MEDA Adds Hamdi Husein to The Ascend Family

Ms. Husein comes with a background in education and counseling

by Martha Flores Perez

Hamdi Husein is the newest addition to Ascend Twin Cities. She is the Supplier Development Coordinator at Metropolitan Economic Development (MEDA). Previous to this work, Ms. Husein was a school counselor. Given her experience, her skills easily translate to her new role at MEDA, where she will be helping business owners identify their problems and work towards solutions.

For Ms. Husein, there is a parallel between the type of work she did in the K-12 public school system to the one she is now doing in economic development. She says, “Originally, I went into school counseling, I wanted to be a part of that early intervention piece, but I still think it’s important to support people at all levels.” As part of her training, Ms. Husein is an expert in identifying gaps and acting upon those. She adds, “If I see that there’s a gap, whether it’s knowledge, or if it’s in capital or just making some connection pieces, I think as people in this field and anybody who’s supporting entrepreneurs, can be proactive in the actions that they take, whether it’s just asking the right questions or being open for people to ask you questions about your knowledge.” Ms. Husein provides one-on-one advising that helps develop personalized problem-solving plans.

Hamdi Husein is a graduate of Minnesota State University at Mankato. She understands the communities in Twin Cities and is eager to be a resource for local entrepreneurs.

“Business owners have the business plans, the ideas, and the grit, and they need that connection piece to get them to where they need to go. Whether it’s introducing them to people or consulting with them, advising them, or even providing them with capital, I think. That’s what’s so exciting about this organization is that we have access to all these amazing, wonderful entrepreneurs, and we get to hear their stories firsthand and can get them to where they need to go and closer to their goals.”

As part of her responsibility, Ms. Husein is often prepared to have tough conversations, helping redirect perspectives without negating anyone’s work. Much of her role relies on empathetic listening to understand her stakeholders. Whether working with young students or experienced entrepreneurs, Ms. Husein’s north star remains the same in “making sure that clients’ voices are heard.”