#14 | Azin Mahoozi Shalan | Be True to Your Heart

In this episode of AWESOME People, Iman has a virtual chat with his long time friend Azin Mahoozi Shalan, the founder of Born2Dance studio. Recently, Azin publicly shared on her Facebook for the first time, the details and personal tragedy that she and her husband Rami experienced with the loss of their newborn son Morad. The talented dancers, entrepreneur and now mother to three children, candidly shares this heart wrenching story in an effort to raise awareness not just about depression, but specifically the challenges both mothers and their spouses experience when faced with these unexpected situations. In March, Azin and Rami were slated to open up a brand new 10,000 square foot studio for Born2Dance when COVID-19 hit, so she also discusses and shares their challenges from the perspective of small business owners combatting the pandemic.

 

SHOW NOTES

Introduction of Azin Mahoozi [7:23]

Growing up in Iran and America and pursuing a passion for dance to opening a Born to Dance studio [9:15]

Inventing and patenting original dance routine and reverse engineering a dance routine for students [25:28]

Azin opens up about the mid-pregnancy death of her son to subchorionic hematoma [36:33]

Azin talks about upcoming plans and motivations for Born to Dance and Wish City and family life [54:13]

Keeping the Born to Dance team connected and active during the Corona Virus Lockdown [1:02:37]

Help those who are lessee fortunate [1:05:21]

 

QUOTES

“There is no way you can do anything to remind a mom of her lost child. They want to remember it. Just like you have a child, you celebrate their birthday every year. So as a mom that was expecting that, it’s all the hopes, the dreams, that are, you know, something shattered.” [39:55]

“Reach out, not towards people who haven’t gone through it, towards people who have actually gone through it… As much as people have great intentions and they’re there for you, they just don’t know, and to me, one of the biggest things is that, I didn’t know. I have never gone through depression, so I didn’t know how I was going to act. You don’t know what kind of person you’re going to be when you have a personal loss.” [50:37]

“Follow your passion, be true to yourself, be true to your heart… lend a helping hand to the ones who are less fortunate.” [1:05:22]