More Than Just a Dance Instructor — with Ajanta Chakraborty

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Ajanta Chakraborty, dance instructor and owner of Bollywood Groove & Culture Groove. 

Together, we discuss the struggle to find a sense of place and belonging for multicultural individuals and how embracing other cultures can have a long-lasting, positive impact on society as a whole.

We also talk about:

• Supporting children’s well-being by helping them find excitement in their culture and learning to celebrate it
• Making space for cultural learning to reduce a fear-based view of the world
• Misconceptions about Bollywood, bellydancing, and camels
• The limiting nature of the word “should”
• Effort vs. impact and the importance of the 2x2 matrix
• Being a piece in a larger picture with others trying to make the same changes instead of taking it all on yourself

Links & resources:

• Follow Ajanta’s work on Instagram @culturegroovekids 
• Visit Ajanta’s website 
• Follow Mel on Instagram @mel_mcsherry
• Follow the podcast on Instagram @morethanjustpodcast

👏 This episode is sponsored by My VA Rocks, a virtual assistant agency that pairs you with the help you desperately need. Want to see how My VA Rocks can support you? Head to their website at myva.rocks to book a complimentary consultation call! And follow on instagram at @myvarocks

🙌 This podcast is supported by listeners like you! If you enjoyed this episode, we'd appreciate it if you could make a donation of any amount at this link. You rock!

Transcript

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Hey mtj listener are you a solopreneur who knows doing it all yourself won't get you to that next level, well before we start this epic episode let me tell you about our amazing sponsor my VA rocks my VA rocks is a virtual assistant agency that pairs you with the help you desperately need. They're wildly talented virtual assistants can pretty much do it all. From sales support grant writing speaker Outreach bookkeeping to graphic design copywriting and of course those administrative tasks we all dread. My VA rocks has the perfect support for you. And honestly I have had several clients hire va's from my V8 rocks and I have personally not only seen their business exponentially grow faster but I've also been able to see them fully step into their passion and have this renewed sense of excitement and their business because no longer are they overwhelmed by all the things that they think they need to do they can fully just do what they want to do to create the business that they desire. So you want to see how my VA rocks can support you will head over to their website at my VA dot rocks to book a complimentary consultation call. Also don't forget to follow them on Instagram at my VA rocks all right let's get to it. Welcome to More Than Just I'm your host Mel mcsherry on this podcast we share how we are more than just descriptors and titles that identify us and our lives are busy. And our. In the safe common room space you'll hear stories of success and Lessons Learned From Myself and other Misfits entrepreneurs and change makers. My intention is to inform connect and expand our knowledge. So we can be mentally emotionally and financially profitable as we create the change we desire my promise is that from each episode you'll take away not only inspiration and a connection to someone you never knew before. But also the encouragement the action steps and the support so you can create. Music. Hello everyone welcome to another amazing episode of more than just Melnick Sherry here and as always so excited to have my guest here today. So we are here with ajanta chakraborty. Add the funny thing is is that her and I have known each other for a now I can't do maths because time doesn't exist the last two years since 2018 so we'll just do that. And neither of us can remember how we buddies fucker and it's so funny because like, you're not the first about where I've like I know this person they're amazing and we support each other on social media and all these other things and we've been on Virtual coffees and he had the origin story is just null and void so that just shows how important it is to build, a relationship because the beginning doesn't matter it's the support that we've been giving each other ever since that is fantastic but a giant I'm so excited that you're here thank you so much for spending time with us today, of course thank you for having me, so I always loved you start off these podcasts are these episodes with my favorite question which is ajanta what is your main title or descriptor and how are you more than just that. So my main title would be the CEO and co-founder of Bollywood and culture Group which is dance and children's books company. How am I more than that it's a long answer who the hell come from animal we're here I am essentially a cultural educator. Man a lot of people have trouble seeing that I think in general we as humans we love to kind of, figure out people we want to we want to map them to our existing world and which box yes does this person fit in and so when they see me they like oh you have a dance company how fun and it kind of stops there, of course it's fun but it's really that that makes sort of expanding helping people expand their minds beyond what they know about the world's culture, and there are so many I can talk about this forever because there's so many. Side effects and consequences of expanding your mind that that it has but most of the time they stopped at that as opposed to thinking, this is a person who can bring me a cultural experience which I haven't had before it's going to then Focus me. Encourage me to learn about something new or think about something new and then I'm going to apply that towards other aspects of my life and before you know it it's a whole Snowball Effect right and it makes me a more kind and compassionate person towards the entire world. This is just a starting point to that and this person this work is not just to entertain me by dancing on a stage but it's really to get me to think about a different way of life. So that's the eggs are a long answer to a short question no I love it because that I mean honestly that is the exact