In Focus | Ava Aslani

Meet Ava! She's been in Kelowna since 2014.

Where are you from and how long have you lived in Kelowna?
Oh, where do I start? I was born in Iran and spent about seven years living in Turkey before my family moved to Canada in 1996. We, mostly lived in Toronto until my sister and her family moved to Vancouver. After I visited them, I fell in love with BC and followed them out to the west coast in 2010. I decided to move to Kelowna in 2014 and have been here since.

Who is your favourite person to spend time with and why?
Definitely my husband. He is my best friend and is always full of energy and seeking out adventure. He encourages me to live life to the fullest and is my constant reminder that there is a beautiful world out there waiting to be explored.

What is your favourite local store in Kelowna and why?
Although not technically a store, I really love Pulp Fiction café! I found it on Google Maps before I even moved to Kelowna and knew that I had to check it out as soon as I got here. I love the retro atmosphere, the staff is always friendly, and their teas are fantastic.

Describe yourself in one word.
Stubborn… I mean, 'determined.'

If you could go anywhere in the world right at this moment where would you go and why?
Antarctica. It is the last continent on my list and I’m dying to cross it off! I also think it would be a cool place to visit, definitely not your typical vacation.

What is your favourite activity in Kelowna?
Shauna Nyrose’s Vinyasa Flow yoga class at Oranj Fitness. She inspires me to push myself beyond what I think are my limits. I leave her class feeling energized and wake up the next day hurting in such a good way.

What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you?
When I was articling at a national corporate law firm in downtown Vancouver, I was asked by one of the senior lawyers to join in on a meeting for an international commercial arbitration. Our clients would be flying in from China for the meeting. I had a dentist appointment that morning and was running late, so I grabbed a package of mixed nuts from a coffee shop on my way to work from my appointment. So there I am in my pencil skirt, waiting for the elevator, my arms full of huge binders, trying to open this packet of nuts. Sure enough, it rips and all the nuts fall to the floor. I bend down in a comically awkward position, trying to hold onto my binders while picking up these nuts off the floor and, of course, at that exact moment, the elevator doors open behind me and I look up to see a group of very distinguished-looking gentlemen in suits and ties staring down at me. That was the first time I met our clients.

What is the most inspiring thing that has happened to you?
Doing the 4-day Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu, what an incredible trek!

Tell us your favourite childhood memory.
Visiting Pamukkale in Turkey with my family back in the day. That place is unlike anything I’ve ever seen, and I would encourage anyone to visit if they ever have the chance. Seriously, Google it and you’ll see what I mean!

Where do you volunteer or give back to in the community?
For a few years now, I’ve been acting as legal counsel to a few local non-profit organizations on a pro-bono basis. I am passionate about their causes and I’ve really enjoyed seeing each of them grow from a concept to a successful organization that does great things in the community.

If you could change one thing in the world what would it be?
I really do care about world peace! Seriously, there are so many things I would change, but if I have to pick only one, I would pick the one that impacts me the most in my day-to-day life, which is the work mentality that we have here in North America. We tend to centre our lives around work, which I think is very unhealthy. Living a full, balanced life is so important for our mental health, our physical health, our families, and our social relationships. Work is a big part of that, but it’s not the only part and I feel like we’ve forgotten that in the Western world. In fact, I think our focus on increasing wealth and measuring the value we bring to society by how many hours we work and how much money we make is at the root of a lot of the tension you’re seeing in certain countries right now. So not so far from the idea of world peace, actually!

Where would you sneak away to in Kelowna to spend some time alone?
Oddly enough, the Kelowna Farmer's and Crafter's Market. I know I’m not technically alone, but there is something so peaceful about wandering around there, checking out all the different vendors, buying fresh produce, and getting excited about food. It really calms me down.

Where would you like to see positive change in Kelowna and why?
I would love to see better systems put in place for alternative modes of transportation. Living in big cities most of my life, I got used to not having a car or not using my car for months at a time. I find Kelowna to be a very car-centric city and I would love to see that change. I am happy to see more bike lanes and trails being put in, but we still have a long way to go to increase the walkability of Kelowna.

