“Oh! I didn’t know you were focusing on women-owned businesses. Aim High isn’t only planning to help women, but we do want to focus on women-identifying and LGBTQ+ people. We hope to address some of the barriers that have held these members of the community back in their homelands. Women-run businesses are shown to better improve the health of the family and the whole community.”

Kamila smiled. She liked Anil—a lot. This incubator sounded like a fabulous initiative to help people who really needed it. Kamila discovered that she wanted to work on the project as much as she needed to work on it.

“Any chance you’d let me join the training team, too? I can teach small-business finance.”

He laughed. “We haven’t really started compiling that team yet, but I’ll keep you in mind. For now, we’ll get you started working on our opening financial statements and the articles of incorporation. Then, in a month or so, the board can vote on retaining your firm for all our financial needs going forward. How does that sound?”

“Amazing. I’m excited to get started.”

“Finance really is your passion, isn’t it? I would have thought you would be more into marketing or PR—more people-oriented business fields.”

“God no. I’m all about the numbers. There’s something so meditative about dealing with rows of figures. I love people, but sometimes they’re too much. Numbers are predictable. Although…” She smiled. “I love to let my creative-freak flag fly in my volunteer work. Like planning the puppy prom.”

He laughed. “Well, if you were serious about helping with our fundraising effort, too, I have a creative, people-y assignment for you. After seeing your famous Bollywood party, you’re the perfect person for this job. I’ll send you a meeting invite for our next fundraising meeting.”

Kamila smiled. “Yay! I’m looking forward to it!”

“Welcome to Aim High. I have a good feeling about you, Kamila Hussain.”

Kamila beamed. She had a good feeling about Anil and this project, too.

*  *  *

When she got the invite for the three p.m. Aim High meeting on Monday, Kamila’s first thought was what kind of volunteer committee met in the middle of the afternoon on a weekday? But after arriving at the downtown shared-office-space boardroom, she realized the answer to her question: a committee made up of corporate bigwigs who could leave work whenever they wanted, and underemployed social philanthropists. Unfortunately, it was blatantly obvious to everyone that Kamila didn’t fit into either of those categories.