The Tamil Creator

Sivathasan “Siv” Sivasamy ( @siv.sivasamy ) is the New Business Director at Charles Square as well as the UK-Based Co-Founder Of The Mayfair Collective, a trusted circle of family office advisors that builds business relationships with purpose.He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to drop countless gems while discussing arranged marriages, why the Mayfair Collective was created, why modern day relationships are like microwave meals, how boredom can actually be a gift, the “let them” theory, having always been able to connect with people/how it naturally led him his career path, and so much more.Follow Siv:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sivasamy/)    Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Siv Sivasamy01:20 - Siv's formative childhood years; from Sri Lanka to the UK05:50 - Do arranged marriages have more longevity?08:13 - Why he chose an arranged marriage11:16 - Modern day relationship dynamics13:49 - How the age of abundance leads to shallow perspectives15:08 - Is boredom a gift?16:37 - Men struggling to have deeper conversations/a loneliness epidemic20:34 - Andrew Tate, Adolf Hitler, Donald Trump, Nigel Farage, etc.26:44 - Losing the fine art of debate and why you can't force people to change30:01 - How he ended up with Charles Square, what he does, and more40:25 - Mayfair Collective; what it is, how it works, and Ara gets rejected47:51 - Siv hangs up on Ara and calls back?51:41 - Creator Confessions1:00:32 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan      Support the show

Sujatha Sivarajah ( @sujatha_sivarajah ) is the Vice President of Strategic Execution & Operational Excellence for McKesson Canada ( @mckessoncanada ).She joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss the significant impact of her parents while she was growing up, being a part of a graduating class that comprised only 10% females, building teams at multiple companies including LifeLabs and Sanofi, being a woman of colour in a male-dominated field, the importance of building a solid foundation, her fascination with history, and so much more.Follow Sujatha:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sujatha-sivarajah-p-eng-80897a9/)   Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Sujatha Sivarajah00:43 - Sujatha speaks on her upbringing; Jaffna, Ohio, Nigeria02:19 - Sujatha's dad being her mentor; advice for parents06:08 - Being a woman of colour in a male-dominated field (Electrical Engineering)9:52 - Her time at Ford during a recession in Canada; and then LifeLabs17:11 - Leaving LifeLabs after 7 years to build another team; this time at Sanofi21:10 - What is pharmaceutical manufacturing?22:23 - Was the lack of pharmaceutical manufacturing during the pandemic true?24:17 - What McKesson does, and what her role here is26:13 - What Sujatha hopes to accomplish during her tenure at McKesson27:34 - Her view on work-life balance29:19 - Parkinson's Law - work expands to the time allotted for it30:35 - How she secured her roles; never saying “no”40:24 - What she would have done in another life; anthropology or archaeology42:13 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self44:02 - The legacy she wants to be remembered for by friends and family45:25 - Creator Confessions53:19 - The Wrap Up Intro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan     Support the show

Arunan Arulampalam ( @mayorarunan ) is the Mayor of Hartford (Connecticut).He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss South Asian representation slowly growing in the politics, his parents' belief that “no one would vote for someone with the last name, Arulampalam” because of the world they inherited and overcoming these underdog odds, being the CEO of a non-profit before running for mayor, his passion for Hartford, the importance of faith and family in keeping him rooted, and so much more.Follow Arunan:- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/mayorarunan/)   Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Arunan Arulampalam01:22 - Arunan's thoughts on how the 2025 US Elections played out03:34 - Arunan speaks on his childhood years; not realizing he'd end up in politics06:43 - Politics being less openly discussed in today's world07:09 - College, love, career, and family; Atlanta, LA, and Hartford08:43 - Why he loves Hartford; why you should visit10:16 - Being the CEO of a non-profit before running for mayor12:00 - His path to becoming mayor; beating the odds as an underdog15:47 - What he wants to accomplish during his time as mayor17:51 - His day-to-day as mayor; navigating a lack of time19:28 - How he manages his energy through work and familiar priorities21:20 - Family and faith dictating his decisions; staying humble23:35 - His biggest learning lessons since becoming mayor27:18 - What's the Tamil-community like in Hartford?29:25 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self30:17 - The legacy he wants to be remembered for by friends and family30:51 - Creator Confessions35:36 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan    Support the show

Khamshajiny “Kamzy” Gunaratnam ( @kamzy_gunaratnam ) is a Member of Parliament in Norway and former Deputy Mayor of Oslo.She joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss how she got recruited into politics, being elected (at a time) as the youngest Deputy Mayor in Oslo's history, why taxes are a good thing for the collective, what she hopes to achieve in the next few years (minimizing domestic violence and securing abortion rights for women), the impact of Utøya (the 2011 Norway attacks) on her personally including losing her best friend, the benefit of her individuality as a Tamil girl while growing up, how Helen Keller's biography showed her she has no room to complain, and so much more.Follow Kamzy:- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/kamzy_gunaratnam/)  Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Khamshajiny Gunaratnam01:09 - Kamzy's early years; being shy before becoming a part of a Tamil Youth Organization02:49 - The process of being a new immigrant in Norway; then versus now05:27 - The Tamil community within Norway's population of only 5,000,000 people07:59 - How she became Deputy of Mayor at such a young age and why she got selected10:57 - Shaping the vision and ambition for Oslo's population of 700,000 people14:33 - The radicalization of Norway/the country's ability to positively leverage tax money21:19 -  Utøya ; losing her best friend and re-thinking her career in politics25:16 - The motivation behind the  Utøya  shooter26:15 - Hoping to minimize domestic violence/help women obtain abortion rights30:59 - The biggest learning session she's experienced in the past three to five years; 35:12 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self37:38 - The personal legacy she wants to be remembered for by friends and family39:33 - Creator Confessions47:12 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan      Support the show

Hari Mahesh ( @harimahesh ) is Founder of ar•ram•bam ( @arrambam__ ), a modern third space for the next generation of Tamils and Southern South Asians, as well as the Director of the New York Chapter for The Knowledge Society (TKS, @tksworldhq), an accelerator for unicorn teenagers. He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss early exposure to tech in Seattle, his favourite Tamil actors, the magic of @yanchanproduced , building several apps during high school, how his parents felt about him dropping out, nurturing the next Elon Musks at TKS, starting a Tamil renaissance moment with ar•ram•bam, and so much more.Follow Hari Mahesh:- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/harimahesh/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Hari Mahesh01:09 - Hari's formative years; travel, Tamil culture, and technology07:27 - The impact of frequently travelling/moving around during childhood10:28 - Learning to build friendships/relationships through common interests12:48 - From dropout to the youngest healthcare employee at Johnson & Johnson19:33 - His kickstarter in 2016 raising $15,000 for ZAVR Men23:40 - What TKS is and how the opportunity arose for him to lead the NY Chapter28:27 - Will the next Elon Musk emerge from TKS?41:11 - How ar•ram•bam came about, what's next, working with Yanchan, and more56:36 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self58:46 - The legacy he wants to be remembered for by friends and family1:01:01 - Creator Confessions1:14:09 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan       Support the show

Swathi & Shurabi Anphalagan ( @twintalesproject ) are twin sisters who both attend the University of Western, pursuing healthcare-related careers.  They use science knowledge to promote inclusion in the “Twin Tale” series of books they've created.They join Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss being their innate curiosity and interest in science, choosing Western University ( @westernuniversity ) and healthcare career paths, working at the same jobs together over the years, their thoughts on AI, how volunteering at a local vaccine clinic during COVID-19 led them to spreading joy through the Twin Tales Project, their creative backgrounds helping them transfer knowledge and make it more accessible for the community, and so much more.Follow Swathi & Shurabi:- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/twintalesproject/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Swathi & Shurabi02:01 - Working together at the same jobs and being best friends04:08 - Their childhood; being immersed into the Tamil community05:44 - Growing up in Brampton and going to Tamil class07:26 - Choosing Western and healthcare careers; passion for science09:57 - How strong their twin telepathy is; finishing each other's sentences10:30 - Their fourth year at Western and working at Unity Health13:20 - Their “Aha” moment; how the pandemic led to Twin Tales15:48 - Turning their idea into books; storylines, illustration, and publishing18:45 - Fundraising to get the Twin Tales Project off the ground19:36 - Two steps forward, one step back; over a year for a final product20:13 - Did they hesitate before deciding to work together?22:40 - Their parents being supportive during this entrepreneurial venture24:20 - Promoting their books through word of mouth and social media25:50 - Their thoughts on AI; how they see it impacting their careers29:43 - Having four books currently out and planning to release more30:47 - What they envision in 3-5 years; lifelong learning and community impact32:06 - Their biggest learning lessons in recent times; 33:54 - Advice they would give their younger selves35:39 - The personal legacies they want to be remembered for by friends/family37:10 - Why they are inspired by being kind38:29 - Creator Confessions51:17 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan      Support the show

Vijay Kumar ( @chef.vijayakumar ) is a chef-partner at Semma ( @semmanyc , the only Michelin Star [ @michelinguide ] Indian restaurant in New York City), one of the hottest food spots in the city!He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss transitioning from engineering to being a chef to excel in the culinary mecca of New York, going from starting a business in only two months to having his authentic South Indian food be recognized by the likes of the New York Times and Padma Lakshmi ( @padmalakshmi ), him sharing the best part about running the restaurant and so much more.Follow Vijay:- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/chef.vijayakumar/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Vijay Kumar01:17 - What led him to this career path02:59 - The demand of running a restaurant04:42 - Wondering if he should've stuck with engineering05:46 - Moving to New York City09:34 - Coming up with the restaurant name; Semma?10:42 - Building up his business; how long did it take?12:24 - Cooking unapologetically14:35 - The reception he received from non-Indian New Yorkers16:26 - How he got a Michelin star17:53 - Hosting Padma Lakshmi at his restaurant20:00 - Not taking a vacation in three years20:24 - His favourite dish to cook21:08 - The exaggeration of cooking shows/movies21:58 - Will he become a global brand ambassador for Indian cuisine?22:41 - Initially aspiring to break barriers23:37 - Are there negatives to his restaurant receiving so much attention?24:09 - His favourite places to eat at in New York26:20 - His favourite thing about New York City; the welcoming vibe26:58 - One of his biggest learning lessons; COVID28:57 - The Tamil community in New York City30:01 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self30:57 - How he wants to be remembered by friends and family31:48 - Creator Confessions39:35 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan     Support the show

