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/)

Timestamps

00:19 - Ara introduces this week’s guest, Thinesa Sri
01:07 - Growing up in Scarborough
02:10 - How she got into volleyball; lying to her parents
05:58 - Thinesa’s height and its impact on her playing volleyball
07:39 - Transitioning from basketball to volleyball
08:55 - Representing Canada along with her brother
09:48 - Thinesa’s friendship with Ara’s siblings
10:27 - Her path to playing pro volleyball
13:18 - Picking her partners for pro beach volleyball
14:47 - The only sport in the world where male/female pay is equal
16:30 - Her most memorable sports moments thus far
17:12 - Other ways of accruing income as a pro volleyball player
18:50 - What her training and nutrition regimens looks like
21:18 - How she cultivates a winning mindset; mental health
22:53 - How she became a model; moving to LA
25:31 - Will she move back to Toronto?
26:23 - Aiming to represent Canada in the 2024 Olympics
26:59 - Her ideal mix between volleyball and modelling
28:16 - How she diversifies her income; millions
29:36 - Did she doubt herself upon leaving Toronto to go play pro volleyball?
32:07 - What success looks like to Thinesa in the next three years
33:02 - Her biggest learning lesson; 
35:14 - Being the number one recruit out of Canada when she was graduating
36:27 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self
38:48 - The personal legacy she wants to be remembered for
40:01 - Creator Confessions
42:34 - The Wrap Up

Intro Music

Produced And Mixed By:
- The Tamil Creator
- Yanchan

Written By:
- Aravinthan Ehamparam
- Yanchan Rajmohan        

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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/)

Timestamps

00:19 - Ara introduces this week’s guest, Gandeephan Ganeshalingam
00:54 - 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 learning
05:49 - Why he felt engineering wasn’t enough; entering business
08:58 - Has the value of an MBA diminished, and why?
10:45 - Being in a position of leadership; what he looks for when hiring people
13:40 - How the future of work will evolve
16:59 - How to incentivize employees amidst the remote/hybrid revolution
19:11 - Preparing himself to move and work abroad after graduation
22:20 - Being Chief Innovation Officer at General Electric; his experience
26:30 - Dealing with shared IP at GE
28:02 - What led Gandeephan to leave GE for WestJet
30:24 - Gandeephan’s role and opinion on the future of travel
33:12 - The thought leaders he looks up to and why
37:59 - A learning lesson from the last few years; appreciating talent
42:28 - The impact of networking on Gandeephan’s career trajectory
44:05 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self
47:12 - The personal legacy he wants to be remembered for
48:29 - Creator Confessions
50:41 - The Wrap Up

Intro Music

Produced And Mixed By:
- The Tamil Creator
- Yanchan

Written By:
- Aravinthan Ehamparam
- Yanchan Rajmohan       

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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/)

Timestamps

00:19 - Ara introduces this week’s guest, Geetha Moorthy
00:47 - Geetha speaks on how her upbringing
02:07 - Having to flee Sri Lanka within a few days of getting married
04:17 - What led her to create SAAAC; 1985 to now
08:02 - Not knowing what Autism was; giving back to the community
11:50 - A doctor got in touch with Geetha; no word in Tamil for Autism
13:13 - How Geetha got the ball rolling with SAAAC
15:13 - The need for something like SAAAC in places like the US and UK
17:54 - How SAAAC was funded in its early stages
22:28 - Her secret to getting volunteers and keeping them committed
24:28 - Geetha’s entrepreneurial spirit; balancing work, family, and more
26:55 - Dealing with doubt and naysayers along her journey
29:38 - Receiving the Gerry Bloomfield’s Award
32:02 - Her biggest learning lesson in the last 3-5 years
35:37 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self
35:48 - The personal legacy she wants to leave behind
36:04 - Creator Confessions
39:36 - The Wrap Up

Intro Music

Produced And Mixed By:
- The Tamil Creator
- Yanchan

Written By:
- Aravinthan Ehamparam
- Yanchan Rajmohan      

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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/)

