Meet Mishaal Tanveer | CEO of Beauty by Mishaal

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mishaal Tanveer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mishaal, how do you think about risk?
Taking risks requires a great deal of vulnerability and discomfort. It’s much easier to pretend these types of feelings don’t exist, because we often associate them with situations that have a negative context. I learned that to be successful, not only do you have to confront these feelings, but you have to embrace them as well. Allowing myself to take risks and become comfortable to make mistakes has contributed greatly towards the success of my small business, Beauty by Mishaal. However, I didn’t start off this way. I had to learn that the more vulnerable or uncomfortable I allow myself to be, the more it was going to lead me down the path to becoming successful.

It is difficult for people to be vulnerable, and it often prevents us from taking risks. It’s not easy to take risks, no matter what goal you have in your life. A few years ago, I wanted to start my own business but I also didn’t want to tell people that I was doing it. You may be wondering why that is, especially because marketing is one of the key components to having a successful business. The truth is, I was afraid to fail and afraid that everyone would find out about it. I didn’t allow myself to be vulnerable and take the risks required to give it my best shot. It got worse before it got better. I started selling an item on a popular e-commerce platform, but I didn’t get a single order. I felt defeated. I convinced myself I had failed but that it would be okay since no one knew about it. I was wrong. The only risk I was willing to take was investing in 1 product. It was time to get uncomfortable and market my shop all over different social media platforms, and share it with my friends and family. I had to put myself out there and risk losing time, money, and most importantly, risk being judged by others.

If you take the risk to do something you want to accomplish and you are not successful in your first attempt, should you stop trying? Absolutely not! Try calculating the risk you are taking and come up with a strategy on how you can do better. The key is to learn from the mistakes you make and always think about how you can do better at whatever it is that you choose to pursue. If you shift your focus from being successful to how you can consistently improve yourself, you will automatically step towards success in the process. You have to be vulnerable in front of others and even yourself to be able to recognize the things you need to work on. I learned that I needed to invest in more than 1 product, and set goals for my business. I didn’t just want to be a seller on an e-commerce platform either. I wanted to build my own brand and offer items that I am more passionate about. After this eye opening experience, I started Beauty by Mishaal which offers South Asian jewelry, makeup and accessories.

About 2 years later, I’m proud to call myself a successful business owner. What changed? I learned that I hindered my own growth by not allowing myself to take risks, or be comfortable enough to make mistakes. In order to be successful in a business or really anything you do in life, you have to be comfortable to be your authentic self and leave room for learning. My best advice to anyone starting a business or taking on anything you love, is to focus on improvement as your primary goal. It will enable you to take calculated and strategic risks, but also lead you down the path of success. Good luck to all of you out there, I’m rooting for you!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

Beauty by Mishaal is an e-commerce business that offers affordable, high quality jewelry, clothing, accessories and cosmetics. What’s sets us apart from other retailers is the the quality of customer service we provide, the exclusive designs and products, and our commitment to continue to improve everything we offer, even if all of our customers and completely satisfied. We want all of our customers to have a luxury experience without having to spend over their budget. Not only that, but we also take feedback from customers on products they need, and consider sourcing it for them. Cosmetics are a perfect example of this! We started offering lipstick shades that compliment South Asian skin tones, since the right colors are tough to find. I have received so much positive feedback for sourcing the right colors and formula, and I am so glad my customers are happy!

Our business model focuses on continuous growth in our products and service. I struggled to find the right business model for myself when I started. I knew I wanted to prioritize my customers at all costs but I struggled to prioritize the next best thing. That’s when I realized my next priority should be to consistently improve my business from routine things like packaging to the customer experience. I have been successful since I’ve adopted this mindset.

I want the world to know that I started from scratch and there were no other business owners around me to help guide me in the process. I trusted myself and with the love and support of my family, I was able to push myself and take the plunge. Believing in yourself is very important, no matter what background you come from. All that matters is how bad you want it, how hard you’re willing to work on it, and whether you’re willing to take the risks associated with pursuing your dreams.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my friends were coming to visit in the Dallas area, I would take them to the Shops at Legacy, Allen Outlets, Top Golf, and the Arboretum and Botanical Garden. All of these things are outdoors and range from a relaxing day to a more adventurous one! When it comes to food, I eat halal meat so I would recommend the best halal restaurants I have been to which include BBQ Tonite, Noodle Wave, Wave Bowl, Fadis, Peri Peri, Ricky’s Chicken, Dave’s Hot Chicken, Crescent Moon, La Meglio and Dona Mary. I’m hungry just thinking about it!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

I want to give a shout-out to my mom, Razia and my sister, Manal. Both of them were my biggest supporters from the moment I had the idea of starting a new business.

I take after my mom, who I call Ammi. We share similar interests and it motivates me to keep going when she tells me how proud she is of me. She did not have the same opportunities growing up in Pakistan but she is even more talented than myself when it comes to any kind of creative projects. I love bouncing ideas off of her, and including her in some of the decisions I make for the business.

Manal is my best friend and sister all in one. She never doubts a single thing I do in my life or for the business. When I’m struggling to make decisions or think through challenges, she is always by my side. She has enabled me to feel confident as a business owner and completely loved as a sister. I am so grateful to have both of them in my life and I wouldn’t be successful without them.

Website: www.beautybymishaal.com

Instagram: beautybymishaal

Youtube: Beauty by Mishaal

Image Credits
Joe Baker Photography (photos with his signature)