Sujani Siva ( @sujanisiva ) has worked for 12+ years in public health across various sectors (not-for-profit, academia and government) & founder of PH SPOT ( @phspot ). About 7.5 years ago, while concurrently working full-time for the government of Canada, she decided to build and launch PH SPOT to support the workforce in public health. To help them build their dream public health careers, where they get to not only make an impact but also find fulfillment in their careers.She joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss rediscovering LinkedIn, being raised by a single mother, putting in processes to scale PH SPOT without spending more time, her thoughts on AI, replying to every email (hundreds) she received during the first few years of getting her company off the ground, dealing with doubt as an entrepreneur and so much more.Follow Sujani:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sujanisiva/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Sujani Siva01:27 - Formative years that shaped Sujani's life path03:15 - How she got into public health05:04 - Her first job ever07:18 - Working at the Government of Canada for 10+ years10:17 - The story behind how she started PH SPOT15:00 - Being told that starting her company was a mistake19:48 - How much time she spends building her business21:30 - Her secret to building a great community24:36 - The struggles of being a solo founder25:48 - Has she become less social while building her PH SPOT?27:50 - Why she prefers bootstrapping over fundraising29:37 - Sujani's thoughts on AI31:45 - Dealing with doubt as an entrepreneur35:20 - Where she sees herself in the 3-5 years37:24 - Sujani and Ara talking about how much money you really need40:50 - Resources she leverages to be a lifelong learner42:12 - Trying to make quicker decisions without procrastinating46:31 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self49:35 - How she wants to be remembered by friends and family51:21 - Creator Confessions55:53 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan    Support the show

Nish Ithayakumar is a Vancouver-raised tech entrepreneur currently living in San Francisco, running Ponyrun (formerly Nimbus), an AI-based sales tool that helps automate research for high-quality results at scale, and the company was part of the prestigious Y-Combinator program.He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss growing up in Vancouver (including the Grizzlies), playing “way too many video games” growing up, firsthand benefits of the Y-Combinator program for his startup, the Eureka moment that sparked the birth of Ponyrun, how his investors reacted to him pivoting from Nimbus to Ponyrun, leveraging a consulting job to open doors for his tech aspirations, the path to starting his own business (Ponyrun), the pros and cons of San Francisco, the importance of being an active listener, and so much more.Follow Nish:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nithayakumar/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Nish Ithayakumar01:08 - Nish speaks on his upbringing; video games and calculating what mattered03:15 - Not being a fan of food04:40 - Growing up during the Vancouver Grizzlies era05:52 - From Vancouver to Toronto to San Francisco; following his passion for tech06:43 - The challenges of transition from Canada to America for work08:01 - Working for multiple companies before starting his own (Nimbus)09:53 - His “Eureka moment”11:19 - From targeting small customers to bigger ones13:37 - How his investors reacted to him pivoting from Nimbus to Ponyrun15:53 - Coming up with the name Ponyrun; focusing on what mattered (customers)16:39 - Excelling at creating solutions; seeing a gap for automation18:59 - Are the responses they've received positive, negative, or neutral?21:29 - How CRM fits into his business operations22:17 - Ponyrun surpassing Nimbus revenue in five months of operations23:12 - Benefits of being part of the Y Combinator program; fundraising, network, etc.25:21 - How the easy path dilutes you26:20 - Being at an inflection point27:25 - Is too much automation a bad; having to handhold and showcase value29:09 - Having a product that could help generate more sales for himself30:40 - His business model; a monthly subscription31:06 - What are Nish's future plans for Ponyrun?31:57 - Does he miss Vancouver and was moving to San Francisco the right decision?33:15 - The perception of San Francisco35:47 - Nish's favourite things about living in San Francisco; views, food, and more37:10 - Where he sees himself professionally/personally over the next 5-10 years38:34 - How his family feels about San Francisco; their role in his decision-making39:16 - The importance of sense of community amidst today's loneliness epidemic40:12 - Learning lessons he's picked up along his journey; active listening as a skill43:41 - The Tamil community in Vancouver versus San Francisco versus Toronto45:57 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self49:18 - The personal legacy he wants to be remembered for by friends and family50:01 - Creator Confessions1:02:15 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan     Support the show

Usha Srinivasan has a fascinating career spanning over 30 years - as a scientist, market research consultant, innovation ecosystem builder, entrepreneur, and now also an Angel investor. She is the Founding Director of Brampton Venture Zone ( @bvzbrampton ), a non-equity, purpose-driven incubator operated by TMU and funded by the City of Brampton. Before that, she was VP of Partnerships at Elevate Tech Festival ( @elevatetechca ) and COO of a Food tech startup. Her most significant role in the past 15 years has been with MaRS Discovery District ( @marsdiscoverydistrict ), where she was VP of venture and talent programs. She spent ten years building entrepreneurship programs and supporting the growth of regional innovation centers across the province of Ontario with her team.  Her career experiences working in academia, corporations, consulting firms, and startups also included living and working in multiple countries worldwide, including Iran, Dubai, the UK, the US, and Canada. She is dedicated to being a lifelong learner and always has a side hustle - including a French patisserie and a record label business. She believes in a life driven by purpose and unconditional giving.She joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss her work as Founding Director of Brampton Venture Zone, being born in South India (Chennai) and living internationally, the 10+ years she spent at MaRS Discovery District building entrepreneurship programs, never applying for a job as it was advertised but rather pitching herself to make opportunities, being a lifelong learner and embracing new challenges, being a breast cancer survivor, and so much more.Follow Usha:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/srinivasanusha/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Usha Srinivasan02:29 - Usha speaks on the skills/perspective developed by moving every three years05:33 - How she accidentally ended up in Toronto09:10 - Will she ever go back to the United States?10:18 - Working for MaRS as employee #2515:35 - Why she left MaRS; the importance of relationship-building to secure jobs17:51 - Managing a full time job and family while starting a bakery (Petit Paris); her experience23:38 - The importance of making mistakes; encouraging her kids to be lifelong learners26:40 - How did Usha transition from coaching her kids to becoming their friends29:08 - The food-tech start-up (House Chef) she worked with prospering before COVID37:02 - Brampton Venture Zone; what it is and what her role entails40:34 - Companies that have experience rapid growth/and that she's excited about45:50 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self47:22 - The personal legacy she wants to be remembered for by friends and family48:38 - Creator Confessions56:53 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan    Support the Show.

Peter Duraisami ( @peter.duraisami ) is the CEO at The Scott Mission ( @thescottmission ).He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss his journey from working in a kitchen to becoming CEO, an innate desire to bring justice to the poor and finding his faith in 1997, not wanting to leave India but feeling compelled by God, seeing unseen levels of poverty during COVID, making the transition from the business world to a life of Ministry, and so much more!Follow Peter:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-duraisami-785b4b35/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Peter Duraisami00:52 - Growing up as the youngest of 8 in India; finding his faith03:50 - Where are his siblings now?04:59 - Why Peter picked Canada; feeling compelled by God08:22 - Transitioning from business to a life of Ministry11:21 - How he got involved with The Scott Mission; Tyndale in 199013:05 - His progression at The Scott Mission; kitchen to CEO15:11 - The Scott Mission's impact and his role over the years22:42 - How The Scott Mission has been able to sustain itself26:27 - Where Peter sees himself in the next 3-5 years28:44 - How his family has supported him through his career30:47 - Peter's connection to his Tamil identity33:08 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self35:44 - Creator ConfessionsIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan    Support the Show.

Suba Umathevan ( @suba.umathevan ) is the CEO of DROSOS FOUNDATION, a Switzerland-based non-profit committed to unlocking the potential of young people.She joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss the work she's done in the non-profit work for the last 10+ years including at the DROSOS FOUNDATION and Plan International Switzerland, being raised in Switzerland and having Tamil values instilled in her from a young age, how she got her TEDx talk opportunity, wanting to become a Swiss diplomat due to discussions about politics with her dad, personal and professional growth she's experienced along her career journey, her direct approach being a byproduct of her Germanic upbringing, viewing herself as a “connector", her admiration for Oprah Winfrey, and so much more!Follow Suba:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/suba009/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Suba Umathevan01:10 - Suba speaks on her formative years; turning trauma into resilience02:58 - Why her parents chose to flee to Switzerland04:59 - Was the world more welcoming to refugees back in the day?07:47 - The Tamil community being more populated in Toronto versus Switzerland09:00 - Why Suba pursued a career in the non-profit world10:51 - The cost of living in Switzerland12:17 - Plan International; what they do and a key milestone for Suba15:22 - Transitioning from a Director-level position to a C-Suite role18:26 - What is the DROSOS foundation; unlocking young people's potential23:21 - 15,000 foundations existing in Switzerland; the history behind it24:26 - Why Suba prioritizes connecting with her team versus coaching them29:08 - The DROSOS foundation entering its 20th anniversary; new vision30:45 - Pursuing education in Canada; how the country shaped her32:33 - What the Tamil community is like in Switzerland35:04 - Tedx Talk; how the opportunity came to be36:28 - Several failures during her first year at Brussels38:43 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self39:24 - The personal legacy she wants to be remembered for40:15 - Creator Confessions46:47 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan     Support the Show.

Alex Emmanuel is a UK-born, Canadian Expat living in New York City who went to work his way up at several start-ups (Skillshare, Grailed, etc.) before going all in with some friends to co-found a gaming app called 1v1me (@1v1meapp) that successfully raised a Series A while also being profitable.He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss wanting to have gone to culinary school, how engineering was a tool that allowed him to pursue his passion of creating technology, prioritizing education over compensation early on in his career, growing his business 77% MoM (Month over Month) over the first 13 months of operations ($14,000 in sales for the first month to over $3 million in a recent month), why he opted to raise money vs bootstrapping, and so much more.Follow Alex:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-emmanuel/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Alexander Emmanuel01:28 - Alex speaks on growing up in Ottawa; moving to bigger cities like NY02:37 - The impact of his parents working for Nortel/in the tech scene03:48 - Growing up in a tight-knit family; cousins are like siblings04:19 - Getting laid off and moving to New York within a span of two weeks06:14 - How the first iPhone sparked Alex's passion for engineering09:14 - Carleton having an underrated engineering school10:50 - Could he have achieved the same success in Toronto that he's seen in NY?13:44 - Staying at multiple companies for long periods before starting his own venture16:30 - The moment he decided to start his own company23:37 - How his company's staking model works24:11 - Biggest factors that have contributed to his company's success27:54 - The game titles he works with (Madden, NBA 2K, Call of Duty)29:16 - Not needing licensing due to fair use laws30:51 - Why Alex opts for raising money over bootstrapping34:09 - His learning habits operating a 24/7 business; doing36:11 - How he handles having to be switched on all the time; being intentional38:39 - Learning lessons during the course of his career; why timing is everything41:36 - The Tamil community in New York; and food spots43:59 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self; from lazy to disciplined45:09 - The personal legacy he wants to be remembered for by friends and family46:03 - Creator Confessions52:19 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan    Support the Show.

