Media Release
Mangaluru, Aug 22: The Entrepreneurship Development Forum and Commerce Forum of St Agnes College (Autonomous), Mangaluru, organized an inspiring guest lecture on August 2 in Avila Hall of the college. The lecture titled “From dreamers to doers: Building the next generation of entrepreneurs” was delivered by Vardha Fazal, a mompreneur, co-founder & COO of Humd, UAE, and a proud alumna of St Agnes College.
The event commenced with a soulful prayer song led by Abhya and her group, invoking blessings for a meaningful session. This was followed by a formal welcome address delivered by Carol Rodrigues, secretary of the ED Forum.
Vardha Fazal began her address by reminiscing about her roots in Mangaluru and her long-standing association with St Agnes College, where she studied from primary through PU and degree. She shared her journey from Mangaluru to Jain College, Bengaluru, where she pursued dual post-graduate degrees in Human Resource and Marketing Management. Over time, she established herself as a corporate trainer helping professionals strengthen their confidence, communication skills, and leadership abilities. Her entrepreneurial journey took shape when she moved to the UAE and co-founded Humd Solutions Fz LLC, an AI-powered platform that simplifies the procurement of business essentials such as logos, pamphlets, printed materials and t-shirts.
The lecture was an engaging blend of real-life experiences and practical advice. Fazal emphasized the importance of skill acquisition over academic scores, stating that while marks may help open doors, skills are what truly matter. She debunked the myth that entrepreneurship is driven by comfort, stating:
“Entrepreneurship never comes from comfort – it comes from desperation.” She encouraged students to embrace their age as a superpower, and shared her own experiences of overthinking and self-doubt, yet refusing to let these hold her back. Her life mantra – “Fake it till you make it”, deeply resonated with the audience.
Fazal also spoke about the importance of internships and extracurriculars during college, stressing that a resume is often reviewed for less than 10 seconds, and thus it is vital to stand out through diverse skills and practical experience.
She proudly mentioned that her business HUMD is GCC’s largest AI-powered platform for business essentials. Her startup operates across five countries in the GCC region and is soon expanding to India. The session was interactive, with Fazal inviting students to speak about their failures, turning the space into one of honest reflection and motivation. She encouraged students to celebrate small victories along the way. She concluded her talk with powerful takeaways: Do not fear making mistakes – they are crucial to growth and Self-belief is more important than external validation. She added that “People may believe in you, but believing in yourself is what will truly change your life.”
The event concluded with a heartfelt vote of thanks delivered by Kaushik Shetty, the vice president of commerce expressing gratitude to Vardha Fazal for her time, insights, and inspirational presence. The session left a lasting impact on the audience, igniting the spirit of entrepreneurship and self-confidence among students.
Dr Devi Prabha Alva & Anusha Noronha, the staff convenors of ED Forum and Commerce Forum were present during the session.