On Episode 78 of #LearningStories we chat with Neha Modi. Neha is a Chartered Accountant by profession and an academician and book blogger by passion. While teaching was her childhood dream, it only truly called out to her after a brief stint in the corporate world. She soon transitioned to academia, joining a Management Institute as a finance faculty. Motherhood brought with it new priorities, and for over a decade, Neha worked with a private coaching setup. Three years ago, she took the leap to start her own private tuitions from home—a venture driven by a simple yet powerful idea: to support students who struggle in traditional classroom settings. Her sessions offer more than just academic guidance; they’re built around boosting confidence and nurturing individuality. When she’s not teaching, Neha is immersed in the world of books. A thriller before bedtime is her non-negotiable brain workout, and her book blog is a vibrant expression of that love. She curates book recommendations, creates engaging literary content, and connects with fellow bibliophiles who share her passion for reading. You can find her on Instagram.

Timestamps

(00:10 ) - Introduction and Background(02:50 ) - Stories from your Childhood

(02:55 ) - "I grew up in Jaipur"

(03:10 ) - "My mom used to save money to buy books for us"

(03:40 ) - "My father loves reading too"

(04:00 ) - "It is like a mini book club at home"

(04:50 ) - What was your experience at school?

(05:45 ) - What was your school library experience like as a student?

(06:20 ) - "Our librarian had to tell me to read books a little slow"

(07:15 ) - What languages you spoke at home?

(07:20 ) - "In school and home we spoke English"

(08:40 ) - What was your high school experience?

(08:50 ) - "My father was a chartered accountant"

(09:30 ) - "I told my father I wanted to pursue fashion designing"

(10:53 ) - What was your experience training to be a chartered accountant?

(12:25 ) - "It took me five years to complete my CA training and exams"

(14:50 ) - On choosing between the corporate world and teaching?

(14:57 ) - "Teaching came very naturally to me"

(15:10 ) - What were your first teaching experiences and memories?

(16:55 ) - "I worked in a management institute for three years"

(18:30 ) - "I took a break when I became a mother"

(18:50 ) - "I started working in a private coaching setup"

(19:00 ) - What was your experience as a tutor for over 10 years?

(20:00 ) - When did you start your own tutoring business and academy?

(20:10 ) - "I got my first student because of my son"

(21:00 ) - Building trust in the tutoring business

(21:50 ) - "You want to work with students that are really struggling"

(22:50 ) - What are some stories of good teaching from your journey?

(28:20 ) - How do you build strong relationships with your students and parents?

(30:00 ) - How to slowly encourage and build the reading habit in children?

(32:10 ) - How to encourage young readers in the digital age?

(32:20 ) - Do you read in front of your kids?

(33:10 ) - "In our house we have a one hour daily limitation on technology use"

(33:40 ) - "Replace mall visits with book purchases"

(35:00 ) - How do parents access age appropriate books for their children?

(37:40 ) - "Bookstores do book swaps and book readings for children"

(41:00 ) - What are the various phases of your life as an adult reader?

(41:20 ) - "I used to do reading challenges with children"

(42:40 ) - What was your experience as a book instagrammer?

(45:00 ) - How does reading bring joy to your life?

(45:10 ) - "You understand other people's point of view after reading"

(45:30 ) - "Reading also brings people together"

(49:00 ) - Book Recommendation 1 (Thrillers)

(49:30 ) - Book Recommendation 2 (Young Adult Book/ Historical Fiction)

(50:10 ) - Book Recommendation 3 (Thriller/Illustrated Book)

(50:50 ) - Book Recommendation 4 (Historical Fiction)

(51:40 ) - How do you discover and find new books?

(53:10 ) - What is your advice for new book instagrammers?

(55:50 ) - Closing Notes