EP #134: Meena Kothandaraman - Experience Strategist At twig+fish, Graduate Lecturer & Proud Canadian Bostonian
Description
Meena Kothandaraman ( @meena_ko ) is an Experience Strategist at twig+fish, UX Expert, a long-time graduate lecturer at Bentley University ( @bentleyu ) and a proud Canadian Bostonian.
She joins Ara on this episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss growing up in Ottawa with Indian-Tamil roots, how she enhances users experiences and the importance of connecting to peoples’ stories, how her & her business partner came up with the twig+fish name, why the education system needs to change, her creative endeavours (a children’s book and cooking show), and so much more.
Follow Meena:
- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/meenakothandaraman/)
Timestamps
00:19 : Ara introduces this week’s guest, Meena Kothandaraman
00:40 : Meena speaks on her early childhood; the impact of her parents
03:29 : Indian-Tamils and Sri-Lankan Tamils
05:09 : Moving from Canada to the United States for education
06:40 : Meena speaks on her siblings
08:02 : What her parents did to strengthen Meena’s bond with her siblings
09:22 : How she named her company and designation
14:40 : Why she chose her career field; the rise of UX
18:22 : Should you follow your passion or something you’re good at?
21:54 : Balancing her entrepreneurial efforts and lecturing at Bentley University
25:51 : Do both roles go hand-in-hand to bolster her credibility?
29:18 : Meena explains the ‘NCredible Framework’
32:07 : Writing 10 children’s books and hosting a cooking show
39:29 : Innately being an adventurer; wanting to try different things
40:17 : Advice she would give her 16-year-old self
41:33 : The legacy she wants to be remembered for by friends and family
42:42 : Creator Confessions
55:57 : Advice for Tamil creators
58:39 : The Wrap Up
Intro Music
Produced And Mixed By:
- The Tamil Creator
- Yanchan
Written By:
- Aravinthan Ehamparam
- Yanchan Rajmohan
United States