same reason why I wanted to do this podcast is for that is because it is so easy for us to Miche ourselves and each other down and look at somebody and automatically put them in a space that they probably a don't belong it and be of never even like heard of before, or we sure change people right because we see somebody we see how they're dressed how they're talking how they all of the things and we just naturally assumed and I think that's, that's actually becoming like the borderline mission for me as like stop the assumptions don't assume ask like. Have like have conversations but I'm curious though what, what made you decide on Dance is kind of like the gateway drug to this to this expansion that's a great question because it evolved naturally so I was praying that the dancer I've been dancing performing since I was 5 years old I have a whole classical dance background and whatnot and the first way that I use dance was actually fitness. So I realized early on with Will what move to California this was like, yeah I'm really dating myself here but this is like 2000-2004 it's a long time but I joined a dance company and just speak some classes from there, and by the third time the instructor asked me do you want to teach and I never even thought of that before and the idea was so crazy but then I saw that there was a space. To use dance as a way to promote ethnic dance music and wellness and I said that makes sense I like it yeah, and so that's when I started teaching and it became more of a fitness format in the beginning what I moved to Chicago it was 2010, is when the first time I started using it as a medium for kids as well this was new to me so that was only about 2000 10 so it's about a little over a decade that I've been doing that, but it was very interesting like initially I was just a dancer a performer and later on it kind of became my medium to teach and as I got more and more so the the way I it happened is that I got into the children's face and I thought there must be so many people who do this and then I realize Nobody Does this. So the dance companies what they were doing is that they would pick out really fun sounding track and they like here's a cool choreography that I'm going to teach you and then I'm going to dress you in an outfit and you're gonna you know your parents will come and take pictures and you're done. And I said no there's so much more space here you know what we can really do, what I started to do is I started to tell them the stories of the people who were doing this dance where it came from what part of India what were the what were the people like were there and that kind of made it so much more meaningful Dent to them you know it added a context and now they weren't just thinking of the dance move. They were thinking of the culture that is associated with our well subculture of India where it came from it just expanded the horizons like a million times. And that's kind of how you know the journey progressed I guess from me as a dancer to becoming somebody who was more of a cultural educator. I love that and I both started in the fitness industry because I was my first business as well in 2010 and. It's so interesting like you do we see entrepreneurs or anybody that's an entrepreneurial Journey. There's still this weird assumption that once we figure out what we want to do then it never changes. And every single entrepreneur that I've had on here has started in either an iota of the space that they're and now like this just expanded so much that it's like yeah that sounds like the beginning nucleus or they have completely 188 and they're just like, and it's a totally different space but it's finding those things that get you. Connected and started first and embracing those changes in that expansion so why is this so important to you what where did this kind of all start for you and connecting this together. Yes absolutely so there were two main things that I wanted to do with our work. And they can literally be boiled down to two hashtags and the two hashtags are raised Multicultural kids. And connect kids to their Roots when it comes to our work with kids those were the two main things, and the reason it was important is because if a child little belong to a South Asian origin that's where they're coming from, we see so many different issues that come up with with being different right there if you look at the experiences that people of minority communities face and this is universal there is bullying there is there is a feeling of not knowing where you belong you can't quite Place yourself, make that is the Ste contradictions of where you're born versus where you're from. And all of these things are sort of part of their their existence and what's really important too for my work for me was. Making them excited about who they are because that's the first battle right if it's a chore, to belong to your culture guess what you're never going to be excited you're going to feel insecure and then all of these things kind of just magnify. And result in so many other issues that we constantly see children facing nowadays but if you're really proud and excited about where you're coming from you it's got to be fun and that's kind of where I work if you look at the kind of work we do whether it's who are children's books, or through the workshops we do to the public events we do it's like it's got to be so much fun that the child would turn around to their friends and say look this is what I belong to and look how this is right so that was super important to to a part of our work. And the other one was literally you grew up here. Knowing you and your world and you know you end up making friends with people who look like you you end up eating food that is similar to what's being cooked at home you'll sort of create this little micro Universe around you. But that's kind of what it breeds and we see this I think it's being so much also exponentially we have seen this over the last many years. Is when you don't expand that world what happens it's ignorance it's fear for what you don't know the more you know the fear goes away but when you don't know is when you're scared. And that's when you react in a negative way to the world. Right and I'm