We got the chance to interview a deliciously promising food start-up – The Tea Toast Co., from Belgaum, Karnataka. It was not only inspiring but also quite refreshing to know about their distinctive approach towards combining cuisines and customer satisfaction with a personal love for a beverage that is at the heart of an entire nation – tea! So, grab yourself a cup of your favorite beverage, and let’s begin.

Tell us about yourself and the team of The Tea Toast Co.

The Tea Toast Co. is a Food Start-up headquartered at Belgaum. It was formed by three passionate young lads with their mind in engineering, heart in food, an eye for detail, and a discerning taste! 

The X-Factor is the Pure Veg fusion menu combining global cuisine with an Indian flavor to savor your taste buds freshly sourced from the lush green farms straight to your plate. As the world is moving towards Vegetarianism, TTTC offers the best quality food & beverage that are loaded with health benefits. Spoilt for choices the menu is designed in a way to let anyone, be it a student or a working professional, experience Food Euphoria!

The founders bring with them a stronghold on technical, marketing, and business development processes.

Rahul Kednurkar is an award-winning business leader, entrepreneur, and engineer. He has made a career out of making the impossible, possible. Conferred with many prestigious awards from the Ministry and Govt. of India, Rahul has led multi-million-dollar engineering and IoT projects in the past. He brings in vast experience spanning 11+ years in various profiles from diverse industries and a strong social consciousness. Rahul’s strengths have helped the company streamline its operations part of the business to a large extent.

Akshay Kathariya is an entrepreneur and engineer with over 11 years of experience in various fields including automobile/aerospace production, wholesale/retail trading, commercial interiors, and the construction and food and beverage industry. He is creative, energetic, has a sharp sense of tapping business opportunities, and can conceptualize innovative ideas into creating scalable business models. He currently manages Operations and Finance across all stores of The Tea Toast Co. Akshay shares a keen sense of attention to detail and a strong business acumen that is an asset for the company’s growth.

Akshay Kulkarni is an entrepreneur by vocation and Explorer at heart, with over 10 years of experience in the field of designing and commissioning Medium to Large Industrial, Institutional, and Hospitality projects, adept at handling sales, strong grasp over consumer insights, and experience in Project Assessment and Technological Leadership. Akshay brings in a youth-centric and informed perspective to the food business. His passion for travel and food has taken him across the world picking up the best on offer.

The post THE TEA TOAST CO. – Serving Global Cuisines With a Desi Touch first appeared on Awesome Some.

Research has shown that educating girls, in particular, has a ‘multiplier effect’. Educated women are more productive at home and better paid in the workplace, and more able to participate in social, economic and political decision-making.

I had a privilege to interview a young ‘awesomesome’ hero Deeya Sharma, who is making a difference with her ‘WE Care’ organization to empower women through education. Let’s enjoy the excerpt from this interview. And please do let us know if you know someone who is making a difference in the community and can be our next awesome some hero.

Tell us a bit about yourself and about WE CARE?

My name is Deeya Sharma and I am currently a senior at Skyline high school. I am also the founder-president of WE CARE—Women Empowerment through Collaborations, Awareness, and Resources for Education (www.thewecareclub.org). WE CARE’s mission is to empower women through education by collaborating other organizations to help create educational opportunities for women by providing funding and educational resources. We do this by following our acronym: first, we collaborate with registered non-profit organizations and focus on one aspect of that organization that we think we can contribute to and make stronger. Secondly, we raise awareness in our communities about the importance of women’s education and the various projects we are working on. Lastly, we contribute to the non-profits we collaborate with by raising resources for education. This may include funds, supplies, or volunteers.

That is fantastic, what inspired you to form WE CARE?

