est. 2020
ENTREPRENEURS
small business owners, app creators, etc.
Desi Is Me, Millie Barman (she/her)
IG: @desiisme
Millie Barman is a 20-year old entrepreneur with a passion for South Asian culture & clothing. Growing up, Millie was constantly attending Diwali events & weddings, but struggled to find clothing which fit her taste & ideal budget. At the age of 19 she started her own business, Desi Is Me, & aimed to fix that issue as well as inspire young American girls with South Asian backgrounds to, “feel as passionate about their culture as I do.” Being South Asian has allowed Millie to build a strong community & a group of ardent supporters for her designs. Her South Asian heritage alongside her American upbringing are reflected in her creative designs, which fuse together modernity along with tradition. Millie stated that her ultimate goal for her brand is to give others, “that confidence & break the stereotype of thinking about what other people will say when you wear a piece of clothing.” When asked about her favorite part of being South Asian, Millie stated, “my favorite part of being South Asian is being part of such a beautiful and unique culture.” Despite launching during a pandemic, Desi Is Me has been met with, “an enormous amount of support” & has plans to start expanding/partnering with university dance teams, South Asian clubs, as well as engaging in bridal lehenga designs.
Shakthi Elangovan (he/him)
IG: @artbyshakthi
Shakthi Elangovan is an artist & designer who is determined to stay true to himself. Shakthi started his business as a way to make some extra profit before college, but found himself exploring his craft & falling in love with it again. With strong ideals instilled in him, Shakthi strives to, “make art that connects with people emotionally… Being able to inspire others & create something for them that they can connect to is something that is very important to [him].” When asked about his favorite part of being, Shakthi expressed his interest in learning about the diverse range of South Asian religions & cultures. In the future, the designer plans to continue creating meaningful art that people are able to form connections to. “Art isn’t just something you look at, it’s something you feel & something that can make an insane impact,” said the artist, “which is what I plan on doing with my craft.”
QUAD, Rahul Sampath
IG: @quadconnect
Quad is a platform which allows students to expand their social circle & form new connections. Created by Rahul Sampath, the app was founded on the ideals of safety, transparency, mental health, & data privacy. Rahul moved to the U.S. at the age of 16, & despite not knowing many people at first, was able to forge new friendships & create meaningful relationships. “I believe this could help people who are just looking for people to have lasting relationships with, & things to make them live their life,” he said of the app. Living in a pandemic, the Quad app’s importance becomes highlighted as people (especially college students) struggle to find creative ways to maintain social lives & interactions. In the future, Quad has plans to add a feature to the app which will allow users tom “monetize creating events… [giving] you the ability to keep an organized list of your invitees, make sure you don’t lose any of your profits, & keep a track of who is invited and who is not to prevent overcrowding.” Rahul suggested this feature could be used for all sorts of purposes such as personal concerts, tutoring sessions, and more.
printbrighter, Shrika (she/her) & Yasesvi (she/her)
IG: @printbrighter
printbrighter is a small business run by two South Asian women, Shrika & Yasesvi. The pair works together to create aesthetic collages & bracelets. They got their start after posting some of their creations on Instagram, & receiving positive feedback to the point where they decided to dedicate an account to their creations. Shrika & Yasesvi strive to, “use art to spread positivity & use [their] account to support other small businesses & artists.” In the past, they have created art supporting important social movements, like Black Lives Matter. As South Asian creators, Shrika & Yasesvi describe feeling, “sometimes hesitant when doing something new for Printbrighter”, as their work, “strays away from the societal standards placed on [them]." They add that, "lot[s] of South Asians are expected to go into STEM fields.” Despite this, the two continue to grow their, "art focused business [that] plays as a contrast to those expectations." Shrika & Yasesvi mention, "we still are willing to take steps that will help us spread our art & grow our business.” When asked about their favorite part of being South Asian, Shrika & Yasesvi expressed their love for the classical dance form known as Kuchipudi, Carnatic classical music, & partaking in cultural traditions. In the future, they have plans to move their business to an e-commerce store, create a website, & expand their product range to include items such as tote bags, stickers, & digital art prints.
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