Timestamps

00:19 - Ara introduces this week’s guest, Charles Bosco
01:10 - How his upbringing led to an entrepreneurial career
07:25 - Charles’ connection to Nelson and his role in creating Singify
12:17 - Selling Singify and what the platform has become today
13:06 - Transitioning from Music to Gogodoc; the impact of COVID amidst this
14:17 - The business model of Gogodoc; the market gap that was filled
16:38 - The criticism that Gogodoc’s business model received
17:59 - The status of Gogodoc today
18:38 - The post-pandemic return to normality in the UK
20:11 - Charles’ newest project; Millionaire Monkey Club NFT
24:36 - The difficulty of building and sustaining a community
25:59 - Infinite possibles around the realm of NFTs; the growth of Web3
28:14 - The challenges of DAO; the importance of educating
31:49 - How to explain NFTs to your mom
34:49 - Millionaire Monkey Club challenges; scammers and more
36:18 - How Charles plans out his week with so many different endeavours
37:37 - How he gets paid and what he invests in
39:24 - Buying Ethereum at a $35 price point and purchasing property with it
42:35 - Lesser known cryptocurrencies with long-term potential
44:55 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self
46:15 - The next generation of Tamil parents should let kids play video games
48:09 - What success looks like to Charles in the next 3-4 years
49:51 - The personal legacy he wants to be remembered for by friends/family
50:43 - Advice he would give young people today to prepare for success
52:38 - Creator Confessions


Intro Music

Produced And Mixed By:
- The Tamil Creator
- Yanchan

Written By:
- Aravinthan Ehamparam
- Yanchan Rajmohan            

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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/)

Timestamps

00:19 - Ara introduces this week’s guest, Hamsha Pathmanathan
01:54 - Hamsha speaks on her upbringing and always knowing her calling
06:55 - Wild adventures in Nigeria; saving mongooses, collecting snakes, and more
18:27 - How she transitioned from Nigeria to the Northwest Territories in 2019
24:08 - Having only one shopping centre near her, and meeting an indigenous elder
27:49 - Where she sees herself in 3-5 years; moving to BC & returning to Africa
29:43 - Why she’ll never step near the Amazon by herself; undiscovered species
33:06 - The importance of food security and adequate technology to support it
38:51 - How to make people care more about eco-friendly efforts
44:43 - Hamsha’s hobbies outside of work; knitting, reading, and more
46:05 - What she’s insecure about; talking to people
57:51 - The personal legacy she wants to be remembered for by friends/family
59:29 - Being an avid reader of psychology-related content
01:02:40 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self
01:06:43 - Creator Confessions
01:09:00 - The Wrap Up


Intro Music

Produced And Mixed By:
- The Tamil Creator
- Yanchan

Written By:
- Aravinthan Ehamparam
- Yanchan Rajmohan           

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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/)

Timestamps

00:19 - Ara introduces this week’s guest, Sai Tirulokan
01:46 - Sai sheds a little light on his upbringing
03:04 - How he got into the real estate game; his dad pointing at a sign
05:15 - Securing his first real estate deals; a $7 million dollar transaction
06:38 - Staying incentivized to finish school
08:37 - How Sai learned sales; selling necklaces and credit cards
12:05 - His strategy for selling credit cards; getting to know them and adding value
13:43 - Why sales is a great first job for anyone; becoming a stronger person
14:46 - Common misconceptions about real estate and what makes you stand out
17:00 - Sai speaks on the state of the Toronto real estate market
19:28 - What you should invest in
21:20 - The concept of getting rich slowly
23:28 - 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 years
34:26 - 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 hard
38:20 - A recent belief/behaviour/habit that has changed his life
40:07 - The personal legacy he wants to be remembered for by friends/family
41:30 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self
42:46 - Who Sai admires in the global Tamil community and non-Tamil community
46:27 - Creator Confessions
51:30 - The Wrap Up

Intro Music

Produced And Mixed By:
- The Tamil Creator
- Yanchan

Written By:
- Aravinthan Ehamparam
- Yanchan Rajmohan          

Support the show

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/)

Timestamps

00:19 - Anoshinie Muhundarajah speaks on how she became a dance teacher
00:38 - Will Ara struggle to pronounce the name of this week’s guest?
02:33 - How Anoshinie developed a passion for this medium of storytelling
05:08 - Taboo subjects in the Tamil community that she talks about through her art; suicide
06:53 - How Anoshinie gained confidence through dance
08:58 - 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 Sneakerella
15:06 - Her experience with Canada’s Got Talent; breaking stereotypical boundaries
18:16 - Sharing the stage with Simu Liu at the 2022 Juno Awards
20:33 - How Anoshinie found a Manager/Agent; Choreographer’s Ball
22:07 - The ups and downs of life; how she deals with rejection
23:37 - Anoshinie’s parents supporting her dancing dreams
25:29 - How Anoshinie sustains herself as an artist
28:35 - Having to go through some level of pain and sacrifice to succeed
30:29 - Learning to say “no” and how it impacts relationships/friendships
33:12 - Who are Anoshinie’s dream collaborations? (Prabu Deva and more)
35:16 - Volunteering at orphanages and development centres in Sri Lanka
37:01 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self; caring less about what people think
38:58 - Social media as a tool; and the issue with it
39:45 - The personal legacy she wants to have and be remembered for
40:27 - Creator Confessions
44:02 - The Wrap Up

