Parmis Esmaeilinia: The biggest barrier is the one we build in our own minds

I’m Parmis Esmaeilinia, and I’ve always believed that success is less a finish line and more a path full of experience, challenge, learning and growth. When I’m asked to speak as a woman about the road I’ve travelled, my first instinct is to say that where I stand today isn’t just the result of personal effort. It’s built on the inspiration of the women and men I’ve worked with, and the difficult moments that shaped me.

My professional life started early. At fifteen, when most of my peers were focused on other things, I decided to taste financial independence for the first time. I made handmade Fabriano postcards and sold them to a local bookstore. It may seem small, but for me it was the moment I discovered how far creativity, persistence and a little self-belief can take you. Soon after, I began tutoring math. It was a short and not-so-successful chapter, but it gave me confidence and strengthened my communication and teaching skills.

University widened my horizon. While studying business management, I had the chance—thanks to one of the leading managers in the field—to intern at an international transport company. That was my first real contact with the world of trade. I learned how complex and energizing commercial work can be. Those few months ignited a deeper interest in business.

Joining the oil and gas industry was the turning point of my career. I had no background in it, no familiarity with its work culture, its projects or even its terminology. In meetings, when the conversations became technical, I would record everything and spend hours at night looking up each term just to understand the essentials. Sometimes it took days to grasp a single concept. Those first five years were so intense they felt like a decade’s worth of lessons. That mix of determination and curiosity eventually helped me find my footing in foreign procurement and contribute to developing Iran’s oil fields.

But the path was never easy. Being a woman in a largely male-dominated industry meant facing constant challenges. Quick judgments, doubts about my capabilities and the absence of women in managerial roles were part of my everyday reality. I often felt like a guest during field missions rather than a member of the team. People worried about my luggage, my travel, even calling me “sister” out of habit, a sign of how unfamiliar they were with having a woman in the group.

On top of that, I wasn’t from the regions where the projects were based, and I didn’t have local networks or family support. Many times, it felt like I had to work twice as hard just to be acknowledged. Those pressures, however, strengthened me. They taught me self-reliance and gave me a sense of independence that became one of my greatest assets.

As time passed and I gained experience, new opportunities opened up before me. One of the most significant was joining the Austrian Oil and Gas Company, where I embarked on my first international experience. Working in a multicultural environment and learning global standards in supply chain management broadened my horizons. Through collaboration with international colleagues, I came to understand how professionalism, process accuracy, and a systematic approach can meaningfully elevate the quality of one’s work. 

After that period, I spent three years with a technical and engineering services company in the upstream sector. The guidance of inspiring managers shaped me enormously, and projects like supplying and equipping acid-stimulation vessels broadened my view of the industry.

The highlight of my career has been joining Dana Energy —the company I had always dreamed of working for. My goal was to become skilled enough to choose where I worked, not wait to be chosen. I still remember passing by the building and thinking, someday I’ll be part of this place. Within two years, I grew from senior expert to procurement lead and then to department manager—a progression that would have taken much longer in a different environment. Dana Energy gave me room to grow, and I tried to grow with it.

What I learned along the way goes far beyond technical skills. I realised that personal success only matters when it’s tied to the success of the team and the organisation. Leadership, to me, became synonymous with enabling the growth of others. I also learned that achievements never belong to one person alone. Partners along the way—your spouse, your family, your team—often play a role even greater than your own. Their support is the quiet foundation of every milestone.

In my hardest moments, in dead ends and setbacks, the greatest factor in moving forward was team building. A team whose members strengthen each other—in both personal and professional life—can weather nearly anything. When people complement each other, share a common goal and lift one another up, success becomes almost inevitable.

The challenges continue; no path is obstacle-free. But when I look back, each barrier I crossed made me stronger, more aware and more confident. If I were to summarise it, I’d say progress isn’t a destination. It’s the rhythm of learning, falling, rising, growing and continuing. The key is understanding the deeper purpose behind all the effort, because moving toward a meaningful goal naturally brings growth.

To young women entering this industry, my message is simple: nothing is as limiting as the boundary you draw in your own mind. Trust yourself, even when you make mistakes. Find joy in the journey, even when it’s difficult. Keep learning, even when you think you know enough. And above all, embrace yourself with all your imperfections.

For me, the ultimate goal is to make an impact in the brief time I have—to inspire someone else to take even a small step. If that happens, I feel I’ve fulfilled my purpose.

This personal reflection was written by Parmis Esmaeilinia, Procurement Manager of the Sohrab Project at Dana Energy, published in the Peyam-e Ma’s special issue on women under the title “Women Without Frames.”