I established WE CARE about four years ago after a trip to India. During my trip, I had gone to visit my grandmother’s house in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. When I arrived at her house, I saw a girl my age, no more than fourteen at the time, sweeping the floors. In the moment, I chose to ignore her. However, after a few days, I decided to talk to her. Her name was Priya. When I asked what grade was she in, she told me she had actually never attended school. Because her parents could not afford sending all their

children to good schools, they sent her brothers to school and made her, and her sisters work as domestic helpers to support family income. In the US, we have mandatory primary education for all children, regardless of gender, race, or economic prosperity. However, living in a privileged society, we often don’t realize that there are places where girls are not allowed to attend school, simply for being girls. WE CARE hopes to change that and promote education to work towards equality and empower women around the world.

Amazing, you are an inspiration to many. Why was it so important to you to start an organization like WE CARE?

I believe WE CARE have two main messages which are crucial to understand. The first is that WE CARE works towards a global cause that promotes equality through education—emphasizing the power and importance of an education. The second message is that anyone, no matter how young, can work towards making a difference in the world. WE CARE is currently run through high school students whose goal is to foster a better future and education for other.

WE CARE has been able to send girls to college in India through the Veerni Project, funded and continuing to fund a digital literacy program in Afghanistan through Sahar, and gotten involved locally with Girls on the Run to promote community service, and healthy choices through education in the Puget Sound. These projects are only possible because students have put in the time, energy, and support to work towards equality. In essence, it is important to start organizations like WE CARE to promote equality, community involvement and service, and global understanding.

Love your thought process here. How did you choose which countries and communities to visit? How are you envisioning the growth of WE CARE?

The first organization we collaborated with, Veerni, is actually based in my home country and my mother’s home town. It is also where I met Priya. I felt that it was important to start WE CARE from where I was inspired and where I had seen and somewhat experienced these problems first hand. I then expanded WE CARE to Sahar, an organization that my elementary school supported while I was studying there. Sahar works in Afghanistan and has grown immensely in the last few years. Lastly, when I was in the 5^th grade I had been a participant of Girls on the Run and my experiences was simply amazing. I learned so much and grew as an individual. Girls on the Run made me more confident and helped me realize the importance of education, community service, and healthy habits. Because I had personally benefitted a great deal from Girls on the Run, I felt that WE CARE should get involved with it and help promote their mission. All in all, the organizations that WE CARE has collaborated with have a very special place in my heart and I truly do believe in their missions.

Awesome, are you seriously a high schooler… Since circumstances are different in countries and each community, what advice do you typically give to girls trying to get an education?

While circumstances are often different in each country and community, every girl we support has a drive and passion for educating herself. She recognizes that her abilities are not limited and is determined to fight against constructs to obtain an education. The main advice I give to these girls is that they should never lose their determination and to be independent and support themselves. Education is truly priceless, and I hope they continue their education regardless of what others say or societal and/or familial pressures.

You’re a passionate advocate leading an organization and a full-time student. What do you do for fun when you have time to relax? How do you balance time with so many things you do?

I am a tennis player and play for my high school JV-A team and was ranked number one doubles last year. Additionally, I am a classical Indian singer and have been for the last six years. These two activities are great stress-relievers and help relax me as well. I believe that they are also key in balancing my time. It is important to focus on mental and physical health no matter how long the “to-do list” is. Everyone should find activities that they enjoy doing so they are able to keep themselves healthy and balance their life.

You’re a role model for so many people. Who is someone you look up to and why? What’s the best piece of advice you’ve gotten?

As a young woman, I look up to my mother as an inspiration. My mother is one of the most important people in my life and my role model. She was born in a poor family and struggled in school as a child. However, as high school came around, she pushed herself to be one of the most successful people in her class because she wanted to be able to support her family, so they could live comfortably. She not only went to college, but she also went to grad school and got her PHD all while working 2 to 3 jobs on the side to support herself and her family. She stayed close with her loved ones and set an example for her younger sister. She never let her economic situation or personal problems get in the way for her and her education and she has instilled this value in me as well. The best piece of advice she has given me is that life is more than educating yourself to get good grades, but rather education is there to make you stronger, more knowledgeable, and more aware. She chants one mantra everyday: hard work can overcome any obstacle. To me, my mother is the definition of a strong woman. She is an advocate for working women. And above all, she is my everything.

