for Software Engineering as well as York University (Toronto, Canada) for Computer Science and Communication Studies.
What was the biggest obstacle to getting where you are now, and how did you overcome it?
The biggest obstacle was to tackle fear. Fear is the number one thing that blocks us and hinders our growth and success. I was born and raised in Pakistan and engaged to be married at 15 and 17 (to men I didn’t even know). I was lucky enough to escape those relationships and smart enough to get into the best school for Software Engineering that my parents let me study; and then we moved to Canada. The adversity I have faced throughout my life has made me extra strong and I can’t wait to thrive as a female leader in tech and empower other women and especially my two little girls to dream big!
What are you most proud of in your career?
Starting Locelle – with not much money but BIG ambition. Since founding my tech startup, I have built an incredible support system around me – including CEO of big tech companies, investors, other women leaders cheering me on and most importantly, hearing stories from women how hearing me speak or share my story has inspired them to chase after their dreams. In just 15 months of being the CEO of my startup, I have become a well-known influencer/female leader across BC.
Who has been the biggest influence on your life? What lessons did that person teach you?
My husband – he is not only supportive of my ambitions but he celebrates me and my accomplishments. He is the smartest person I know yet the most humble, kind and compassionate soul. The biggest life lesson I have learned from him is to lead with empathy, be brave but be kind.
What’s something most people don’t know about you?
I was engaged at 15 and 17 to men I didn’t know and hadn’t even seen. This was back in Pakistan.
For a Colleague or Client to answer: What do you admire most about this finalist?
“As an entrepreneur myself, what I find most refreshing about Humaira is her perseverance, deep compassion and inclusive focus. Her dedication and hard work in Locelle’s recent launch instantly garnered users from SAP, Microsoft and IBM with continued week over week organic growth. She is a leader within the BC entrepreneurship community and has the qualities of a trail blazer evidenced by her accomplishments. I am confident Humaira will continue to make an impact on the tech community and will make game-changing contributions to our global community at large. I look forward to watching her success.”
– Alicia Close, CEO, Women in Tech World