We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Batul Sadiq. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Batul below.

Batul, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Have you ever had an amazing boss? What did you learn from them? Maybe you can share a story that illustrates the kind of boss they were or maybe you can share your thoughts on what you think made them an awesome person to work for?

The best boss I ever had was not the best because of his mentoring abilities or leadership skills. In fact, if I described his ability to rally the team or have a positive income on corporate outcomes, his style would be contrary to what one would view as an amazing boss. I define him as the best boss I ever had because his lack luster leadership helped me learn a lesson that would ultimately change the trajectory of my career and outlook on my life.

As a recent college grad, I found myself struggling to juggle establishing a career while managing a family. I was so excited when I got a position in a small startup at a “real job.” I worked tirelessly, suggesting improvements, bringing insights to the table, and excelling in my work, surpassing the productivity of my peers. I got three kids ready in the morning, dropped them off at three different places before making my way to work on time. I lived in a world where I believed hard work paid off and my boss would naturally notice, resulting in the accolades, promotions, and pay that I thought would follow, and yet, something didn’t feel right.

My work was not resulting in any of these things. I mustered up enough courage to sit down with my boss one day, asking for what I thought was a raise, but in reality was just a fair wage. I listed my achievements, my work ethic, and my ability to get along well with colleagues and vendors among other things. His response, however, was not what I expected. He waited for me to pause and finally, looked me straight in the eye and said with a straight face, “I don’t have to pay you more, your husband pays your bills.” I was in shock. It was the year 2013. I was living at a time and in a place where women didn’t deal with gender discrimination in the work force anymore. Or did we? The number of emotions I experienced in the few seconds after his response, from shock and confusion, to anger and defeat, kept me paralyzed, but only for a moment.

The path forward became clear to me. I would never again wait on someone else to hand me the respect and professional progress I deserved. I went home that day and, aside from looking for a new job, decided that I would learn to own my power as a woman and show up with strong executive presence. I knew that through my image, words, and presence, I would set the tone for my interactions with others in a way that was meaningful and impactful. In the short term I found a job as a personal stylist. In the long term, I ended up building a business teaching professional women how to know, look, act, and own their power by building strong and authentic personal brands. As for my “amazing boss,” I thank him every day for teaching me this valuable lesson that opened up so many doors for me and those I support.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am Batul Sadiq, founder of BHS Image Consulting, a luxury personal branding and image agency that supports high-achieving women, particularly those over forty, who are navigating meaningful transitions in their careers, identities, bodies, and lives. My clients include universities, corporations, corporate executives, foreign dignitaries, diplomatic leaders, entrepreneurs, senior level professionals, and accomplished academics who are entering stages of their careers that require greater visibility, credibility, and influence.

My work begins with a core belief. Women are no longer interested in dressing for success in the traditional sense. We are dressing to command respect, to be seen, and to be heard. Image is not superficial. It is a strategic tool that can reinforce our goals rather than contradict or diminish them. When used with intention and clarity, image becomes a powerful way to create meaningful connections, communicate effectively, and build trust with the people we lead and serve.

I built BHS Image Consulting after witnessing exceptional women leading organizations, shaping policy, running companies, and influencing communities, yet feeling disconnected from their own presence. Their roles had expanded and their identities and bodies had evolved, but their external expression no longer reflected the depth, strength, and wisdom they carried.

To support women in bridging this gap with clarity and confidence, I developed my signature framework, Know the Part. Look the Part. Act the Part. Own the Part.

Know the Part focuses on identity and leadership clarity. Together, we uncover your values, strengths, cultural lens, and vision. This becomes the foundation for your personal brand.

Look the Part is the refinement of your external presentation. We create a wardrobe that aligns with your current chapter and supports your professional and personal goals. The result is polished and intentional style that honors your body and reflects your evolving identity.

Act the Part strengthens the inner elements of your presence. We refine executive presence, communication, etiquette, and cultural intelligence so that your behavior and leadership align with the woman you aspire to be.

Own the Part is the moment of full embodiment. This is when a woman steps fully into her identity with clarity and confidence. She no longer questions her place in the room. She owns it.

I offer support through corporate training for organizations seeking to elevate the presence and professionalism of their teams, and through high touch, one on one consulting for clients who desire a personalized and strategic experience.

