COVER STORY WRITTEN BY CASSY SMALL
She sat in her local coffee shop, mindlessly flicking through yet another glossy magazine filled with celebrity tales of indulgence and privilege. Shar loved a dose of escapism as much as anyone, but over time had grown time tired of seeing the same faces, recycling the same stories. A successful entrepreneur in her own right, Shar found herself longing to be inspired by the stories of her own breed, and from that simple idea YMag was created. Being of Indian heritage, Shar understood from an early age that her life’s path had already been planned for her. As Indian tradition dictates; the eldest son of one sibling is betrothed to the eldest daughter of the other. I knew from a young age that this would be my destiny but I had no idea that this wasn’t normal or that there may have been another option.
SHAR MOORE The Truth Behind the Smile
Wanted to read a magazine about inspirational and passionate business people, so she created one. Shar shares the inspirational journey that began YMag. I was only 11 when my fate was seemingly sealed at my Indian engagement party; despite my naivety I was already mature far beyond my years. “I felt sad watching my school friends talk about their future and plans to travel and work in a career of their choice,” she said. “I would ride my horse around our property and daydream about the kind of life I would have, if it were my choice.” As fate would have it, Shar did have the opportunity to design her own life when her step father, who she credits as one of her role models, intervened and cancelled the engagement. Understanding just how fortunate she was to escape the cycle, she hasn’t wasted a moment since. Shar entered the workforce as an administration assistant at 17, where her natural tenacity 8
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