In The New Business Traveler column, we take a look at how interesting people with fascinating jobs are traveling for work right now.
As an immigrant with relatives scattered across the world, “travel has always been tied to family for me,” says Shiza Shahid, the Los Angeles-based founder of non-toxic kitchenware brand, Our Place. “Visiting relatives, moving between places, [means] understanding that home could exist in more than one geography. I remember the feeling of arriving somewhere new but still finding familiarity in food, in language, in small rituals. That idea of connection across distance has stayed with me.”
Now, that passion for experiencing new cultures, places, and traditions informs much of Shahid’s business. “I travel as part of the work because so much of what we make is shaped by people and place,” she says. “Whether it’s meeting artisans, spending time with our teams around the world, or understanding how people cook and gather across cultures, being there in person changes how you build.”
Tell me about a work trip that has stayed with you.
I traveled to Marrakech to spend time with our artisans in late 2024. A big part of Our Place’s mission is to celebrate our traditions loudly and proudly, and to help preserve the craft that carries them forward. This trip was centered around the development of a limited-edition tagine. We were working alongside third-generation craftsmen, in the very place where the tagine originates. There is something incredibly grounding about building a product not in isolation, but in deep collaboration with the people and places that have shaped it for generations.
How did you get there?
I flew via Paris. It is a relatively seamless journey, and I always appreciate the pause there before arriving somewhere as textured and transportive as Marrakech.
Who were your travel buddies?
I traveled with my husband and co-founder, Amir Tehrani, along with two of our product leaders, Chu Chimezie and Jia Zhu. It is rare to have that combination of partnership and craft in one place. Being there together meant we could make decisions in real time, grounded in both intuition and expertise.