trying to be as diplomatic about what I'm talking about but I think you know exactly what I'm talking about yeah I hundred percent 100% it results in racism it results in hatred result in all of these kind of unkind Behavior towards others is because you don't know about them it's scary to you. And it's important to break that barrier Again by making lowering the barrier that was very very important for us you cannot keep a super high very like if I made it so difficult for people to explore my culture, they won't even come in right what's the point I'm just living in my own universe and doing my own thing but that's not the point the barriers got to be low for the people who have never done this before which is why when I teach the dance moves are simple you know I don't need complicated answers because I want you to just explore it right but I tell you the stories they're written literally for a child of Age 3 was sit down and actually read you'll find other books which have probably which are like encyclopedias, but guess what if the unit is not going to read those books they have the attention span of an ant and so here you and honestly answer the most 40 year olds to so like exactly living proof of that so it is so important to like. Make it easy and that's why this was so important is sort of an it came to two children these were like I do main things that we work with. I mean I agree on everything that you said and I love that you mentioned you know we need. Lower those barriers and when I say it when you said you know that we've had to be lowered that's not we need to erase them and then all of a sudden you have all this emotional labor and all this stress office over him. Is that almost like that controls like Levi like in a canal like you just open it just enough to where not only can people feel comfortable easy themselves in you are not. Overextending yourself or. Trying to do so much to like bring people in and so therefore you both of you are coming to it from this really open. Flowing space and I love that because you do need to find those little like gateway drugs of light of, you know you don't want to bombard them with all this information because there's a difference between like curiosity and like wanting to be a students like curiosity just like oh so tell me about this and when you're curious you really don't want a shit ton of information because then, when you can't process it all and to then it's like okay well I will talk to you in six months which I understand what you just told me and then that kind of you know you lose your momentum but I love that you said you know lower those walls and just yeah you know well let it be woken me have you had those experiences where you know you felt lost or disconnect like what. And if you don't have to go to all of your you know childhood what-ifs but I would love to know you know what. What has been your experience and has that been part of why you are so passionate especially about you know supporting children. What a perceptive question yes and it's interesting because I grew up in India you would think I've completely should have felt like I belonged everywhere, I didn't and it's because India has such a distinct Regional cultures. It's like a collection of countries it's not homogenous in the way we think of the u.s. Right like if you go to a strip mall in the US there's almost like guaranteed that you will find is some of this very similar elements no matter which part of the country you go to there is no such thing in India. Every part of Olivia is completely different this week completely different languages they have completely different subcultures and my parents they moved from so I was I my parents are reaching from the eastern part of the country. And they moved to the central part of the country where we were born and the two cultures are completely different, like there is almost nothing in common and so even growing up you know I was speaking a different language at home than what I would speak with my friends outside, and our food was completely different our our outfits were different our celebrations were different celebration Music These are so important right for especially part of Indian culture, and I was completely living two different lives right my dad was like you can only speak our native language at home which I'm so glad he did it because it forced me to learn. Loaded which I'm really proud of now but as a kid I'm like no I want to I want to belong I want to fit in you know I didn't and it was first hand experience of getting that feeling, of wanting to be mainstream if you will and and not being that. And I think it has really shaped me because I remember my struggles now when you come over here of course you don't think of the regional Indian differences as much. In fact you can try to think of brown I just belong to Brown and that's good enough you know like all of South Asia can be me I can even see my sometimes I'm putting the same bucket as somebody who's Hispanic and I'm still okay with it because I'm like, it's okay as we as we go out of our countries it's no longer that weasel differences that matter but it's more the you know the wider definition and that's cool but I remember those feelings because I had those same feelings whether in a different way, and I could see you know and my parents did a really good job like I knew so much about my culture about you know where I was going from and what not. But it was all a little serious you know it was it was all like my culture was essentially more about heavy literature about very you know like classically focused music and all of that stuff which is awesome. But I wish there was more where somebody just made it so fun and exciting for me that I can point to them when I went into my class and say that person belongs to my culture and look out what fun they are this is what we do and miss that and I think I try to recreate that. For the kids now to my program every day. For them to be really excited about that but yes childhood experiences definitely shape. And I learned I mean I definitely learned something new today of just I mean I understood that there are different. I guess pieces of India because I have some friends