Kudos to your mother and family. How important do you feel it is that young people are allowed to follow their own paths and make their own decisions?

I feel that this is extremely important—but I believe that youth will be able to make educated decisions, only when they are exposed to a variety of opportunities, activities, and viewpoints. In WE CARE, we see women conforming to society’s ideals. For example, some of the girls that are part of the Veerni Project (a non-profit that we support) are child brides. If they were to be educated and taught about the risks of child marriage and birth, they may be able to tear themselves away from those stereotypical ideas and start to develop opinions of their own. That is truly the power of education—it gives us confidence and helps us make educated decisions. Martin Luther King once said, “Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.” With education, the youth can be empowered and aware of their surroundings, decisions, and most importantly themselves.

You are making a huge impact by elevating the lives of these individuals and families. How could readers of this channel help you?

Because WE CARE relies heavily on community support and involvement, I encourage all readers to recognize the value of their education—it is truly a privilege. Additionally, to get involved with WE CARE specifically, I encourage readers to contact us with fundraising ideas, donate to WE CARE, and volunteer for WE CARE. More information about WE CARE can be found at: www.thewecareclub.org

Thank you Deeya for talking with us and sharing your awesome thoughts and initiatives.  You are truly an awesomesome! I encourage our readers to support your organization to help empower women in education. We wish you all the best!

The post Young Heroes Empowering Women through Education first appeared on Awesome Some.

In year 2003, Mrs. and Mr. Dewedy founded Gyan Prasar Sansthan, a free private non-affiliated school helping elevate the life of economically disadvantaged children in Lucknow, India. School had a humble beginning with 15 kids which now supports more than 100 students with free education, provisions of food, basic clothing and free medical checkup/referral. Most children appear in government exams/schools to obtain the degree/ certificate. By now, some of them  have completed Engineering courses while some are preparing for Indian administrative and Provincial Civil Services exams. Their selfless work has transformed the lives of many students and their families feel connected, educated and empowered.

I had a pleasure to interview a very special couple, Mrs. and Mr. Dewedy, who are leading this change by example and are inspiration to many.

Tell us a bit about yourself, Mrs. Neerja Dewedy (Chairperson, Gyan Prasar Sansthan)

I am a housewife and a writer. After passing M.A. I got married to Mr. Mahesh Chandra Dewedy, an Indian Police Service officer who rose to head the provincial police of Uttar Pradesh which was about 200,000 strong force. I became the President of Police Welfare Association. In that capacity, I used to look after the well-being of policemen’s families including health, housing, education of children, counseling in distress, etc.

Your husband was a high-profile executive with Government of India. How did you come up with this inspiration and meaningful venture of Gyan Prasar Sansthan?

The opportunity of working as President, Police Welfare Association gave me first-hand knowledge of poor families’ problems and a sense of fulfillment in solving those problems. After the retirement of my husband, we moved to Lucknow. I observed that a large number of children of poor laborers, rickshaw pullers, vegetable vendors, etc. used to loiter aimlessly in the streets. So on 15th Aug. (Indian Independence Day), 2003 I invited them to my house and organized a lecture on the importance of Independence Day. I inspired and allured them (by distributing sweets, copy, pencil, etc) to come daily, where my husband and I started teaching them. Slowly but steadily the number grew. We appealed to neighbors, friends, relatives to donate clothes of their children who had grown up, and to contribute financially or join as voluntary teachers and to doctors to visit the school and donate spare medicines. And we got a fruitful response from some members of the community.

What do you think is the problem with the school or societal system?

In my opinion, in government schools, there is little interest in teachers to teach or to enforce discipline. In private schools, the motive is to make as much money as possible. Some schools also get directly involved in money making through cheating in exams and the society does not condemn or shun them. The affluent in the society take little initiative to donate unnecessary household goods among the needy and to sacrifice their spare time and money to impart the knowledge to the poor.  Very great change can be brought if the affluent start donating their surplus goods, funds, and knowledge.

