South Florida entrepreneur Shama Hyder has earned a striking list of awards and accolades while building her Zen Media marketing agency into a global powerhouse. She has been named the “Zen Master of Marketing” by Entrepreneur Magazine and the “Millennial Master of the Universe” by FastCompany.com. Forbes, Businessweek, and Inc have all recognized her as one of the Top 30 under 30 entrepreneurs in the field of marketing.
One of her most recent honors was being named a Henry Crown Fellow by The Aspen Institute, which mobilizes proven entrepreneurial leaders, all between the ages of 30-45, to tackle the world’s most intractable problems. Aspen notes these fellows have “reached a point in their lives where, having achieved success, they are ready to apply their creative talents and skill sets to building a better society.” Hyder’s fellow incoming class included leaders from brands including Dollar Shave Club, Instacart, Duolingo, TikTok, NBC Universal and more.
Of Ismaili heritage, Hyder says Zen Media has prospered largely because the rich advantages of diversity, equity and inclusion are built into the company’s foundation.
“We celebrate diversity in every context of our work—with the key always being diversity of thought. Everyone thinks, creates, and innovates in their own way, and when these many diverse perspectives and thought processes merge—amazing outcomes are inevitable,” Hyder says.
Founded in 2009 as a one-person company, Zen now has a team of 65 professionals serving many of the world’s top institutions and brands, while winning numerous industry awards.
She moved from Dallas to Miami in 2018, attracted to South Florida’s dynamic, diverse, family-friendly lifestyle, as well as its fast-growing technology sector.
To help establish meaningful relationships in this area’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, Hyder joined Entrepreneurs’ Organization South Florida (EO SOFLO). The group is one of the world’s largest EO chapters, with 300 business owners who share peer-to-peer experiences, support one another and foster entrepreneurship, innovation and economic development throughout Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. EO SOFLO member companies account for more than $1 billion in yearly revenues and 11,000 jobs in this region.
“Shama is a great addition to our chapter of innovative, driven, successful entrepreneurs,” said Lil Roberts, EO SOFLO president and founder of award-winning Xendoo online bookkeeping and accounting platform. “So many of our members shine with amazing vision and boundless energy. Shama is a perfect fit.”
In addition to leading Zen Media, Hyder also has authored two best-selling books — The Zen of Social Media Marketing (now in its 4th edition) and Momentum: How to Propel Your Marketing and Transform Your Brand in the Digital Age, as well as delivering keynote addresses in more than 24 countries.
“All of this is part of a commitment to be more than an effective business leader or successful entrepreneur,” says Hyder. “I strive every day to be the change I wish to see. I genuinely hope through my work, collaborations and strong relationships that we can leave the world a better place.”
For more information on Zen Media, go to www.zenmedia.com.
For details on EO SOFLO, visit www.eosoflo.com.