radio that they usually say all you know they say a direction like I'm from north south east or west but I even inside of that I didn't know that there were you know all these different just completely different spaces and so I could definitely see how that would be really. Jarring for a child of you know and again definitely you know crooked run but for. I guess to put myself in your shoes a little bit be like hey I look like everyone else but yet everything I know is different everything I speak is different everything I eat is different like that's got to be a little bit of a. My best sir just like hundred percent. I'm here and I'm the same the yet I'm not and then with that experience then and now coming over. To the states and working because you have children as well correct. That's right I have a son he's eight so with now your child and him you know being an Estates and being surrounded by all of this. Are you already seeing some experiences that he's gone through or maybe you as a parent have gone through with like either. Misconceptions are assumptions are things along that nature. Yeah oh my gosh that is no lack of misconceptions I mean they still had started baby not be before Parenthood I remember when I first moved to Chicago you know there wasn't just a. And at scale Bollywood dance company they just wasn't it is also interesting because the word Bollywood people have certain Notions about it, and so there is that barrier as well but I remember I was invited to you know lead a dance workshop at an event I walk in and this woman goes. Oh look a belly dancer yeah go know Rob country, Edge easily move their hands like this as she looked at me like a joy to you I mean obviously this is audio platform but, she literally waved her hand you know trying to make a belly dance like move and she looked at me and I'm like no it's a beautiful it's a great dance form it has nothing to do with what I do and so it literally started from there. Then next is the usage of the word Bollywood right and it's a double-edged sword because I used it because that's what people knew more. And so if they think me so exclusive they won't even take the first step, right and so I said let's use Bollywood it's a word that's more commonly known why not but the downside is that they think of certain Bollywood movies that they have seen and they map me onto that, right and he can't break that because I like oh it's just fun and you know you just shake your hips and. That's it that's all there is to volume like no you know it's really a Looking-Glass. To the Indian culture is what really Bollywood is sure it's coming from a movie industry so, it is geared to be entertaining all the Bollywood has also changed over the years now it handles a lot more of like real social issues and whatnot, but back then at least it was it was sort of an escape from reality for people in India it was designed for that and so it's designed in a way that's not completely realistic I mean where does it happen when you go out in the streets and. You know 20 people know the exact dance moves I mean that is not reality right really enjoyed it to be breaking that thing is like I'm not just someone who's gonna make you do that and, and put you into that alternate version of reality I'm bringing actually my entire cultural experience to you, and so you kind of get started putting into getting into that box like right away so there was all of that I have to share this was the most hilarious experience I think I remember and this was in the early days when you're willing to do anything as an entrepreneur right. So many gives you an opportunity you like I am there I don't care what it involves and so there was this Expo it was a travel Expo. And they wanted to have a Bollywood dancer and they said show up at 5 a.m. right and I'm like no problem I will I will do that. So at 5 a.m. I'm dressing my Indian outfit I have a little boom box in my hand and I show up to this Expo there is a live camo. Who is the acting World Campbell standing right there and they said go stand next to it and start dancing oh my God I was like what made you bring a camel camel because that's not the first thing people think of and letting India I can see stereotypes like Snake Charmer and Dodge my house. Campbell and I'm like well how did this happen and they're like you know who'd like Arabs and and exotic and. So when we bought Arab and exotic be taught camel and a Bollywood dance and I'm like oh my gosh you are so loud. It's like the Sesame Street one of these things is not like the other like but guess what you are somebody who's willing to do whatever it takes because you want to establish your work. So I put on my Boombox and I stood next to the camel and I danced and then some. Hilarious pictures of this camel looking at me in a very suspect way because it's completely like what is she doing here this doesn't make any sense and I really have those pictures to do. But you know what ABC covered that event I got on ABC I got a ton of PR out of it, I told everybody that I knew that I had made it on ABC and it made a difference and that's that's kind of but it was one of those absolutely hilarious moments of like if there's one thing I would want to do. It's for people to not do this again you know for them to say know the difference and the next time someone has to travel Expo, set it up a little differently if I could make that difference mission accomplished right so it even lets me in the travel industry camels in India no. Just let me know yes I should say that is a desert in India yeah despot and it does have camels and sure you can when you're talking about Rajasthan state it makes sense, but the way they had done it but it was error brand Bollywood was synonymous and again it's it up it's supposed to be like if they were just taken the moment you like hey John to this is what we're thinking. As the person who is representing this country is this legit are even Google I'm sure that's would be very Global but it's those cities of and ever you as well to one. Still step into that space and use it as a teaching. Aspects not only for you know for you as to what questions you should ask before you show up to an expo that next time and for them