Break the Barrier

I’m so excited to be speaking today with Pooja Shah, a Kenyan-Indian-American woman who is a full-time photographer, creative director, and founder of TEMBO TONES: a multidisciplinary, creative studio focusing on photo artistry and brand design. Pooja’s cultural identity shapes how she sees the world and inspires her communications with BIPOC creative communities. Her photography explores the themes of nostalgia, identity, and slow living to honor and reclaim the experience of black and brown people. Her mission is to help entrepreneurs and storytellers of color craft impactful visual experiences and today, TEMBO TONES is recognized to work across various industries, creating imagery that is honest and intentional at every step.

I can’t wait for our audience to hear Pooja’s story and any gems she’s willing to share from her journey. Welcome, Pooja!

To connect with Pooja for mentorship and her services:

Instagram: @thelittletembo and @tembotones
Website: www.tembotones.com

If you liked this podcast episode, please leave a review and follow me on Instagram @ambilyxx to stay up-to-date on the latest guests and content I post! Thanks for tuning in

I’m so excited to be speaking today with Kajal Raju, the first South Asian woman to dance for the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets. She just recently completed a year on this dance team, and she balances this career with a full-time role in tech as a Product Manager. She is passionate about amplifying South Asian voices in the arts and entertainment industry, and has so many gems to share with us regarding her journey. 

In this episode, we will highlight Kajal’s journey on how she moved across the country from California to North Carolina to pursue NBA dancing, how she balances her corporate role with NBA dancing/friends/family/and everything in between, and what’s in store for her future. Welcome, Kajal! 

What does breaking the barrier mean for Sweta? "It's intersecting passion with purpose," she answers. 

The guest on today’s episode is very special to me, as she’s one of my dear friends. Sweta Sridhar is a woman who wears multiple hats. During the day, she works as a Product Marketing Manager in the financial services and technology industry, and by night she is a career coach and digital content creator. She has made noteworthy accomplishments in the media space including partnerships with L’Oreal, H&M, Amazon, Liquid IV, Bumble, and other fast-growing Fortune 100 brands. I truly have no idea how she manages to do this all while sending me detailed voice notes throughout the week checking in on me while also training for a half marathon. She’s not only a powerhouse woman but a great friend I’ve been blessed to have in my life. 

In this episode, we will highlight Sweta’s journey on how she started in the content creation space, learn what inspires her as she shares her tips and tricks on taking aesthetic photos and landing huge brand deals, and what’s in store for her future. Welcome, Sweta!

To connect with Sweta and her services:

E-mail: [email protected]
Instagram: @sweetathansugar
Website: www.swetasridhar.com (coming soon in 2023!)

If you liked this podcast episode, please leave a review and follow me on Instagram @ambilyxx to stay up-to-date on the latest guests and content I post! Thanks for tuning in

I’m so excited to be speaking with Neha Dharmapuram, an emerging actress and well-established TikTok dancer who used the pandemic to pour into her passion and creative outlet which is dancing. Her passion for Bollywood is impressive and contagious as she now has over 85,000 followers on Tiktok and over 28,000 followers on Instagram. I personally met Neha in New York City during a launch party for AAVRANI’s Vitamin C oil, and she was easily memorable with a kind, humble demeanor. 

As a Master's graduate, she had to make a tough call with either continuing a career in corporate or pursuing her passion full time - and she chose the latter. I am so proud of her for taking on her FIRST but certainly not last Broadway gig by playing a role in the new DDLJ Come Fall in Love The Broadway Bound musical in San Diego, California! Please check her out and show her all the love.

In this episode, we will highlight Neha’s journey on how she decided to quit her corporate role, how she navigated the challenges of pursuing acting, how the pandemic shaped her career including TikTok brand deals, and what’s in store for her future. Welcome, Neha!

To contact her for guidance/mentorship: 

Instagram: @neha.dharma
TikTok: @neha.dharma

If you liked this podcast episode, please leave a review and follow me on Instagram @ambilyxx to stay up-to-date on the latest guests and content I post! Thanks for tuning in

I’m so excited to be speaking today with Nimrita Chavla who goes by Nim. She is the founder and CEO of a startup skincare spa called NC Skin located in the Chicagoland area, which she self funded after working for 4 years in corporate finance. During her journey to quit her job and pursue her passion full time, she remembers experiencing countless visits to estheticians and dermatologists and initially gave up hope on someone being able to help her with her skin for her brown skin tone. This is what drew her to this field, and she’s made it her mission to want to be there for any person looking to achieve results with their skin! She especially wants to make herself available to all the brown girls and guys who need a trustworthy estie bestie to help them better understand their skin and use the right skincare products.

