Feature
The Influencers
Soraya Darabi and Maxine Bédat of Zady
text BY JenniFer richardson
photographY BY Mike koBal
Two halves of one very important whole are Soraya Darabi
and Maxine Bédat, Co-Founders at the uniquely innovative
lifestyle brand, Zady. Before Zady, Soraya graduated from
Georgetown University and went on to be the Manager of
Digital Partnerships and Social Media for The New York Times.
Maxine, who graduated from Columbia’s Law School with honors, had cultivated a strong background in diplomacy through
her experience working at the United Nations. The two joined
forces to create a retail brand setting a new standard of ethical transparency, offering sustainable goods for the discerning
and conscious consumer.
Soraya, can you describe what the process was like taking
your degree, which was focused in the arts, and cultivating a prominent career in Digital Media management?
I minored in art history and majored in English with a concentration in journalism. My internship at the WashingtonPost.com
helping journalists learn to use digital tools, led to a great job
with Condé Nast Digital and later with The New York Times, partnering with leading social networks. That led to friendships with
founders who showed me that I, too, could start a company with
the right network and focus. My career unfolded naturally, as
most do. I’d say that you could major in just about anything, but
get internships in the area you think you’d like to work. Far too
few college students intern, but I wouldn’t be anywhere without
that first job at the Post. I’m still grateful to my mangers there
for hiring me.
What about your role at The New York Times? What was the
single biggest lesson you learned during your time there?
The biggest lesson I learned at The New York Times is that a prestigious brand is built on the back of a best in class team, but a best
in class team must be continuously humble to produce excellent
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work. You will walk around the café there and spot three or four
Pulitzer Prize winners, but at the end of the day, everyone views
themselves as a Times staffer, and feels proud to wear that badge
everywhere and anywhere they go. I learned there that I’d only
like to create or join companies with the same humble attitude going forward.
Maxine, was law always something of an inevitable pursuit for you?
I was always focused on social justice. Law is about process,
which I enjoyed and it has become helpful in my role today
with knowledge of contracts and the like. My experience in law
was also a great resource in developing the Bootstrap Project
before I came to Zady, which is a platform for enterprising
artisans to learn new skills, expand their businesses and share
their customs.
Maxine, do you feel the retail landscape has always been
lacking in integrity or have we evolved to become ready to
embrace the model of Zady?
Our grandparents wore simple, timeless garments that were
made in America. Their closets were small and modest and contained a handful of pieces that offered comfortable, practical
wear. Following the mid century dawned an era of lesser quality
synthetic materials. Society has begun to raise the question of
value and what it is they’re paying for.
What’s the average workday look like for you, Soraya?
My day is centered around meetings, and high-level strategy
discussions, but working alongside leaders of industry is what
I love most about a business-centric career. Partnerships and
networks are what make the world turn.