to, now know better for next time write like it is sometimes I think easy to get caught up in well they should know or they should do this that that term should is like something that II don't agree with a lot of things however. Also there are multiple people and this Co-op relationship so. It's also an opportunity for you to step in and say hey I see what you're doing here thank you for this opportunity. And let's have a teaching moment oh my Lord that is actually a very positive change I've seen in the last few years and I think one of the things that I really saw happening during black lives matter, and the time at thereafter is how people started asking the folks who truly belong in those experiences to say. You tell us your story rather than us retelling your stereo story misinterpreting it. Saying it wrong putting our own assumptions no you get to be the voice. And I've seen that and and thankfully in this is what happens when it happens to with one positive thing it's kind of trickle down. More and more people will ask me about this before making their own assumptions right and you having this, this conversation right now is an example of that right it's like bringing people like me on to your platform which is more of a mainstream platform and bringing up these conversations. These are the beautiful changes that I have to say I've really seen happening over the last few years and it's so lovely to see that because that's exactly what it should be is the person who, really belongs or is coming from that Viewpoint let them be the voice you know rather than putting in your own lenses it's a great opportunity for everybody to learn. 100% you don't know what you don't know and that's okay so that's why you Rask and that's why you have educate and you apply the more importantly. Hey friend like in the episode Pretty epic isn't it. Well guess what this episode and all others have been made possible by financial support and contributions from listeners like you. So if you would like to continuously here how these epic humans are more than just go ahead and head over to our GoFundMe and make a contribution cool. All right let's get back to the magic one of the other guests that I had we talked a lot about black lives matter. And you know the emotional labor aspect of it and it's like you know yes you have black and brown and Asian friends to be. Your friends but by Noah terraform is it their duty to educate you on. Everything it's you to educate yourself ask questions and then apply those changes or just listen and apply those shifts that you're like ah yeah nope did that K not going to do that again and how beautiful is it for you to for. The fact that you're creating the space for children to start almost like nipping this in the bud sooner rather than later and of not only you know with this whole political environment. Giving them a safe space to be themselves and learn more about themselves and their culture without having any kind of. Pressure or, you know or anything it's just it does come from that space of joy and connectivity so then when they you know are in another space in somebody either disrespects them or make some sort of comment, they know that they're proud of it and they're connected to it and so they can continue to stay as joyful as possible I mean we all go through our Journeys with childhood and, teenage the dolphin All That Jazz yeah but when you do find those those safe spaces I mean that's so beautiful that you have created that. Have you always been an entrepreneur like have you always had this entrepreneurial spirit that you wanted to just do this or was this kind of a, progressional thing I think what was always there was this. Tendency to wanting to be in some kind of an education I think that what was initially, I think the when I first started my company I knew absolutely zero about running a business, and so it wasn't so much about being an entrepreneur and growing your Venture and all of that that came in much later in the beginning I was like I know how to dance. I'm going to make people dance I'm going to share what I my culture and I'm going to tell them the stories I'm gonna teach them a lot India and that was it, literally that that is where it came from I made a million mistakes in running your business because I like I said I literally do nothing other than and you her dance, and I was good at it I was good at helping people smile while they were as well and I think those were the two things that I just ran with it's like I can create a joyful experience for you so you're going to remember it. And hopefully it will encourage you to do more but the entrepreneurial in that to sense of like I have a business you know like and I want to grow it and I want to create strategic Partnerships to grow that, I want to identify new sales channels and and everything, you know hitting that mission and vision and really knowing how to communicate that all of the things that are sort of necessary you know for being a successful entrepreneur it came in much later I always say I have an. MBA from the. Self-educated University you me but I'm good I think it's D in it by now there you go I know I've made mistakes I learned from them and then I grew from there, but and also there was a very strong desire to always form, that is something that I've always had from the very beginning how can I create communities where people can come together whether they belong to South Asian Community or not but here's a space for you. And it was initially of course all physical. And then since the pandemic it has become virtual as well so for example I have a Groupon on Facebook it's called raised Multicultural kids we have about 3,900 families there now and you know each month I do a free workshop for them no sales no catch it's completely free. And the kids come in and you know we'll take a topic and we'll either do a story time or dance or craft or something fun about that and then but that's my my online community now right and so there's always been this. It's really been more about that than really wanting to you know have a successful business as it became obvious, this is got to pay my bills as well that's what I did get serious about the business part and