Aparna was the breakout star of Netflix’s hit series Indian Matchmaking. She is also the founder and owner of the luxury travel company My Golden Balloon and is coming out with a non-fiction memoir “She’s Unlikeable: And Other Lies That Bring Women Down” on March 22nd. Prior to Indian Matchmaking, Aparna was also a lawyer for over 10 years.
In this interview, we talk about:
Aparna’s early life - growing up with a single mom, being diagnosed an auto immune disease in high school and attending college at Rice University
Aparna’s adult life - going to law school in Nashville and her career as an attorney for 10+ years
Losing all her possessions when Hurricane Harvey hit Houston and her life perspective from that experience
Aparna’s reality TV journey on Netflix’s “Indian Matchmaking” - how she applied to the show, becoming the face of female empowerment as a result, and her thoughts on reality TV
Aparna's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aparnashewakramani/
My Golden Balloon Website: https://www.mygoldenballoon.com/
Link to Pre-Order Aparna's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Shes-Unlikeable-Other-Bring-Women/dp/1641606665
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9Bo0LHtRJJNJBUYIceg27w
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Hn4ttttmbWfVqAhWh4Jhi
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1503185956
My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aroy81547/?hl=en
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/gratefulliving4
2:11 Were you self conscious about growing up with a single mom? Do you have a relationship with your father?
3:28 Is there any advice you would give to someone else growing up with a single mom on handling the emotional nature of that journey?
4:16 What was it like being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at 16? (Friends)
6:44 Any advice you would give to someone living with Crohn’s disease?
7:44 How was going to Rice University?
9:16 What was it like doing a semester at sea?
10:40 When did you want to become a lawyer?
12:53 Making most of law school experience?
14:36 You worked as a lawyer for 10+ years at 4 different firms, any advice to someone starting out with their law career?
15:35 Living in Houston during Hurricane Harvey?
17:50 Starting Travel Company My Golden Balloon
19:26 Applying to Indian Matchmaking show
21:04 How was the taping/production process?
23:40 Editing process of reality TV shows?
27:58 Preparing for negative reactions, tweets, memes and death threats?
33:20 How do you handle being a social media influencer?
35:04 How did you develop the mindset of knowing what you want and being unapologetic about it?
36:58 Have you conceptualizing the number of people you've helped?
38:17 Any advice on matchmaking process?
39:36 How was getting the Covid-19 vaccine with having an autoimmune disease?
41:43 Were you scared of leaving your career as a lawyer?
42:45 What’s the biggest change to lifestyle being a social media influencer and author?
43:28 Who is your book that's coming out on March 22nd for?
44:55 How do you handle brand partnerships with social media influencing?
45:49 Anything else you’d like to pass onto others?
