Doing Well and Doing Good: The Twin Model for Purpose-Driven Business
This Q&A is part of Observer’s Expert Insights series, where industry leaders, innovators and strategists distill years of experience into direct, practical takeaways and deliver clarity on the issues shaping their industries. Twin sisters Shay and Shabnam Safarzadeh have built a career that defies easy categorization. Technologists, educators and philanthropists, they’ve made it their mission to prove that innovation and impact aren’t competing priorities but mutually reinforcing ones.
Through ventures that span healthcare technology, global education, and the work of their Safar Global Foundation, the sisters have consistently placed purpose at the center of their pursuits. Their path reflects a larger shift in how entrepreneurship is evolving. Increasingly, the leaders shaping tomorrow’s business landscape are those who embed social good into the architecture of their models from the start.
For Shay and Shabnam, that has meant designing scalable technology platforms flexible enough to adapt to diverse systems while also channeling resources toward underserved communities, especially girls whose educational opportunities remain limited by geography or circumstance. At the core of their philosophy is a belief in collaboration and cultural humility: that sustainable solutions must be built with local partners, not imposed from afar. They see technology as a force multiplier that, when guided by responsibility and equity, can accelerate access to healthcare, expand education across borders and bridge divides that too often seem intractable.
What lessons have you learned about building trust and partnerships with diverse stakeholders, from healthcare providers to international NGOs?
Trust comes from consistency and respect. We engage with healthcare providers, governments and NGOs by listening first, then co-creating solutions. Transparency and cultural humility are non-negotiable. Over the years, we’ve found that taking the time to truly understand each partner’s priorities and challenges creates a foundation for collaboration that goes beyond transactions—it fosters shared purpose. By centering the voices of those we work with, we develop strategies that deliver meaningful impact.
Building trust also requires showing up reliably and following through on commitments. We approach every partnership as a two-way exchange, recognizing and valuing the expertise and perspectives of our collaborators. Whether we’re implementing programs in healthcare, education or global development, consistent communication, openness to feedback and a willingness to adapt are critical. These principles allow us to create partnerships that are durable, impactful and capable of driving meaningful, sustainable change.
How do you navigate potential tensions between profit goals and philanthropic commitments in your ventures?
We see no tension when the business model itself creates social good. Our ventures are built to align profitability with impact, so growth expands—not compromises—our ability to give back. From the outset, we design our companies with dual objectives: to deliver strong financial performance while addressing systemic challenges in healthcare, education and workforce development. This approach ensures that every business decision contributes to both sustainable growth and meaningful social impact.
By embedding social responsibility into the core of our operations, we transform profit into a tool for change rather than a separate goal. Revenue streams, operational efficiencies and technological innovation all become levers to amplify our philanthropic efforts, whether that’s funding scholarships, advancing education or supporting global initiatives. For us, profitability and purpose are not competing priorities—they are mutually reinforcing, allowing our ventures to scale impact as they scale success.
Scaling philanthropic initiatives globally requires navigating diverse cultural and logistical landscapes. What lessons have you learned about building sustainable education programs across borders?
Sustainability requires local ownership. We partner with in-country educators and NGOs to adapt programs to cultural, linguistic and logistical realities while maintaining a shared vision of access. By involving local stakeholders from the very beginning, we ensure that programs are not only relevant but also resilient—capable of thriving independently over time. This collaboration allows us to respect local knowledge and expertise, while still providing strategic guidance, resources and support that align with our overarching goals.
Another critical lesson is the importance of flexibility and responsiveness. Each community presents unique challenges and opportunities, from infrastructure limitations to differing educational frameworks. By remaining open to feedback and continuously iterating on our approach, we can refine programs to better meet local needs without compromising our mission. This balance of local empowerment and strategic oversight has been key to building education initiatives that are both impactful and sustainable across borders.
In what ways does your philanthropic work with the Safar Global Foundation integrate technology to create scalable education programs for girls worldwide?
Technology is our force multiplier. By leveraging e-learning platforms and A.I.-driven tools, we scale quality education for girls in underserved communities where teachers and resources are scarce. These platforms allow us to deliver personalized, adaptive learning experiences that meet each girl’s unique needs.
We partner with educators and NGOs to adapt programs to cultural, linguistic and logistical realities while maintaining a shared vision of access. Beyond academic instruction, our digital tools support vocational training programs, such as online medical assistant courses through Advanced E-Clinical, giving girls accredited certifications and marketable skills that lead to economic independence. By integrating technology across scholarships, mentorship and vocational training, SGF creates scalable, sustainable programs that empower girls to achieve educational success, financial freedom and lasting impact in their communities.
How do you ensure your technology solutions remain flexible enough to adapt to different healthcare systems and educational standards across regions?
