Leading with Empathy and Community
How SAGE Advice & WBEC Shaped Farah Bala’s Entrepreneurship Journey
Born in Nigeria with Persian ancestry, raised in India, and now based in New York, Farah Bala—Executive coach, consultant, speaker, and founder & CEO of FARSIGHT—brings a truly global perspective to her leadership and organizational development work. A proud alumna of our SAGE Advice program, she is dedicated to fostering human connection, authenticity, and empathy in leadership.
FARSIGHT, a certified Minority Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE), collaborates with socially conscious businesses and leaders across sectors to create motivating workplace environments where teams can thrive. We spoke with Farah about her experiences with SAGE and her insights on leading with empathy and community that we can all learn from.
“I did SAGE last year. You could tell how much work had gone into putting something like this together. I build leadership programs and I know the intentionality and massive effort that goes into it. Everyone is there to help… Just to be in a space where I know for sure that everyone has my back here is a very special thing.”
Our SAGE Advice program was established to develop and enable small business enterprise owners to grow through customized sessions delivered by successful women business owners. Four sessions are held approximately every six weeks.
“We were all in various stages of our businesses and in different industries but I think what brought us together was that we were there not only for our own needs, but championing each other as well.”
Farah’s own journey began in theater and acting, voiceover, producing, transitioning into arts education, and eventually into corporate training and leadership development. From navigating the challenges of a complex immigration journey, to her experiences with discrimination and gatekeeping in the industry, she stressed that the path to success, especially as a woman of color in the US today, is no easy feat.
That being said, Farah firmly rejects a victim mindset, emphasizing instead how these experiences shaped her leadership approach: one centered on equity, and inclusion. They also inspired her to launch FARSIGHT, an effort to help grow leaders to develop core human-centered leadership competencies, an approach that focuses on empowering people while also being the most business-savvy way forward.
“Having a victim mindset has become cool in our society in the last decade. While our brain is designed to always look at what we lack, it is our resilience that ultimately leads us to becoming the best version of ourselves. This is the time to show up for ourselves and each other. When our people thrive, our business thrives.”
In a world increasingly focused on efficiency and automation, some might argue that 'soft skills' like empathy are less important. But is there any truth to this? Farah illustrates, through both her own leadership approach and her consulting services, that human connection, authenticity, and empathy are, in fact, essential ingredients for building high-performing, resilient teams in today's business environment.
However, Farah warned that we need to reimagine our approaches to leadership and Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (EDIA) work, moving beyond performative actions and focusing on genuine embedding of inclusive practices within organizations. She emphasized the importance of transparent communication, especially during times of uncertainty, as well as focusing on what leaders can control, all while acknowledging the limitations of their knowledge. Key to this is fostering what Farah calls “healthy conflict,” which is crucial for building trust and maintaining connection with teams – as is a healthy and inclusive environment.
“The people who are saying that equity and inclusion measures don't work are those who did not embed it, but just did the performative motions. Let’s move past the acronyms… how is this translating into organizational systems and practices? How is this translating into business outcomes?”
Weaving in her acting background, Farah suggests we can learn a lot using the "yes, and…" approach from improv to accept differing perspectives, especially in today’s divisive times. This approach requires us to focus on our listening, curiosity and non-judgement ‘muscles’, all essential skills to foster trust and psychological safety within relationships,and further build ideas and innovation.
Farah further explained why leaders should model healthy disagreement and invite feedback on a regular basis. Creating a culture where self-critique is normalized fosters open discussion, collaboration, and empathy across teams.
With a lack of formal mentorship and sponsorship in her own career, Farah highlights how building communities and supporting others has been fundamental to her life’s work. We are pleased that Farah credits the WBEC NY-DMV community that shares this ‘all boats rise’ philosophy, describing the overflow of resources, the network and support for every member as a gift to every WBE:
“Everyone at WBEC has a smile on their face. They are truly there to help and we need more of that in the world, especially now. I went to my first gala last year which was amazing. It helped me feel like I belong as a business owner and opened up the world of supplier diversity for me.”
Farah now channels this communal approach by championing mentorship efforts through several of her own initiatives, including her women of color executive circle Wonder Women, the leadership podcast, FARSIGHT Chats, focused on building healthy culture in the workplace, and sharing her thought leadership as part of the Forbes Coaches Council.
This year, FARSIGHT has partnered with The Serica Initiative to create their inaugural AAPI Women's Mentorship Program, a free opportunity for NYC-based AAPI women leaders within corporate, non-profit and entrepreneurial spaces. Farah will also be sharing her expertise with the WBEC community this summer during a Lunch & Learn event.
Overall, it’s the positive impact of FARSIGHT’s work on clients' organizations, careers, and lives that is the most fulfilling thing for Farah. When it comes to advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, she encourages them to thoroughly analyze their financial situation and timeline before launching a business, stressing the importance of realistic expectations and emphasizing that entrepreneurship requires patience, perseverance, and resilience.
“It's a marathon. It's not a sprint. Jump in. It's going to be quite the ride of your life. Reach out, ask for help.”
And to those reading who already have their businesses up and running? Whatever stage you’re at, consider participating in SAGE Advice to also harness the power of this invaluable community while acquiring vital business skills and connections to push toward your next level!
“Running a business can be very isolating, but WBEC is an incredible resource. It feels like a community home base in so many ways.”