Despite the early call time for MS. READ's Cerita Kami photo shoot, Ayesha Adam still shows up fresh as a daisy and ready to go. With two young children, an exciting but challenging new job and a business she co-owns, Ayesha's a seasoned multitasker - and she's not planning on stopping any time soon. Not even the pandemic slowed her down, as she and her friends tapped into the experiences they shared during lockdown to open a quaint neighbourhood restaurant in their suburban area - aptly named The Jiran.

Here, we talk to her about food, kids, and how she navigates through the sometimes hectic environment of her chosen career as a social media manager.

In the height of the pandemic and lockdowns, connections with other people felt doubly crucial.

"Everyone was afraid, everyone was uncertain," Ayesha recalls. "Because of the lockdowns, no one could go anywhere. Lucky for us, our neighbours were also our friends."

Throughout all the anxiety and fear, this group of friends would keep each others' spirits up by swapping dishes and sharing recipes. Thus, when the chance to create a business together appeared, they knew it had to be about food!

"Now we have the chance to share our food with the rest of our neighbours in Bukit Antarabangsa and so far it's been well received. They're all dishes we personally love," she remarks on the menu that includes items with quirky names such as Nasgor Titanic and Nasgor Jack Sparrow.

Between two kids, a demanding job and a side business, how does Ayesha handle them?

"A LOT of help," she laughs. "I have an understanding spouse, supportive bosses, and great friends and family members."

Ayesha also relies on a social media communities. As part of her job, she's always online and she uses them not only as her comfort zone, but also as a source for inspiration.

"I love that social media has made it easier to connect to other people who are going through the same things as us. I rely on my many Facebook groups for sanity! My favourite group as to be Happy Mom, Happy Dad. It's always great to get advice from experienced and like-minded people."