The Curious Case of a Zigzag Career

Reclaiming South Asian Flavor Narrative

In this episode of Bangladeshi Trailblazers, Tasnim sat down with Nilima Khan, the co-founder of Khushi Spice, to explore her journey from ambition to entrepreneurship. We discuss the realities of building a food brand, preserving cultural heritage through cuisine, navigating expectations from family and society, and what it truly takes to turn a passion into a sustainable business. Nilima shares the challenges, lessons, and moments of resilience that shaped her entrepreneurial path and offers valuable insights for anyone looking to build something meaningful from the ground up.

The Curious Case of a Zigzag Career

In this episode of Bangladeshi Trailblazers, Zarrin Tasnim shared her journey from being an engineering graduate to building a career in supply chain and safety at a multinational company while simultaneously launching her clothing brand, Z Atelier. Zarrin shares the realities of balancing a demanding corporate career with entrepreneurship, navigating creativity alongside structure, and building a brand rooted in passion and identity. From lessons learned in the MNC world to the challenges of starting a fashion label, this episode dives into ambition, discipline, and carving your own path as a modern Bangladeshi woman. Discussions about personal growth, overcoming self-doubt, and how young professionals can pursue multiple passions without limiting themselves to one identity.

The Future of Football: Mohammad Karim

In this episode, Tasnim Hasan sat down with Mohammad Karim, a dedicated footballer and rising sportsperson representing the spirit of Bangladesh on and off the field. The host and the guest explored what it truly means to build a career in football in Bangladesh, the sacrifices behind the scenes, and his vision for the future of sports in the country. This episode is a powerful reminder that trailblazing is not just about success, it’s about pushing boundaries where none existed before.

Making Waves in the Apparel Industry: Saadiya Khan

In this episode, host Tasnim Hasan sits down with Saadiyah Khan, the founding partner of Beige & Co., a minimalist daily wear brand redefining elegance and comfort in Bangladesh's fashion landscape. Saadiyah shares her journey from launching her own ethnic clothing label in 2017 to identifying an untapped gap in the market for thoughtfully designed, everyday wear. She opens up about the philosophy behind the name Beige & Co., her fully integrated approach to design, production and distribution, and how participation in retail platforms and exhibitions helped the brand grow organically, culminating in the opening of their experience outlet in Gulshan. She also offers heartfelt advice to aspiring entrepreneurs, especially women balancing multiple roles in a predominantly male-oriented business environment, reminding us that timing, belief, resilience, and starting small can carry you further than waiting for perfect conditions. A candid, inspiring conversation about building a brand rooted in subtlety, intention, and quiet confidence. 🏪 Visit Beige & Co. Experience Store: Road 128, House 15, Gulshan

Building Pathways: From Rideshare to Fintech

In this episode of Bangladeshi Trailblazers, host Tasnim Hasan sits down with Elius, serial entrepreneur and one of the founding forces behind Pathao, to unpack what it really takes to build companies from Bangladesh, and beyond. From starting Pathao in 2015 with no experience and no ecosystem, to navigating the realities of ride-sharing markets, Elius reflects on why many startups hit a ceiling in Bangladesh and why scale often demands a global mindset. He shares candid thoughts on why market size matters, why timing and luck can be engineered, and why hunger beats talent every time. The conversation also dives into Elius’s post-Pathao journey, building Wind, a cross-border stable coin payments company that was later acquired by a US firm, and its evolution into Fin.com, an international fintech focused on enterprise-level global payments. This episode is a must-listen for founders, builders, and professionals who want an unfiltered look at startups, talent, ecosystems, and what it means to build something world-class.