that's that evolved but yeah in the beginning it was all about wanting to educate and wanting to share my experience. And that's always the piece that we need to come back to and I think that again sometimes gets lost when you're in the entrepreneurial quote Hustle. Because you come into it always with this passion and this ideation and you want to do it you know this is what you want this is how I do it and then all of a sudden you have people whispering in your ear and social media screaming at you about this set of the other and. I know for myself you know you get distracted and you almost not like lose your values and your morals but you. Skew them a little bit because you think oh but apparently to this person that's not going to help me make money I need to do it this way you know one of my biggest things I tell people is it's so much more important to know what you don't want the what you do. So with that lens what would be your suggestion or advice to someone of what not to do as they're pursuing you know creating something financially sustainable from a passion, forever don't get into Arts no I'm kidding, you want to make money that's a hard one of these toy yeah but it's better half you've most days you feel like a salmon, you know trying to swim upstream stream yeah. Because it's considered optional it's considered extra it's not considered essential because we don't realize how much we needed I think it was that beautiful moment during the pandemic as horrendous at with as it was but if you remember during the beginning of the pandemic. When it first started. And suddenly all people wanted to do was Arts they were mute Yad coloring lights in yeah exactly right it will like the Museum's doing their virtual tours and we were all looking for that because we knew, at the very base of it that's what keeps us going, it's not the paycheck it's not the corporate job we have really that's what we need for us is danaans and it became so obvious, but that's not obvious to us in a regular time and it's a very very very tough field to be in I just want to be honest about that if you're coming in no it's going to be really hard but you have to convince people sometimes to really give it a chance, but having said that I think, it's a really important to also being able to know what to prioritize and and you know there are always a million good ideas that you have yeah and you have to really make that two by two Matrix which is essential for an entrepreneur as well as Impact versus. Right and so how much effort and how much impact can you get out of it and you got to be on that top quadrant of highest impact lowest effort right and then kind of make your way from there and it's so important to do that I'll give you a funny example of this so that's right and I can actually blame my husband for this so he thought this is it didn't work so we thought you know we would do a pageant. So there are a million pageants that happen in the US and belonging to all of the India is in a lot of Indian pageants that happen and these are beauty pageants right and there is a very solid industry out there lots of potential in there. But the reason that we took it on is we said oh we are going to change the message around it. We're going to tell people that your looks don't matter and it's really what's inside and blah blah blah you know you can't do that through one bag. That is not supposed to happen what ended up happening was you know the coach came in and she showed us how to do the how to walk on the ramp and, you know how to answer questions and how to pick your outfit in everybody focused on their hair and their makeup. And it was completely opposite of what we really wanted to do and I would consider that a completely not a success right and it is not something you should have done. If I am really bad-mouthing my husband I should also say the books were his idea which one really big success it has been redeemed yes absolutely I mean written 13 books 7 Amazon best out of all of the good stuff we literally are very desirable congratulations yes and it was it was his idea have to give him credit but man this was one bad idea. And it was something that we still laugh about but I think I didn't get to really important to know there was not on-brand for us what we were trapped when we took on was so different. And such a big task we should have looked at something, we're with less effort than that we could have actually made a bigger impact and so always always make that two by two Matrix and every idea that you have you got a plot it on that map, and you got to start with that highest impact lowest effort and then make your way down at all times super important. There's only one of you and you have limited resources right especially when there's only one of you which I have am assuming that's probably a lot of my listeners there's a lot of us solopreneurs out there and I couldn't agree more and also you know another way to look at it I think to pass on to our listeners is, you yes a pageant idea that sounded brilliant and your lens around it was beautiful. However taking maybe that extra step to the side and going is there another way that we can still present this lesson without trying shift a very big ship and a very short about a Texas those little things right those little things that you do that make the biggest difference yeah and I know. You know as changemakers we want it just, move everything and we get so excited and we think that you know these changes are going to come so quickly and if we look back at any major shifts, yes they may start off with a big bang but you still need to like fan those Embers into that continuing, fire so it's it's don't get distraught when your big idea flops is going back to the drawing board and saying okay this work this didn't this is the premise what are the other ways that we can. Do this or impact this or utilize this that is so so so true that's a great Point fail fast it's always been our thing we've done so many different experiments. Some I filled in some of not and when it when it works you really get the P out like I said in case of our books right but you've got to pick up the pieces, go back and debrief yourself and what worked and what