Reshma Gajjar Dances Her Heart Out

In honor of SXSW coming up next week, I wanted to share a previous episode with one of the keynote speakers for the conference!

Rohit Bhargava is the Founder and Chief Trend Curator of the Non-Obvious Company and is widely considered one of the most entertaining and original speakers on trends and marketing in the world.

Rohit believes the world needs more Non-Obvious thinking. He helps leaders and professionals to be more open minded, see what others miss and learn to anticipate the future. He is the author of seven popular business books, including his signature Non-Obvious Megatrends which has been read or shared by more than 1 million people and was a #1 WSJ bestseller + USA Today bestseller earlier this year.

Outside of speaking and consulting, Rohit is also the co-founder of Ideapress Publishing - a fast growing independent publisher that specializes in working with top authors to publish beautiful business books.

We talk about what a Futurist does, why he is the trend  guy, what the Human Mode trend is and why it's here to stay, how starting a publishing company kept him from becoming an a&&hole, and the reasons he wanted to start supporting the South Asian community.

 Kavita Mehta is a a non-profit leader with 20 years of service and a deep commitment to fostering cultural change, organizational transformation, and movement building.

Kavita is the Executive Director for Sahki for South Asian Women, a survivor-led gender justice organization whose goal is to eradicate gender-based and domestic violence. Sakhi is the second largest organization of its kind in the US, and celebrates its 35th anniversary this year. It has really changed the conversation on gender-based violence in our community while uniting survivors and institutions to work together.

In our conversation,  Kavita delves into how Sakhi provides a safe space and community for survivors; the high rate of gender violence in the South Asian diaspora, the challenges in overcoming it, and its connections to South Asian culture and beliefs. We talk about South Asian family dynamics and how they have impacted us, She generously opens up about her own trauma, how it drove her to do the job she does, and how she overcomes trauma to this day

What we talked about: 

• Kavita’s Sakhi Journey:  How Kavita joined Sakhi at the advent of the MeToo movement + the challenge of COVID + preparing for the migrant crisis in New York City. (6:26)
• A Force for Transformative Change:  Sakhi’s unique holistic survivor outreach from counseling to housing + how 48% of South Asian Americans have experienced gender-based violence  +  Saki’s inclusive rebranding (10:50)
• The Need for True Community and Safety: How fear of judgment and the need to keep up appearance isolates and suffocates South Asians + how feeling like an outsider in childhood impacts adulthood  19:45)
• Live in the Trauma Or Live in the Healing: Kavita opens up about her violent and traumatic childhood + haunted by the life her mother could have had + how she found healing through her work with Sakhi + South Asians breaking the stigma around mental health. (24:31)
• The Hidden Trauma in South Asian Families: Amy and Kavita reflect on their gradual awareness of childhood toxicity + the need to educate the next generation  (29:02)
• What next for Sakhi: Celebrating Sakhi’s 35th anniversary + ringing the bell of the New York Stock Exchange + gala (34:16)
• Lessons Learned: Kavita’s anxiety, learning when to accelerate and when to slow down + Sharing internal struggles of making decisions (37:26)
• The Need for Self-Care: Kavita talks frankly about her need for regular therapy +  the case that haunts her to this day (39:30)
• Rapid Fire Questions: (42:35)
• Kavita’s Bucket List: (45:36)

Connect with Kavita:

• Sakhi for South Asian Women
• Linkedin

Let’s talk Connect:

• Instagram
   

This podcast is produced by Ginni Media

When I met my next guest for the first time after getting to know her on social media, I felt like I’d known her forever. 

Akruti Babaria is the founder of Kulture Khazana , a business is dedicated to sharing Indian culture with children through educational and play activities. 

Her story began in 2018 after the birth of her son, Ayaan. When Akruti realized that the diverse places she has lived in had no sign of her culture or community, so she decided to do something about it

Now through Kulture Khazana, Akruti is able to shares the South Asian culture with children around the US  and all of its beautiful treasures.

Kulture Khazana has a variety of incredible Indian toys and Diwali gifts as well as games, puzzles and online story albums for kids of all ages.   Kulture Khazana is also is now the first Indian cultural toy brand founded in target.com and nordstrom.com, and now will be launching with macys.com this year!

As a mother of two little girls who is trying to share our culture as much as possible . I could not recommend checking out Kulture Khazana more.

