How Sheila’s creative pursuits inspire her professional life

In this edition of #MeetAZoomers, we introduce Sheila, Zooma's Project Manager. Known for her keen ability to balance creativity with professionalism, Sheila shares her story of how her passions fuel her professional growth.

A life rich in creativity

Sheila has always embraced a variety of creative hobbies—cooking, painting, and gardening—that have been part of her life from a young age. Each pursuit has shaped her bold and curious approach to life. Starting with painting as a child, she grew to explore new materials and techniques, which encouraged her to push boundaries in other areas. Her creativity blossomed further in the kitchen, where she often experiments with Persian cuisine, blending it with flavours from around the world. Gardening, her newest venture, began during the pandemic, offering her a chance to grow everything from tomatoes to a full date tree.

Cooking as art on a plate

For Sheila, cooking is an extension of her artistry. She rarely follows recipes to the letter, preferring to add her twists by substituting spices or experimenting with different proteins. 'I love combining elements from various cuisines, like Persian with Italian, to see how they transform a dish,' Sheila shares. While her favourite cuisine remains Persian due to its rich and balanced flavours, she adapts her cooking based on seasonal ingredients. Sheila's dishes reflect her connection to nature and artistic sensibility, whether a heartwarming winter stew or a vibrant summer salad.

Painting: Sheila's gateway to creative Immersion

When asked to choose her top passion, Sheila doesn't hesitate: it's painting. 'It's where I can fully immerse myself and let the art take over.' Her style blends abstract and realistic, often drawing from moments or moods. Working primarily with acrylics, she has recently explored 3D forms using clay and has plans to revisit her roots with charcoal portraits. For Sheila, painting is about embracing inspiration and dedicating herself to a single project, often losing track of time as she dives deep into her creative bubble.

Gardening: Nature as a canvas

Gardening became an unexpected outlet during the pandemic, sparking her interest in growing various plants, including a pineapple and a thriving lemon tree. It wasn't just about the harvest but a way of connecting with nature and appreciating the food on her plate. Gardening, she notes, is advantageous, especially when she grows beans or tomatoes, which give generous yields. 'There's a satisfaction in nurturing something from seed to table; it's humbling,' Sheila explains. Her gardening also aligns with sustainable practices—using beans to enrich the soil for future crops.

Finding the balance between work and passion

Her creative pursuits do more than enrich her personal life; they provide balance and resilience in her fast-paced role at Zooma. Whether it's the calm of gardening or the focus of painting, these activities help Sheila recharge. Her artistic background also fosters her willingness to tackle new challenges and think differently, skills she's leveraged in mastering tools like HubSpot within months. 'Each project, whether at work or home, is like an experiment,' she says.

You adjust, learn, and grow, which makes each accomplishment more meaningful.

Practical takeaways

Experiment boldly

Sheila believes in trying new approaches without fear in the kitchen, the garden, or the workplace. 'Read recipes, then make them your own,' she suggests. This practice applies just as well to professional projects—learn the basics, then add your unique twist.

For those looking to embrace creativity, Sheila suggests keeping an open mind. 'Try different things,' she advises. If one method doesn't resonate, approach it from another angle.' This is a simple yet powerful reminder that creativity is about exploration, not perfection.

Read the other #MeetAZoomer articles to dive deeper into our team's stories and experiences.