Meet Shahnoor (Shannon) Adam | CEO of Best Ride on Cars

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shahnoor (Shannon) Adam and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shahnoor (Shannon), what do you attribute your success to?

In 2012, I embarked on a journey with Best Ride on Cars as a fresh graduate, a newlywed, and a 21-year-old woman who initially intended to build a career in education. Yet, it’s intriguing how ideas transform over time. Though I was inexperienced in business or supply chain, I was imbued with an indomitable spirit and an unquenchable thirst for achievement. I relentlessly contacted companies dealing in wheeled goods and persistently communicated until I reached the right person.

After several months of perseverance, I was rewarded with vendor contracts that were challenging to decipher at first. Nonetheless, I committed myself to understand business language such as ‘defective allowance,’ ‘co-op,’ ‘return allowance,’ and so on, until I felt as though I had earned an unofficial business degree. I worked ceaselessly to elevate myself so that I could contribute wholly to the company’s success.

I reminisce about the days when it was just me and Alex, the founder of Best Ride on Cars, navigating the company from a modest 2500 sq ft warehouse. Fast forward a decade, and the company has made exponential strides, doubling in size every year. As a woman and a minority, I’m proud to be at the helm of this enterprise that I’ve nurtured from scratch. Although some doubted my potential due to my lack of business background, I took their skepticism as a challenge and steadily approached my objectives.

Today, I am a mother, a CEO, a wife, and a woman with a firm belief that the cornerstone of my success is my relentless pursuit of personal growth and the resolve to showcase my capabilities. I want to be a testament to my children and myself that any obstacle can be surmounted when faced head-on.

What should our readers know about your business?

Best Ride on Cars is a manufacturing and distribution company that specializes in creating luxurious licensed battery and non-battery ride-on cars for children. My husband, Alex Damanwalla, and I, as the co-founders, have painstakingly constructed this enterprise from the ground up. By 2020, I assumed the role of CEO, and we are now a proudly women-led, minority-owned business.

We celebrate our 12th anniversary in business this year, and it’s a joy to look back at our humble origins. Despite having no background in business, manufacturing, or distribution, I relentlessly hustled and grew into the role, making every accomplishment a testimony of my self-taught journey. The road to building the business was arduous but immensely gratifying. Alex and I worked tirelessly to source vendors, all the while wondering about the company’s future. We quickly learned that there’s no such thing as easy success – overcoming hurdles is an integral part of any journey. We’ve weathered many storms and couldn’t be prouder of our progress. Our dream for Best Ride on Cars is to transform it into a legacy for our children, a source of pride that truly belongs to them.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

Dallas, the city that has won my heart, exudes an irresistible charm with its people, food, and lively atmosphere. If my best friend were visiting, here’s how our day would unfold:

Breakfast at Lala Land Cafe would kick-start our day, where we’d indulge in the perfect latte and a cinnamon cruffin. A visit to Klyde Warren Park for a refreshing outdoor experience would follow. We’d then meander through the exhibits at the Dallas Museum of Art, losing ourselves in time. For dinner, Town Hearth would be our go-to spot.

We would also like to venture to Grandscape in The Colony to relish Curry Up and a fun-filled night of games and go-karting at Andretti. A movie night at the AT&T Discovery Center or a silent disco at Grandscape would be a perfect end to our day.

We’d also explore culinary delights at food spots like Whistle Britches, Ida Claire, Mesero, Gen Korean BBQ, and BBQ Chicken.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

Foremost, God, for His divine support in the face of obstacles and hard times during the company’s inception.

Next, my family: my husband, Alex, the company’s founder, who constantly believed in my potential; my children, Sasha and Aaron, who continually inspire me; and my loving parents – Murad, Chand bibi, Afzal and Sabina – who have shaped my character. I owe them immeasurable gratitude.

Finally, all the women in my life – my mothers, my daughter, my aunts, my female colleagues, and those pioneering women who paved the way. These women instilled the courage and conviction in me to stand tall, serving as a beacon of hope to others. They’ve reinforced my belief that as a woman, I am capable of shouldering multiple roles – a mother, wife, daughter, and now, a CEO.

Website: https://www.bestrideoncars.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bestrideoncars/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-adam-68717011b/

Image Credits
StudiOrange by Omer Rana