What we talked about:

• Going full force for Holi: Akruti talks about the upcoming launch at Macy + her new products that make Holi safe and fun + her most popular product (02:52)
• The Story of Kulture Khazana:  Akruti shares her original journey to normalize Indian culture through stories  + the challenge of COVID + the diversity of products and sensory experiences in Kulture Khazana
• Personal Highlights: Akruti shares her pride in talking to her son’s school for Diwali + her new school district campaign to expand South Asian culture to all classrooms. (19:31)
• Lessons from Akruti’s Journey:  People are willing to help +  Not letting “no” ruin your larger purpose is the key to peace of mind  (23:27)
• Growing up Brown in School: Akruti opens up about being treated differently for being Indian + how it became the impetus to help Indian girls find their voice (27:18)
• Women in Indian Culture:   Challenging the subservient view of women in traditional Indian stories. (34:15)
• What Next? Akruti gives the lowdown on her upcoming projects (39:08)
• Rapid fire questions (40:10)

Connect with Akruti:

• Kulture Khazana
• Linkedin
• Instagram

Let’s Connect:

Instagram
 

This podcast is produced by Ginni Media

How is it February already??  While we are working on a few other projects these past few weeks, we're going to share an episode from the end of last year that we also submitted for The Webby Awards this year.  Please do go watch "To Kill A Tiger", it's one of the most powerful documentaries I've seen

Nisha Pahuja is a writer, an artist, and director and now an Emmy-nominated filmmaker. Her passion for social impact is marked by a quiet courage towards exploring complex social issues that often breed division through the lens of her camera. We chat about her latest award-winning documentary "To Kill a Tiger," which has won 19 awards from prestigious festivals such as TIFF, Palm Springs International Film Festival, the Canadian Screen Awards, and Doc Aviv and has names like Dev Patel and Mindy Kaling attached to it. The film earned its way on The New York Times Most Anticipated Fall Releases list and Anne Thompson at the IndieWire’s Oscar Contenders list.

I had the pleasure of moderating the premier of the film here in Dallas with some of the executive producers and was absolutely blown away by the film.

Nisha's storytelling prowess goes beyond this latest project, with notable credits like the Emmy-nominated "The World Before Her," the documentary "Bollywood Bound," and the insightful series "Diamond Road." Her work doesn't just capture stories; it sparks conversations and challenges perspectives, especially around themes of cultural evolution, the reality of stereotypical depictions, and the grip that shame has on so many of us. As an immigrant from India to Canada, Nisha's unique vantage point enriches her narratives, bridging diverse worlds with empathy and insight. Her journey is not just about making films but also the art of fostering understanding, catalyzing change, and alchemizing adversity into inspiration.  

We talked about: 

• How Nisha got involved with Kill A Tiger and what she feels were the hardest parts to film (4:16)
• Western and eastern societal parallels around discussing and handling sexual assault (8:10)
• Nisha’s relationship with shame and the concept of shame as a cultural inheritance (12:05)
• How Karen and her family are doing now and current projects in the works  (17:20)
• What experiencing immigrating from India and growing up in Canada was like (18:50)
• Nisha’s relationship with our culture (23:50)
• The World Before Her, the initial journey to documentary making, and her perspective on representation (29:30)

Connect with Nisha Pahuja

• Instagram
• Linkedin

Let’s talk Connect:

• Instagram

This podcast is produced by

 Ginni Media

Nick Rathod has been thinking a lot about the power of culture and using it as a platform for change.  And he has some experience with that.

Over the span of his 20-year career, Nick Rathod has built successful campaigns, businesses, governmental and non-governmental institutions and been a key advisor to the nation's leaders. Nick has served as special assistant to the President and Deputy Director for Intergovernmental Affairs in the White House, and was also the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the Obama-Biden transition team. 

Nick has also built a number of nonprofit organizations. Most notably, Nick was the founder and first Executive Director of the State Innovation Exchange. Nick has most recently served as the campaign manager for Beto's race for governor of Texas. He is now the President of Impact and a founding partner in the People of Culture Studios in Hollywood, California. 

Nick shares his vision of affecting real change by using Hollywood culture to connect people of color to the mainstream, how he brought his 20 years of experience in politics to bear on the upcoming election, and his fascinating journey of growing up brown in rural Nebraska.

Nick is also currently a partner in building the first ever sneaker and streetwear museum in Houston, TX.  NBD.

Honestly, Nick is one of those undercover badasses that has done so much in his professional journey, is sincerely the kindest to everyone, and really never asked for the spotlight. 

We need more people like Nick in this world. 

