Hira Ali is a leadership development and allyship specialist, executive career coach, writer, and speaker. Throughout her career, she has focused on helping others realize their potential. Her work has been featured in various outlets such as The Harvard Business Review, Forbes, The Telegraph, BBC, Harper’s Bazaar, The Independent, CBC, HuffPost, and Entrepreneur, which has been both humbling and gratifying.
As the founder of Advancing Your Potential, Hira advocates for allyship programs and inclusive talent management initiatives. She is also the author of two transformational books, Her Way To The Top and Her Allies, which reflect her passion for writing to create positive change.
Tell us about your life before the venture/leading up to your venture?
I was born, raised, educated, and married in Pakistan, where I began my career as a junior HR manager. Over the years, I progressed to a senior assistant manager role, working with a distribution company and later in the pharmaceutical industry. After moving to Dubai and having a child, I started my own venture focused on training and development, delivering various training programs for companies. One initiative I’m particularly proud of is Rooh Afza, a women-focused program I initially launched in Pakistan and continued in Dubai. It was a privilege to train hundreds of participants, both locals and expats.
After seven years in Dubai, I moved to the UK eight years ago and launched Advancing Your Potential in 2017. The first few years were dedicated to creating content and building the business, which really started to grow in 2019 after I published my first book.
Tell us something about your organization. What is it about and how is it helpful for people?
At Advancing Your Potential, we offer customized workshops and webinars on topics like Team Management, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Race & Ethnicity, Women’s Leadership, and Allyship, both in the UK and globally. Our interactive leadership workshops are based on principles of psychology and neuroscience, blending international coaching, training experience, and the latest research.
As part of our D&I consulting, we provide services such as Executive Coaching, Surveys, Polls, Benchmarking, Focus Groups, and support for Mentoring and Network set-up. Our Her Way to the Top and Her Allies focus groups are a great way for organizations to have productive conversations about gender diversity with senior team members. These sessions can be delivered in short formats like breakfast bites, lunch & learns, evening sessions, or as extended team retreats.
We specialize in designing business solutions tailored to organizational needs, helping to foster diverse and collaborative cultures that drive innovation and success.
What has been the response of the consumers towards your venture? (Please talk about your recognitions/achievements here)
I’ve been fortunate to receive glowing feedback for my talks, books, and writing. In 2024, I was honored to be recognized as one of the Top 50 Influential Muslims in Europe, including the UK, and a few years ago, I was featured as an Outstanding British Pakistani by the British Pakistan Foundation.
I was also highlighted by Diverse In as a global D&I voice to follow on LinkedIn and featured among the top women breaking the bias globally. Additionally, I’m proud to be featured as a role model in the book Girls Who Do You Want To Be, alongside other phenomenal changemakers. I’ve been a finalist and highly recommended for the Baton Awards as an entrepreneur, and I received the Highly Recommended Women in Media Award for my book Her Way to the Top. This year, I was nominated for the Women Changing the World Award, the Northern Power Award, and Author of the Year.
How has your life changed because of your venture?
It’s been a deeply fulfilling and humbling journey. I regularly receive messages from women, especially fellow South Asian and Muslim women, who share how my work has inspired them or how my advocacy has encouraged them to speak up and claim their space. It’s truly an honor to have positively impacted the lives of thousands of people around the world through my venture. Through my writing and speaking, I’ve had the privilege of educating, informing, encouraging, and helping to reframe perceptions.
What are you working on right now?
I’m currently working on a children’s book on allyship, which is set to be released next year. At the same time, I’m writing a leadership book that I hope will be published the following year.
Give a motivational message for the audience/women who are reading this.
As a coach and author, one of the key pieces of advice I often share with women is to embrace their potential and not shy away from their ambitions. Don’t wait for the perfect time or for others to give you permission to chase your dreams. Take charge of your own narrative—believe in yourself even when self-doubt creeps in.
Be open to growth, and don’t fear failure, as it’s often the greatest teacher. Surround yourself with people who support and uplift you, and remember that your voice matters. Whether you’re fighting for a seat at the table or creating your own, persistence, resilience, and authenticity will always be your greatest assets.
Finally, lift as you climb—true leadership is not just about your own success but also about empowering others along the way. Together, we can break barriers and create lasting change.
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