Introduction

Amena Bakali, a travel content creator and blogger known as “HassansonHoliday.” She has been featured in magazines, articles, and other podcasts and conferences. Her work focuses on teaching families how to travel more feasibly and smarter using loyalty programs, points, and miles, including creating a popular guide for performing Umrah affordably. (View the full interview on YouTube).

Personal Journey

• Early influences and education: Amena’s undergraduate degree was in Political Science. She initially worked in the finance industry before stepping back to focus on her family. Her passion for nonprofit work led her to pursue a Master’s in Nonprofit Leadership, which she completed in 2021. Her journey into travel blogging began organically after her husband switched to a remote job that involved travel, sparking her research into personal finance and loyalty programs.
• Role of Islamic faith in career choices: Her faith is central to her work. She highlights Muslim-specific travel needs, such as airport lounges with prayer rooms and wudu facilities. This focus led her to create her Umrah guide, helping Muslim families fulfill a religious obligation more affordably. She aims to use her platform for “travel for good,” aligning her work with her values.
• Challenges faced as a Muslim professional: The primary challenge is balancing brand growth with speaking out on global issues, such as genocides, which can negatively affect her platform’s visibility and brand partnerships. She also mentions facing subtle discrimination, like staring or people deliberately turning away from her family, though she has not encountered overtly racist incidents.
• Key turning points and decisions: A major turning point was the COVID-19 pandemic, which instilled a sense of urgency to pursue her passions. Her husband’s encouragement to start a social media page about travel, coupled with the challenge of planning an Umrah trip, solidified her path as a content creator in the travel and personal finance space.

Industry Deep Dive

• Current role and responsibilities: As a travel content creator and consultant, her work involves blogging, creating social media content, pitching to tourism boards and brands, one-on-one client consulting, and managing her online presence. A significant part of her day is spent on emails, writing, content creation, and networking.
• Corporate ethics discussion: Amena emphasizes the importance of building a brand that aligns with her values. She acknowledges the ethical dilemma of potentially working with corporations whose actions conflict with her principles, particularly regarding human rights issues.
• Specific cases of corporate misconduct in their field: While she hasn’t worked directly with airlines, she references incidents reported in the news, such as airline staff facing repercussions for showing solidarity with Palestine. She makes a point to highlight such behavior to her audience.
• How Muslim professionals can navigate ethical dilemmas: She advises staying true to one’s values, even if it means losing partnerships. She focuses on highlighting positive corporate behavior (like inclusive spaces for Muslims) and uses her platform to speak up for the voiceless, trusting that sincere intentions will guide her to the right opportunities.

Resources and Advice Segment

• Essential resources for aspiring professionals: Amena stresses the critical importance of having your own platform (e.g., a blog, website) to build a portfolio and brand. She recommends focusing on creating “evergreen content” that addresses the specific pain points of your target audience.
• Mentorship opportunities: She suggests a two-fold networking approach: 1) Connecting with the local Muslim community to stay grounded in faith and values, and 2) Attending industry-specific conferences (e.g., Women in Travel Summit, loyalty program conferences) to learn from and connect with peers who have reached a level she aspires to.
• Organizations supporting Muslim professionals: No specific organizations were named, but she highlighted the value of local creator networks and community networking events.
• Practical advice for industry newcomers: Her top advice is to “think twice” because content creation is demanding work that requires thick skin to handle hateful comments, especially from within one’s own community. She advises identifying a unique purpose and message, understanding that the journey involves ongoing learning and occasional slumps.

Accountability Focus

• Discussion of specific corporations with problematic records: Amena does not name specific corporations but alludes to being aware of companies that are complicit in ongoing genocides. On a personal level, her family has boycotted certain companies, but she acknowledges the difficulty of tracking every corporation’s affiliations.
• Analysis of human rights violations or war crimes connections: She directly connects the challenge of growing a platform with speaking out against genocides, noting that algorithms often suppress such content. She sees using her platform for this purpose as a responsibility.
• Ways to advocate for corporate accountability: The primary method she employs is using her voice on her platform to raise awareness about unethical corporate behavior and to praise companies that make positive accommodations for Muslims.
• Alternative ethical options within the industry: She advocates for “consuming with purpose,” meaning her audience should actively support and engage with creators and brands whose values align with theirs, thereby using consumer power to support ethical practices.

Closing Reflections

• Final advice from guest: Amena encourages everyone to renew their intentions regularly. She reminds listeners that social media is curated and that everyone is simply doing their best. She emphasizes the importance of staying grounded by remembering your purpose and connecting with like-minded people.
• Contact Information to reach guest speaker: She can be found on Instagram and other platforms under @hassansonholiday. The best way to contact her via email, amena@hassansonholiday.com and DM through Instagram. She is also active on LinkedIn.
• Call to action for listeners: She asks for support in expanding her clientele to help more people in need, welcoming referrals and inquiries from those who may require her services. Visit her website at www.hassansonholiday.com