Cheyanne Ratnam (@rising.phoenix7) is the Co-founder & CEO of the Ontario Children's Advancement Coalition. She is passionate about equity, developing inclusive and accessible anti-racist spaces and processes, and social innovation. As a social entrepreneur she has dedicated much of her life/expertise in child welfare, homelessness, and equity issues. She is passionate about youth homelessness, child welfare, SDoH, childhood sexual abuse, GBV/IPV, youth development, mobilization and ethical engagement, equity, anti-racism, & human rights issues. Her life experiences spanning various identities and histories sparked much of her life's work and recognition for her work.She joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss how she's impressively overcome several unfortunate life circumstances to come out on the other side (including being homeless, dealing with violence, and healing from generational trauma), why peace is expensive, Canada measuring wellness from an economic perspective versus New Zealand's benchmark, being a target of human trafficking, why family is chosen, and so much more.Follow Cheyanne:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheyanneratnam/)- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/rising.phoenix7/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Cheyanne Ratnam01:49 - Cheyanne speaks on how her past led to her current life trajectory09:12 - Healing is a lifelong journey; her experience with it12:01 - Addressing the prison pipeline; prevention versus intervention20:23 - The long-term cost saving effect of mitigating homelessness22:53 - Affordable housing for the homeless/those who can't afford a home25:38 - Cheyanne speaks on being a target of human trafficking30:37 - Starting the Ontario Children's Advancement Coalition40:35 - Why pure intention is not enough for actual change46:12 - Her strategy behind being socially innovative and sustaining her life50:04 - Cheyanne speaks on being in survival mode since the age of 852:58 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self54:53 - Her definition of family; it being chosen59:21 - The personal legacy she wants to be remembered for1:00:53 - Creator Confessions1:22:27 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan     Support the Show.

Nitesh Pillai (@nitesh.pillai) is professional model that was discovered on TikTok (where he has 100K+ followers & over 5 million likes).He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss immigrating from Malaysia to Australia, going from being a victim of bullying to being discovered by IMG Models (an international leader in talent discovery), juggling school and his modelling career, questioning the purpose of education due to his current career path, participating in Paris fashion week, and so much more.Follow Nitesh:- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/nitesh.pillai/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Nitesh Pillai01:37 - How Nitesh became a model; overcoming bullying05:19 - The different perspectives his brothers provided07:11 - Missing his family in Malaysia and the “next level” food08:28 - Being discovered on TikTok by IMG Models 09:32 - Misconceptions about being a model11:13 - Dealing with last minute requests12:22 - How his parents feel about his modelling career13:52 - Balancing his modelling career and school14:43 - Contemplating not finishing school; don't tell his dad15:49 - The longevity of a modelling career; 5-10 year shelf life17:22 - Will his degree be useful; his passion for music, writing, and more18:19 - Favourite places he's been able to travel for work; Paris, Portugal19:27 - Why Nitesh only sees himself living in Australia; a non-stop holiday20:45 - How to adapt an “every day is a holiday” mindset; family22:21 - Would he consider moving back to Malaysia?24:58 - Why his parents moved to Australia; his dad's incredible story26:15 - What his ideal day to day looks like; stretching, sports, etc.27:39 - How he views money and spends it for his modelling career30:17 - Craziest stuff he's seen in the world of fashion32:29 - The 1% of models; wanting to create his own lane34:06 - Learning lessons; breaking his jaw35:57 - Advice he would give his 14-year-old self37:39 - How he wants to be remembered by friends and family37:54 - Creator Confessions41:15 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan    Support the Show.

Angela Asiana (@angelaasiana) is a Swiss-based musician, model & social media star.  She joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss her unique way of networking through Instagram, navigating the negative side of social media, gradually winning her parents' approval, who her dream collaborations would be with including The Weeknd (@theweeknd) & A.R. Rahman (@arrahman), the importance of maintaining mental and physical health as an artist, quitting her job last year to pursue music full-time, the importance of gratitude, and so much more.Follow Angela:- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/angelaasiana/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Angela Asiana00:47 - Angela speaks on what led her to a career in arts and culture02:07 - Music being for herself and social media being a fun thing to do04:21 - Discussing another Swiss music star in Priya Ragu04:56 - The negative side of special media; remembering your roots06:08 - Finding yourself in today's world/digital era08:30 - How Angela's parents feel about her pursuing this career path13:15 - Her favourite song to date15:08 - Why she enjoys creating music videos17:33 - Being an independent artist but open to working with a label18:56 - Wanting to collaborate with The Weeknd and A. R. Rahman20:26 - How she perceives herself; as an artist and musician22:30 - What her schedule looks like; and the power of Instagram26:15 - How she approaches networking/relationship building28:27 - Deciding to go all-in with her dream; quitting her job33:18 - Her biggest failures/learning lessons 34:56 - The importance of practicing gratitude; her morning routine38:53 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self39:33 - The personal legacy she wants to be remembered for by friends/family39:57 - Creator Confessions45:22 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan    Support the show

Sujan Selven (@sujanselven) is a serial entrepreneur with his latest venture, Space Group, focused on the telecommunications industry. He is also a founder of social enterprise Upcycled Tech (@upcycled_tech), which provides upcycled tech devices to improve the lives and well-being of those in need, starting with remote villages in Sri Lanka.He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss how Jack Ma influenced him to think about positively about problems, how COVID led him to create Upcycled Tech/giving back to the Tamil community in Sri Lanka through this social enterprise, future growth plans for his business Space Group, wanting to be known for taking action instead of just talking, the importance of facing challenges head-on, and so much more.Follow Sujan:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sujanselven/) - Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sujanselven/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Sujan Selven00:40 - What led Sujan down an entrepreneurial path02:07 - Being born in Sri Lanka, migrating to Australia04:08 - Admiration for Jack Ma; problems create solutions06:18 - Upcycled Tech; what it is and why he started it10:18 - Transforming Upcycled Tech to a social enterprise13:12 - The Upcycled Tech team; how it came together14:34 - Space Group; what prompted him to start this16:09 - Space Group's purpose; civil, electrical, and telecom services17:09 - Initially not knowing where Space Group would take him19:19 - How he secures sales (contracts) for Space Group20:49 - How he finds talent; setting others up for success22:38 - Reducing role with Space Group to focus on Upcycled Tech (to help enable connectivity to remote villages in Sri Lanka)25:08 - Learning about the importance of good accounting26:15 - His sources of learning; reading, short courses, etc.27:35 - Balancing personal and professional obligations29:13 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self30:40 - The personal legacy he wants to be remembered for30:56 - Creator Confessions35:08 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan   Support the show

Aurthi Muthukumaran (@aurthi.pa) is an emergency medicine and orthopaedic surgery physician assistant and high-level tennis player.She joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss why she is a big advocate of the physician assistant role as something that young people with an interest in medicine should pursue, how a shoulder injury playing tennis when she was 13 years old had increased her academic focus, having an innate desire to give back to the Tamil community through her work at SHN (@shnfoundation), how physician assistants positively impact the patient experience while helping to remove barriers to healthcare, how she balanced a demanding academic load with her athletic pursuit of being a high-level tennis player and so much more.Follow Aurthi:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/aurthi-muthu/) - Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/aurthi.pa/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Aurthi Muthukumaran00:46 - What led her to a career in healthcare; a tennis injury05:02 - Being further inspired by an opponent in her varsity career06:21 - What is physician assistant; a relatively new role09:35 - Difference between a physician and a physician assistant12:23 - The importance of the pandemic for physician assistants13:57 - Canadian universities increasingly offering PA programs14:41 - Being one of less than 1,000 PAs in Canada today15:29 - Resonating with Scarborough Health Network; the Tamil community16:36 - What Aurthi's day-to-day looks like19:57 - Retracting a patient's abdomen; becoming desensitized over time21:02 - Winning an ‘Excellence in Leadership' award; her advocacy efforts22:21 - Balancing academics and athletics from a young age24:34 - Being used to 10-hour days; being grateful for a busy upbringing29:48 - The importance of maintaining physical and mental health as you age31:49 - Extrinsic motivation versus intrinsic motivation; winning habits37:52 - Where she sees herself in the next 3-5 years; personally and professionally40:28 - Her biggest learning lesson; a steep learning curve when switching specialties43:29 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self; no such thing as perfection44:34 - The personal legacy she wants to be remembered for by friends and family45:36 - Her dad being an avid chess player; training players who are famous today46:15 - Creator Confessions50:02 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan  Support the show

Karthy Subramaniam (@karthy.subra) is the Founder of LITS Hot Sauce (@litssauce) & Co-Founder of Malaysian street food company BUNGKUS (@bungkus.to) with his mom Siva.He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss advice he wish he got when he first started his business, growing up with entrepreneurs around him, how he came up with the name BUNGKUS, scaling LITS to 36 retailers in just over five years of operations, quitting his full time job to start BUNGKUS with his mom and growing this business a faster rate than LITS because of past learnings, and so much more.Follow Karthy:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ksubramaniam/) - Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/karthy.subra/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Karthy Subramaniam01:01 - What sparked Karthy's entrepreneurial spirit; his mother, brother, and grandma03:50 - Being born in Malaysia and moving to Canada at the age of four05:38 - Starting LITS (Lost in the Sauce) Hot Sauce07:49 - Scaling up his business; researching bigger companies and exploring co-packers09:53 - Forming his team in 2023; his fifth year of operations11:09 - Securing his first sale for LITS; from family and friends to 36 retailers15:37 - How he went about securing retailers; initially being approached16:54 - How he formulated his sauce flavours; competing with bigger brands like Nandos18:34 - Balancing a full time job while building up LITS; sacrificing sleep and social life21:27 - Are his friends and family accepting of his entrepreneurial efforts?23:33 - Quitting his full time job to build another business (BUNGKUS) with his mother26:40 - Why the company is called BUNGKUS and deciding to partner with his mom32:11 - What learnings he's applied from LITS to BUNGKUS; marketing/social media34:33 - Creating business synergy between LITS and BUNGKUS; a co-branded hot sauce35:20 - Where can people order BUNGKUS?36:42 - Karthy offers his recommendation for the best dishes to order37:57 - Advice he wish he got when he had first started his business39:01 - The learning lessons he's experienced from failure41:03 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self; don't overthink41:51 - The personal legacy he wants to be remembered for by his friends and family42:48 - Creator Confessions48:56 - The Bungkus (Wrap Up)Intro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan     Support the show

