Urmi Hossain

Author – Blogger – Speaker

Q & A

You’ve mentioned that finance is a passion of yours. Can you share a specific moment or experience in your career that solidified your love for the financial industry and motivated you to teach finance to girls and women during your free time?

I always describe my love for finance as love at first sight. It happened by chance when I was taking a course in finance, which was my minor at the time in university. I took the first class and instantly fell in love with it. It immediately became my major, and then the rest is history.

I loved finance instantly because it is dynamic and always evolving. Finance permeates our daily lives, influencing personal finance, investments, and driving our economy. Once I completed my Bachelor’s degree in finance, I continued further studies to become more knowledgeable and advance in my career. I love finance so much that I never feel tired of hearing about it.

I come from a diverse cultural background, carrying both Italian and Bengali cultures. One thing I noticed in South Asian culture is the topic of money. No one speaks about money in the family; it is not a subject taught at school and it is not a topic brought up at home either. In addition to that, women in South Asian families have no knowledge about finance. Men are the ones running the financial matters and making financial decisions. Men have bank accounts where women don’t. Unfortunately, the sad reality in South Asian communities is that women are not taught about financial independence, and sometimes, for this same reason, these women are stuck in abusive and unhappy relationships. This is where I decided to step in and provide a solution to this problem by educating girls and women about financial independence, staying in an industry that is male-dominated, and inspiring other women to pursue careers in finance. This is where my idea of creating my blog and educating women came from.

As an active member and President of your Toastmasters Club, how has your involvement in this organization contributed to your development as a leader and speaker? 

My involvement with Toastmasters has been both tremendous and transformational. I took on two major roles at Toastmasters: VP of Education and President. Both are significant roles essential to running the executive team of our club. These roles are quite challenging and require substantial time and effort, but they undoubtedly develop you into a great leader. I saw myself taking initiative, coming up with ideas, and most importantly, encouraging and motivating the members of the club to constantly improve themselves by giving speeches and always challenging themselves.

As the VP of Education and later as the President, I witnessed my own evolution, especially as a speaker. I saw changes in myself both professionally and personally. I became much more confident, more outspoken, and unapologetic. This experience has been incredibly rewarding, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to grow and develop their leadership and communication skills.

In your book, ‘Discovering Your Identity: A Rebirth From Interracial Struggle,’ you delve into your personal journey of finding your cultural identity. How has this experience influenced your approach to volunteering for causes such as gender equality and women’s empowerment?

I come from a South Asian background, which is often marked by significant gender inequality, pervasive gender stereotypes, and a strong dependence on male figures. Women, if allowed to do something, must ask permission from nearly everyone in their lives. They are often seen as a financial burden and relegated to the role of caregivers rather than breadwinners. Witnessing and experiencing some of this myself, I decided to change the narrative.

This is why I joined several organizations dedicated to empowering women. Some of these organizations serve women in general, while others focus specifically on helping South Asian communities. Through these organizations, I have been mentoring girls and women, helping them realize their potential and teaching them to speak up and advocate for themselves.

You aspire to deliver a TED Talk as part of your personal and professional goals. What topic would you choose for your TED Talk, and why do you believe sharing this message with a broader audience is important?

That is a great question. I haven’t narrowed it down to one specific topic; however, I do have three themes in mind that I want to tie together: women, cultural awareness, and gender equality. My goal is to bring awareness to matters of diversity and inclusion of cultures and genders, to raise awareness about third culture kids, and to teach the world to be more welcoming, curious, and open-minded about the diversity around us. Diversity should be celebrated and appreciated for the beauty it offers.

BIO

Urmi Hossain is a woman who wears many hats. She is a self-published author, blogger, speaker, female mentor, and a committed women empowerment advocate. As the social media lead of Women in Leadership, she and her team spread the message of gender equality. She is also affiliated with the Toastmasters Club, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing public speaking and leadership skills, where she serves as an active member and the VP of Education.

In addition to her diverse interests, she is deeply passionate about finance and currently works in the financial sector. She holds the prestigious CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) title, a designation widely considered the apex for professional development in investment management.

She enjoys reading books, boxing/Muay Thai, trying new cooking recipes, running, and working on her Spanish in her leisure time.

She likes to describe herself as determined, dynamic, and disciplined. 

Book

Discovering Your Identity ~ A Rebirth From Interracial Struggle

Do you ever feel like the challenges you face as a brown girl are unique to you or experienced universally? Are you living in a culture where others control your life to maintain their reputation in the community? Do you feel like you’re living in a bubble, unable to share your point of view? This book tells the story of a brown girl who grew up in Italy with Bengali parents who wanted her to be the perfect and obedient Bengali girl. Through reflections and confessions, she shares her experiences growing up as a third-culture kid and the struggles many South Asian girls face.
Link to Purchase: Get your copy on Amazon

Links to Urmi

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/urmi-hossain

 Blog: https://www.myways.ca/