We had the good fortune of connecting with Rizwan Peera and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rizwan, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Being raised by immigrant parents, we’re taught from a young age that your main role in life is to work as hard as possible so that you can provide for your family. Self-sacrifice at the hands of a career is seen as increasingly admirable and celebrated. While I am extremely thankful to my parents for working as hard as they did to create a life for me growing up, it is in their more recent semi-retirement that I’ve grown closer to them and been able to see them truly come alive as they get to do what they want with their time as opposed to always being in this “fight for survival” mode. This in essence has formed my ideals around work-life balance. While working hard is necessary for living and thriving, it shouldn’t come at the cost of one’s own life. Consistently making time to just enjoy life and the company of those around you should be just as important as work. In a society that is increasingly becoming more conscious of what the effects from working too hard for too long can have on mental health, it’s become very clear that work-life balance needs to be given more importance, especially among first and second-generation Americans. My personal work-life balance has changed dramatically over time, especially as I’ve gotten to see my parent’s progression. While in college, I worked three jobs at one time to not only support myself, but also because I simply thought that was what we needed to do. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that taking as much of your PTO as possible, making time for consistent breaks during the day to maintain your health, and ensuring that all of your time is not taken up with work is essential to creating a happy and enjoyable life. I believe that this can be a lifetime process however, as our lifestyles change depending on the stage of life we’re in. The time we need to reset is different when we’re a single 20-something, compared to being a family-oriented 30-something. And as my generation begins to even challenge those stereotypes of when we need to accomplish things in life, I believe that our need for balance adjusts.
It’s this constant adjustment that has allowed me to create the time I need to give back to the community as the 2022 President of the Buckhead Business Association (BBA), in addition to my duties leading Young Bucks – the young professionals division of BBA, and as the Co-Chair for 2022’s edition of the Taste of Buckhead, all of which keep me on my toes as I navigate both running an organization that connects professionals in the Buckhead and surrounding communities, and prepare for one of Buckhead’s hottest events in Taste of Buckhead – making sure that the phenomenal experiences that make Buckhead a prominent food and dining destination for Georgians are well represented at one of Atlanta’s only unlimited tasting experiences.
While I’m proud of how far I’ve come in advancing the thinking passed down to me, I believe that there’s much more work to be done as I continue in this journey to find a truly happy, balanced life. Making sure that I make time for the things in life that I enjoy and for the people I love will always be just as, if not more important that how I make my living.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I always knew that I would work in technology. I surrounded myself with it growing up, and prided myself on being able to use technology creatively in an increasingly digital world. However, I never knew exactly what I would do with technology. My major changed three times during my undergraduate career in college. I took different internships in different fields in addition to working jobs that perhaps weren’t conducive to future-career progression just because I had bills to pay. And yet, I found myself finding a passion within Marketing by happy coincidence. I had never taken a marketing class, and wasn’t really a marketing natural, but founding multiple student organizations during my time at Georgia State University forced me to be a marketer without even knowing it and set the foundation for which my current career and passion has grown. Merging my love of technology with my newfound passion for marketing was a no-brainer from the start. I started some of the first social media profiles for student organizations on campus to reach students where they spent their time. I took an apprenticeship (are those still a thing?) with a local company evolving to be a search marketing powerhouse to see how you could optimize your online presence to organically reach your target audience. From there, I founded a short-lived social media and website design agency before taking a full-time position in business operations when things didn’t work out with that agency. It was never easy. I was basically forced to learn new skills in order to adapt after my latest set-back. Forced to rely on my knack for using technology and creative thinking to solve complex issues to continue my career. This took all sorts of twists and turns as I navigated learning what I was good at and where I wanted to be – which lead to me going back to Georgia State University to get my MBA and consequently getting my first introduction to the Buckhead Business Association where I found incredible connections and now lead the organization in my spare time. I’ve worked in so many areas within marketing that now I’m able to easily strike up a conversation with anyone in the business, whether analytical or creative. This ‘jack of all trades’ approach has afforded me a unique ability to inform the strategy of any team I work on from multiple angles. What I’ve learned most from this is that two of the most important attributes one can have is to be both adaptable and passionate. If you can find passion in what you do or how you do it – that is something that cannot be taught, and people love that attribute, they’re drawn to it. Learn your strengths and harness them, while looking at your opportunities for improvement and actively seeking out the help you need to improve. By keeping this passion alive and remaining adaptable as life throws you curve balls, you’ll be able to continue learning as you work towards what success means for you.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
In the grand scheme of things, one week to take in all that Atlanta has to offer is such a short time. I’ve been lucky to have lived in and around the city since 1993, and I have seen this city go through periods of constant resurgence as it seeks to truly understand who Atlanta is and what it has to offer. With that in mind, a journey through this city with me would look something like a foodie tour meets nostalgia. Anyone coming to the south always expects the utmost in southern hospitality and comfort food, for that I’d look no further than Mary Mac’s and Busy Bee Cafe. For some of the best southern comfort food and fried chicken you can find in the city, you cannot beat either of these spots. I would definitely skip The Varsity though – not sure how that became a thing – if someone takes you there when you’re visiting, they hate you, simple as.
I’m a sucker for a unique experience and a well crafted cocktail, so for the best drinks in the city, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Red Phone Booth, the Blind Pig Parlour Bar, or Banshee.

Of course, you have to do the touristy things. My first touristy stop will always be the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. As a city deeply rooted in the civil rights movement, this is one that you simply cannot miss when visiting the city. Likewise, you cannot miss The King Center to remember the incredible life and long-reaching impact of the The King Family. Continuing on the tourist track, the CNN Center offers some surprisingly great value, while you just can’t ignore the fun moments you’ll have at the World of Coca-Cola.

