Surrey’s Samosa Queen shares her success story in a new book
Posted July 11, 2021 1:25 pm.
Last Updated October 18, 2021 11:42 am.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Courageous stories of local entrepreneurs overcoming obstacles: that’s the idea behind the new book, Woman of Worth: Women in Business in a Changing World. It is the ninth in a series compiled by Christine Awram, founder of the Woman Of Worth WOW Worldwide organization.
Nineteen women are profiled in the book, including Shelina Mawani, aka the Samosa Queen, founder of Nana’s Kitchen, which produces gourmet handmade samosas out of a 30,000 square foot facility in Surrey. However, as she lays out in her essay “A Leap of Courage,” Nana’s was not exactly an overnight success.
“The samosa market is the most saturated market in British Columbia. Everybody knows the typical Punjabi samosa. People still, today, are comparing us to that,” she explains. “It has taken me almost 16 years to [get to] where I am, producing over 25,000 handmade samosas a day.”
Today on @NEWS1130: The story of Shelina Mawani, Surrey's Samosa Queen, one of 19 entrepreneurs profiled in the book, Woman of Worth: Women in Business in a Changing World. "Women have really pushed their way through, saying that 'If men can do it, we can do it.'" #1130bookshelf pic.twitter.com/1qZ7Uw3nhL
— John Ackermann ???? (@jackermann) July 11, 2021
She admits being a woman in business hasn’t been easy but says times are changing. “It was very, very hard. Being a woman made it harder,” she says. “Things have really changed. I can see the difference now.”
“Women have really pushed their way through, saying that ‘if men can do it, we can do it. That, yes, we are women. And we are women of worth.'”
She says she’s come a long way from her childhood in Tanzania.
“It’s such an absolute beautiful feeling because I grew up in a third-world country,” she says. “I’m very proud that I have made it to where I am today without any formal education.”
“I give the success to my husband and my family for helping me to be where I am today and especially to my staff and my team,” she says. “Without my team I wouldn’t be here today. My success is due to them.”
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Her personal philosophy involves what she calls her three C’s: collaboration, conversation, and celebration.
She hopes others learn from her mistakes, and offers this advice to others starting their own business: “Do your homework. I fell into it blindly. Talk to other women. Talk to other entrepreneurs as to your ideas.”
Woman of Worth: Women in Business in a Changing World is available from Influence Publishing.
