New beginnings: SAF alumni who have pursued unique career paths

Anshu Grover

DipWSET, CPA-C.A., MAcc '00, CSW 
Founder and CEO of Wineitupanotch Lifestyles

After Anshu Grover received Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and Master of Accounting (MAcc) accreditations from SAF, she began a career working in professional services and later in corporate roles. Grover worked hard and gained valuable experience for over 20 years before she felt ready to pursue her passion of starting her own wine company.  

Grover’s years of experience and educational achievements were key to unlocking new opportunities as she pursued two new designations: the DipWSET post-nominal from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) and the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) post-nominal from the Society of Wine Educators, solidifying her status as a certified wine expert!  

Combining her expertise in finance and wine, Grover founded Wineitupanotch Lifestyles, offering custom wine boxes, cellar building and wine collecting services, wine tastings, as well as free and pay-for-use media and education services. With a strong educational background, she was well-equipped to manage the financial side of her business ventures, too. 

“My best advice for young professionals is to consider the world your oyster. There are so many opportunities available to you if you are capable, innovative and hard-working! You can and will do so much in your career; you've got the right background, given your time at the SAF, and can do really great things whether you choose to stay in the accounting profession or apply yourself elsewhere!”  

Grover admits that pivoting at a midpoint in her career was a journey filled with challenges, but after hundreds of hours of studying and learning (plus lots of expenses too!), she describes it as incredibly rewarding. She explains that change is never easy, but her passion for the topic of wine made the hard work a little more palatable.  

Meng Wang

BAFM ‘12 
Founder and CEO of Our Little Treasures

Meng Weng started her career in investment banking at TD, using skills developed through Accounting and Financial Management (AFM) classes and by participating in competition opportunities at SAF, such as the CFA Challenge to excel (no pun intended) in her highly analytical role.  

With a desire to learn, Wang decided to move to Uber Eats to assist with the company's launch, which posed some new, but exciting, challenges. Her analytical and problem-solving skills honed in AFM came in handy again in this role, and she was able to adapt quickly to the needs of the job such as building the first sales team, scaling Uber Eats globally and negotiating major deals with executives from companies like McDonald’s and Starbucks.  

At the time, Wang did not know that Uber Eats would become the billion-dollar business it is today and she even had the unique opportunity of fulfilling the first-ever order on the Uber Eats app! Taking this leap from finance to tech was incredibly rewarding for Wang, both professionally and financially, as she got to see the business grow from day one. She emphasized that the true highlight of this opportunity was working alongside and connecting personally with some of the most brilliant minds in the industry.  

This pivot did not come without hardship, however. Wang took a leap of faith when she moved from finance to tech, frequently questioning whether she was making the right decision or not and if she was capable of success. But she was able to push past this fear by trusting herself and her abilities, crediting her successes to experiencing, overcoming and embracing challenges.  

“Take risks. If you’re still a student at Waterloo, take full advantage of the co-op program to explore different career paths. Don’t feel limited by your program or by what others have done—pursue what excites you and sparks your curiosity. It will open your eyes to new possibilities and help you make informed decisions about your career after graduation. If you’ve already graduated, you can still take risks by exploring different roles or industries. Your willingness to reinvent yourself and step outside your comfort zone will set you apart and lead to rewarding opportunities.” 

This personal growth gave Wang the confidence she needed to take another leap of faith, stepping into the world of entrepreneurialism by starting her own company. Our Little Treasures is a premium organic babywear brand with an innovative trade-up program designed to help parents save money while also caring for the planet. 

Wang’s skills developed during her time at SAF, and then throughout her career with TD and Uber Eats, have served her very well as the founder and CEO of her company, where she has created a brand with impact and purpose. She believes that while change is never easy, the challenges it brings are integral for personal and professional growth. 

Adnan Khan

MAcc '17
Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Viva Executive Assistants

Adnan Khan is a graduate of the MAcc program and notes that one of the most valuable takeaways from his time at SAF was the mentorship and advice he received throughout his degrees. He notes that mentors came in a variety of roles, such as professors like Steve Balaban and Upkar Arora, upper year students such as Oni Prisecaru and alumni like Brandon Weekes. Each taught Khan skills that have helped him succeed in his career, such as how to build strong relationships.  

“During my time at SAF, I attended a conference and one of the speakers was the Controller at Under Armor at the time. His best piece of advice was the common saying ‘Be humble. Be hungry.’ It resonated with me back then and still resonates with me today. Being humble allows you to have an open mind and learn from others. Being hungry allows you to move fast in doing so.” 

With these pieces of advice, Khan felt ready to take on the role of Co-founder and Co-CEO of the company Viva Executive Assistants. At Viva, they hire, train and match high calibre executive assistants with leaders at tech companies, particularly aimed at enabling executives to maximize their impact while creating meaningful opportunities for women in Latin America.  

The journey to his success has been full of ups and downs, but Khan continues to accept these challenges knowing they bring new learnings.  

Khan notes one of Viva's biggest successes was when they started to see strong signs of product-market fit based on their customer acquisition, retention and satisfaction. This achievement would not have been possible, however, without their incredible team, whose construction took a lot of consideration, searching and difficult decisions. Khan felt that finding the right people at a fast enough pace while constantly raising the bar to bring in and retain customers was a big challenge. However, by staying focused and persistent, they were able to overcome this hurdle and see Viva succeed to where it is today, with prospects of continuing to grow and improve.