For a nice stroll to see a different side of the city, the Beltline is always a great idea combined with a start in Inman Park and a stop over at the Ponce City Market on your way to Piedmont Park (see if you can spot the Tiny Doors ATL landmark as well!) – honorable mention to the newly developed Path 400 as well if you want a calmer route winding throughout Buckhead.
Atlanta is a city of neighborhoods just bursting at the seams with creativity, and what better ways to experience this amazing art than to visit the Five Points, Cabbagetown, Castleberry Hill, Summerhill, and East Atlanta?

For those with a more historical and morbid curiosity, you can’t beat a ghost tour at various points throughout the city, or even in the famed Oakland Cemetery.
There’s so many picturesque spots in the city, but did you event visit if you didn’t get a Jackson Street Bridge pic?

For even better views though, Atlanta has so many rooftops to choose from, and while the food may not be great, grabbing a drink at the Sundial is always a must, but you can’t beat the energy at Whiskey Blue or the fun of The Roof at Ponce City Market. Honorable mention to RT60 Reverb as well.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention attending some local community events, wherever you may find yourself – of course I’m biased and would say that Buckhead community events are always a great time whether you’re joining one of my organizations events from the Buckhead Business Association, or any of the other Buckhead orgs, but every town and community within the city has fabulous happenings that are sure to satisfy anyone’s desire to connect locally.
Finally, I’m a firm believer that you’re not a true Atlantan if you haven’t taken at least one trip to the infamous Clermont Lounge – a unique experience for even the most adventurous of travelers.

I could go on and on because Atlanta is one of the loves of my life and I’m always discovering something new to do, eat, or drink. Every few years this city seems to reinvent itself and provide us die-hards with something new and exciting, whether a World Series Championship, or a world-renowned chef opening up the next great restaurant. I hope this never changes so long as I’m here.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
In the grand scheme of things, one week to take in all that Atlanta has to offer is such a short time. I’ve been lucky to have lived in and around the city since 1993, and I have seen it go through periods of constant resurgence as it seeks to truly understand who Atlanta is and what it has to offer. With that in mind, a journey through this city with me would look something like a foodie tour meets nostalgia. 

Anyone coming to the south always expects the utmost in southern hospitality and comfort food, and for that I’d look no further than Mary Mac’s and Busy Bee Cafe. For some of the best southern comfort food and fried chicken you can find in the city, you cannot beat either of these spots. I would definitely skip The Varsity though – not sure how that became a thing – if someone takes you there when you’re visiting, they hate you, simple as.

I’m a sucker for a unique experience and a well-crafted cocktail, so for the best drinks in the city, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Red Phone Booth, the Blind Pig Parlour Bar, or Banshee.

Of course, you must do the touristy things whenever you visit. My first touristy stop will always be the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. As a city deeply rooted in the civil rights movement, this is one that you simply cannot miss when visiting to full immerse yourself in all that Atlanta has affected throughout the nation and the world. Likewise, you cannot miss The King Center to remember the incredible life and long-reaching impact of The King Family. Continuing the tourist track, the CNN Center offers some surprisingly great value, while you just can’t ignore the fun moments you’ll have at the World of Coca-Cola.

For a nice stroll to see a different side of the city, the Beltline is always a great idea combined with a start in Inman Park and a stopover at Ponce City Market on your way to Piedmont Park (see if you can spot the Tiny Doors ATL landmark as well!) – honorable mention to the newly developed Path 400 if you want a calmer route winding throughout Buckhead.

Atlanta is a city of neighborhoods just bursting at the seams with creativity, and what better ways to experience this amazing art than to visit the Five Points, Cabbagetown, Castleberry Hill, Summerhill, and East Atlanta?

For those with a more historical and morbid curiosity, you can’t beat a ghost tour at various points throughout the city, or even in the famed Oakland Cemetery.

There are so many picturesque spots in the city, but did you event visit if you didn’t get a Jackson Street Bridge pic?
For even better views though, Atlanta has so many rooftops to choose from, and while the food may not be great, grabbing a drink at the Sundial is always a must, but you can’t beat the energy at Whiskey Blue or the fun of The Roof at Ponce City Market. Honorable mention to RT60 Reverb as well.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention attending some local community events, wherever you may find yourself – of course I’m biased and would say that Buckhead community events are always a great time whether you’re joining one of my organization’s events from the Buckhead Business Association, or any of our local partners, but every town and community within the city has fabulous happenings that are sure to satisfy anyone’s desire to connect locally.

Finally, I’m a firm believer that you’re not a true Atlantan if you haven’t taken at least one trip to the infamous Clermont Lounge – a unique experience for even the most adventurous of travelers.

I could go on and on because Atlanta is one of the loves of my life and I’m always discovering something new to do, eat, or drink. Every few years this city seems to reinvent itself and provide us die-hards with something new and exciting, whether celebrating a World Series Championship, or a world-renowned chef opening the next great restaurant. I hope this never changes so long as I’m here.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to? 
My shoutout goes out to my parents, without whom I would not be the man that I am today. They sacrificed so much so that I could have the ability to chase my dreams, and I can only hope to give my future kids the same love, sacrifice, and guidance that I received.

Instagram: @zentrinity

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/rizwanpeera

Twitter: @zentrinity

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=EaLnhvQ95zwMuPj203xL_w

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.