Known as the Samosa Queen, Shelina Mawani of Nana’s Kitchen has many stories to tell from the trenches after years in the business world and she’s found an avenue in the yearly book, Woman of Worth: Women in Business in a Changing World. In her story “A Leap of Courage,” she tells of the struggle and failures she had to overcome to be a years-in-the-making overnight success. Born in the small town of Mwanza, Tanzania, she grew up without a formal education or long-term goals for the future. She moved to Canada in 1983 and faced a series of setbacks, including a failed restaurant business.  Undeterred, she kept her entrepreneurial spirit alive. Through a combination of embracing struggles, celebrating successes, and collaborating with others, Mawani had the strength and enthusiasm to succeed.

By DESIBUZZCanada Staff With News Files

VANCOUVER — Known as the Samosa Queen, Shelina Mawani of Nana’s Kitchen has many stories to tell from the trenches after years in the business world and she’s found an avenue in the yearly book, Woman of Worth: Women in Business in a Changing World. 

Mawani’s essay “A Leap of Courage” is featured in the ninth book in a series compiled by Christine Awram, founder of the Woman Of Worth WOW Worldwide organization. Besides, Mawani, there are 19 women profiled in the book.

Mawani, founder of Nana’s Kitchen, produces gourmet handmade samosas out of a 30,000 square foot facility in Surrey and her story “A Leap of Courage,” tells of the struggle and failures she had to overcome to be a years-in-the-making overnight success.

“The samosa market is the most saturated market in British Columbia. Everybody knows the typical Punjabi samosa. People still, today, are comparing us to that,” she told News 1130.  “It has taken me almost 16 years to [get to] where I am, producing over 25,000 handmade samosas a day.”

Born in the small town of Mwanza, Tanzania, she grew up without a formal education or long-term goals for the future. She moved to Canada in 1983 and faced a series of setbacks, including a failed restaurant business. 

Undeterred, she kept her entrepreneurial spirit alive. Through a combination of embracing struggles, celebrating successes, and collaborating with others, Mawani had the strength and enthusiasm to succeed. Following in her parents’ footsteps, she dedicates her time to helping others and is now able to employ and mentor more than fifty new immigrants to Canada.

She admits being a woman in business hasn’t been easy but says times are changing. “It was very, very hard.  Being a woman made it harder,” she says. “Things have really changed. I can see the difference now.”

“Women have really pushed their way through, saying that ‘if men can do it, we can do it. That, yes, we are women. And we are women of worth.'”

She says she’s come a long way from her childhood in Tanzania.

“It’s such an absolutely beautiful feeling because I grew up in a third-world country,” she says. “I’m very proud that I have made it to where I am today without any formal education.”

Her personal philosophy involves what she calls her three C’s: collaboration, conversation, and celebration.

She hopes others learn from her mistakes, and offers this advice to others starting their own business: “Do your homework. I fell into it blindly. Talk to other women. Talk to other entrepreneurs as to your ideas.”

Shelina has earned many awards and recognition over the years, including being listed as one of the top 11 women-owned businesses in BC by Business in Vancouver and winning the business resilience award for the 41-plus category by the Surrey Board of Trade. She attributes her success to the lessons she learned along her journey along with the amazing support of her family.