Sumu Sathi (@sumusathi) is an award winning social advocate, plus size model & actor. She is a Labour Relations Specialist in the Labour Movement and was previously the Chair at CUPE905, representing almost 4,000 public servants. She's been in the media & community leadership space for almost 20 years. Her community work has been featured in places like Toronto.com, NOW Toronto & the Toronto Star. In 2017, she was chosen to be part of post-war socioeconomic development work in Sri Lanka as a Leadership facilitator. She is the 2023 recipient of the Inclusion Excellence Award from University of Toronto (@uoft). Sumu has acted in two Toronto based films and appears on CityTV as a plus model. She believes in promoting body positivity and advocating for representation for people of colour in arts, fashion and media spaces.She joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss being exposed to gang violence while growing up in Scarborough, being named a recipient of the 2023 Inclusive Excellence Award from U of T, spending over $50K of her money to make a film about women in Sri Lanka & the controversy around that, initially not wanting to take up a Chair position for CUPE 905, why she's a big believer of therapy, overcoming eating disorders, how the Tamil community's perception (judging people based on skin colour and size) is rooted in colonialism, and so much more.Follow Sumu:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sumusathi/) - Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sumusathi/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Sumu Sathi01:57 - Moving to Canada at 14 and her early passion for art05:50 - Growing up and being exposed to gang violence in Scarborough09:54 - Being the first woman of colour to take a Chair position with CUPE 90514:01 - Change she has made as a labour movement leader and what she's learned17:40 - The power dynamic involved with sexual violence in the work place19:21 - Acting in an award-winning film; how she got her opportunities24:47 - Being a plus-size model; dropping out of UofT due to hyperthyroidism and more31:47 - Always being compared to the past version of yourself; code switching35:23 - Her yet to be released film, Daughters of Eelam; spending over $50,000 to make it39:55 - Being named a recipient of the 2023 Inclusive Excellence Award41:57 - Working on multiple careers; feeling blessed46:15 - Advice for her 16-year-old self; handling criticism and managing emotions49:35 - The personal legacy she wants to be remembered for by friends and family50:50 - Making the best of bad situations; dire situations vs. first-world problems57:01 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan    Support the show

Aravinth Panch (@aravinthpanch) is a social & tech entrepreneur empowering underserved communities in the Global South to tackle local socio-economic and environmental challenges while helping companies to realise their ideas from mind to market. He is currently the co-founder of DreamSpace Academy (@dreamspace.academy).He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss how he went from stateless and suicidal to super successful, having a pet crocodile, founding several businesses and investing in various others, being forced to become a child soldier at the age of 14, trying to deport himself from India 6 times before successfully being able to leave, finding purpose in entrepreneurship, viewing DreamSpace Academy as similar to the Xavier Institute from X-Men, and so much more.Follow Aravinth:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/aravinthpanch/) - Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/aravinthpanch/)Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Aravinth Panch (Ara)01:10 - What sparked his interest in entrepreneurship/driving social change?08:34 - The story his company, araCreate; engineering, media, and business11:16 - One of his companies (Hybrid 360 Art Tech) doing visual FX for Indian cinema13:33 - Trying to deport himself from India six times; not allowed to live or leave21:18 - Being a part of 20 companies in January 2023; managing his time24:01 - Refusing shares while consulting for 250 companies and declining CEO roles27:04 - The story of DreamSpace Academy38:03 - Success stories from DreamSpace53:45 - Building in Sri Lanka while living in Germany; how he sustains himself55:08 - Reflecting on finding his purpose59:22 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self1:01:36 - The personal legacy he wants to be remembered for1:02:29 - Creator Confessions1:09:12 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan   Support the show

Janani Shanmuganathan (@janani_shanmuganathan) is a criminal defense lawyer who has appeared frequently at the Ontario Court of Appeal and has argued at the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. She is a Partner at Goddard & Shanmuganathan LLP.She joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss participating as co-counsel for a landmark Supreme Court Case (R.v. Nur.), how the cool moments of law that are seen on TV are only 10% of what being a lawyer entails, starting a business with her husband and navigating a work-life balance with it, having taken on clients even if they're not able to pay (Legal Aid Ontario), why she'd rather make a friend than try to network, her desire to be authentic, regretting rushing through life, and so much more.Follow Janani:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jshanmuganathan/)Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Janani Shanmuganathan00:45 - What sparked her passion for law; an innate love for learning01:58 - Never having second thoughts about her career choice02:45 - Why Janani chose criminal defence; helping the underdog03:35 - Misconceptions about being a lawyer; doubting herself05:36 - Being introverted as a lawyer; the benefits of introversion in general07:55 - The importance of research and organization as a lawyer09:39 - Co-counselling a major case; Janani explains the importance and process12:50 - Starting her own practice; figuring out how to work with her husband15:44 - Building her clientele through referrals16:36 - The benefit of working from home as a mother18:25 - Determining if she wants to take on a new client; and Legal Aid Ontario21:36 - Improving her skills/staying sharp; conferences, online resources, etc.22:32 - Advice she would give young law students; and Ara's insights25:01 - Not liking the word networking; how she goes about relationship building26:26 - A major learning lesson in Janani's life; trying to work while pregnant29:10 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self; slow down31:55 - Re-examining your childhood as a parent; This Is Us and our immigrant parents35:38 - The personal legacy she wants to be remembered for by friends and family36:06 - Creator Confessions40:32 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan  Support the show

Kavishan Pathmanathan (@__kavishan) is the Co-founder and Director of Basketball Operations at Fort Erie International Academy (@feiambb).He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss hating basketball while growing up because of his brother Deluxshan (@deluxshanp), how he helped start Fort Erie International Academy's basketball program, his relationship with Leonard Miller (@leonard.m11), signing a three year deal with New Balance (@newbalance), the impact of Vince Carter (@mrvincecarter15) and the Raptors (@raptors) winning a championship on the Canadian basketball scene, quitting his full-time insurance job in March, the importance of working for free to achieve your goal, and so much more.Follow Kavishan:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kavishan-pathmanathan-a05a1623b/) - Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/__kavishan/)Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Kavishan Pathmanathan01:01 - Sibling rivalry and rebellious childhood attitude spurred Kav's passion for basketball02:31 - Kav's parents initially pushed him and his brother towards music03:02 - Starting Fort Erie International Academy's basketball program; how it has grown04:04 - Prioritizing academics to compete with other players in the industry05:41 - How Canadian basketball has evolved over the past five years07:34 - The business side of basketball10:25 - Quitting his full-time insurance job to go all in on basketball12:25 - Seeing his students (Leonard Miller) get drafted into the NBA; and future prospects15:51 - The difference in talent between athletes18:02 - Kav's journey to becoming a coach24:13 - Is there a growing number of South Asians and Tamils in basketball?27:14 - Nav clarifies that he is not a coach; focuses more on recruiting and business30:30 - How he got a sponsorship deal with New Balance; talking with Nike and Adidas32:03 - His pitch for attracting talent to Fort Erie34:27 - Securing a sponsorship deal with ANTA for the first year of the program37:16 - Kav's view on social media39:21 - How he balances his passion and responsibilities42:16 - Ara butchers another quote42:38 - A major learning lesson in Kav's life three years ago45:13 - Feeling connected to his Tamil identity but not necessarily the community46:37 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self48:10 - The personal legacy he wants to be remembered for by friends and family49:29 - Creator Confessions51:51 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan       Support the show

Jamie Gnanapragasam is Manager of Merchandising Systems at Parkland Corporation, a veteran of the oil & gas industry for 15+ years and a recipient of the 2023 Star Women in Convenience award.She joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss spending the past 15 years in the Oil & Gas industry, being a receipient of the "2023 Star Women In Convenience" award, if oil will become obsolete in a more sustainable future, being the only person in her friends circle who stayed in one company for an extended period of time, her passion for giving back, and so much more.Follow Jamie:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-gnanapragasam/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Jamie Gnanapragasam01:17 - Her formative years; wanting to be a doctor but working in oil & gas03:17 - Jamie's role as a manager of merchandising systems04:16 - The economic systems of gas05:51 - The impact of loyalty programs in her side of the business07:36 - Cheapest way to acquire customers and make partnerships profitable08:51 - Staying put in an era of job-hopping; why she made that choice12:43 - How she improves herself to take on new challenges15:27 - Tips for building relationships; the absence of a human element in networking19:50 - Being a recipient of the ‘2023 Star Women in Convenience' award22:03 - The subsequent impact of winning on her career and personally23:19 - The Santa Claus Fund; from donating to participating26:07 - The impact her family has had in Jamie's choices27:57 - Did she disregard anything her parents told her when she was younger?28:33 - Her biggest learning lesson in recent years; stepping out of her comfort zone29:49 - Feeling inherently connected to her Tamil heritage31:02 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self32:40 - The personal legacy she wants to be remembered for by friends/family33:12 - Creator Confessions40:23 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan      Support the show

Nimal Navarathinam (@nimalnavarathinam) did his Masters of Space & Systems Engineering at York University, but has predominantly worked in Europe or for European-based companies including his most recent role as a Principal Space Systems Engineer at In-Space Missions.He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss his fascination with science from an young age, how networking gave him international exposure to what was happening in the space industry globally, breaking into the space industry during the 2008 financial crisis, focusing his Masters on CubeStats & how they helped him in his career now, the importance of repetition, feeling like a financial crunch is on the horizon, and so much more.Follow Nimal:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nimal-navarathinam/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Nimal Navarathinam01:19 - Nimal and Ara discuss introversion and having quiet confidence03:51 - His early upbringing and its impact on his life now09:21 - The perception of space evolving over time; his career trajectory19:46 - Canada's space industry is small/niche (robotics, sensors, etc.) but growing23:09 - What being a Principal Space Systems Engineer entails28:03 - Learning by being thrown into the deep end30:45 - Wanting to do more as he learned more33:28 - His expectations for the space industry and his career over the next decade39:15 - Should we advance earth or space; do/how they work hand in hand46:51 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self49:03 - The personal legacy he wants to be remembered for by friends and family51:52 - Creator Confessions57:45 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan     Support the show

