My name is Sughandh Hira Abbasi and I was born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan. I was always the nerdy kid at school, in love with books, always curious about the world and its mysteries. But I was very shy; I was full of ideas but couldn't articulate them or present them to the world. I was into drama, but never had the courage to go out on stage and perform in front of an audience. 

That was until I got admission into IBA (Institute of Business Administration, Karachi), a dream come true for me. I was thrown into numerous presentations, pantomimes, dramas and just like that, without even realizing it, my stage fright was gone. I learned then that the more we focus on our weaknesses, the harder they are to overcome. Shifting the focus from one's weaknesses to one's passions can make all the difference.

At IBA, I landed a part time job in the HR department and became a training mentor, learning finance, marketing, everything that came my way. Then right after my last semester exams, I got a job offer from the multinational company Bayer, another dream come true. After working there for nine months, I moved to The Citizens Foundation (TCF) because I wanted to make a positive impact on society. Although it was hard to leave all the perks of a multinational company, it was worth it; TCF taught me a lot, including my field of interest, which is data analysis. 

I was ostensibly working nine to five at The Citizens Foundation, but it really amounted to 12- to 14-hour workdays; the three-hour commute was taking its toll. I was starting to get vertigo, or travel sickness, as well as migraines. I decided to take a break for two months and that's when I came across Odetta. I applied and by the grace of God, I got this job. And after experiencing its sense of community and its work environment I decided to join Odetta full time—the best decision of my life.

Until Odetta, I was struggling to find work-life balance. But now I have a healthy social life. I am able to go to gym daily, spend time with family and friends, learn new things everyday. 

I was always the kind of person who feared wasting time; I hated being idle. But Odetta helped me realize that you don't always have to compromise your personal life to be productive. I earn a decent salary, and I am able to give time to my parents and friends. I can spend time on my personal growth and wellbeing. 

Today, the world is moving away from the conventional workplace, and we need more platforms like Odetta, with a culture and values that honor a more holistic approach to working and living. Our commitment and loyalty goes beyond the duties of the job—because Odetta offers its workers the respect and flexibility to lead balanced lives.