What sets my work apart from traditional styling and image consulting is the depth of personalization and the integration of leadership development. I take the time to understand each woman’s story, values, experiences, and professional goals. We create clarity around her personal brand so that every part of the process is intentional and aligned.

I am proud that my clients share that they feel understood and seen in a way they have not experienced before. They feel supported, not overwhelmed, and empowered because the transformation touches every aspect of their lives, not just their wardrobe. I am most proud of the moments when a woman arrives fully in her power. When she enters a boardroom with confidence. When she updates her professional images without hesitation. When she earns a promotion or launches a long envisioned venture. When she finally sees herself clearly and feels proud of the woman she has become.

The goal is not merely to appear successful. The goal is to show up with purpose, express your identity with clarity, be recognized for your expertise, and cultivate a presence that supports your goals and influences every room you enter.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I distinctly remember circle time in kindergarten class. It was Monday morning and my classmates and I were seated on the rug. Each of us was to share what we did over the weekend. My classmates had some stories about playing soccer with their friends, visiting grandma’s house for dinner, or baking Christmas cookies with their mom. It seemed like a simple practice, teaching children how to express their activities in front of a group, and yet for a child that didn’t quite fit in, it was a bit stressful. When your experience extends to cultures unknown to your hometown, consists of words in a language they don’t understand, foods they’ve never tasted, how do you express all this at the age of 5?

Resilience for some, comes in the form of one story. For many of us, it is the culmination of small experiences, microagressions, and aha moments. As an Asian American Muslim girl of color, growing up in a town where no one looked like me or understood my predicament of simultaneously straddling between multiple worlds, my childhood was a series of beautifully embarrassing, confusing, and exciting moments. Finding who you are when so many people are forcing their versions onto you of who they think you are comes with its challenges. The beauty in that experience is that the individual gets to decide. Am I going to act out who they believe I am or am I going to teach them who I am? I chose the latter. Resiliency comes from silencing the outside noise and living in alignment with your own purpose and values. Interestingly enough, it is when we build a strong personal brand and communicate it effectively through our executive presence that we automatically enter a world that is worthy of our time and efforts, where we can make a lasting impact and live meaningful lives.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I distinctly remember when my online application portal updated and I learned that I had been accepted into the college of my choice. I was elated, and concerned. How would I pull off completing my degree when I was starting out the semester 9 months pregnant?

I remember walking into my first semester as a transfer student at SF State when I lived in the Bay Area. It took me an hour-long train ride, a 10 minute shuttle ride, and a 10 minute walk to make my way to Burk Hall, balancing my sewing basket in one hand and my books in the other. I remember first stepping onto the campus and getting stares, but nothing was more noticeable than when I walked into the classroom for the first time. It was almost as if time had stopped, when everyone, from my classmates to the professor, stopped, turned around, and stared.

Looking back I can see why I would’ve been a sight to see. I was ready to deliver my daughter at any moment. My very presence was atypical and nothing about the situation was synonymous with your “normal” college experience. While I waddled my way into class that first week, I ended up at the hospital delivering my baby the second week, and was back in the classroom ready for class on week 3. Whether it was smart or stupid, I was determined to finish my college degree.

From pumping milk in the restroom to changing diapers in the student center, and rainy mornings to late night train rides, I managed my homework, group projects, motherhood, and naysayers all at the same time. Did I take the traditional path? No. Was it easy? No. Did I graduate on schedule? No. Did I ever second guess what I was doing? Never. For better or worse, I was determined. Four years later, I walked across that graduation stage, toddler in tow, and when I looked out at the crowd upon the faces of my classmates, they were equally confused as they were the first time we met. I didn’t fit into any box they had heard of, and finally, degree in hand, I was at peace with that.

What I later realized, is while persistence and progress is admirable, knowing why we are doing what we are doing is essential. I had tied my self worth to external validation in the form of a degree. I pulled off what I set out to do, but at the cost of my mental and physical well being. The lesson I learned from that experience is that there is no timeline, no right way to do something, and certainly no one person or group that we need to confirm our value and purpose. Our stories are our superpower and we can leverage them for our personal and professional success.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bhsimageconsulting.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bhs_image_consulting
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BHSImageConsulting/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/batul-sadiq-2380b57b/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bhsimageconsulting

Image Credits

flipsh0t by Jose Aspillera
Sana Raza Photography
Market Street Studio
Richard Kojo Miller
Chris Marcinek Photography