Abirami Shanmugaratnam (@abiskyhigh) is an elite athlete, personal trainer and entrepreneur (@skyhighperformance_), and a recent Chiropractic grad.She joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss having teachers in the family, the myth of work-life balance, being enrolled in tons of extracurricular activities from a young age, how she named her company, creating an opportunity for herself to work with MLSE, meeting Muggsy Bogues (@therealmuggsy) and Gradey Dick (@gradey), gaining respect in her profession, and so much more.Follow Abi:- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/abiskyhigh/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Abirami Shanmugaratnam01:16 - How Abirami's childhood sparked her interest in health and fitness05:30 - Do her siblings share the same love of health and fitness?06:11 - Building the habit of constantly having something to do07:11 - Where the name of her company, SKYHIGH PERFORMANCE, came from08:42 - Does she find it difficult to relate to others?11:56 - How she began working with MLSE13:50 - Meeting players from TFC and the Toronto Raptors14:30 - How Abirami manages her time16:00 - Making sure she continues to play sports even today18:00 - Are misconceptions around strength training lessening?20:54 - Is she ever treated differently for being a female personal trainer?22:55 - How she secures clients; social media, seminars, etc.25:31 - Her experience of learning virtually during the pandemic26:57 - A learning lesson in the past few years; 28:06 - Does she feel connected to the Tamil community in Toronto?29:42 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self30:13 - The personal legacy she wants to be remembered for31:00 - Creator Confessions35:48 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan    Support the show

Dhaksayan Shanmuganayagam (@dhaksayan.s) is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at the Toronto Transit Commission (@takethettc).He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss watching "Law & Order" with his family nurtured his love for the legal industry, using the approach of thinking of yourself as a product to progress in his career, teaching himself how to program and code (developing computer games as a hobby and selling it to his friends), the importance of delivering on time and maintaining a good reputation, being raised in a risk-averse family, the power of continually investing in yourself, and so much more.Follow Dhaksayan:- Instagram (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhaksayan-shanmuganayagam-415b3a1a/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara mispronounces another name while introducing Dhaksayan Shanmuganayagam01:04 - Dhaksayan speaks on how his formative years developed his interest in technology04:49 - Doing three internships with the TTC; why he was drawn to working there07:56 - Dhaksayan's advice to excel in your career; thinking of yourself as a product11:16 - Does he regret anything; sacrificing time12:22 - His day-to-day responsibilities as a CIO14:14 - How he developed his people management skills; an eye-opening experience16:09 - Using TikTok and other mediums as learning resources17:04 - Driving innovation as a publicly funded organization18:38 - Dhaksayan's opinion on the future of education and how it will impact hiring21:09 - His favourite projects while working at the TTC for the past 15 years23:03 - Misconceptions his friends/family have about the work he does23:54 - Where he sees himself in the next three years25:45 - His thoughts on ChatGPT and AI in general27:05 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self28:49 - Preparing his son for the future world29:53 - The personal legacy he wants to be remembered for by his friends/family31:01 - Does Dhaksayan feel connected to the tamil community?32:37 - Creator Confessions35:04 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan     Support the show

Mohana Rajakumar (@moha_doha) is an American-Tamil (currently residing in Qatar) novelist, comic, scholar and screenwriter with a PhD in English.She joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss moving to Qatar in her 20s, the importance of letting your children try everything (nurturing the generalist in them), how she manages her finances as a creative, leveraging Kickstarter to launch her films, writing nine books in nine years, being a meticulous planner, and so much more.Follow Mohana:- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/moha_doha/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Mohana Rajakumar01:21 - Mohana speaks on her formative teenage years06:15 - Her decision to move from Canada to the United States07:13 - Moving to Qatar; impact on her personal and professional life10:58 - Identifying as Indian versus Tamil13:18 - Starting a branch of Georgetown University in Qatar16:48 - Does she take offence to not being referred to as “Dr. Mohana?”18:26 - Her show “Being Brown is my Superpower”23:07 - Having short films screened globally; and what she's working on now34:25 - Do Mohana's friends/family support her creative career?39:01 - How she manages her finances as a creative43:17 - What she would tell her 16-year-old self43:51 - The personal legacy she wants to leave behind/be remembered for44:43 - Creator Confessions54:41 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan    Support the show

Jano Jayapalan (@janojjanj) is the co-founder of Reggie's Rolls (@reggiesrolls), a family-owned caterer that makes deep fried rolls inspired by Sri Lankan & Fusion cuisine, with the goal of making rolls mainstream!He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss starting his company to escape the rat race, providing the perfect mutton to potato ratio, delivering during the COVID-19 pandemic, why bakeries shouldn't devalue their food, mixing family and business, why being an entrepreneur isn't as glamorous as it sounds, and so much more.Follow Jano:- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/reggiesrolls/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Jano Jayapalan00:58 - Jano speaks on his early childhood and upbringing01:58 - Studying economics at Brock University with a lack of Tamil food03:19 - His mom opening Mississauga's first Tamil restaurant in the early 90s06:01 - What sparked the idea for Reggie's Rolls?07:28 - Challenges of the food industry08:35 - His first sale and knowing he was onto something09:25 - Temporarily working with Uber Eats10:46 - The rationale behind pricing Reggie's Rolls13:19 - Feedback from customers as the price rose15:25 - Understanding that you can't please everybody16:41 - The revenue split for Reggie's Rolls and investing in wholesale18:55 - Will frozen rolls be on the menu in the future?19:46 - How people can order, locations, and new prices21:05 - Working with family; how they make it work22:43 - Jano's long-term plan; going global23:24 - Secret plans in the works23:47 - Jano shares some tips for food-related entrepreneurs26:18 - Investing in real estate and being a father27:50 - The behind-the-scenes struggles of entrepreneurship29:11 - How being an entrepreneur affects Jano's social life30:31 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self33:51 - The personal legacy he wants to be remembered for34:18 - Creator Confessions38:26 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan   Support the show

Sindu Sivapalan (@sindusiva) is a real estate investor who made the bold move from the GTA to the East Coast (Moncton) with her husband while she was 8 months pregnant to pursue financial freedom.She joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss having a ‘go with the flow' mindset, what she learned from analyzing portfolios as a financial advisor, the benefits of East Coast living, having a passion for real estate from a young age, the importance of using your equity to work for you while making calculating decisions, and so much more.Follow Sindu:- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sindusiva/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Sindu Sivapalan02:46 - Relocating to the East Coast of Canada with her husband06:45 - The impact of her childhood; listing her parents home at 15 years old11:05 - How quitting her accounting job led to her obsession with real estate13:15 - Why real estate is a simple math equation14:52 - Her learnings from analyzing portfolios as a financial advisor17:58 - Building a multi-family investment portfolio with her husband21:35 - The Fire Movement; wanting to ‘retire' early22:47 - What she plans to do with her time upon retiring24:00 - Has Sindu's success convinced her family/friends to follow her blueprint?26:38 - The benefits of moving from the GTA to the East Coast31:02 - Does she miss Toronto and will she ever come back?32:06 - Her plan for the next five years33:45 - Her biggest learning lesson36:24 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self36:46 - The personal legacy she wants to be remembered for37:09 - Creator Confessions39:47 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan  Support the show

Mano Kulasingam (@manok4) is currently the Founder & Managing Partner for Flair Ventures, a VC firm focused on investing in early-stage startups with at least 1 immigrant founder. Previously, he was the co-founder and CEO of Digiflare which was acquired 10 years into the business by Accedo.tv.He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss the impact of family (father/brother) in his life, the benefit of being a late entrant into a market, studying in Ottawa (a city that was once considered "Silicon Valley North"), succeeding with Digiflare through failure & eventually exiting, starting Flair Ventures to support immigrant founders, having a long-term mindset as an investor, and so much more.Follow Mano:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/manok/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Mano Kulasingam00:59 - How he got into entrepreneurship and tech; his father and brother03:23 - Pop culture's impact on entrepreneurship, creating Digiflare in 200808:29 - Finding the right co-founder; why it's like a marriage10:59 - What Digiflare was and why Mano created it12:48 - How much luck is involved in a company's success?14:04 - Apple Benefiting from Blackberry's work; Mano benefiting from Netflix15:04 - Why he and his co-founder chose to sell Digiflare17:20 - The M&A process18:04 - Why trying to sell a business is like managing two companies at once20:14 - Minimizing the number of people who knew a deal was being worked on21:39 - Transitioning from employer to employee upon selling Digiflare24:23 - The feeling Mano had when he sold his company26:33 - Launching Flair Ventures; investing in immigrant founders29:21 - Ventures are relationships and networking; investing in 7 of 400 companies32:35 - How Mano allocates his time; fundraising, content marketing, and more34:25 - His 10-15 year plan for Flair Ventures; aiming for 23 companies37:37 - Being tempted to create again; keeping an open mind for the right opportunity38:57 - His biggest failure/learning lesson; the Tamil mentality of showing no emotions42:43 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self43:24 - The personal legacy he wants to leave behind44:07 - Creator Confessions52:50 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan     Support the show

Fiona Kingsley Boyer (@fi_kingsley) is a Development Officer for the Scarborough Health Network Foundation (SHN, @shnfoundation) and cancer survivor.She joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss surviving Stage 4 Hodgkin's lymphoma cancer, the survivor spirit of Scarborough and trying to improve its misunderstood reputation, her experience finding out she had cancer while pregnant & going through chemotherapy, being part of a team that's raised more than half of the $100 million dollar goal for the "Love Scarborough" campaign, having a greater appreciation for the value of time, and SO much more.Follow Fiona:- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/fi_kingsley/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Fiona01:04 - Fiona speaks on her early upbringing and being diagnosed with cancer03:27 - Her role as Development Officer for SHN foundation05:39 - SHN's campaign: "Love Scarborough"08:03 - The impact of "Love Scarborough" so far10:38 - Being featured on billboards and television14:18 - How she found out she had cancer20:01 - Managing her emotions when she was diagnosed22:20 - Her chemotherapy treatment process; 16 4-hour sessions27:01 - The biggest difference between Fiona pre- and post-cancer28:25 - "My Dharma" by Ahash; how the short documentary came to be30:44 - Explaining her cancer to her daughter32:39 - Fiona's plans moving forward35:00 - Feeling super connected to the Tamil community; support she receives37:31 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self38:04 - How she wants to be remembered by friends and family39:34 - Creator Confessions47:47 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan    Support the show

