In Okara, a small town 120 kilometers south of Lahore, Pakistan, a young woman dreamed of something different than what society had planned for her. While others saw teaching or marriage as the natural path forward, Sidra Qasim couldn't shake the feeling that there was more out there for her to explore.

Join Bora Celik as he chats with Sidra Qasim, the Cofounder & CEO Atoms.

Watch/Listen: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed

"The world around me felt really congested," Sidra recalls. "I was not thinking about marriage, not thinking about anything else. I just wanted to explore the world."

Her first act of rebellion was subtle but significant - she secretly applied for a job in Lahore without telling her parents. When they found out, they were angry at first. But fate intervened when her father, heading to Lahore one morning, agreed to take her along to the interview. That single trip would change the trajectory of her life.

In Lahore, Sidra met Waqas, who would become her future co-founder. Together, they spent hours in college libraries, poring over Harvard Business Review articles. "Most of the stories were like, you can be creative with less resources," she remembers. "That kind of was really inspiring."

Their entrepreneurial journey began modestly - they ran their first company from a KFC, using the free Wi-Fi. When asked what kept her going during those challenging early days, Sidra's answer reveals the depth of her conviction: "The exciting thing about making your own choice is it gives you freedom, and freedom makes you lighter. No matter how difficult you feel while going through that journey, it always feels much easier than the choices someone is thinking about for you."

The turning point came when they discovered a group of craftsmen making leather shoes. With no money of their own, they secured an $8,000 grant from Google, receiving it in four installments. This became their entry into the shoe business, leading to their first company, Markhor, which launched Pakistan's most successful Kickstarter campaign.

But the real breakthrough came during their time at Y Combinator. Struggling with just three months of runway left, they faced a crucial moment. "I was imagining I'm going to go back to my hometown and my life is over," Sidra shares. Instead of giving up, they went back to basics, asking themselves fundamental questions about their purpose and passion.

Their research led them to a surprising insight - people were buying running shoes for everyday wear, but the construction wasn't optimized for walking and standing. This revelation led to the birth of Atoms - a shoe company focused on creating the ideal everyday footwear.

With characteristic creativity, they launched their product in an unusual way. "We sent an email to YC founders saying, 'We are making shoes for hackers and painters. We can only make 10.5 size, and we would love to invite you to our home and show you our product. Also, we would love to make Pakistani chai and Pakistani breakfast,'" Sidra recounts. The response was overwhelming - 147 people replied, though they only had 20 pairs to share.

Today, Atoms has evolved beyond its humble beginnings. The company achieved profitability in 2023 and is now preparing to launch exciting new collaborations through its Atoms Art Gallery (AAG) initiative. Looking ahead, Sidra envisions a future where technology enables true personalization in footwear.

Her journey from Okara to Brooklyn stands as a testament to the power of persistence and the courage to choose one's own path. As she puts it, "People who understand that failure is actually going to happen anyway... it's how you build your idea consistently and then what you are passionate about that takes it forward."

Help build the opportunity economy for creators and brands. Request your invite at collabs.io