Tajila Mullahkhel is a chemical engineer, educator, and business owner based in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was born in Afghanistan, raised in Pakistan, and moved to the U.S. as a teenager. That global path shaped her mindset—disciplined, curious, and adaptable.
She earned her degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Utah, where she also conducted biomimetics research and taught Pashto language courses. Her early research focused on how nature inspires design, like the way lotus leaves repel water. “We weren’t just solving equations,” she says. “We were studying nature’s own systems.”
After college, she worked for nearly three years at Fresenius Medical Care North America. She led engineering projects in healthcare, managing quality systems and working across departments. “In healthcare, small design details can impact lives,” she says. “That taught me to slow down and listen.”
In 2017, she launched Azhar Enterprises, her own consulting business. Today, she works independently on engineering projects, writes about science and culture, and raises her children. She values flexibility, focus, and quiet success.
Tajila credits her success to consistent effort, not speed. “I used to think I had to do everything fast,” she says. “Now I focus on doing things well.”
Her story is about building a meaningful career through real work, steady growth, and staying rooted in what matters. Tajila brings big ideas to life without needing to be in the spotlight. That’s what makes her stand out.
Q&A with Tajila Mullahkhel: Defining Success on Your Own Terms
Q: How do you define success at this point in your life?
Tajila Mullahkhel: Success used to mean doing a lot—and doing it fast. Graduating, getting a job, checking off boxes. But over time, I’ve shifted my view. For me now, success is being aligned. If my work, values, and family life are moving in the same direction—even slowly—that’s success.
When I became self-employed in 2017, it wasn’t because I had everything figured out. It was because I wanted to live on my own terms. That shift helped me stop measuring success by titles or timelines.
Q: What role has your background played in your view of success?
I was born in Afghanistan, raised in Pakistan, and moved to the U.S. as a teen. Those transitions taught me how to start over, observe before reacting, and learn quickly.
When I arrived in the U.S., I felt behind in everything—language, systems, even lunchroom culture. But that gap made me work harder in school. I leaned on learning as a way to catch up. That early experience taught me that you don’t always control the start line, but you do control your effort.
Q: You’ve worked in both academic and corporate settings. How have those environments shaped your growth?
At the University of Utah, I worked in biomimetics research. It was fascinating—taking inspiration from nature to solve engineering problems. That was my first time applying scientific theory to real-world design.
Later, I worked at Fresenius Medical Care in healthcare engineering. That job taught me structure and accountability. In healthcare, you can’t wing it. Small errors in design or documentation can affect patient safety.
One of my biggest takeaways was learning how to listen. I was in meetings with compliance teams, product engineers, marketing, and operations. Everyone had a different lens. I wasn’t always the loudest voice, but I tried to be the one who asked the right questions.
Q: When did you feel like you were finally “successful”?
Honestly, I still don’t think of it as a destination. But I had a moment a few years ago—after I’d started my own consulting business—when my daughter asked me, “Are you the boss of your job?” And I said, “Yes.” That was a quiet milestone.
I wasn’t managing a team or running a huge company, but I had ownership over my time. That felt like success to me.
Q: What’s one habit or system that helps you stay focused and consistent?
I keep a simple paper journal. Each morning, I write down three things I want to do—just three. One personal, one professional, one small.
And I walk every day. Movement is non-negotiable for me. Even a short walk resets my brain. It’s usually when I do my best thinking.
Q: Have you experienced failure, and what did it teach you about success?
Yes. In one of my first project management roles, I took on too much. I didn’t delegate because I thought asking for help meant I wasn’t capable. That backfired. The project dragged, I missed deadlines, and I burned out.
It forced me to reassess what leadership really means. It’s not about doing everything yourself. It’s about holding the vision while trusting others to help build it. That lesson stayed with me—even now that I work independently.
Q: What advice would you give someone trying to define success in their own life or career?
Start by asking what you value—not just what you want. For me, it’s flexibility, integrity, and creativity. If a job or opportunity doesn’t line up with those, I don’t chase it.
Also, understand that success is layered. You might be thriving in one area and rebuilding in another. That’s okay. What matters is that you’re moving forward with intention, not pressure.
And remember: you don’t have to broadcast your progress. Quiet success is still success.