In a story resonating with women navigating corporate life, lifestyle and personal development creator Fumi, known online as Maha Maven, is earning praise for a recent video in which she detailed how she handled her first workplace bully with calm, confidence, and textbook professionalism.
In the video, Fumi—whose online platforms center around empowerment, beauty, and storytelling—recounts how a senior associate repeatedly made inappropriate and belittling remarks early in her career.
One such comment, masked as a compliment, implied that Fumi’s prestigious background—including Dartmouth and a White House internship—gave her “street cred for being smart, even though you very well might not be smart at all.”
Instead of reacting emotionally, Fumi said she turned to advice from her mother, who taught her the importance of “docking”—a strategy where one documents repeated offenses instead of reporting a single incident prematurely.
“If you report it the first time, it can be dismissed as a mistake. If you report it the second time, it can be dismissed as a coincidence. Always wait for at least three occurrences,” Fumi explained.
She kept detailed records of each incident and then sent a clear, fact-based email to the managing partner before involving HR. The result? A swift and professional resolution!
The associate was made to apologize, and Fumi was offered the choice to avoid future assignments with her—an option she declined in the spirit of moving forward with mutual understanding.
Later, the associate even admitted that Fumi’s calm and methodical approach was “textbook perfection”—a testament to the power of strategic patience.
Fumi credited her ability to remain composed to her faith and the guidance instilled in her from a young age.
“Had I crashed out and caught an attitude with her, it wouldn’t have mattered what she said to me because I would have been guilty of insubordination,” she said. “But because I took the time to calm down… I was able to play the long game.”
The creator’s message struck a chord with her predominantly female audience—more than 80% of whom are women across her platforms.
One person remarked, “Every time you tell a story about the guidance your mom has given you I am left clapping my hands (you are blessed)
.” Another said, “Love this story. And you’re a good one because in my eyes that’s a 5th occurence that would have went to hr (micro aggressive comment about being a professional)
” A third commenter also said, “Chess not checkers. That said, never forget, never forgive. But always be professional.”
Her story not only shed light on workplace microaggressions but offered a valuable blueprint for navigating them.
Fumi continued to thrive in that workplace for two more years, gaining the respect of colleagues and access to meaningful opportunities.
Now, she’s using her platform to encourage others—especially young women—to “act like you actually believe that you are who you say you are.”
