Suada Mohamoud: Refugee Founder — Motherhood, Ambition & The Rise of Muslim Women’s Awards (EP117)

Before we dive in — a personal request.If this episode brings you value, please subscribe, hit the bell, like, comment, and share. Your support helps us grow the channel and bring on even bigger guests.In this episode, I sit down with Suada Mohamoud, founder of the Muslim Women’s Awards, for one of the most heartfelt, raw, and inspiring conversations we’ve ever had.From fleeing war in Somalia, to teenage motherhood, to building a national platform celebrating Muslim women — Suada’s journey is a testament to resilience, faith, and inner strength.We explore delivery room trauma, postpartum struggles, whether men belong in the delivery room, the rise of “soft men,” whether boys are being abandoned as girls advance, and how phones and social media are killing ambition.Suada also opens up about imposter syndrome, Islamic ambition, humility, sisterhood, and her vision to take the Muslim Women’s Awards global — with major institutions already attending.Inside the conversation we cover:– Why Muslim women needed their own awards platform– The delivery room debate & trauma– Fleeing Somalia and growing up as a refugee– Teenage motherhood and rebuilding from zero– Postpartum struggles & lack of women’s support– Sisterhood, networks & female friendships– Ambition vs humility in our culture– Have boys been abandoned while girls advance?– Social media addiction & killing ambition– Islam as a global thinker’s religion– Overcoming imposter syndrome– The Firnas Airways story & Channel 4 documentary– Tawakkul and trusting Allah with rizq– How the awards grew from 80 to major institutions like HSBC & Sky– The vision for global expansionTimestamps00:00:00 – Why an Awards Ceremony for Muslim Women?00:00:25 – “Men Shouldn’t Be in the Delivery Room” Debate Starts00:00:56 – Pressure Creates Diamonds: The Rise of Soft Men00:01:12 – Introducing Suada Mohamoud00:02:21 – Discovering a Gap: No Awards for Muslim Women00:02:45 – Fleeing Somalia & Growing Up as a Refugee00:03:32 – Loving School but Not Feeling ‘Smart Enough’00:04:33 – Becoming a Teen Single Mother & Starting Over00:05:48 – Dropping Out of University to Build Her Own Path00:06:12 – The Delivery Room Trauma Conversation Deepens00:07:05 – “We Forget the Pain, Men Don’t”00:09:47 – Postpartum Struggles & Lack of Support00:11:22 – The Sweet Side: Men Being Emotionally Affected00:13:34 – Why Women Need Female Friendships & Networks00:15:45 – Growing the Awards from 80 Guests to 20000:18:09 – Ambition Runs in the Family00:20:12 – Ambition vs Humility in Our Culture00:29:41 – Have We Focused on Girls & Abandoned Boys?00:36:14 – Social Media Addiction & Killing Ambition00:38:21 – Islam as a Global Thinker’s Religion00:40:35 – Self-Belief & Overcoming Imposter Syndrome00:47:52 – The Airline Dream & Channel 4 Documentary00:49:00 – Tawakkul: Trusting Allah with Your Rizq00:59:09 – From Local Event to International Vision