#16 - Shakila Dabare: Leading with confidence early in your career

Shakila Dabare is a senior finance professional based in Dubai who is carving out her place in the world of finance as a young woman with remarkable clarity and confidence.

As a Senior Associate at Deliveroo with over eight years of experience in strategic growth and portfolio oversight, Shakila has built a reputation for managing high-stakes responsibilities in fast-paced, often male-dominated environments.

In this episode, Shakila shares her journey from imposter syndrome to truly owning her space in rooms full of experienced experts. She reflects on what it was like managing multi-million-dollar budgets in her twenties and the lessons she learned about leadership, resilience, and knowing when to push forward (and when to let go).

We also explore her practical “two circles” concept for focusing energy on what’s within our control, and why building a strong community of women is essential for lifting each other up. Shakila brings thoughtful insight, honesty, and a refreshing perspective on what it means to show up for yourself every single day.

In this episode, we talk about:

00:00 – Welcome and why Shakila’s story matters

00:51 – Growing up in the UAE and embracing diversity

03:40 – Choosing your inner circle and building intentional connections

05:40 – Managing imposter syndrome early in your career

07:26 – Advice for women in male-dominated environments

10:50 – Building self-confidence and showing up for yourself

14:05 – Lessons from mentors and rethinking failure