We design modular, cloud-based systems that integrate easily with varied healthcare and educational standards. Flexibility ensures our platforms can evolve with each region’s unique needs. By building in adaptability from the start, our solutions can accommodate differences in curricula, regulatory requirements, and local infrastructure without compromising quality or accessibility.
We also partner closely with local educators, healthcare providers, and NGOs to gather feedback and refine the platforms in real time. This collaboration allows us to respond to emerging challenges, adjust content and workflows, and ensure that every implementation is culturally relevant and practically effective. Ultimately, this combination of modular design, cloud-based technology, and stakeholder engagement enables scalable, sustainable solutions that can be customized for diverse global contexts.
What role do data and analytics play in measuring and maximizing the social impact of your ventures?
Impact must be measurable. We use data to track learning outcomes, healthcare compliance and program reach, allowing us to refine models and maximize social return on investment. By analyzing this information, we can identify what’s working, address gaps and continuously improve the effectiveness of our initiatives.
Data also enables us to scale impact across regions by highlighting best practices and informing strategies that adapt to different cultural, logistical and regulatory contexts. Beyond internal use, these insights provide transparency to partners, donors and communities, demonstrating how resources translate into tangible, lasting change. In this way, analytics not only measure success—they actively drive it.
How do you balance the demands of rapid technological innovation with the need for ethical, sustainable solutions in your philanthropic initiatives?
We innovate with a “responsibility first” lens. Every solution is evaluated for long-term sustainability, equity and ethical safeguards before scaling globally. This approach ensures that rapid technological advances enhance impact without compromising the well-being, privacy or rights of the communities we serve.
We also work closely with local partners and stakeholders to understand context-specific needs and potential challenges. By combining forward-thinking innovation with transparency, accountability and continuous feedback, we create philanthropic initiatives that are both cutting-edge and socially responsible, empowering communities while fostering lasting, positive change.
What are some of the most significant regulatory hurdles you’ve encountered in developing technology-powered platforms for healthcare education and compliance?
The most significant challenges have been navigating diverse compliance frameworks across healthcare systems. Proactive collaboration with regulators and continuous platform updates are essential. Each region has unique requirements for licensing, data privacy and training standards, so our platforms must remain flexible and adaptable while maintaining full compliance.
We also build modular, cloud-based solutions that can be adjusted quickly as regulations evolve. By combining thoughtful design, ongoing monitoring and close communication with regulatory bodies, we ensure that our technology-powered platforms deliver high-quality education and compliance support safely and effectively across diverse healthcare environments.
In your view, what distinguishes purpose-driven entrepreneurship from traditional business models, especially in highly regulated sectors?
Purpose-driven entrepreneurship embeds impact into the business DNA. Unlike traditional models, success isn’t only measured by profit, but by how effectively lives are improved. Every decision—from product development to partnerships—is guided by the dual goals of financial sustainability and meaningful social change.
In highly regulated sectors, this approach requires aligning innovation with compliance and ethical standards, ensuring that growth amplifies positive outcomes rather than compromising values. By integrating purpose at every level, these ventures create long-term value for both stakeholders and the communities they serve, demonstrating that doing good and doing well can go hand in hand.
What trends in healthcare technology and workforce development are most exciting or promising to you right now?
We’re inspired by the rise of A.I.-powered adaptive learning, workforce upskilling for healthcare, and digital credentialing, which together can transform access and equity worldwide. A.I.-driven platforms allow learners to receive personalized instruction tailored to their strengths and gaps, making education more effective and engaging. Workforce upskilling initiatives equip healthcare professionals with in-demand skills, helping to address critical shortages while improving patient outcomes. Meanwhile, digital credentialing provides verifiable qualifications that open doors to new opportunities, particularly for underserved communities. Together, these innovations create scalable solutions that not only expand access to education and training but also promote equity, empowerment and long-term social impact across regions.
Looking ahead, what big ideas or projects are you most passionate about pursuing next—whether in tech, philanthropy or cultural advocacy?
We’re most passionate about scaling Safar Global Foundation’s initiatives for girls’ education, expanding Externi’s reach in healthcare workforce development and using culture as a bridge for global understanding. In 2024, we launched SGF to deliver scalable, data-driven programs that expand access to scholarships, mentorship and vocational training for girls worldwide. A signature part of our philanthropic efforts is the Beauty of Giving dinners—seated events that bring together supporters and community leaders to raise funds and awareness. Proceeds from these dinners directly fund programs like scholarships and
At the same time, Externi continues to innovate in healthcare workforce development, using technology to streamline externship placements, compliance workflows and skills training to prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals. Through cultural advocacy—including storytelling, fashion diplomacy and global engagement—we aim to spark dialogue, foster empathy and inspire collaboration across borders. Together, these initiatives reflect our commitment to creating meaningful change at the intersection of innovation, social impact and cultural influence.
