At Veza, we honour the work of inspiring leaders every single day. Not just the known and notable but rather, everyday women who are drawing upon and celebrating their culture while making a lasting difference in their community using their gifts. From authors and teachers, CEOs to entrepreneurs, not-for-profit directors, artists, and more, these women are changing the face of leadership.
These are truly women to watch and Veza Community is so pleased to share their brilliance.
May their stories inspire YOU to rise.
Meet Samanah Duran
Samanah Duran is a British fashion designer and entrepreneur most recently named Forbes 30 under 30 most influential in retail and e-commerce. Her fierce emphasis on inspiring each individual to embrace their identity and to take pride in their individuality is perfectly presented in her vision for an innovative clothing line with Critics Clothing, which was revolutionised through the crafting of indulgent streetwear with the power to evoke self-expression.
Building on that inspiration as an extension of Critics Clothing, Samanah has now successfully launched BEYOUROWN and BEYOUROWN MAN a digital media & news company dedicated to inspire and champion entrepreneurs on a mission to lead.
Samanah is truly dedicated to evolving her brand and team. She has developed an unconventional approach to business by enjoying life to the fullest and making business enjoyable for her and whoever she works with. As she continues to be involved in every aspect of Critics Clothing, BEYOUROWN and BEYOUROWN MAN, she loves to meet other inspiring entrepreneurs out there on a mission to also succeed in doing what they love and is passionate about passing on her entrepreneurial skills that she has learned along the way.
Tell me in 100 words who you are? How would you describe yourself.
I am Samanah Duran, I was born in Cambridge but I grew up in a small town in Lincolnshire back in the UK. I am the founder and CEO of both retail company Critics Clothing, and BEYOUROWN, which is a digital media & news company dedicated to inspiring women in business.
What is the name of your company?
What motivates/inspires you to get up each morning?
What motivates me is watching other others flourish and grow. I get a real satisfaction out of knowing that the work I do really inspires and empowers other entrepreneurs to continue down their own path of uniqueness towards achieving their own version of success.
What contribution are you most proud of to date?
So far, I enjoy helping others navigate their way through their business journey although there is still so many more contributions I could be making that could essentially help pioneer global changes within certain industry fields.
What is it that you feel that you teach others through how you act/show up each day?
I encourage others to remain true to who they are whilst doing what they really love. That is my own personal brand ethos that I stand by and really try to reflect.
What’s one change you would like to see in this world?
More humanity.
Find her on Instagram
If you know a leader we should feature please invite her to share her story with us here.
Ishu Kler is a photographer and Social Media Manager at Veza Global. She currently owns and operates a freelance photography company called Ishu Kler Creative where she specializes in branding, portrait and event photography. Born and raised in Vancouver, B.C., her love and passion for photography led Ishu to travel and live in New Delhi, India, where she obtained her Diploma in Photography. She also travelled to Costa Rica in 2015, where she obtained her Certificate in Documentary Photography from Photographers Without Borders.
Kelsey is a passionate Multimedia Designer & Communications Specialist with a diploma in Multimedia Production and over nine years of diverse design experience in different areas of the world including roles within multinational in-house marketing teams Microsoft and Technetix, marketing agencies and freelance. These experiences have led her to develop strong use of design principles, skills in Adobe Creative Cloud, knowledge in motion graphics and video editing, and knowledge in creating effective communication for a wide range of audiences and cultures.