Jay Vasantharajah (@jayvasdigital) is the Founder & Managing Partner at Atlasview Equity, which buys multi-million tech-enabled businesses.He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss the importance of saving up your first $100K, waiting on the "fat pitch" opportunities as described by Warren Buffet, transitioning from a job at Deloitte to starting his agency where he saw one client IPO for $450 million dollars and another get acquired for $2 billion dollars, Atlasview's playbook after acquiring a company to fuel growth, the importance of “escape velocity” in investing and building trust in business, being inspired by Mark Leonard who founded Constellation Software and much more.Follow Jay:- Twitter (https://twitter.com/jayvas) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Jay Vasantharajah01:29 - How seeing his father build small businesses inspired Jay05:15 - From commerce to accounting/side hustles and his own business11:54 - How he secured customers as a consultant12:47 - The importance of getting to your first $100,00017:46 - Starting small and being consistent versus diving into the deep-end19:37 - Atlastview Equity; what it is, what companies they purchase, etc.23:59 - How many deals Jay had to look at before closing two acquisitions27:36 - Why Jay and his company are lucky buyers34:54 - The time Jay spends on building his business; newsletter & networking39:11 - How Jay sources funds to purchase companies 45:27 - Attracting the energy that you want around you & mitigating risk49:32 - Atlasview's playbook after acquiring a company; growth plans57:57 - Being inspired by Mark Leonard/Constellation Software & others01:09:25 - Where Jay sees himself in the next 3 years01:12:09 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self01:14:08 - Personal legacy; how Jay wants to be remembered by friends/family01:16:36 - Creator Confessions & Advice for owners who want to sell their business01:28:08 - The Wrap Up Intro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan      Support the show

Ara Ehamparam (@araehamparam) is the podcast host of "The Tamil Creator".  He's an entrepreneur, FIRE believer and admirer of creators.On this momentous 100th episode of #TheTamilCreator, Ara's wife, Claudia (@claudiangele), turns the tables on our usual host to find out more about him. They explore why he started "The Tamil Creator" podcast, special messages from his best friend & guest on EP 44 of the podcast @vas_saranga [founder of @theonlineactor] as well as his favourite (& only sister) Shagana, how he got the nickname "Tamil Nelly", his various entrepreneurial ventures, his unparalleled passion for Google calendar, the value of giving more than you take, his innate desire to embody the message of Nike, and much more - you don't wanna miss this episode!Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Claudia Ehamparam00:39 - Claudia introduces this week's guest, Ara Ehamparam02:17 - Ara talks about how his early childhood led him to become an entrepreneur04:45 - Being born in Sri Lanka and moving to Canada (Montreal/Scarborough)06:30 - A special message from Ara's favourite (and only) sister, Shagana07:28 - Why Ara wants to be a guest on "My First Million"08:01 - Why Ara pursued entrepreneurship after obtaining an engineering degree09:51 - Why Ara prioritizes ownership or time; Alfred, Mr. Money Mustache, FIRE, etc.11:47 - Ara breaks down the FIRE movement14:58 - The difficulty of convincing Claudia to jump onboard with FIRE15:43 - Why “Tamil” is in so many of Ara's ventures; his connection to the community 16:53 - The origin of Ara's ventures; TamilCulture.com, MyTamilDate.com, "The Tamil Creator" podcast, etc. 20:21 - Meeting Kevin O'Leary along his Continyou Care journey21:11 - How Ara balances his time between work, passion projects, and personal life22:43 - Being unafraid of failure and sticking with his commitments; how he does it24:15 - Valuing execution more than ideas24:34 - Is “dad guilt” a thing and does Ara experience it?25:58 - Ara's greatest learning lessons in the past 3-5 years27:01 - How Ara goes about “relationship-building” aka networking; give more, take less28:21 - How Ara earned the nickname “Tamil Nelly”31:28 - Advice he would give to his 16-year-old self; Tamil Nelly32:40 - How Ara wants to be remembered by friends and family33:32 - Why he is dedicated to showcasing Tamil talent in society34:33 - Creator Confessions42:57 - Ara's vision for the future of The Tamil Creator podcast43:40 - Guest of EP44 (aka Ara's BFFL) calls in one last time45:46 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan      Support the show

Shaminy Waran (@sham.waran) is the entrepreneur behind the Sham Waran Luxury Hair Collection.She joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss the impact of growing up as an introverted middle child, how she deals with "mom guilt", helping customers who have severe health conditions like alopecia, not wanting to jeopardize friendship for the sake of business, not being a big risk taker but risking $30,000 to give her business a chance to grow, being a people pleaser when she was young, and much more.Follow Shaminy:- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sham.waran/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Shaminy Waran01:45 - Did Shaminy's childhood spark her entrepreneurial fire?04:10 - Being introverted as a child05:32 - Listening versus being loud; its impact on securing sales?07:53 - How Shaminy entered the world of makeup and hair10:30 - Doing makeup and hair less after launching her luxury brand11:51 - What led her to launch Sham Waran Luxury Hair Collection15:55 - What her business model looks like17:23 - Find a vendor to source grade 10A hair (the highest quality)19:34 - The growing demand for her rental program20:49 - The connection between hair and confidence24:32 - Does she have any business partners?26:19 - Dealing with ‘mom-guilt' and how she copes; slowing down30:48 - Maintaining friendships with her busy schedule32:30 - Starting her business during COVID-19; having a physical studio34:39 - How Shaminy went about building her team37:39 - What success looks like to her three years from now38:34 - Plans to expand her rental program to all ethnicities/hair textures39:31 - Doing custom and pre-orders41:53 - One of her biggest learning lessons in the past few years44:07 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self; follow your gut46:04 - The personal legacy she wants to be remembered for47:06 - Creator Confessions51:42 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan       Support the show

Ahilan Arulanantham is a Lawyer, Professor and Co-Director of the Center for Immigration Law and Policy at UCLA School of Law (@uclalawschool). He has successfully litigated a number of cases involving immigrants' rights, particularly the rights of people facing deportation from the US. He has been Senior Counsel and Director of Advocacy/Legal Director for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU, @aclu_nationwide) of Southern California and was the recipient of a 2016 MacArthur Fellow (a "Genius Grant").He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss winning a MacArthur Fellow Grant (@macfound) for $625,000 for a five-year period, the importance of immigrants in Canada and the US, working on the FBI vs. Fazaga case at the Supreme Court, defending the rights of immigrants including unrepresented children, dealing with Tamil food cravings while growing up in California, and much more.Follow Ahilan:- Twitter (https://twitter.com/ahilan_toolong) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Ahilan Arulanantham01:34 - His upbringing; what spared his passion for law and human rights03:57 - Dealing with Tamil food cravings while growing up in USA; Hopper Hut07:50 - Winning and donating 25-30% of his $625,00 MacArthur Fellow Grant13:59 - What is Temporary Protected Status and why Trump tried to end it20:19 - Ahilan explains and why Obama introduced it during his administration24:02 - What ICE is, why it was created, and how it affects immigrant rights28:30 - The importance of immigrants in Canada and the US30:18 - Dysfunctional prison systems; Ahilan's secondary inspection story35:49 - Arguing at the Supreme Court for the FBI vs. Fazaga case40:00 - Working in the field and as a professor; being recruited by UCLA41:58 - Mentorship and how Ahilan built his network45:16 - A learning lesson he's experienced; defending unrepresented children49:12 - Where he sees himself in the next 3-5 years49:19 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self50:38 - The personal legacy he wants to leave behind51:37 - Creator Confessions54:32 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan      Support the show

Shanghavy Karunakaran (@saangavii) is a Senior Consultant at IBM and Career Coach.She joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss living in a women's shelter and visiting food banks, growing up introverted and learning to be extroverted, the value of networking in landing her current job today, reviewing resumes as a side hustle to help others grow in their careers, and SO much more.Follow Shanghavy:- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/saangavii/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Shanghavy Karunakaran01:44 - Shanghavy speaks on the impact of her early upbringing05:28 - Being grateful for the trials she endured during her childhood06:54 - Changing environments helped her adapt quickly but made her timid09:00 - What she's learned from her experience at IBM thus far11:32 - What consulting is, what it has taught her, and navigating judgement15:29 - Her life-changing experience at Ryerson; a slow progression18:04 - Viewing life as a “science experiment” and the company she keeps22:08 - Her side hustle; helping job seekers take the next step in their career26:18 - Would she turn her side hustle into a full-time gig?27:56 - How people have found out about Shanghavy's side hustle28:36 - How Shanghavy builds her network/relationships32:08 - How to find a mentor35:51 - Her biggest learning lesson in the last few years37:36 - Feeling connected to and proud to her Tamil identity; how she defines it39:18 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self; journaling41:54 - The personal legacy she wants to leave behind and be remembered for42:31 - Creator Confessions47:16 - The Wrap Up Intro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan          Support the show

Shiyam Thavandiran (@shiyamalen) is a data scientist & International Chess Master, who took a 1-yaer sabbatical from work to pursue the Chess Grandmaster title.He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss taking a year off work to pursue his chess ambitions, hanging out with one of the greatest chess players of all time in Magnus Carlsen, the importance of reflecting and being open to other perspectives, travelling to different parts of the world to participate in chess tournaments, the level of preparation required for chess tournaments, and so much more.Follow Shiyam:- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/shiyamalen/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Shiyam Thavandiran01:21 - Shiyam speaks on his formative years and how he got into chess03:33 - Why he built a stable career before branching out to pursue chess05:56 - Difference between an International Master and a Grand Master; FIDE07:18 - Will he pursue becoming a Grand Master?08:44 - Going on sabbatical to pursue a career in chess10:35 - How he financially planned for his sabbatical11:12 - Some of his most notable moments along this chess journey13:33 - Beating a Grand Master 15:18 - Being in the top 0.1% of all chess players in the world 16:03 - How his family reacted to his decision to pause work and pursue chess17:16 - Returning back to the workforce; the importance of reflecting19:36 - How Shiyam prepares for chess tournaments23:12 - How, and how much, professional chess players get paid24:53 - Having mentors, and mentoring other players26:12 - The Queen's Gambit and other factors that have revived chess27:16 - Cheating scandals in chess30:36 - Shiyam's chess handle ‘Houdinovic'32:19 - A learning lesson from his chess journey; not being open to other perspectives33:54 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self35:04 - How he wants to be remembered by friends and family36:01 - Creator Confessions43:33 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan         Support the show