How do you believe the educational system could be developed in the future?

In India, generally speaking, enforced discipline works better. A well-meaning and tough government is a must for enforcing discipline, stopping cheating and controlling teachers. Retired individuals, who have time or money, should be motivated to help educate the ne

edy.

How do you keep inspired and motivated, and what message do you have for others who want to do something for the society?

My source of inspiration and motivation are innate empathy with the downtrodden. Yet, although the initiative is mine, my husband’s constant encouragement and practical support by way of teaching, funding, etc have helped me keep my spirits high. My message to those, who want to do something, is that ‘Don’t think too much, just make a beginning and give your heart to it.’  Once your sincerity and good intentions are recognized by the society, assistance will be forthcoming automatically.

You are making a huge impact by elevating the lives of these individuals and families, How could readers of this channel help you?

By their good wishes, funding and voluntarily teaching vocationally useful subjects (if they live nearby). Some funds are needed for all ventures, but there are innumerable people in all societies who are in a position to repay their debt to the society from which they have earned whatever they possess. It is just a question of motivating them.

We wish good luck to Gyan Prasar Sansthan, and hoping that this could ignite the zeal among others to open more institutions like this! Lead the way, YOU must be the change you wish to see in the world.

The post Lead the way: Be the change you wish to see in the world first appeared on Awesome Some.

Inspiration to many, Gloria Sanut Tarrer is a Zumba Fitness Expert. With a flair for dancing, she has motivated thousands of people to stay fit and enjoy exercising. She is licensed to instruct Aqua Zumba, Zumba Gold, Zumba Toning, Zumbatomic. Apart from Zumba, she is also trained in other exercise forms like Absolution, Body Chisel, Bodyworks, Aquatic Fitness, Cardio Kickboxing, Body Combat and Senior Fitness. An Institution in herself, she’s touching people’s life left and right with her Zumba power. Her energy is unbeatable and her moves, contagious. Those who participate in her classes cannot resist coming back for more. She believes in making people GLOW from the inside and out. It would be apt to call her “GLOWria”.

Here, I speak with the fitness enthusiast about how she got involved in this career, what a good workout means to her and why her unique fitness philosophy works more than others.

Tell us a bit about yourself – your background, education and organizations/initiatives you are involved with?

I was born in Chicago and graduated from Columbia College with a BA in Broadcast Journalism. I have been a lifelong volunteer with several organizations and I am very passionate about education, holistic health, fitness, children, natural parenting and Spirituality.

How did you first become involved with Zumba? What made you choose being a trainer over other professions?

In my twenties, I was a professional dancer with a couple of internationally renowned African dance companies. After giving birth to 4 of 5 children and gaining a LOT of weight, I joined a gym that offered Zumba Fitness classes and I was hooked the first class. I became an instructor just a few months after my first class. And after I lost 132 lbs, many people wanted to know my secrets and workout with me, so I became a personal trainer. I have always enjoyed dance and fitness, even as a child. I was an avid athlete in elementary and high school and even college sports. I do not hold a position with Zumba Fitness as a trainer; I conduct choreography sessions at this time.

What are the different forms of Zumba? Do you provide training in other fitness forms as well?

I have trained in and taught various Zumba specialties, including Aqua Zumba, Zumba Gold, Zumba Toning, Zumba Kids and other specialties I have not taught include Zumba Sentao and Zumba Step.

What do you love most about being Zumba Instructor?

I love that I get to help others smile and work toward their health and fitness goals. I enjoy connecting with others and helping them to rediscover the joy of dance.

What are the challenges you face as a Zumba Instructor?

The challenges I face are keeping my class fun, fresh and physically challenging. I have to take very good care of my body to keep up with the physical challenges of teaching 7 Zumba classes a week, in addition to 2 kickboxing classes. I also have to maintain balance in my home with a very busy husband and 5 children.