didn't work and what can you do better but through it all you know your mission and vision Tanner. Flows through right the passion is still there the causes are still there but what do you mean how you do it can change the end and that's okay as long as you know you're still working towards those same values, yeah love that so let's talk about these amazing books so what, how how did you stare into it besides the amazing idea from your awesome husband but how did that come about and how is that been an amplifier for what you do, absolutely so the weight started was actually the foundation was in in our initial dance class, we never thought a regular dance class it was always dances and cultural education together and so of course back then we didn't have any products because I looked in the market and it was nothing I could use and there were no books out there and so what I would do is I would made these sad little PowerPoints I would print them out and I would hold it in front of the kids and I said here and look these are the people who do these dances and this is their story and blah blah blah, but they loved it oh my gosh it didn't make a difference that you know it was just a PowerPoint. The kids loved it the parents love with the Educators loved it and we're like this really something more here and so that's what Vivek you know came up with the idea he was like. They shouldn't have to come to your physical class in order to consume the cultural education part of it. This should be accessible no matter where you are and that's when we said books is the best way to go and also because there was nothing out there really for us when we looked around, and that's God has started now we call ourselves accidental authors because literally we had no idea what we were doing with never written we've never published and we just wanted to do so we want you know we went out with an MVP the minimum viable product and we said we're going to release fast. Within a few months we figured out everything we figured out how to publish and we went with Amazon's Kindle Direct publishing. Because it was an experiment and we didn't want to like take on the you know wait for a big publisher to look at us right because this is before diversity was a Hot Topic. And truth be told the big Publishers weren't really interested they were publishing mainstream books and that's where the prophets were. And as things change the traditional publishing landscape has changed a lot thank goodness for that there is a limit as to a lot more to be done but still we're getting there this is awesome but back then there was no so we're like we have to abolish this ourselves because not if we wait for someone who knows how many years is it going to take and so we put our first book out there and to this day that is a rock star. And I remember. Our first Champions became the parents right to be heard about 200 families in Chicago who were taking our classes and so they were the first people. It was because they liked it they liked it so much they told their friends and then and their neighbors and everybody and the teachers and then once of course it went down in the Amazon Marketplace. It really spread from there and that's when we realized people were really starved for such content and I remember both of us just sitting there. As a new author you want to see how your book is performing so you look at the sales rank on Amazon I do that I don't like do you like I'll be nice to you know top the category. Oh my gosh we reached 387 in sales rank in all of Amazon books. We're not talking one category this is worldwide all of Amazon books we were three eighty seven out of eight million books back then holy pockets, I don't know we're just sitting there watching her like where is this two tiny authors like how did this happen to us. It happened because there were people were really looking for such content yeah and that encouraged us so we went from there we kept writing we try to take on as many festivals and again we wrote a lot about festivals. Because it's fun we kept that team of fun and when you teach kids how to celebrate something who which kid doesn't like celebration right like right like about they talk about their birthday like the entire year until the day right so. Hey love with that and so that's why festivals are such a great entry point whatever you're trying to learn or you want to just be excited about your own culture so we started writing a lot about about that we wrote about places if you are traveling and whatnot, we brought in my Theology and but everything was written in a non-religious fashion and it was really important to us, because you got to keep the battery or low right one our personal lives are also not that we're not a religious family we're very much a cultural family but also because I don't want to put up that barrier no you don't have to be a Hindu in order to enjoy our books guess what, you just have to be some someone who's looking for a fun book for their child and that's it and it should serve the. And so again and make it fun and that's kind of been our theme and so now you know like I said we've got 13 books they are sold all around the world. We I believe we've crossed 60,000 in sales in terms of copies around the world in a few years for Indie publisher. With no big distribution you know support, yeah that's actually pretty excited we're so proud of massive ajanta that's not forgive massive what a beautiful Testament to staying true to how you wanted to bring this about especially with you like you said lowering the barriers make it fun serving the need it really is. Those things that just create this change and I'm sure you do for those who are listening who. Might feel overwhelmed by their idea if you if you are an entrepreneur or even just a person who wants to be part of the change. You don't have to be 110% Advocate all the time all the needs its what are the things that you can do now. As you continue to learn because we all can't all go in 110% because the nothing else would get done right so, I could probably a 5% you probably have like 50 percent under somebody else has the rest of the percentages and that's how these changes work is when you find your pocket