Thinesa Sri (@tininthehouse) is a professional volleyball player and fashion model who currently lives in LA, but is originally from Toronto.She joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss inheriting her parents' athletic genes, volleyball being the only sport in the world with equal pay for both genders, being labelled as culturally ambiguous and how it benefits her modelling career, chasing a spot in the 2024 Olympics, and so much more.Follow Thinesa:- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tininthehouse/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Thinesa Sri01:07 - Growing up in Scarborough02:10 - How she got into volleyball; lying to her parents05:58 - Thinesa's height and its impact on her playing volleyball07:39 - Transitioning from basketball to volleyball08:55 - Representing Canada along with her brother09:48 - Thinesa's friendship with Ara's siblings10:27 - Her path to playing pro volleyball13:18 - Picking her partners for pro beach volleyball14:47 - The only sport in the world where male/female pay is equal16:30 - Her most memorable sports moments thus far17:12 - Other ways of accruing income as a pro volleyball player18:50 - What her training and nutrition regimens looks like21:18 - How she cultivates a winning mindset; mental health22:53 - How she became a model; moving to LA25:31 - Will she move back to Toronto?26:23 - Aiming to represent Canada in the 2024 Olympics26:59 - Her ideal mix between volleyball and modelling28:16 - How she diversifies her income; millions29:36 - Did she doubt herself upon leaving Toronto to go play pro volleyball?32:07 - What success looks like to Thinesa in the next three years33:02 - Her biggest learning lesson; 35:14 - Being the number one recruit out of Canada when she was graduating36:27 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self38:48 - The personal legacy she wants to be remembered for40:01 - Creator Confessions42:34 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan        

Gandeephan Ganeshalingam is the VP of Technical Operations at WestJet and former CIO of GE Canada.He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss how leaving Toronto catalyzed his career trajectory, the importance of not delegating parenting responsibilities to others, “growing up” in the University of Lagos and Waterloo University, the changing landscape of education and work, what traits he looks for in new employees, and so much more.Follow Gandeephan:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gandeephan-ganeshalingam-986496197/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Gandeephan Ganeshalingam00:54 - His parents raised three 'successful' kids; what's the secret?02:57 - Were Gandeephan or his brothers ever annoyed at their parents?04:52 - How his dad balanced teaching and things outside of learning05:49 - Why he felt engineering wasn't enough; entering business08:58 - Has the value of an MBA diminished, and why?10:45 - Being in a position of leadership; what he looks for when hiring people13:40 - How the future of work will evolve16:59 - How to incentivize employees amidst the remote/hybrid revolution19:11 - Preparing himself to move and work abroad after graduation22:20 - Being Chief Innovation Officer at General Electric; his experience26:30 - Dealing with shared IP at GE28:02 - What led Gandeephan to leave GE for WestJet30:24 - Gandeephan's role and opinion on the future of travel33:12 - The thought leaders he looks up to and why37:59 - A learning lesson from the last few years; appreciating talent42:28 - The impact of networking on Gandeephan's career trajectory44:05 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self47:12 - The personal legacy he wants to be remembered for48:29 - Creator Confessions50:41 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan       

Geetha Moorthy (@geethamoorthysaaac) is the Founder & Executive Director of SAAAC Autism Centre (@thesaaac) in Toronto, which she has been working on for 14+ years with the help of many enthusiastic and loyal volunteers.She joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss her passion for dance and choreography, winning the Gerry Bloomfield Award, coming to Canada and wanting to give back to the community, going from humble beginnings in her living room to running multiple centre locations, raising over $25,000 at SAAAC's first gala in 2010, serving 350+ families in 2020, and so much more.Follow Geetha:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/geetha-moorthy/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Geetha Moorthy00:47 - Geetha speaks on how her upbringing02:07 - Having to flee Sri Lanka within a few days of getting married04:17 - What led her to create SAAAC; 1985 to now08:02 - Not knowing what Autism was; giving back to the community11:50 - A doctor got in touch with Geetha; no word in Tamil for Autism13:13 - How Geetha got the ball rolling with SAAAC15:13 - The need for something like SAAAC in places like the US and UK17:54 - How SAAAC was funded in its early stages22:28 - Her secret to getting volunteers and keeping them committed24:28 - Geetha's entrepreneurial spirit; balancing work, family, and more26:55 - Dealing with doubt and naysayers along her journey29:38 - Receiving the Gerry Bloomfield's Award32:02 - Her biggest learning lesson in the last 3-5 years35:37 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self35:48 - The personal legacy she wants to leave behind36:04 - Creator Confessions39:36 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan      

Charles Bosco (@charlesbosco) is an award-winning music producer & serial entrepreneur with a passion for Web3.He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss how he manages his schedule given his many projects, the why behind one of his latest initiatives the "Millionaire Monkey Club" NFT collection (@millionairemonkeyclub), buying real estate because of his Ethereum investments, how young people should prepare for future success, why communities are difficult to build and so much more!Follow Charles:- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/charlesbosco/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Charles Bosco01:10 - How his upbringing led to an entrepreneurial career07:25 - Charles' connection to Nelson and his role in creating Singify12:17 - Selling Singify and what the platform has become today13:06 - Transitioning from Music to Gogodoc; the impact of COVID amidst this14:17 - The business model of Gogodoc; the market gap that was filled16:38 - The criticism that Gogodoc's business model received17:59 - The status of Gogodoc today18:38 - The post-pandemic return to normality in the UK20:11 - Charles' newest project; Millionaire Monkey Club NFT24:36 - The difficulty of building and sustaining a community25:59 - Infinite possibles around the realm of NFTs; the growth of Web328:14 - The challenges of DAO; the importance of educating31:49 - How to explain NFTs to your mom34:49 - Millionaire Monkey Club challenges; scammers and more36:18 - How Charles plans out his week with so many different endeavours37:37 - How he gets paid and what he invests in39:24 - Buying Ethereum at a $35 price point and purchasing property with it42:35 - Lesser known cryptocurrencies with long-term potential44:55 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self46:15 - The next generation of Tamil parents should let kids play video games48:09 - What success looks like to Charles in the next 3-4 years49:51 - The personal legacy he wants to be remembered for by friends/family50:43 - Advice he would give young people today to prepare for success52:38 - Creator ConfessionsIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan            

Hamsha Pathmanathan (@hamsha.p) is currently a Habitat Biologist for Environment and Climate Change Canada while previously working as a Wildlife Biologist in the Northwest Territories.She joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss her natural inclination towards animals (vs people), an interesting story involving her saving mongoose babies in Nigeria, why and how she ended up in the Northwest Territories, being the only Tamil in her city and living amongst a population of just 1,200 people, why she would never explore the Amazon by herself and so much more.Follow Hamsha:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hamshapathmanathan/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Hamsha Pathmanathan01:54 - Hamsha speaks on her upbringing and always knowing her calling06:55 - Wild adventures in Nigeria; saving mongooses, collecting snakes, and more18:27 - How she transitioned from Nigeria to the Northwest Territories in 201924:08 - Having only one shopping centre near her, and meeting an indigenous elder27:49 - Where she sees herself in 3-5 years; moving to BC & returning to Africa29:43 - Why she'll never step near the Amazon by herself; undiscovered species33:06 - The importance of food security and adequate technology to support it38:51 - How to make people care more about eco-friendly efforts44:43 - Hamsha's hobbies outside of work; knitting, reading, and more46:05 - What she's insecure about; talking to people57:51 - The personal legacy she wants to be remembered for by friends/family59:29 - Being an avid reader of psychology-related content01:02:40 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self01:06:43 - Creator Confessions01:09:00 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan           

Sai Tirulokan (@saitiru) is a very successful real estate agent & broker at RE/MAX Metropolis Realty, who's been in the real estate game for almost a decade starting at a very young age.He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss how his dad pointed at a sign to kickstart his real estate career, YouTube helping him break through the industry, how selling necklaces and credit cards helped improve his sales skills, buying @6ixbuzztv's first ever NFT, and so much more.Follow Sai:- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/saitiru/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Sai Tirulokan01:46 - Sai sheds a little light on his upbringing03:04 - How he got into the real estate game; his dad pointing at a sign05:15 - Securing his first real estate deals; a $7 million dollar transaction06:38 - Staying incentivized to finish school08:37 - How Sai learned sales; selling necklaces and credit cards12:05 - His strategy for selling credit cards; getting to know them and adding value13:43 - Why sales is a great first job for anyone; becoming a stronger person14:46 - Common misconceptions about real estate and what makes you stand out17:00 - Sai speaks on the state of the Toronto real estate market19:28 - What you should invest in21:20 - The concept of getting rich slowly23:28 - Buying 6ixBuzz TV's first ever NFT 27:52 - The long-term appeal of NFTs for artists and investors; collectibles, crypto, etc.32:56 - Still seeing himself as a “nobody” and what he wants to do in the next few years34:26 - His hobbies outside of work; socializing, trying new foods, learning, etc.35:09 - Sai's ideal Saturday; work, playing COD, 35:57 - What is he insecure about?36:30 - His favourite source of learning; working smart, not hard38:20 - A recent belief/behaviour/habit that has changed his life40:07 - The personal legacy he wants to be remembered for by friends/family41:30 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self42:46 - Who Sai admires in the global Tamil community and non-Tamil community46:27 - Creator Confessions51:30 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan          

Anoshinie Muhundarajah (@anoshinie) is a professional Choreographer & Dancer who's shared with the stage with Lilly Singh (lilly, World Tour) and Simu Liu (@simuliu, 2022 Junos).She joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss her experience with Canada's Got Talent, getting her parents to buy in on her dream, going on a world tour as a feature dancer with Lily Singh, being a dancer on Disney's Sneakerella, sharing the stage with Simu Liu at the 2022 Junos, her passion for giving back and being able to combine this with her love for dance, and so much more.Follow Anoshinie:- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/anoshinie/) Timestamps00:19 - Anoshinie Muhundarajah speaks on how she became a dance teacher00:38 - Will Ara struggle to pronounce the name of this week's guest?02:33 - How Anoshinie developed a passion for this medium of storytelling05:08 - Taboo subjects in the Tamil community that she talks about through her art; suicide06:53 - How Anoshinie gained confidence through dance08:58 - Shooting her videos in public versus on a stage; how does it feel?10:34 - How Anoshinie has secures opportunities; networking, putting her work out there, etc.12:33 - Going on tour with Lily Singh and dancing on the Disney film entitled Sneakerella15:06 - Her experience with Canada's Got Talent; breaking stereotypical boundaries18:16 - Sharing the stage with Simu Liu at the 2022 Juno Awards20:33 - How Anoshinie found a Manager/Agent; Choreographer's Ball22:07 - The ups and downs of life; how she deals with rejection23:37 - Anoshinie's parents supporting her dancing dreams25:29 - How Anoshinie sustains herself as an artist28:35 - Having to go through some level of pain and sacrifice to succeed30:29 - Learning to say “no” and how it impacts relationships/friendships33:12 - Who are Anoshinie's dream collaborations? (Prabu Deva and more)35:16 - Volunteering at orphanages and development centres in Sri Lanka37:01 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self; caring less about what people think38:58 - Social media as a tool; and the issue with it39:45 - The personal legacy she wants to have and be remembered for40:27 - Creator Confessions44:02 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan         