Gloria Sanut

Do you have any tips for someone who is aspiring to be a Zumba Instructor?

The drive to visualize and realize your dreams is a very strong motivator. And with a team which is equally passionate and committed to it, there is no scope for a burn out. Every day at work is fun and happening.

What are your future goals, dreams and plans?

I plan to open my own studio in the VERY near future. I also plan to travel more with my Zumba Jammer (choreographer) job; I would LOVE to hold sessions in Africa, India and Europe.

The post Meet Gloria Sanut Tarrer – “The Powerhouse Zumba Queen” first appeared on Awesome Some.

Tell us a bit about yourself – your background, education and organizations/initiatives you are involved with?
I’m the CEO of Impact Interview, an interview coaching firm. I’ve been fortunate to be featured on FOX, ABC News, San Francisco Chronicle, The Atlantic, The Telegraph, and Business Insider. CNN also named me as “top 10 job tweeters you should be following.”

Before Impact Interview, I was Microsoft’s Director of Product Management. Prior to Microsoft, I worked at Google, leading new AdWords product launches.

I have a B.S. in computer science from Stanford University and an M.B.A. from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. I also serve on the advisory board for University of Washington’s software product management program.

What motivated you to leave your lucrative job to become an entrepreneur?
I’ve always had passion for ideas and a strong desire to start my own business.

What is Impact Interview and what makes it diff­erent from those of your competitors?
Impact Interview is an interview coaching firm. We help job seekers prepare for their upcoming interviews. Unlike our competitors, we focus on $100k+ jobs, especially candidates targeting senior and executive roles.

Tell us a­bout your books – Decode & Conquer – Answers to Product Management Interviews and Rise above the Noise – How to stand out at the Marketing Interview?
Decode and Conquer is the world’s first book focused exclusively on product management (PM) interview preparation. Whether you’re interviewing for Google, Amazon, or Facebook, you’ll encounter product design, strategy, and analytical questions like these:

• Design a new iPad app for Google Spreadsheet.
• Brainstorm as many algorithms as possible for recommending Twitter followers.
• You’re the CEO of the Yellow Cab taxi service. How do you respond to Uber?
• You’re part of the Google Search web spam team. How would you detect duplicate websites?
• The billboard industry is under monetized. How can Google create a new product or offering to address this?

Decode and Conquer provides an industry insider’s perspective on how to conquer the most common and difficult PM interview questions. The book provides sample answers for these questions along with frameworks and tips so that you can answer these questions on your own.

Rise Above the Noise is similar, but focused on marketing interview preparation. Some of the most respected marketing brands, Kraft, Starbucks, and Google, use marketing case questions to assess candidates’ aptitude. During the interview, a candidate might encounter the following:

• What promotional strategies would you use for a Honey Nut Cheerios campaign?
• Develop a social good campaign for Teavana.
• Should Hidden Valley increase the price of its ranch dressing?
• Kit Kat sales declined year-over-year. Why is that, and what would you do to address it?
• Tell me about a terrible product that’s marketed well.

Rise Above the Noise provides insights on how to answer these common and difficult marketing interview questions. In addition to sample answers, the book provides what interviewers are looking for, why they’re looking for it, and how to deliver it. It also talks about the biggest mistakes candidates make at the interview and how to avoid them.

What led you to write these books?
My coaching clients. They told me, “Lewis is there a big repository of PM interview questions with sample answers?” For the longest time, I said “No, there isn’t it.” I heard the request so often that I finally decided to write the book and deliver what my clients asked for.

And lastly, how do you keep yourself inspired and motivated? What’s next for you?
It’s easy to keep inspired and motivated. They are so many interesting problems in the world that need to be solved, and it’s fun thinking about how to solve them in new and interesting ways.
For my next project, I’m writing another book. I can’t talk about it publicly, but I can’t wait to release it.

Thanks Lewis. Good luck with your new book!

