Supendra Chandrakumar (@supendra) is the founder behind the viral #LoveMyCityProject and one of Toronto's most recognizable digital storytellers.

He joins Ara on this episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss how he spent nearly a decade building content creation from a passion into a career, the mindset shifts required to bet on yourself, collaborating with Google Pixel, navigating AI as a creator, balancing authenticity with growth, representing the Tamil community, and why he has made it his mission to share Toronto's story with the world.

If you've ever wondered what it really takes to build a personal brand, create content consistently, or turn a side passion into something bigger, this episode is for you.

Follow Supendra:
- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/supendra/)

Timestamps

00:19 — Ara introduces this week’s guest, Supendra Chandrakumar
01:00 — Supendra speaks on being born in Toronto and his life’s progression to this point
02:37 — An inflexion point; turning content creation from his passion to a career
08:38 — Staying motivated to keep going; internal validation versus external validation
12:05 — How he balances creating content that is authentic but still “algorithm-friendly”
13:28 — Supendra’s view on AI as a content creator; threat or opportunity?
16:01 — Choosing to “throw more eggs” into his entrepreneurial endeavour
17:31 — His most exciting opportunity; partnering with Google Pixel
19:17 — Assumptions people make about his content/life and what his family thinks
23:50 — His wife being a key factor in Supendra’s decision to pursue content creation
26:14 — Toronto’s biggest strength, insecurity, and what it wants the world to know?
29:55 — Where he sees himself personally and professionally over the next few years
31:19 — How connected does Supendra feel to the Tamil diaspora?
33:06 — Advice he would give his 16-year-old self
34:18 — The personal legacy he wants to be remembered for by friends/family
35:00 — Creator Confessions
41:30 — The Wrap Up

Intro Music

Produced And Mixed By:
- The Tamil Creator
- Yanchan

Written By:
- Aravinthan Ehamparam
- Yanchan Rajmohan

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Michele Peter ( @missionswithmcmichie ) is a host, public speaker, @amazingracecda contestant & woman of faith.

She joins Ara on this episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss how she found her calling as a social worker, the stories behind her appearances on various TV shows (Family Feud Canada, Amazing Race Canada, etc.), meeting Lily Singh ( @lilly ) and being dubbed her doppelgänger, how she finds healing in entertaining others, her unwavering Christian faith, and so much more.

Follow Michele:
- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/missionswithmcmichie/)

Timestamps

00:19 — Ara introduces this week’s guest, Michele Peter
01:37 — Formative years; being born in France, facing racism in Canada, etc.
09:28 — Seeking a career where she could help others & leverage her passion for art
14:04 — Being forced to make an audition video that would change her life
18:23 — The most difficult moment she faced on Amazing Race Canada
20:40 — Facing inner thoughts / cultural considerations while being on reality TV
25:03 — Meeting Lily Singh; being called her doppelgänger
28:53 — Her experience with Family Feud Canada
32:25 — Has Michele ever bombed on stage?
36:32 — Embracing her Christian faith; learning to express it via social media
41:23 — Being an outgoing / expressive Tamil woman; the cultural stigmas
44:04 — What success looks like to Michele, even if no one is clapping
47:08 — Advice she would give her 16-year-old self
48:50 — The personal legacy she wants to be remembered for by friends / family
50:29 — Creator Confessions
01:05:15 — The Wrap Up

Intro Music

Produced And Mixed By:
- The Tamil Creator
- Yanchan

Written By:
- Aravinthan Ehamparam
- Yanchan Rajmohan

Support the show

Siva Balakrishnan is the Indian-based Founder Of Vserve Ebusiness Solutions ( @vserveebusiness ) and Angel Investor with the Mumbai Angels Network.

He joins Ara on this episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss how observing the scarcity mindset around him while growing up in India taught him to come up with solutions on the fly, why your first customer is always buying you as the founder (not the product/service), the state of AI being more probabilistic that deterministic at the moment, finding value in failing fast, living by the belief that the journey is the reward, and so much more.

Follow Siva:
- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/siva-balakrishnan-38216b1/)

Timestamps

00:19: Ara introduces this week’s guest, Siva Balakrishnan
00:49: How growing up in India shaped Siva’s solution-oriented mindset
03:02: Early entrepreneurship; being a mechanical engineer, outsourcing a web developer gig
05:01: Seeing a gap and capitalizing to launch Vserve; hiring a browsing centre
06:37: The evolution of Vserve; from what it was to what it is
08:21: How entrepreneurs can secure a first customer and find their niche
10:59: Balancing offering white glove customer service while being cost competitive
14:10: Maintaining company culture as the CEO of a distributor outsource workforce
17:28: Siva’s view on AI now and looking forward
21:25: What’s the next phase of life after 20 years into his journey?
23:11: How Siva decides what he is willing to put money behind as an angel investor
25:43: Other South Indian Tamil entrepreneurs making waves
26:56: The role Siva’s family plays in the choices he makes
28:48: The importance of failing fast; a past learning lesson from his journey
30:37: Advice he would give his 16-year-old self
31:47: The personal legacy he wants to be remembered for and the value of compounding
36:51: Creator Confessions
49:02: The Wrap Up

Intro Music

Produced And Mixed By:
- The Tamil Creator
- Yanchan

Written By:
- Aravinthan Ehamparam
- Yanchan Rajmohan

Support the show