In this episode, we will highlight Nim’s journey on how she decided to quit the 9-5 corporate life, how she navigated the challenges of starting her business, and what’s in store for her future. Welcome Nim!

To contact her for guidance/mentorship: 

E-mail: [email protected]

Instagram: @ncskin_ and @nchavla

If you liked this podcast episode, please leave a review and follow me on Instagram @ambilyxx to stay up-to-date on the latest guests and content I post! Thanks for tuning in

In this episode, I am thrilled to be speaking with Moumita Sahoo, founder and CEO of Zaila Skin, an ayurvedic skincare brand that fuses the power of ancient Indian botanicals and clinically proven actives to create a fun and effective skincare experience for all skin types. Zaila products are vegan, cruelty-free, and follow the Clean at Sephora standard of formulation.

As her story unfolds, we will highlight how she started with an unhealthy relationship with her skin which drove her to make a difference in the South Asian beauty space. Her “why” is for Zaila to be the fun, skin-positive beauty brand that young girls like her needed growing up .

To contact her for guidance/mentorship: 

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @zailaskin and @momo.sahoo

If you liked this podcast episode, please leave a review and follow me on Instagram @ambilyxx to stay up-to-date on the latest guests and content I post! Thanks for tuning in

In this episode, I am thrilled to be speaking with Fenit Nirappil, a journalist with The Washington Post, who has notably published several front-page articles related to Covid-19.

As his story unfolds, we will highlight Fenit’s journey on how he pivoted from careers in law and medicine to find his passion in journalism, navigated the challenges of getting his foot in the door, and how the one miraculous call from his mentor on a Friday had him take a leap of faith and move cross-country to begin his role in DC - two days later. 

Fenit shares honest insight and valuable advice throughout this episode for anyone aspiring to be a high-profile journalist. 

To contact him for guidance/mentorship: 

Twitter: @fenitn 
Instagram: @fenit_n

If you liked this podcast episode, please leave a review and follow me on Instagram @ambilyxx to stay up-to-date on the latest guests and content I post! Thanks for tuning in

I’m so excited to be speaking with Elizabeth Priya Kumar, founder and CEO of Premini Events. Her company is an award-winning luxury wedding planning and creative services agency that she built from the ground up. Priya has over a decade of experience planning luxury weddings for her clients all around the world, and her notable work has been featured in Harper’s Bazaar, Town & Country, South Asian Bride Magazine, and The Knot to name a few. She was also named Planner of the Year by the Wedding International Planners Association. 

In this episode, we will highlight Priya’s journey on how she decided to quit pharmacy school, how she navigated the challenges of changing her degree and starting her business, how the pandemic shaped her career, and what’s in store for her future. Welcome, Priya!

To contact her for guidance/mentorship:

E-mail: [email protected]
Instagram: @elizabethpriyakumar

If you liked this podcast episode, please leave a review and follow me on Instagram @ambilyxx to stay up-to-date on the latest guests and content I post! Thanks for tuning in

I’m so excited to be speaking with our very own powerhouse couple iLLEST aka Sanu John and Shereene Manimala, artist manager and The Creative Hype Coach. Sanu and Shereene have been married for almost 6 years, and they’ve built their music and creative careers from the ground up. In this podcast, we will highlight how this couple quit their 9-5 jobs, faced hardships together, and fully accepted their identities as artists to get to where they are now: AKA being the official DJ for the Chicago Bulls, playing at America’s Got Talent, producing shows for Nike and both of them traveling the world with their work. We’ll also talk about their dynamic as husband and wife navigating this industry together while maintaining a balance and a healthy marriage. Welcome Sanu and Shereene!

Jessica works as a news reporter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and she's the only South Asian TV news reporter in this market in mainstream media. I know, I couldn't believe it myself! Jessica covers a broad range of topics from basketball to crime. She's a girl who wears many hats and wears them proudly.  I'm so excited to be speaking to Jessica to enlighten us on her role and how we can leverage our community to get more people to do what she does. 

To contact her for guidance/mentorship:

E-mail:  [email protected] 
Instagram: @jessicahmadhukar

If you liked this podcast, please leave a review and follow me on Instagram @ambilyxx to stay up-to-date on the latest guests and content I post! Thanks for tuning in.