The post Lewis Lin – CNN’s “10 job tweeters you should be following” first appeared on Awesome Some.

“Tonnes of food get wasted everyday. That amount of food can feed hundreds of children. That is the potential we are trying to work on” – Kanpuriya Singh

One of the most disturbing dichotomies of a fast growing metropolitan city like Mumbai is the unequal distribution of wealth, privileges and even civic amenities. There are close to 200,000 street and slum children who go without food for days.

The Mumbai Dabbawala’s deliver 120 tons of food everyday out of which 16 tons is left uneaten. Happy Life Welfare society decided to give it a shot to get food left over in dabbas to hungry street children and that’s how the Share My Dabba initiative took off.

All you have to do is mark your dabba with a ‘share’ sticker if there is food left in it. The dabbawalas would separate the ones marked with the sticker and leave it with volunteers while on their way back. The food is then shared with the hungry kids via the volunteers. Here’s a video on how it works:

The post Enjoyed your lunch? Now here’s a chance to share that joy with someone less fortunate. first appeared on Awesome Some.

Maysoon is a great speaker, and even though she says she’s not a motivational speaker, it’s hard not to feel motivated to share this video.

If I can can, you can can

The post I’m like Shakira meets Muhammad Ali first appeared on Awesome Some.

Yellow Seed – a content development agency based out of Mumbai provides original, relevant and engaging content to its audience. I interviewed Aashutosh Katre, Director – Planning & Business Development to find out more. Big thank you to Aashutosh Katre for the interview.

To start with, tell us a bit about yourself – your background, education and organizations/initiatives you are involved with?

The thrill of conceptualizing, creating and developing something from scratch has always captivated me. These interests helped me carve out my career as an entrepreneur. The journey has just begun. I am a Commerce Graduate with a PG Diploma in Advertising and an Advanced Diploma in Digital Marketing.

For the last 6 years, I have been a Managing Partner at Creative Workshop, an advertising agency. Currently driving the growth and expansion of the agency.

Yellow Seed – a content development agency was launched about 18 months back. My role as Director, Planning & Business Development involves looking at the micro and macro aspects of the business, strategy and ensuring delivery while maintaining efficacy.

I am also a member and Chairperson of the ‘Young Entrepreneurs Wing’ of MACCIA (Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture).

What is Yellow Seed? What services it provides to its customers?

The advent of digital media and its impact on consumer behaviour has brought content creation to the forefront. It is a new, exciting field to be in, with immense potential for growth. So we came up with the idea of starting a ‘Content Development’ company which focuses on understanding the varied requirements of brands / organisations and creating the right content for their audience. Yellow Seed was formed as a team of planners and content writers who have passion for writing.

We develop content plans for our clients and ideate on the nature and form of content before actually developing and creating it. The services that we offer are broadly divided into 2 domains. – The World which covers platforms / formats such as Copywriting, Marketing collaterals, Corporate presentations, Press Releases, Technical writing, Academic writing, White Papers etc. While The Web covers the new formats such as Website copy, Social media content, SEO articles, Online PR content, Blogs, Reviews, etc.

What makes Yellow Seed different from its competitors?

What you say to your audiences needs to be original, relevant and engaging. That is where Yellow Seed has an edge. We back ourselves very strongly and deliver ‘quality’ content.

Also, being a team of content writers with strengths in various domains gives us a wider spread of domain knowledge to develop content suitable for different industries and genres.

Participants at India’s First Speed Blogging Contest hosted by Yellow Seed

How is the entrepreneurial journey been so far? What part of entrepreneurship do you love? What do you hate?

The journey so far has been very exciting. The Advertising and Content Development ventures are my current focus. In the past, I have launched and managed a specialty restaurant and worked in the field of event management. I have also dabbled in acting in Theatre, TV serials and movies. These varied experiences helped me build skills such as people management, problem solving, innovative thinking and resourcefulness. The learning continues.

