Footwear brand Atoms, run by entrepreneurs Sidra Qasim and Waqas Ali, has been generating buzz since its launch. But that was nothing compared to the traction they received when the Humans of New York interview with Brandon Stanton released in late January 2021.
People are replacing their Nike’s with Atoms, swearing by the comfort and fit. The brand is also giving stiff competition to AllBirds, which are touted as the world’s most comfortable shoes.
– Excerpt, Atoms: The quarter size sneaker empire built by a Pakistani couple
In Pakistan’s startup landscape, Sidra and Waqas are perhaps two of the most revered founders for their continuous dedication to innovation, first with Markhor and now Atoms. While their entrepreneurial journey has been well documented by Pakistani and foreign media outlets, not much was known about their personal struggle before Brandon Stanton’s 11 part interview with Sidra Qasim that delved into the hurdles she faced and overcame when they initially launched their company Markhor.
“It’s the same story taught to every Pakistani girl. We are raised from a young age to believe that our purpose in life is to find and keep a husband,” said Qasim to HONY during the interview.
Read the full interview below
(1/11) “There is a moment I’ll never forget. My mother was teaching a class at our home, and my father hit her in front of the students. It was humiliating…" pic.twitter.com/ILTebbzq05
— Brandon Stanton (@humansofny) January 28, 2021
Ever since HONY’s story, we’ve been catching more frequent glimpses into the lives of the two founders. Recently, Sidra and Waqas uploaded a video onto their Atoms account in Punjabi, after receiving requests from their fans back home.
— Atoms (@Atoms) February 12, 2021
Read more about Atoms here. For those who want to hear from Sidra Qasim and Waqas Ali themselves, the founder will be holding a session on Clubhouse this Sunday.
I’m discussing “Chai with Atoms ☕️” with @sidraqasim and friends…. Sunday, Feb 14 at 9:00 PM EST on @joinclubhouse. Join us! https://t.co/q3zqO3Ubpl
— Waqas Ali (@waqasali) February 9, 2021