Bringing you business+tech soundbites from Silicon Beach, Los Angeles.
TODAY’S GUEST: Mona Shaikh, sometimes aka “The Naughty Muslim” comedian
We catch up with one of our funniest clients, Mona Shaikh, at a coffee shop in West Hollywood about a sneak peak into her upcoming projects and how we’ve been the “Beyoncé upgrade” in her life.
Transcription
Mindy: Hi everybody, welcome to sunny West Hollywood. I’m joined here by “The Naughty Muslim comedienne,” Mona Shaikh. Yey! We just have a few questions for her today. Mona, how are you doing today?
Mona: I am, uh, good. Listen, how could you possibly not feel good in this kind of weather. We are so blessed to live in Los Angeles.
Mindy: I know right? Absolutely. Everybody should live here.
Mona: Yeah…No, don’t do that. [Jokingly.] Stay in South Dakota. It’s fine—you don’t have to do that. You don’t have to come out here.
Mindy: [Laughter.] Alright, so Mona, tell us a little bit about what your projects are. What are you working on these days?
Mona: So, as you know, I have my show Minority Reportz.
Mindy: Minority Reportz?
Mona: Yep Minority Reportz. It’s a comedy show that I started a couple years ago at the Comedy Store. We have many sub-areas under the Minority Reportz banner. And one of those shows we have is “Gay AF” which is all LGBTQIA comedians. And, I’m sure you know what AF stands for.
Mindy: What is that…
Mona: As f***.
Mindy: As f***! Yeah. LGBTQ AF! Yeah got it.
Mona: ..IA. Yeah, yeah! “Gay as f***.” And we are an official LA Pride sponsored show—that particular show of ours. And LA Pride informed us that we’re going to be their official comedy show for LA Pride 2020.
Mindy: That’s excellent. Congratulations. That’s exciting. Yeah!
Mona: I’m super excited about that. They’re gonna put us on the main stage there. It’s gonna be like this— you know LA Pride is always massive. I think that they are literally doubling their size next year. So that’s amazing.
There’s another project I’m working on them for a mask fundraiser. It gonna be—not getting too in-detail because we’re still working on it—is a Bollywood-pride…like a Bollywood style show. A fundraiser with LA Pride.
Mindy: Ok, ok!
Mona: So we’re working on that. I have a bunch of other shows lining up. I just had a massive meeting yesterday for my show Minority Reportz. We are going to be doing…so it’s been a big TV show for a while. And we’re working on…Minority Reportz is basically being launched on 4 different platforms. At this point that’s what we’re working on. So it’s already a live show, and we’re working on the, you know, three other platforms like a digital series and things like that. So…
Mindy: Do you have any quick advice for female comedians of today?
Mona: I don’t know so much as female comedians, but just comedians. Get in a healthy relationship, get into therapy…uh, you don’t have to do it. You seriously don’t. It’s a hard life.
Mindy: Ok…it’s a hard life! Ok, if it’s a hard life, how has Enki Technologies helped you in this difficult profession.
Mona: I love you guys very much because you have really helped me re-brand. It was like a massive upgrade from what I had before I met you guys versus what it is now. And I really see the difference on the way that people react to us. I see how people, when they go on the website, it just immediately stands out. Just like the rebranding, the colors, you know, how posh it is…it’s functional, but yet stylish. It just…literally, you guys…Beyoncé has said “Let me upgrade you”. That’s what you guys did to me. You are my Beyoncé.
Mindy: [Laughter.] Good, good. I’m so glad to hear that Mona. Glad we can help you with your branding and make things easier for you. So why do you love working with us?
Mona: I love working with you guys because A) because you guys do phenomenal work. Like just outstanding work. Honestly, I’ve worked with other companies in the past and they don’t come close to what you guys do. Just the level of professionalism, the quality, the style, and how fast you work—the service is just amazing…just across the board.
Bigger than that—literal cherry on top—is the amount of desserts I get to eat when I show up to your office.
Mindy: [Big Laugh.]
Mona: …the amount of cookies…the amount of ethnic treats too, like there’ll be stuff from Austria and Greece.
Mindy: …and mochi. We had mochi from Japan!
Mona: And mochi! I’m like “You know what? if nothing else works out, this work out.”
Mindy: Alright, we gotta get the treats going at the Enki office. But thank you so much Mona.
Mona: You’re welcome, Thank you. [Hug.]
[End interview.]
