We’re looking forward to introducing you to Neema K. Shad, M.S. . Check out our conversation below.
Hi Neema K. , thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
I’m most proud of building something that can’t be seen, but can absolutely be felt – and that’s trust. Real, honest, deeply-rooted trust. Trust from the individuals TRA serves, who often come from a world that’s made them feel overlooked or underestimated. Trust from families who are handing over the care of their loved one and need to know – not hope – that we’ll show up, follow through, and fight for them like family.
What I’ve built – and what my team builds every single day – is a culture where promises aren’t just made, they’re kept. Where “support” doesn’t stop at checklists, but continues with late-night phone calls, emergency grocery runs, and showing up to every single meeting with the mindset of: How can we make this person’s life better today?
The world might not see that kind of quiet, behind-the-scenes work – the small moments of advocacy, the gentle nudges toward independence, or the silent victories when someone brushes their own hair for the first time or makes their first friend. But I see it. And I’ve designed this agency so those moments aren’t just celebrated – they’re the heartbeat of everything we do.
Building something “remarkable” doesn’t always look like fanfare. Sometimes, it looks like showing up again and again until people believe they are worth showing up for. And that’s what I’m most proud of.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Neema – the Founder & President of The Remarkable Agency (TRA), and my life’s work is centered around one thing: helping individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities live lives they’re proud of while also having a ton of fun.
I’ve always believed that every single person – regardless of diagnosis, background, or circumstance – deserves a life filled with choice, dignity, joy, and community. But I also saw how easy it was for people to get lost in the system. Not out of neglect, but just… repetition. Routine. Standardization. And that’s not me. That’s not who I am. I’ve never been okay with “just enough.”
So I started TRA to be different – not just in name, but in everything. Our philosophy is rooted in something Seth Godin talks about – the idea of being a “purple cow.” You see hundreds of cows and never think twice. But if you saw a purple one, you’d stop. You’d talk about it. You’d remember it. At TRA, we exist to be that “purple cow” – to create moments, experiences, and outcomes that are worth making a remark about. That’s what being remarkable truly means to me.
I have a wildly different background than a majority of people that get into this line of work (marketing & tech), but more than anything, I come from a place of deep care. The kind of care that drives you to wake up at 3AM because someone needs help. The kind that makes you memorize the little things that matter most to a client – like their favorite snack or song or routine. That’s the care we lead with at TRA.
We’re growing fast, we’re dreaming even bigger, and we’re building something that people feel – not just see. At the heart of it all is a simple belief: people deserve to feel safe, seen, and supported. And I’ll never stop working to make that happen – one remarkable life at a time.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
It was early in my tenure in the IDD space – back when I was just getting started. I was working with one of my very first clients with autism. He had lived at home his entire life, but he came to me and said, “I want to move out.” That may not sound like a huge thing to some people – but for him, it was everything.
Of course, wanting independence meant we had to figure out a lot – budgeting, life skills, and maybe most importantly, how he could afford to live on his own. That meant getting a job. So, we started from scratch – building a resume, practicing interviews, applying to jobs. But I didn’t want him to get just any job. I wanted it to be something he loved.
And if you knew him, you’d know exactly what that was. Animals. His house was basically a zoo – four dogs, four cats, birds, the works. So we focused in. We looked for jobs that let him be around animals every day.
And then, one day, totally by chance, I happened to be there when he got the call. He was offered the job. I can still picture the look on his face – it was this explosion of joy, pride, and disbelief all at once. He looked at me like, “Wait… did that really just happen?” And I just nodded.
That was the moment. That was when I realized: this is it. This is what I want to do with my life. I knew right then that I could build something – and train a team – that would help create more of those moments. That what I had to offer could change someone’s life in the most real and personal way.
Today, my team at TRA creates memories like that every single day. I know, because I still get texts and phone calls from clients and families – sometimes it’s a simple thank you, sometimes it’s a proud update, but every single time, it reminds me that this is what power looks like. It’s not about control or authority – it’s about using what you’ve got to lift someone else up. That’s the kind of power I want to keep creating – and sharing – for the rest of my life.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I’d say this: You’re going to make an impact – and that’s what real success looks like.
It’s not about titles, money, or proving anything to anyone. It’s about helping people – really helping them – and changing lives in ways big and small. You won’t always see it right away, but every act of care, every late night, every moment you show up when no one else does… it matters.
Keep going. You’re already successful – you just don’t know it yet.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’m committed to changing the way the world sees and supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities – not just in San Diego, not just in California, but everywhere.
I want to help build a world where people with disabilities aren’t just included – they’re valued, heard, and fully supported to live lives they choose, not lives that are chosen for them. That belief is at the core of everything we do at TRA, and I’m in it for the long haul – however long it takes.
Because I know that kind of change doesn’t happen overnight. But I also know it starts with one person, one story, one success at a time. And we’ve already seen what’s possible.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say, “he made people feel seen.”
That’s it. I hope they tell stories about how I showed up – fully, consistently, and with my whole heart. I hope they remember that I cared deeply, that I fought for people who didn’t always have someone in their corner, and that I built something that truly made lives better. Not louder. Not bigger. Just better – in the ways that mattered most.
I hope my team says, “he believed in us before we believed in ourselves.” I hope the people we’ve supported say, “he helped me see that I was capable of more than I thought.” And I hope my family says, “he lived with purpose – and he never forgot who he was doing it for.”
If people say I made the world just a little more kind, more fair, and more human… then that’s more than enough for me.
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