Today we’d like to introduce you to Amira Ansari.
Hi Amira, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In my 20’s I started out pursuing a career in fashion – gothic and Medieval costuming, to be exact. But my passion for writing kept whispering in my ear. I couldn’t ignore it anymore, and at at the age of 32, I went back to college and got my bachelor’s degree in Journalism. Now, I’m currently a Project Manager/Instructional Designer with an amazing all-remote company called Skillable! I couldn’t enjoy my work or the people more!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t always been smooth! Going back to school at 32 was rewarding, but very challenging. My teachers were tough on me, as journalism is the total opposite of fashion! While I graduated Valedictorian at Wade College, at UNT I struggled to keep a 3.0 GPA! While I was in school, I still did costume design on the side to satisfy my creative side. When I graduated, I moved to L.A. for two and a half years. To my dismay, finding a job in journalism (or anything, really) was a huge challenge. I eventually moved back to Dallas, and, pretty much immediately, landed a job as a Digital Marketing Specialist at a home staging organization! I held many hats at the staging company: social media manager, content creator, and event organizer. I loved every second of it!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
First of all, what is Skillable? Well, I’ll tell you! Skillable is a hands-on focused organization that creates thoughtful, detailed training labs for top tech companies.
At Skillable, they really invest in me. It’s different from other jobs I’ve had. I feel appreciated every day and free to voice my opinion and be me. I’m a bit spunky, and in the past, it’s rubbed some employer’s wrong. I’ve been chastised and encouraged to squelch my point of view. But these days, my passion for writing is embraced, my opinions are heard, and my quirkiness, embraced. I personally think everyone works past their potential when they can be themselves. If you’re told to be like everyone else, your potential is dampened.
I’m serving as a Project Manager and Instructional Designer, working with companies like Microsoft and CompTIA. The project management role feeds my analytical side for working with timelines and meeting deadlines. The instructional design work feeds my creative side, and I get to create training videos and courses that really make a positive difference in the way people learn. People might say I build meaningful relationships, take a lot of pride in my work, and don’t take things too seriously. When there is a problem to be solved, my investigatory journalism skills make a strong appearance and don’t back down.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I think my passion for writing and editing is important. It drives me to pay attention to the details and take the time to check and test, then retest before I deliver. But also, my love of working with like-minded people that want to make a long-term positive difference makes every day rewarding and successful.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.amiraansari.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amiraansari/
Image Credits
Darla Teagarden, Daniel Driensky, Lou O’Neal.
