1.Tell us about your background and journey.
Hi there! Arthi this end from Chennai. I am an English coach, entrepreneur, Model and content writer. I am a person who strongly believes that if you are determined to do something, YOU WILL, no matter however many failures you come across! I graduated from Ethiraj College for women in Chennai. Never did I know life would be so crucial after college. I was a gold medalist and a rank holder as well, but that gave me nothing. I tried working in different fields. I worked as a professor, teacher, content writer, editor etc. But wherever I work, I couldn’t last more than 6 months. Something was always missing.
That is when I came to a self-realisation point.
I grew up in Uganda and when I went there, I didn’t know even a single word in the English language. I struggled for almost two years and today I know 5 languages. Life made me realise the need for language.
And since most of my friends in India are struggling with language barriers, I decided to help them out. After a year, I was able to see results in them That’s where I thought, “why not make this a niche?”
Probably that was the best decision that I made in my life!
Today I own an online spoken English academy called to break the barriers where I have trained around 500 plus students.
I own a cafe called old town road at moggapair. I run an event management company called Audrey entertainments.
And yes, it took me 3 years to build all of this because all my initial start-up ideas were a big failure. And now I am using Instagram to educate people on communication skills.
Moreover, I still have miles to go!
2. Who is your favourite writer and why?
I don’t have a single definitive favourite. It’s hard to decide though. only know that the vast majority of writers are not my favourite nor never likely to be my favourite.
I have answered versions of this question (“why Shakespeare?”) many times and talked about his psychological penetration, his language, his affective power, his wonderful idiosyncrasies, before.
Here I’ll say this: genuinely literary language, especially poetic language, has an electricity to it, a kind of high-voltage capacity to signify. Touch one word and a network of others light up in myriad ways; everything is charged with a suggestion, and the mind doesn’t know which way to run.
Shakespeare is like a power station. His words buzz with an unholy intensity.
Many say he is a copy cat but I presume every art is an imitation. He imitated others and gave it in his style which makes him the best!
3. What led you to take up this career path?
I can’t think of any job as important to society as teaching. I have always loved to give young people the best start in life. Interacting with kids is great. Be it on educational grounds or recreational activities, it is a lot more fun interacting and learning with kids.
Moreover, Don’t we all have that one teacher during our school days whom we used to admire a lot and take as our inspiration. At this moment I would like to mention my English teacher Vinitha and my professor Mr. Amritharaj Dhakar for making me the person I am today.
Above all, it’s a lifelong challenge, meeting new faces every day stimulating them to become lifelong learners.
4. What impact do you want to make in this world?
To be honest, This path of my life was not something I had thought in my initial days. I had always wanted to become a pilot but gradually my thoughts of becoming a pilot dropped. I entered teaching wholeheartedly and Teaching is a noble profession. One does not go into teaching for the money but rather for the twinkle in the eyes of a student when they have understood a concept you taught them or figured out for themselves how to solve a problem based on your guidance.
Teachers are facilitators making things happen in the classroom and outside. The greatest compliment is when a student (whom you may have taught long ago) approaches you on the bus or in the marketplace and tells us something like, “You helped me learn.”
My teaching philosophy is simple as pie: Teach like it is your last day today! Try to give your abecedarians all of your knowledge so that knowledge can grow and expand to an extent where novelties can bloom and be implemented to exercise them for bridging up the loopholes which exist in our societies today.
5. What is your idea of success or your mantra in life?
My idea on success is - I have great expectations from myself and then I take action to meet those expectations in a focused manner.
Keep doing until it's done.
Don't get distracted looking at other's, be attentive, alert, open to idea's, be a good listener, don't hesitate to express something, never shy to admit what you are not aware of or what you don't know.
Let me explain the Pygmalion effect to you.
Pygmalion effect – Pygmalion was a man who fell in love with his sculpture of a gorgeous woman. He always expected that one day she will become alive and it is believed that she came alive one day.
I don’t know whether it is true or not but here is learning for us.
- High expectations lead to better performance.
- Low expectations lead to worse performance.
When you expect something big from you, actually you are creating pictures of that in your mind. Your mind is a phenomenal tool. It helps you but only when you compel and convince it to support you. If you will have expectations then actually you are creating expectancy in your mind. It will motivate you to take action.
Actions with focus will give you good results (success). Apply it in any walk of your life.
As per Julian Rotter, an American Psychologist, our decision to do things is based on two things –
1-Our expectations with the outcome.
2- The value we associate with that outcome.
If you have no expectations then you will not take any action. How you will garner success in such a case.
So if you want to get success then Believe in the unbelievable
Have big expectations and associate high values with it.
6. What does your typical day look like?
I have 14 classes in a day. Each one hour. Now you might know how my day goes!
I used to spoil my health initially but then I had to get into some smart work.
I need to look after my other businesses too! So I appointed employees to make my tasks easier. Today 14 employees are working under all my companies.
Adding on to that, I am a person who works my ass off on weekdays and when it’s a weekend, those 2 days are mine!
I spend time on books, myself and my family.
After all, what’s life without dedicating time to ourselves.
7. Which is your favourite book and why?
I will try my best to do justice to this tough question. For books, it is important to understand the genre and I read a lot of different genres. So I wouldn’t confine myself and mix things up. But it’s hard for me to mention just one!.
The Alchemist: The Alchemist is one philosophical book that tells us never to lose hope. The Secret is perhaps based on that. It teaches us that when a person desires something, the whole Universe will conspire to help that person realise his dream.
One of the few books that engage with the reader deeply and is inspirational at the same time, without overdoing it. It builds the story, with you becoming a spectator to the whole drama. The pain of hardships and the joy of finally overcoming them are beautifully conveyed. By not elaborating too much on the setting, It provides a short and sweet read.
The Harry Potter Series: Basically because they are not books, but magic and all kids of my generation were attracted to the series by a series of charms and potions. The way the author had hidden minute details about the future of the story in each book was amazing. Starting from the Philosopher`s Stone, Harry, Ron, Neville, Malfoy and Gini had their roles set out for the rest of the saga. Sheer genius.
Steve jobs-Walter Isaacson: This biography of Steve Jobs will always be among my favourites, I’m not Apple or Steve Jobs fanboy but what I liked about it is the Objectivity. After reading no doubt Steve Jobs was an incredible perfectionist, a craftsman, and wanted the computers he built to be beautiful and amazing and useful.
I am trying to stop. Fine. I stopped. Now, what will Charles dickens feel and what about Dan Brown. Sigh!
8. How does education help one do well in their career?
Just because I am a spoken English trainer doesn’t mean I’ve stopped learning! My education is ongoing and happens every single day of my life. It is vital to my career.
Never make the mistake of thinking your education ends once some guy in a gown and a funny hat hands you a piece of paper. That day means you are ready to begin your education. Your education is your career Period.
I think whatever we are capable of and whatever we do in our lives as a profession is solely what our education is.
By the term education, I don’t simply mean the ones who’ve been to school or college, those who haven’t are also educated but in a different way and they apply that education in their jobs as well. Follow this one concept in life,
Never settle for less than what you deserve! Keep working until you attain your dreams. We all have miles to go before we sleep.
- Interviewed By Lakshme Priyaa
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