What we talked about:

• People of Culture Studios + how Hollywood movies can bring stories of sexism and patriarchy as well as people of color to Middle America + bridging Hollywood and DC. (04:35)
• DEI and the challenge of creating authentic brown stories in movies without becoming a niche. (14:27)
• #ImmaBeHonest and tackling mental health taboos in the Black and South Asian communities. (16:06)
• United Dream Fund supporting immigrant investors + building the first ever sneaker and streetwear museum in Houston. (22:24)
• Beto campaign and championing women's reproductive health, immigrants and the LGBTQ community in Texas + Nick’s love of Texas. (26:51)
• Election year: Democrats need to break out of the DC bubble and connect with people to beat Trump + how Vivek Ramaswany embodies the worst stereotypes of South Asian men. (29:54)
• How Nick’s family have supported him in his career + balancing individuality and compromise in marriage. (36:33)
• Growing up brown and poor in Nebraska and overcoming racism and bullying to develop empathy + his sister, the debt owed to his immigrant parents and taking his father to meet Obama. (39:04)
• Rapid fire questions (50:29)
• Nick’s bucket list. (51:35)

Connect with Nick: 

• Linkedin
• Instagram.com
• Twitter
• Facebook

Let’s talk Connect:

• Instagram

This podcast is produced by Ginni Media

Dr. Aditi Nerurkar is a Harvard physician, stress expert, speaker, national television correspondent, and host of the podcast, Time Out with Eve Rodsky. She is also a lecturer at Harvard Medical School in the Division of Global Health and Social Medicine, and serves as the co-director of the Clinical Clerkship in Community Engagement. She has spoken at the Forbes 30 Under 30 Summit, the HBS Women's Conference, and many other events.

Most importantly, her new book, The 5 Resets: Rewire Your Brain and Body For Less Stress and More Resilience, came out this past week, where she focuses on how to maintain healthy levels of stress.

In our conversation, we reflect on how the pandemic and other traumatic events of the last three  years have impacted us all. Aditi shines a light on the unique challenges that make us more stressed out than our parents and opens up about the insights into stress she gained on her journey as a patient and as an expert while sharing practical tools for navigating the new normal.

Reading this book was probably the best thing I've done for myself to start out the year!

What we talked about: 

• How stress and burnout is the norm not the exception. You are not alone and it is not your fault. (03:54)
• How information overload impacts the natural stress of parenting (08:55)
• Healthy versus unhealthy stress + achieving the “sweet spot.” (18:04)
• Dismantling the myth of multitasking + monotask to overcome stress and burnout.(21:26)
• Aditi’s stress journey + her personal techniques for relaxation. + supporting the gut-brain connection to decrease stress-triggered illness. (25:55)
• Aditi’s family immigration story + tackling  taboos of mental illness in South Asian culture and around the world. (36:14)
• Aditi’s deep connection to Bombay as key to her Indian identity. (42:09)
• Rapid fire questions. (49:05)

Connect with Aditi Nerurkar: 

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Linkedin
• Podcast

Let’s Connect:

• Instagram

This podcast is produced by

 Ginni Media

We're back!  It's the new year and we hope everyone had a safe and peaceful holiday....and we also hope you're ready to get Tuckered Out this year! And what a way to start off 2024...

Megha Tolia is the President and COO of Shondaland as well as a beacon of ingenuity and leadership. Her professional journey began at Neutrogena and spanned over 20 years, where she honed her expertise in building mission-driven, consumer-centric brands. Her trajectory took a thrilling turn when she leaped into the media universe, bringing her strategic prowess to Shondaland, the brainchild of the legendary Shonda Rhimes. Megha shares her transition from the structured world of consumer goods to the vibrant and unpredictable realm of television production. It's a narrative of embracing new challenges and the excitement of stepping into the unknown.

In our conversation, Megha delves into her personal journey, reflecting on her rich Indian heritage and the influence of her family’s immigration story.  We also discuss navigating the complexities of the entertainment industry, her role in supporting Shonda Rhimes’ vision, and her efforts to implement structure and strategy in a creative powerhouse. 

As we reflect on the year and look ahead, Megha's journey provides an inspiring example of balancing tradition with innovation, and structure with creativity. 

We talk about:  

• Moving to Dallas, Texas + adjusting to a new city (2:41)
• The learning curve of shifting from CPG to the entertainment industry + discovering the initial opportunity (8:52)
• Megha's favorite Shondaland shows to watch and work on (20:11)
• How their team has grown + what it's been like working so close with Shonda Rhimes (28:59)
• Becoming a co-founding director of the William S. Spears Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership and SMU Cox School of Business (35:57)
• Magha's family immigration story + how she nurtured her love of dance growing up (40:45)
• Rapid Fire Questions (52:09)

Connect with Magha: 

• Linkedin

Let’s talk Connect:

• Instagram

This podcast is produced by

 Ginni Media

.