As an entrepreneur you play multiple roles. That to me is the best part. It helps better one’s way of thinking and understanding. There is no part of being an entrepreneur that I dislike or hate. Only regret is the lack of time. With so many ideas in mind, I only wish I had more time on hand to explore and execute them.

What is the 3 year vision for Yellow Seed? What are the biggest challenges to get your business to the next level?

The next 3 years are very crucial for Yellow Seed. We are looking at firming our foothold and preparing for the growth phase. Newer markets, newer formats, and some of our own work which we intend to publish. Yellow Seed has a lot in the pipeline which shall help us scale up the business.

Yes we are strong on the Quality index in what we do. But for any business to get to the next level, quantum is also of equal importance. Maintaining the growth trajectory is the key challenge. But we have put our plans and strategies in place taking that into account.

And lastly, how do you keep inspired and motivated, and not get burned out?

The drive to visualize and realize your dreams is a very strong motivator. And with a team which is equally passionate and committed to it, there is no scope for a burn out. Every day at work is fun and happening.

The post Yellow Seed – Creating Engaging Content first appeared on Awesome Some.

She’s a great person to know if you’re looking for a job in a technology sector : )

Tell us a bit about yourself – your background, profession and organizations/initiatives you are involved with?
I graduated with a degree in history and French language from the University of East Anglia in Norwich. After working at home in Scotland for a few years, I moved down to London in 2000 and worked in IT recruitment in the City for four years gaining lots of experience of helping job seekers to find a new role. I’ve been running womenintechnology for over five years now and am involved in lots of different initiatives within the women in IT space including BCSWomen, Intellect’s Women in IT Forum, Girl Geek Dinners, the City Women’s Network and the Women’s Engineering Society. As the MD my roles includes a wide variety of responsibilities such as building relationships with client sponsors, organising events, creating plans for the website, public speaking and I really enjoy the mix of my day to day activities.

What is ‘Women In Technology’ and how did you come up with the idea?
womenintechnology.co.uk is an organisation committed to increasing the number of women who are working and achieving in the UK’s IT profession. The idea for the website came about after a piece of diversity research showed the distinct lack of women working in technology – the website launched as a simple information portal in March 2005 and over the last five years it’s grown into an online community for women working in IT. We provide a complete recruitment service, offer a dedicated online IT job board, regularly host networking events for our 6000-strong membership, run personal development and career orientated training courses and provide in-depth information about key matters affecting the IT industry and the people who work within it. Any firms looking to hire more female technologists in the UK – highlighting why they are an ideal place for a woman to have a successful technology career – should have a chat with us! And any ladies working in the industry looking for connections, career advice or networking opportunities, should join our free mailing list.

You don’t have a technical background, what motivated you to start a forum for women in technology instead of banking or finance which were more familiar to you?
As I’d been recruiting IT professionals into roles within the banking sector, my expertise really sat more within the technology space rather than finance. I could also see that employers were always interested in female CVs and our diversity research showed that it took women fewer interviews to secure a role compared to men – so it’s more time effective to hire a female in IT! I also feel really strongly that there are loads of great roles in IT that women miss out on them and so, in turn, the industry misses out on a wealth of female talent. The business case for having a diverse team is well proven and we’ve created a tool (through our online job board and recruitment services team) that employers can use to help them hire more female technologists.

We have seen one of the worst global economic turmoil in last 1-2 years. How it impacted the career opportunities for women who are planning to make a career in Technology?
It’s been tough and if I’m honest, things will probably remain tough for a while longer yet. For ladies looking to enter the industry without any previous experience, the competition is pretty fierce and for those already in the industry, the opportunities for moving around have been reduced. But, IT is a growing profession and the European Commission has predicted that there could be a shortfall of 20 million skilled workers in science and technology by 2030 so there’s lots of IT employment potential there!