What do you think makes Kelowna great?
It’s the perfect balance of small-town feel, big city amenities, and quick access to the outdoors. You can hop in your car and be bouldering, skiing, or hiking within 45 minutes. You can go out for dinner at awesome restaurants that rival Vancouver’s. You can go salsa dancing, and all without having to commute to work for an hour or two each day. That’s a huge win in my books!

What are 3 things on your bucket list?
1. Climb Mount Kilimanjaro
2. Learn to do a press handstand
3. Get a Tesla Model S

Tell us something that not everyone may know about you.
I’ve been salsa dancing for 13 years now, and last year I taught a few salsa and kizomba workshops at the Rotary Centre for the Arts.

How do people connect with you, personally, through social media? (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.)
I’m actually not a very active person on social media, I’m a very in-person person. If you want to connect with me, send me a message on LinkedIn and ask me to go for a coffee!

What is the name of your business/organization?
Essentia Law.

Why did you get into/start this business?
I wanted to see the legal industry become more open to change, to embrace technology, to accept flexible work hours, and to focus more on value-based pricing rather than billable hours. The legal industry tends to be slow to adapt to changing times, so I wanted to help spark a bit of the change I wanted to see.

What is the goal of your business?
My goal is to challenge the status quo and to come up with better and more innovative ways of doing just about every aspect of my job. I really believe that using technology, and a little creativity, to streamline the process of hiring a lawyer can result in a better client experience. It can even make the process of working with a lawyer enjoyable!

What has been your biggest struggle either at work or in life?
Scratching the travel itch. I still have a lot of places that I’d like to explore and it’s challenging to find the right balance between building my business and getting in all the travelling I would like to do. But I know that when I come home from a trip, I feel more energized and focused, so travelling will definitely remain a priority.

If you could start all over again would you do things the same or would things be different?
I used to think if I could start all over again, I would do everything differently, but I’ve realized that all the choices I’ve made and all the difficult times have brought me to exactly where I am today. Where I am today is something I wouldn’t change for the world.

What do you always find yourself saying?
'Is it bedtime yet?'

Tell us your best piece of life advice.
Travel. Go to as many places and experience as many different cultures as you possibly can. Get out of the resorts and get lost in a new city. Make new friends. Eat new foods. Get out of your comfort zone. You will learn so much about the world and about yourself, and the way you see things will be completely different when you come home. It is truly an invaluable experience.

If you could spend one whole day with anyone in the world who is currently alive, who would you select?
My aunt, Shabnam, who lives in Iran. Over the past couple of decades, most of my other relatives have visited Canada at some point or other, but my aunt I haven’t seen since I was 13 and it would be really awesome to spend a day with her.

Why do you think it is important to shop locally?
Lately, I’ve been obsessed with learning about nutrition and developing healthy eating habits. The more I learn about the deep-rooted problems in the food industry, the more I realize the best way, the only way, to know where your food is actually coming from is to buy it locally. I would much rather support local businesses that value producing real food than to line the pockets of the CEOs of big-box chains.

What has been your proudest accomplishment?
The amount of travelling I’ve done. I really made an effort throughout my studies to travel to as many places as I could, backpacking around Europe and Africa for three to five months at a time and eventually checking off every continent, except Antarctica… For now. This probably explains why my most prized possession is a huge map of the world, which has pins for every place I’ve travelled and sits above my office desk at home.

Give someone you think that deserves it a shout out and explain why!
Brock Smith. He has been my mentor since I graduated from law school and he has been an invaluable resource to me throughout the past five years. He is also probably the smartest lawyer I know. He literally has an answer for everything.

My choice for the KelownaNow In Focus spotlight is:
Loïc Markley! He is an engineering professor at UBCO and if you want to see his face light up, just ask him to tell you about electromagnetics. Full disclosure: he is also my hubby!

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In Focus is our gift to the community. A way for us to help show our recognition of the people, businesses, and organization that help make our city great. Thank you, Kelowna!