Our sweet Zena passed away on Saturday, October 24, 2020.  Our hearts are broken. Zena made a huge impact on all that knew her. Her infectious spirit and peaceful soul touched us all and made us want to be better.  We were so honoured that Zena entered our contest and blessed to have heard her story about her beloved Oliver.

Zena, you made a difference and we love you and will miss you very much.

Here is Zena’s story:

My Name is Zena Khalil Nassar and I am writing you today to tell you a story of heart and courage and I am hoping that my story inspire other women and I will be selected for the Moxiest Work Woman of 2015.

I am an immigrant woman who arrived to Canada in the mid eighties thirty years later I am a Canadian Citizen married with three children and a business owner. I am a Professional Organizer by trade. I have started my company SO Organized in 2003. I organize, declutter and build systems for clients to help them get organized.  That sounds perfect. A woman with skills, a hammer, a measuring tape in hands, a mission and a promise to take you from Chaos to Order, building one shelf at time to get you organized.  My clients love my services and what I offer. They really cheer me up when I show up with my power tools and Moxie pink boots to create solution that works for their special needs and spaces.

I have been hit by loss and grief in 2012 when I lost my beloved son Oliver to suicide and mental health. My grief had put my business on pause I was devastated, bereaved and lost.  GREIF took out my life and my business but not my spirit. I mourned my beloved son for two years in silence, alone with a paper, a pen and a book. I healed with beautiful words. Reading and writing were the only way I can connect with my son who wanted to be a famous writer. He left too early without writing his book of fame. He told me once “Mom I will be writing this book and I am going to be rich and famous and I do want even a penny from it all. I want to be Philanthropic and give it all away for people who work hard in their lives. People like dad and yourself who work in the trade.”

In my grief I have lost my WHY to be in business, WHY the trade? And I had no energy to take care of myself and my family.In September 2014 my real story began.

After a long hike to the Adirondack peaks I was able to come to terms with my grief and decided to move forward with courage facing my fear and my losses.  And here I am starting from zero starting over with new branding and It will be with pink Moxiesto help women with cancer and mental health and business women who suffered from grief. My extending helping hands will offer Organizing and Maintenance Services to women who are suffering from loss, divorce, mental health. I understand what loss and grief can do to women and family in general and I would like to be there to help them in their journey of healing.

A woman in the trade with PINK heart extending her helping hands.

I am in the middle of building a new website around the image of woman in trade wearing her Moxie gears.

My partner and husband of 30 years Victor is an engineer and handyman by choice is my mentor.  He is teaching me how to crown mold. I started slowly going with him on site to help him out with his project by being his helper. The power tools and the precision involved in this trade gave me a new focus away from grief and determination to learn this trade and be the woman who can inspire others to move forward by building things that turn a house into a home and make a difference in her family and community.

After two years of loss I finally found a reason to re-launch my business again “Phoenix rising from the ashes.” Is my mantra and it is happening in the middle of learning a new trade.

My new focus is to help and assist men and women business owners in time of grief so they will not be devastated the way I did when I was hit with loss.This new business model will take me from my niche of being a Professional Organizer to a new level of service to my community in time of needs.

I need all the support that I can get to move forward with my life and business.

In the upcoming month of May I will be fundraising for the Bereavement Family Ottawa Center. They have been helping me to move forward.  Oliver’s wings will be my inspiration to give and be philanthropic in my community.

A note from Marissa McTasney,

This win is so bitter sweet and we feel very sorry for your loss.  We believe in you and hope that this little bit of encouragement will drive you to achieve your dreams in honor of your beloved Oliver. We are honored to be part of your journey.  Thank you for being brave and sharing your story.  It will make a difference.