Meet Zaib!
A Little About Me
Hello! I’m Zaib, a second-year Business student at the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University. I’m passionate about learning new things, whether it’s exploring finance, analyzing data, or building websites. I love creating projects that are meaningful, practical, and visually appealing. Thanks for visiting my portfolio. I’m excited to share my work and the things I’m learning along the way.
Areas of Expertise
Skilled in using Power BI and Excel to design dashboards, work with Pivot Tables and advanced formulas, and turn complex data into easy-to-understand insights.
I create financial models, work with budgets, prepare journal entries, analyze financial statements, and use cost and managerial accounting techniques to support business decisions.
I create websites with WordPress and Elementor, using HTML and CSS to refine layouts, improve user experience, and design engaging digital content.
I can design linear programming, TreePlan, and optimization models to tackle problems, while applying decision-making frameworks and analytical thinking to find smart solutions
I work closely with clients, manage projects from start to finish, handle reporting and documentation, and pay close attention to every detail to get things done right.
Professional Highlights
Business Analytics & Visualization
Retail Sales Dashboard – Power BI
I designed and developed an interactive Power BI sales dashboard to provide actionable insights for the 2022 fiscal year. The dashboard tracks key business metrics including total sales, total profit, total quantity sold, number of orders, and average delivery time. It also includes month-over-month sales comparisons between 2021 and 2022, regional sales mapping, sales by customer segment, product category performance, and individual sales associate performance. Interactive filters for sales associates and product categories allow the sales team to explore the data dynamically and make informed business decisions.
Data Analytics & Visualization
Cost Optimization Model – Linear Programming
I built a linear programming model to determine the most cost-efficient production plan for two chemical products while meeting all operational and customer requirements. The model minimizes total production cost using decision variables for the number of gallons of Products A and B. Key constraints include minimum demand for Product A, a total production requirement, and a processing-time limit of 600 hours. By formulating and solving the objective function MIN (2A + 3B) subject to all constraints, the model identifies the optimal production quantities that achieve the lowest possible cost without violating capacity or demand rules.
Finance & Accounting
Make-or-Buy Break-Even Analysis – Nowlin Plastics
I built a cost-volume model to help Nowlin Plastics decide whether to manufacture or outsource its Viper model for next year. Using fixed and variable cost inputs, purchase cost, and production volume as the decision variable, I compared the total cost of making versus buying the product. With Excel tools like Goal Seek and Data Tables, I identified the break-even quantity where outsourcing becomes more cost-effective than in-house production. The model calculates total manufacturing cost ($234,000 + $2q) and outsourcing cost ($3.50q) to determine the production levels where outsourcing generates cost savings.
Finance & Accounting
Inventory Analysis & Visualization
I analyzed product inventory data using Excel pivot tables, charts, heat maps, and sparklines to uncover key insights. The project involved calculating inventory values, sorting products by value, determining total inventory value, analyzing supplier-specific metrics, and computing averages and counts across product categories. I also created visualizations such as bar charts, pie charts, and bubble maps to clearly present trends and product performance.
Web & Digital Design
Student Centre Website Redesign
I designed and built a full website for the McMaster University Student Centre, creating all graphics in Canva and hand-drawing the homepage layout. The site features redesigned lounge visuals, an interactive building map where users can explore room locations, and a detailed room directory with images to help students preview spaces before booking. This project combines UX design, content design, and functional site structure to support a smooth and informative booking experience.
Web & Digital Design
BreatheBright Planter – E-Commerce Website
For a student development course, my group and I created BreatheBright Planter, a mental-health and sustainability-focused product and e-commerce brand. I designed the full website, product pages, and custom product images. The site includes wishlists, add-to-cart features, and a full product catalog. BreatheBright Planter promotes wellness through LED-lit, air-purifying planters designed to create calmer study spaces, with 10% of proceeds supporting mental-health organizations.
Resume & Highlights
Experience Summary
Explore my roles, responsibilities, and the projects that helped me grow in finance, analytics, and digital design.