Hi there!
I’m Sadaf, I’ve finally moved back home to Cincinnati, after living in Chicago, Houston, and NYC. Accountant by day, Socialite by night, Wife of a Television VP, and Mother to the best boy ever! I was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio and yes, I’m a Bengal’s/Reds fan. I’m an American Muslim of Pakistani descent, having had the benefit of growing up in dual cultures. Growing up, I attended the prestigious Summit Country Day School, a school that I feel has shaped the person I am today. Looking back, I’m not sure that I was comfortable with who I was, but nonetheless I was accepted. I am one of four children of Pakistani immigrant parents. My father was a general vascular surgeon for 40 years until retiring two years ago. My mother was a housewife which may be one of the hardest jobs. Despite being a housewife, my mother had a very strong personality and opinion, which is contrary to beliefs that south Asian women are submissive.
I knew early on in life that I didn’t want to go down the road of the cliché “must be a doctor” field. For as long as I can remember I have always loved fashion, skin care and makeup. I remember often dreaming of winning a Grammy or an Emmy for best dressed actress or singer (although I was definitely not gifted with a singing voice). Point being, I was attracted to glitz, glamour and the limelight. During the third year of my undergrad, I disrupted my studies and went to Pakistan. I found an agent, took headshots and auditioned for a drama series. I was promised the job, but my family objected, in their eyes education was more important.
Shortly after receiving my diploma, I met a guy. With pressures of being married by a certain age I rushed into marriage. Sadly, the marriage only lasted less than half a season of ‘The Bachelor’. In hindsight, I made a mistake and purely out of fear of aging, I married the first guy I felt was suited to my family. During that time, I had little confidence, my self-respect faded and I lost the support of many of my close friends. I was at my lowest point when my sister, Shazia, told me to stop feeling sorry for myself and make a change. It was then that I decided I was going to whatever it was took to feel better and rebuild my confidence.
Shortly after, I got a job with Christian Dior makeup. I nurtured my make up artistry skills by going to seminars and even holding seminars of my own. Through this experience, I fell in love with skin care. I began to notice that more people came up to me asking for skin care advice. So I delved into researching products, and discovered the importance of keeping your skin hydrated to reduce the effects of the skin ageing. I wish I had continued working in beauty, however, I decided to pursue a Masters degree, feeling slightly pressures by my two younger brothers who were well on their paths to becoming doctors, as well as my older sister who was also at University. I remember many people in our ‘Pakistani Muslim community’ would snigger at my career choices, often saying I wasn’t ‘smart’ because I didn’t become a doctor. The truth was I never wanted to become one, it was never my desire.
I began my Master’s in Business at University of Cincinnati in 2007 and soon after remarried for the right reasons. I moved to Chicago where my husband was a news producer at that time. Once there, I was introduced to the life I had always craved. If you know me, you’d know I love all things glitz and glamour. I loved working, knowing and befriending the “who’s who” of Chicago’s local celebs, as well as meeting celebrities through my husband’s line of work. Five years ago, I took a leap of faith and moved to Houston with my husband and our then two year old son, Rafae. I wanted my husband to have the chance to fulfill his dreams, and by the grace of God he is where he has wanted to be, VP of News at ABC13. That being said, I realized it was a major crossroad in my life. Holding a Masters degree in Science of Accountancy and working as an account, I was never fulfilled.
Last May, 2019 I was Honored by ‘LCA Magazine’ for its Mother’s Day Soiree, and realized being on stage was exactly where I belonged. Today I am heavily involved in local charities and friends with the “movers and shakers” in the city of Houston. I finally feel that NOW is my time. I hope to pull back the curtain on my life to entertain, empower women, and talk about broader issues.