Today, in the last episode of 2023, I just want to say THANK YOU to everyone who makes this podcast possible: my hubby and our girls, our amazing production team Ginni Media, and of course, to you. Thank you for your company, support, and for pretending to laugh at my jokes.

Before you go, I need to ask you a favor. Tuckered Out has been recognized by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences as a finalist for the Anthem Awards! 

What do I need from you? A simple vote to help this underdog podcast take a win home. 

Hugs and high fives, see you in 2024! 

Resources:

• Help Tuckered Out win the Anthem Community Voice Award!

Let’s Connect!

• Instagram

This podcast is produced by Ginni Media. 

Falguni Lakhani Adams is an Emmy Award-winning producer and executive with Vice TV and another one of my long-lost soul sisters. She is the epitome of a multi-hyphenate, a mom, a director, a writer, a mindfulness coach, and an entrepreneur, and she has more than 20 years of experience producing creative nonfiction stories for broadcast TV, digital media, and long-form audio documentaries. 

She has worked on projects such as Unknown Amazon with Pedro Andrade, The Search For Q, Too Soon: Comedy After 9/11, and Black Market with Michael K. Williams. You also may have heard of the very popular United Shades of America, as well as Belly of The Booth. She also just happens to have a very long list of credits for NBC News, and MSNBC, including 10 years at Dateline NBC. 

Her focus on production and community has earned her space in Veronica Beard’s Make It Happen campaign. She is also an active member with Chief, Co-Creator of Getting Hotter, and CEO of Sorry, Not Sorry, Productions. I'm sorry, because I don't know how this woman is standing up. I mean, she is doing it all. And she has fantastic hair. I hope you guys enjoy as we peel back the layers of her illustrious 20-year career, which is as colorful as it is impactful. I really loved our conversation, where every turn was a story, every anecdote a lesson, and every laugh a memory. Tune in and let’s get Tuckered Out together with the incredible Falguni Lakhani Adams.    

We talked about:    

• Meet Falguni (2:48)
• The hippo that ate her grandfather's leg (4:40)
• Representation and inclusivity + The White House Diwali event (11:33)
• Vice TV, 'Sikhs In America', + Falguni's efforts toward amplifying diverse voices (24:17)
• Journalistic integrity + the power of authentic storytelling (34:15)
• Upcoming projects + disrupting stigma around aging and going through body changes (38:30)
• Rebranding random and learning to flow with the opportunities that flow our way along the career path (48:25)
• Growing up in Jackson Heights, Queens (57:00)
• Rapid Fire Questions (1:05:00)

Connect with Falguni: 

• Instagram
• Linkedin

Let’s talk Connect:

• Instagram

This podcast is produced by Ginni Media.

 Today's guest is none other than Raja Kumari, a Grammy-nominated songwriter, and India’s top female rapper. Known as Svetha Rao to loved ones, she brings an otherworldly fusion of Eastern and Western music that's completely reshaping the industry.

In our chat, Raja Kumari takes us on a journey through her album 'The Bridge’. Released worldwide in April 2023, this album is a work that not only showcases her unique blend of cultures but also marks her debut under her own label that launched two years prior, Godmother Records. Talk about trailblazers, guys, this woman is fearless. She has such a charismatic personality and is truly a natural-born storyteller, who by the way now has over 43 million monthly Spotify streams. 

I had such a blast interviewing her as she shared captivating insights into her transition from classical dance to hip-hop, her struggles with American labels, and her groundbreaking move back to India, where she found an audience that immediately resonated with her music. We also touch on her collaborations with absolute legends in the industry like John Legend, her approach to songwriting, and her vision for empowering women in music. Join us as we dive into Raja Kumari's world, where music is an expression of identity and a tool we can use to decorate time. Her experiences, from performing at India’s biggest music festival to working with all sorts of iconic figures, highlight her journey as an artist and a cultural innovator.  

We talked about:  

• Finding a guardian angel in Madhuri Dixit + the initial journey to making revolutionary music (2:12) 
• Touring for 'The Bridge' (14:42) 
• Transforming Svetha Rao through the birth and evolution of Raja Kumari (22:44) 
• Slaying the challenges of creating an album during a global pandemic (29:15) 
• Raja's inspiration for naming GodMother + showcasing the power of authenticity and cultural pride (36:55) 
• What’s up next for Raja + healing through music (42:23) 
• Rapid Fire Questions (50:29)  
• Raja's Soundbite For The Soul (53:43) 

Connect with Raja: 

• Official Website
• Instagram

Let’s talk Connect:

• Instagram

This podcast is produced by

 Ginni Media

.