Speaking Volumes with Women in Podcasting: Arpita Mehta
As we continue to build our Kahani community, we are incorporating new ways to involve fellow creatives, entrepreneurs, and all-around-amazing individuals. This new series we’re starting includes mini Q+A’s with folks we feel represent what Kahani and our team is all about. We aim to cover a variety of topics, industries, and backgrounds - so if you have anyone in mind, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
The second round of our Women in Podcasting series features Arpita Mehta: founder of Little Brown Diary, and The Modern Millennial Podcast + Newsletter. TMM aims to be the "go to" community for the modern South Asian woman (or anyone who identifies) - and Arpita has continued to prove that TMM is exactly that. A safe space for us to discuss anything and everything.
Arpita was kind enough to answer a few questions for our blog. Read on for her thoughtful insights, and encouragement (or push) that you may need to start your passion project, apply for that job you’ve been thinking of, or to step out of your comfort zone while sharing your story. Enjoy!
1. What was the inspiration behind your podcast?
“The real inspiration behind TMM was me and my friends – creating a space for women like us, with South Asian backgrounds to have a platform to openly learn and talk about everything..”
I started Little Brown Diary on Facebook in 2018 as a way to information share. I never imagined the community that was born out of creating this group and the conversations it ignited. What became clear to me in the years since was the lack of existing places women could go to talk about our lifestyles, from our wellness, skincare, self-growth, careers, and relationships. This became even more apparent as COVID hit and isolation made us all feel even more alone. At a personal level, I struggled with my health both physical and mental, and a career crisis and it felt more cathartic as I began to talk about it with those around me. I realized so many of us were navigating the same issues, life stages, and events yet no one was creating a space to openly discuss them or to get honest, real information.
The real inspiration behind TMM was me and my friends – creating a space for women like us, with South Asian backgrounds to have a platform to openly learn and talk about everything from our gut health, skincare, relationships, careers, and our mental health. I always say I am the audience for my content because I’m learning and growing alongside my audience.
2. What do you find is missing about the podcast industry?
“My answer is specific to the lifestyle category of the media world, from podcasts to publications – it's missing representation.”
My answer is specific to the lifestyle category of the media world, from podcasts to publications – it's missing representation. I'm an Indian-American millennial who resonates equally with both parts of my identity. I’ve worked in the women’s lifestyle space for years and have huge admiration for it, but for the most part, the publications, creators, and media personalities within the space don’t look like me. In the podcasting world, there are a plethora of lifestyle, wellness, self-growth, and pop culture podcasts – I listen to so many of them daily but it’s hard to relate at times.
3. We face a lot of judgement as South Asian women as being "outspoken", "bold," opinionated, confident, etc. How have you overcome these obstacles and judgements?
“Sharing my thoughts is a form of self-expression that comes naturally to me from an early age so in building this brand and sharing my own vulnerable thoughts and experiences, I’m realizing how important is to drown out the noise both internally and externally.”
If I had a dollar for every time I've been told I talk too much (or too fast), I'd be very rich. I'm grateful to have parents that have always empowered me to speak my mind. This instilled confidence in me from a young age to just tell it like it is. What’s ironic is that in my late 20s, I became my worst self-critic and my insecurities impacted my self-confidence and self-expression. The first step in combating this and finding my way back was actually starting TMM; creating the podcast and writing the newsletter was a form of therapy. Sharing my thoughts is a form of self-expression that comes naturally to me from an early age so in building this brand and sharing my own vulnerable thoughts and experiences, I’m realizing how important is to drown out the noise both internally and externally.
4. What is your goal with your podcast and newsletter?
“My hope is for TMM to become a lifestyle platform and community for today's modern South Asian women (or anyone who identifies) to feel heard, seen, and informed.”
My mission is, "We're all navigating this life, why not do it together?" My hope is for TMM to become a lifestyle platform and community for today's modern South Asian women (or anyone who identifies) to feel heard, seen, and informed. A space where you can find the best recommendations, be introduced to new experts and conversations on the podcast, and build a community around shared experiences – all while having fun and keeping it real.
5. If you have advice for anyone trying to create something - a platform, a podcast, or to simply become more confident in themselves, what would it be?
“I've spent a lot of time "thinking" and while this is an important part of the process, what's even more powerful is just putting things into action. Focus on the process and be ok with failing.”
I'm actively working on this for myself but don't get fixated on perfection. Just getting started is half the battle. Whether it's writing your idea down on paper, building a plan, or signing up for a class. I've spent a lot of time "thinking" and while this is an important part of the process, what's even more powerful is just putting things into action. Focus on the process and be ok with failing.