you know especially with something that you're passionate about, and you move through that. The rest will come to you with other people with other things so not getting you so stressed out that you have to be the main change maker you are just. A key in that you're just like one of those cogs a very important Cog but there's other pieces that you just will never. Be a part of it or need to be a part of to create create that change absolutely well you're so on point love it. And I'm sure the parents to I need so my side his dad is Jewish and so. Raised him with my family is Christian I just called myself spiritual but Max our son is was raised there is raised you know Christian and Jewish so he gets all the holidays so when you're talking about like how to help a kid understands of faith. Go with the festival's go with the holidays Go they'll seize because he just thinks he is so cool that he gets Hanukkah and Christmas and you know we're starting to like sprinkle in like Purim and all of those things and it's it's fun because again when you are either first generation or Multicultural. There's always going to be a blend of what they connect to and what they don't. But as long as they have that connection it's so beautiful I'm sure and I'm so I'm sure the parents are so grateful that you have taken, this initiative to help them support their kids as there. Navigating you know not only their cultures within their family but outside of it especially if there are there Multicultural so that's so that's so beautiful. Thank you yes we're trying to do our bit I love it so we're can and listeners you will find all of this on your show notes but just so we can also say it out loud your books are on Amazon correct yes. Yes Yes actually the best way to probably find everything is just go to our website Bali groov.com but the page that I would want. All of your listeners to give one shot at is Molly group.com / free. All the resources there are free so we have a YouTube channel where we do Story Time food videos, animations and between our two YouTube channels we actually have crossed 50 million views and so it's definitely something that people have enjoyed so you can take a look at that. I create celebration kits that are downloadable printable and you can get all the celebration kids from that page as well these are related to different festivals so if you like I want my child to celebrate Diwali I know nothing about it well download this it's literally going to give you 10 resources to do that so it becomes easy for you teachers also love this for their classroom I have be workouts on Zoom. Or I have on demand plans which is as cheap as 999 a month so I've really tried with my work to make divorce, education and learning as accessible as possible and so yes you can find all our books Vale group.com / books will take you there to our Amazon that the series is called Maya and Neil India Adventure series again all the books are 999 because we didn't want to make it an expensive purchase we want you to be able to get them easily, so that you can really you know bring expose your kids to all of these wonderful things, but like I said if there's one URL I want all of you to check out just once it would be Bali groov.com free and just check out all the free stuff that we do and then of course we work mostly now with schools libraries and corporates, and so that's become the workshops that we do dances and stories Workshop I do a rhythmic exploration of India where we gotta travel through India and each region we serve we learn about the stories and then we try a dance of that region and it's fine, yes and I love doing those workshops both virtual and person so there's a lot of stuff going on but like I said try the slash free that's a great starting point and it's all free. Snake that in Georgia I just have saved your passion and your excitement and your energy for this is so palpable and it's so. Beautiful because I know as an entrepreneur as a mom as a partner. This is never a super duper easy Journey however, when you go through it and continue go through it through it and still have this very palpable passion and energy that's just a testament to your connectivity to it, your tenacity through this in a very amazing way and I'm I am so honored that you shared our this face of need today so beautiful here in your story getting to know you your services all of the things so thank you thank you thank you thank you for being here today, do you have any parting words of wisdom or anything else you'd like to bring to the space before we close our time today it's the same thing that I always say which is keep an open mind explore the world in as many different ways as you can. And this doesn't stop in one way it has to be a very holistic approach whether it's through diversifying your child's bookshelf. Or trying out a celebration of a different culture, trying out different food make sure your kids have play dates with people who look different than them you embracing and learning about other people asking the questions and on all of that, I think just just keep an open mind and don't don't close yourself down to what you already know because I think the world is is beautiful and its diversity and what all is out there and we need people to be able to constantly learning and being open to that I had a sin, beautiful Giada thank you so so much for joining us here listeners everything that we had chat about today all the links all the resources all the beautifulness will be in the show notes, and we will see you all next time bye. Music. So much for listening to this epic episode all of the resources and links connected to it will be in our show notes located on our website more than. Stop bus route.com if you like this episode which I would be shocked if you did not go ahead and hit that like. Subscribe review and share. Also remember that this episode and all others have been made possible by Financial contributions and support from listeners like you so if you would like to hear more stories of how epic humans are more than just pop on over to our GoFundMe and make a contribution. Also don't forget to follow us on Instagram at more than just podcasts thanks again see you next time. Music.