Shyam Srinivasan (@shyam990) is a professional poker player who's won millions of dollars playing both online and in tournaments all over the world.He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss foregoing a career in criminal law to play poker professionally and how his parents reacted to this decision, the different countries he's gotten to play in, running into celebrity poker players throughout the years, why cash games involve more skill than tournaments, misconceptions about poker and much more.Follow Shyam:- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/shyam990/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Shyam 00:52 - His life before poker; studying to be a criminal lawyer01:19 - How his parents reacted to him pursuing a poker career01:53 - The moment Shyam knew a poker career “was in the cards”02:19 - The benefit of online poker versus traditional poker03:01 - His day-to-day schedule as a professional poker player03:31 - Growing up competitive04:24 - His favourite places to play poker; Australia, Macau, etc.05:01 - Running into other Tamil professional poker players05:34 - Being bankrolled to mitigate the risk versus using his own funds06:24 - Getting recognized in public06:50 - His poker friends and running into big name players07:37 - How he manages his money without having a stable income08:50 - When will he walk away from poker? What will he do?09:11 - Misconceptions about poker09:41 - Advice for people who want to play professional poker10:17 - Why cash games revolve more skill than tournaments11:10 - Does Shyam remember his best fold or best call?11:31 - His biggest failure/learning lesson?11:53 - Where he seems himself in the next 3-5 years12:08 - What his friend circle looks like12:29 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self12:45 - How he would describe his poker style13:12 - Biggest differences of playing online versus in-person13:18 - Creator Confessions23:07 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan        

Abarna Raj is the Co-Founder & CEO of Australian-based Palmera (@palmeraprojects). The organization is named after a tree which grows in Sri Lanka and is fundamental to the existence of the communities it's located in because every part of it is used from the bark, the timber, the leaves and the fruit. Palmera is a social startup looking to help change the way that the world tackles poverty by ensuring that the poor having a living income (with a focus on Sri Lanka).She joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss being in Sri Lanka during the 2004 tsunami, why she left being a full-time lawyer to found a non-profit and how her ideology of work subsequently changed, the impact & thinking behind Palmera's HANDMADE cookbook, how to address the resource challenge for non-profits and much more.Follow Abarna:- Instagram (https://www.linkedin.com/in/abarna-raj-34976761/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Abarna Raj01:48 - How her childhood led her to starting a non-profit04:44 - Being in Sri Lanka during the 2004 tsunami07:15 - How the 2004 tsunami impacted her decision to found Palmera08:38 - Raising tens of thousands of dollars for Palmera10:23 - Balancing her job as a lawyer and the early development of Palmera12:16 - Leaving a job with strong income to work full-time for a non-profit14:05 - The HANDMADE cookbook16:24 - Is there a non-profit that Abarna wants Palmera's structure to emulate?20:12 - Is there a declining participation of developmental efforts?26:11 - The long-term effects of the war 28:38 - How Abarna remains hopeful30:11 - The lack of talent in the non-profit space when compared to tech, finance, etc.33:25 - Incentivizing volunteers; Benevity and more38:33 - Resources and sustainability being key challenges for non-profit organizations42:04 - Tax receipts and Palmera's Australian accreditation44:35 - How long will Abarna stay in the non-profit space?46:43 - Was she questioned by friends/family for her decision to enter the non-profit space?48:34 - The programming side of Palmera52:13 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self; the personal legacy she wants to have54:05 - Creator Confessions59:24 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan       

Ganesh Thava (@ganesh.thava) is a Tamil-Canadian Director, Writer & Actor. He's had roles in movies "Spin" and "Cyber Underground" while writing & directing his own short film "The Orchard & The Tree" (premiered at @reelasian).He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss being pro-therapy, having rejection rituals, his movie screened at international film festivals, dealing with pushback when he told his parents he wanted to apply for theatre school, how having a business background has helped with his creative career, and so much more.Follow Ganesh:- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ganesh.thava/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Ganesh Thava02:37 - Ganesh speaks on his upbringing; growing up in an environment of love and comfort04:36 - Being a shy kid/rule-follower; feeling like he was living for other people08:17 - His recollection of Sri Lanka; feeling more free there than in Canada (mental health)10:44 - How Ara heard about Ganesh; his movie ‘Spin'12:42 - Almost landing a role but not being able to ultimately get it; rejection rituals16:13 - Using therapy to improve physical/mental well-being, and the power of social media18:23 - ‘The Orchid & The Tree' and how it was received by viewers24:16 - How he had his movie screened at various film festivals; the application process25:25 - The entrepreneurial element of filmmaking; shifting between being a director & actor29:04 - How his family/friends reacted to his decision to immerse himself in the world of film37:29 - His perception of money; how he goes about making it, saving it, and more42:56 - The impact that the Toronto-Tamil community has had on Ganesh48:28 - What he would tell his 16-year-old self & the personal legacy he wants to have52:02 - Creator Confessions57:54 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan      

Keerthana Rang (@keerthanarang) is the Corporate Communications Lead at @Uber in Canada.She joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss transitioning from politics to tech, growing up in the Tamil co-op in Parkdale, how governments & private companies interact to drive innovation forward, her involvement in developing the new @tamilcommunitycentre in Scarborough, if school actually matters in the grand scheme of things, and much more.Follow Keerthana:- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/keerthanarang/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Keerthana Rang00:57 - Keerthana speaks on her upbringing in the GTA03:42 - How she got involved in politics; the impact of living in a co-op06:02 - Taking freedom for granted; the boom of Tamil people in politics 06:39 - Wanting to be a teacher with a house in the suburbs; grade 11 changed things10:23 - Working for the sister company of Google, Sidewalk Labs14:11 - Moving to Radical Ventures: an organization investing in AI to solve real-world problems16:58 - Will the role of governments change as technological innovation continues20:10 - The importance of storytelling and communicating your story; Uber25:04 - What Keerthana's day-to-day looks like at Uber26:37 - Uber communications staff in Canada versus America27:25 - Being involved in the development of the new Tamil community centre in Scarborough31:00 - When will the community be live and available for people to start making use of it?32:43 - Being a part of the Empire Club: a speaking platform tackling daily issues34:12 - Balancing work and sleep; waking up at 5AM and sleeping at 10PM34:45 - The role of education in hiring in the future; is student debt worth it?40:47 - Her biggest learning lesson on her path to success43:10 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self44:55 - The personal legacy she wants to be remember for by friends and family46:46 - How Keerthana wants to be remembered by her daughter48:23 - Creator Confessions1:00:09 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan     

Piraveen Sivalingam (@piraveens) is an entrepreneur who owns & runs a Boston Pizza Franchise with his brother in Markham (Canada).He joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss how he got into the franchising game, doing business with family, missing out on fun with friends/family when he was younger because of the responsibilities that came with being a business owner, the future of franchise businesses, the challenge of finding good staff post-pandemic, not paying himself for the first couple years of running the business, and so much more.Follow Piraveen:- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/piraveens/) Timestamps00:19 - Franchising and how Ara found this week's guest01:22 - Ara introduces Piraveen Sivalingam01:56 - How Piraveen became a franchisee; his family's involvement with restaurants04:39 - The challenges of him and his brother being young entrants into the franchisee world06:53 - Doing business with family; what Piraveen would do different if he started again08:14 - Why his dad became a franchisee; what else Piraveen wants to be a franchisee for12:52 - Will franchise businesses like A&W and McDonald's continue to thrive?14:29 - The challenge of finding good staff post-pandemic16:40 - What does Piraveen's day to day look like now, versus when he first started?18:53 - Being a young franchisee while all his friends were partying20:34 - The sacrifices of pursuing entrepreneurship23:13 - Where Piraveen see himself in 10 years; expanding25:35 - The process of buying a Boston Pizza27:32 - Piraveen's relationship with money; side hustles, real estate, and more29:08 - His connection to the Tamil community30:50 - Piraveen's biggest failures/learning lessons over the last 3-5 years32:02 - The first 100K being the hardest to make; setting aside a failure/learning budget35:55 - His strategy for driving sales at Boston Pizza37:29 - What he would tell his 16-year-old self39:05 - How he wants to be remembered by his friends and family39:57 - Creator Confessions51:29 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan    

Vanessa Raquel Raponi (@vanessaraquelraponi) is a Senior Product Development Engineer at Spin Master (@spinmaster) and Founder of EngiQueers Canada (@engiqueerscanada).She joins Ara on this week's episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss being a poor brown kid in a wealthy part of Toronto (Leaside), being queer, surviving childhood abuse, getting the opportunity to be the Willy Wonka of product development, her grandfather's orphanage in Sri Lanka and the impact he had on her, and so much more.Follow Vanessa:- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/vanessaraquelraponi/) Timestamps00:19 - Ara introduces this week's guest, Vanessa Raquel Raponi01:12 - Being Tamil/Italian, growing up in Leaside, experiencing abuse, and becoming an engineer04:48 - Being silent about her struggles from the age of 9 until the age of 2006:08 - Growing up in Toronto, Tamil community not being emphasized much08:51 - Opening up to her family about what happened to her; how they reacted11:18 - Her grandfather, Paul; his story and the impact it had on Vanessa16:32 - Studying at McMaster, working for Spin Master, 20:22 - Difficulty managing volatility, the intense workload at Spin Master; thriving in chaos21:38 - Her day-to-day as a product developer; leading the sustainability committee23:49 - Why she started EngiQueers, how she picked the name, and pansexual vs. bisexual31:23 - How she funded for EnqiQueers and split responsibilities with the Co-Founder, Dao33:49 - The revolutionary impact of EngiQueers on the culture of engineering35:45 - Being queer in the Tamil community; coming out to her family38:00 - Where he confidence comes from; a survival tactic40:01 - Was there anything Vanessa thinks could've changed her willingness to speak up earlier; going to therapy in second year of University43:25 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self45:36 - The personal legacy she wants to be remembered for46:28 - Creator Confessions48:30 - The Wrap UpIntro MusicProduced And Mixed By:- The Tamil Creator- YanchanWritten By:- Aravinthan Ehamparam- Yanchan Rajmohan