Intro Music

Produced And Mixed By:
- The Tamil Creator
- Yanchan

Written By:
- Aravinthan Ehamparam
- Yanchan Rajmohan         

Support the show

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/)

Timestamps

00:19 - Ara introduces this week’s guest, Shyam
00:52 - His life before poker; studying to be a criminal lawyer
01:19 - How his parents reacted to him pursuing a poker career
01:53 - The moment Shyam knew a poker career “was in the cards”
02:19 - The benefit of online poker versus traditional poker
03:01 - His day-to-day schedule as a professional poker player
03:31 - Growing up competitive
04:24 - His favourite places to play poker; Australia, Macau, etc.
05:01 - Running into other Tamil professional poker players
05:34 - Being bankrolled to mitigate the risk versus using his own funds
06:24 - Getting recognized in public
06:50 - His poker friends and running into big name players
07:37 - How he manages his money without having a stable income
08:50 - When will he walk away from poker? What will he do?
09:11 - Misconceptions about poker
09:41 - Advice for people who want to play professional poker
10:17 - Why cash games revolve more skill than tournaments
11:10 - 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 years
12:08 - What his friend circle looks like
12:29 - Advice he would give his 16-year-old self
12:45 - How he would describe his poker style
13:12 - Biggest differences of playing online versus in-person
13:18 - Creator Confessions
23:07 - The Wrap Up

Intro Music

Produced And Mixed By:
- The Tamil Creator
- Yanchan

Written By:
- Aravinthan Ehamparam
- Yanchan Rajmohan        

Support the show

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/)

Timestamps

00:19 - Ara introduces this week’s guest, Abarna Raj
01:48 - How her childhood led her to starting a non-profit
04:44 - Being in Sri Lanka during the 2004 tsunami
07:15 - How the 2004 tsunami impacted her decision to found Palmera
08:38 - Raising tens of thousands of dollars for Palmera
10:23 - Balancing her job as a lawyer and the early development of Palmera
12:16 - Leaving a job with strong income to work full-time for a non-profit
14:05 - The HANDMADE cookbook
16:24 - 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 hopeful
30:11 - The lack of talent in the non-profit space when compared to tech, finance, etc.
33:25 - Incentivizing volunteers; Benevity and more
38:33 - Resources and sustainability being key challenges for non-profit organizations
42:04 - Tax receipts and Palmera’s Australian accreditation
44:35 - 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 Palmera
52:13 - Advice she would give her 16-year-old self; the personal legacy she wants to have
54:05 - Creator Confessions
59:24 - The Wrap Up

Intro Music

Produced And Mixed By:
- The Tamil Creator
- Yanchan

Written By:
- Aravinthan Ehamparam
- Yanchan Rajmohan       

Support the show

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/)

Timestamps

00:19 - Ara introduces this week’s guest, Ganesh Thava
02:37 - Ganesh speaks on his upbringing; growing up in an environment of love and comfort
04:36 - Being a shy kid/rule-follower; feeling like he was living for other people
08:17 - 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 rituals
16:13 - Using therapy to improve physical/mental well-being, and the power of social media
18:23 - ‘The Orchid & The Tree’ and how it was received by viewers
24:16 - How he had his movie screened at various film festivals; the application process
25:25 - The entrepreneurial element of filmmaking; shifting between being a director & actor
29:04 - How his family/friends reacted to his decision to immerse himself in the world of film
37:29 - His perception of money; how he goes about making it, saving it, and more
42:56 - The impact that the Toronto-Tamil community has had on Ganesh
48:28 - What he would tell his 16-year-old self & the personal legacy he wants to have
52:02 - Creator Confessions
57:54 - The Wrap Up

Intro Music

Produced And Mixed By:
- The Tamil Creator
- Yanchan

Written By:
- Aravinthan Ehamparam
- Yanchan Rajmohan      

Support the show