Mehrsa Sharoleslam: Crafting Power Through Creativity, Knowledge, and Effort

In this powerful and thought-provoking episode of Cozy Corner, host Hossein Nasiri sits down with Mehrsa Sharoleslam—a business consultant, former science communicator, and self-made advocate for creativity, growth, and knowledge. Mehrsa’s life journey unfolds as a testament to how intentional learning, emotional intelligence, and practical discipline can turn insecurity into impact. From running viral Instagram pages as a teenager to becoming a TEDx speaker and a strategic advisor to premium brands, Mehrsa walks us through the intersections of neuroscience, personal development, and entrepreneurship—ultimately redefining what it means to be truly creative and powerful.

1. A Teenage Spark for Creativity

Mehrsa Sharoleslam’s journey begins not in a boardroom or on a TEDx stage, but in a classroom—Farzanegan School, the prestigious institute for gifted girls in Iran. It was here that her intense curiosity took root, driven by the Olympiad and research courses that shaped her intellectual identity. Inspired by the late Maryam Mirzakhani, Mehrsa didn’t merely want to memorize facts—she wanted to understand the mind behind the math. Stories of Mirzakhani solving a single problem in seven different ways became her gold standard for thinking.

Yet, while Mehrsa dove into the intellectual, she also lived a secret life online. At just 13 years old, she ran a viral Instagram page focused on music and pop culture. No name, no face—just her content. Celebrities reposted her edits, and the page quickly grew to 30,000 followers. But one night at a celebrity event, Mehrsa had a wake-up call. While others took photos with stars, she stood unnoticed. “Right now you have a page. But you are nothing yourself,” she told herself. That night, she deleted the account and committed to becoming someone with real substance.

2. Creativity as a Daily Practice

“Creativity is not a mood,” Mehrsa explains. “It’s a discipline.” This idea anchors her philosophy. For her, creativity is the daily act of looking at what already exists and daring to ask: “What if I did it differently?” It’s not about painting a masterpiece or writing a novel—it’s about solving life’s challenges in smarter, more meaningful ways.

This mindset is deeply connected to her understanding of neuroplasticity. The brain, she notes, adapts through repetition and emotion. She uses the example of working out with intentional focus: “If you’re lifting weights while thinking about Russia’s history, it’s not going to have the same effect.” The same goes for mental routines. Real change, she argues, begins when discipline and emotion are aligned. “Meaningful effort is the most sacred concept I know,” she says.

3. The Distinction Between Knowledge and Skill

Growing up, Mehrsa often felt outshone—academically, socially, and even physically. At Farzanegan, surrounded by brilliant peers and professors’ children, she wondered: Where’s my share of talent and privilege? Her answer came from a single quote in a Tony Robbins book: “Knowledge is power.” That sentence changed her life.

But she’s quick to clarify—knowledge, without application, is meaningless. “Real literacy is the ability to use what you’ve learned,” she insists. Skills are developed in the crucible of life: hearing “no,” being rejected, closing deals, negotiating under pressure. Her public speaking skills, for instance, weren’t born in a classroom but forged in competitions she initially lost, and later taught. “Everything I know came through doing, failing, and adjusting.”

4. Mentorship and Borrowed Wisdom

Mehrsa’s growth accelerated when she stopped believing she had to suffer to succeed. “You’re not supposed to have a shattered soul just to reach the mountaintop,” a friend once told her—and it stuck. Since then, she’s practiced what she calls “borrowing experience.” She studies stories, reads regrets, and asks people what they would’ve done differently. “There’s no glory in unnecessary pain,” she says.

She now surrounds herself with mentors—people far ahead in the fields she’s navigating. Their advice is not cautionary but strategic. “When someone says, ‘You need to work on your negotiation style,’ that’s a gift,” she says. It’s this approach—curious, humble, intentional—that has helped her move across industries, not just up ladders.

5. The Allure of Power and Influence

Mehrsa doesn’t sugarcoat her love for influence. As a student, she turned pins and bookmarks into trends, selling them to the top scorers and cool kids alike. “It wasn’t about the money,” she explains. “It was about seeing something I made, worn by people who once ignored me.”

This hunger evolved. When she joined a public speaking class full of older professionals, she created personalized pins for everyone—with the instructor’s quote printed on them. “I didn’t even wear one myself,” she laughs. “I just wanted them to wear it.” For her, true power is subtle—it’s when others choose your creation and amplify it, even without you asking.

6. Transitioning from Science to Strategy

Mehrsa’s early career flourished in science communication. She gave neuroscience lectures, wrote articles on neuroplasticity, and was once awarded as a distinguished science communicator. Her visibility skyrocketed during the COVID-19 era, when her livestreams and content went viral in the academic community. She loved it—until she didn’t.

The academic world, while intellectually fulfilling, began to feel limiting. Mehrsa noticed a stigma around financial success. “Making money was seen as vulgar,” she says. Her desire to grow—and to not hide her business instincts—led her to pivot into consulting. Today, she advises luxury and premium brands. Her creativity is alive and well, just hidden beneath formal strategies and elegant campaigns.

7. Redefining Success and Creative Identity

There was a time when Mehrsa’s identity was inseparable from creativity. Her book was titled Always Creative. Her brand was her brain. But now, she’s chosen a quieter form of expression. “It’s not a switch,” she says. “It’s a puzzle.”

She still applies creative thinking—but within tight frameworks, especially in luxury branding. Her clients expect precision, elegance, and restraint. “Even within limits,” she notes, “creativity finds its way.” She no longer feels the need to perform creativity publicly. Instead, she channels it inward—into business models, brand voices, and growth strategies. Her success is no longer about applause—it’s about legacy.

8. Final Reflections: A Life of Meaningful Effort

In the end, Mehrsa Sharoleslam’s story is not about raw talent or genius breakthroughs. It’s about the sacredness of effort. It’s about building a life through thousands of small choices: reading a book when others sleep, asking a mentor instead of guessing, taking the hard path even when no one is watching.

She reminds us that change is not about waiting for motivation. “You don’t have to feel ready to start,” she says. “You just have to start.” With every chapter of her life—from teenage content creator to neuroscience evangelist to luxury business advisor—Mehrsa has proven that identity is not static. It’s built.

To those watching from the outside, her path may seem nonlinear. But to Mehrsa, every detour was strategic. Every breakdown was a bridge. And every chapter was written by her—not by chance, but by design.

If you take anything from her story, let it be this: you are not stuck. Your brain is malleable. Your story can evolve. And your effort—when rooted in meaning—can build a kind of power no one can take away.