What advice would you give to a woman considering a career in Information Technology?
The IT profession is incredibly broad and there are so many different jobs that you could embark upon. So if you’re looking into working in this area, you need to do your research into which area of IT you’d like to work in – support, development, business analysis, project management, change management, security, online, databases – the opportunities aren’t quite endless but there is a lot of choice! We have lots of role models online and you can read about their career paths and how they’ve got to where they are which can also be useful when thinking about what you’d like to do and just go for it – IT is a great profession and there are loads of interesting roles working with cutting edge technology that allows you to work directly with the business, positively impact the bottom line and help firms increase revenues and profits.

And lastly, how do you keep inspired and motivated? What’s next for you?
To be honest, I have no idea what’s next for me! I very much enjoy running the organisation and I like doing lots of different things every day. I also meet loads of interesting people which is always good fun – I think the networking opportunities have been one of the areas of my role that I’ve enjoyed the most. I also enjoy providing our members with the opportunity to meet and network with other women working in IT and seeing how valuable that is to them, keeps me motivated. I enjoy helping our sponsors to attract more applications from and hire more female technologists – it’s a long term activity and one which gives us a buzz when we can see how we’re helping firms change the gender makeup of their IT teams.

Maggie’s social profiles:

The post Maggie Berry – Helping Women In Technology first appeared on Awesome Some.

Her new book, The Weight of Silence: Invisible Children of India, follows her journey into orphanages and through the streets and slums of India where millions of innocent children live without families, telling their real-life stories that captivated audiences worldwide in the film Slumdog Millionaire. All five star rating on Amazon say it all about this remarkable book and the extraordinary job Shelley has done unraveling the complex issues faced by the children of India.

Let’s talk to Shelley to know about her book and experience in India.

Tell us a bit about yourself – your background, profession and organizations/initiatives you are involved with?
I am a freelance writer based in Austin, Texas; but I vagabond in any part of the world whenever I get a chance. I have written for National Geographic, Globe Pequote Press, InfoChange India, Austin Woman, the Seattle Times, Washington Magazine and Andrew Harper Traveler among others. My mantra is “travel with a purpose.” My recent book, The Weight of Silence: Invisible Children of India, tells the true stories of some of the millions of children living on the streets or in orphanages in India. They are the real-life kids behind those such as in the movie Slumdog Millionaire.

I have been involved in nonprofit work and social activism almost all my life – particularly around child advocacy. When I was a young teenager my mother began fostering babies for the Edna Gladney Home in Fort Worth, and through the years we were a foster home to over 50 children. My sister, Katie, was adopted during that time – as she says, she’s always known she was special! So at a young age I was aware of child rights and advocacy issues. It must run in the family because both of my sisters, Amy and Katie, work at nonprofit agencies working with children and families.

As an adult I began doing a lot of volunteer work here in Texas, with abused and neglected children. I participated in a mentoring program for at-risk teens for several years, and worked with Child Protective Services. In Austin I have been a Guardian Ad Litem through CASA for almost 5 years, in which I act as a court-appointed advocate for children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect, and have been involved with The Heart Gallery to find forever families for such children.

When did you first go to India? What’s so great about India?
In 2004 I read a story in Tribeza magazine about Caroline Boudreaux’s incredible journey that became The Miracle Foundation. After a trip to India caused Caroline to come face to face with hundreds of children living in hunger and filth in an orphanage, she turned her life upside-down and started the foundation that today supports five orphanages in India. I began sponsoring a child, and in March 2005 traveled with Caroline to India for the first time, to work in the orphanage and meet the children. As trite as it sounds, the experience changed me, too.

I soon came to realize that most of the children living in the homes were not orphaned due to death, but due to poverty. India is home to more than 25 million children living without parental care, and three million more are added each year. As I learned more about the complex, intertwining issues that make children vulnerable to orphanhood, the sex trade, child labor, HIV, or a life on the streets, I began to come up with the idea for my book, The Weight of Silence: Invisible Children of India. My simple goal is to help give a voice to these invisible children.

I didn’t choose India particularly; in fact, I often say that it chose me. It just happened to be where I landed, through personal connections, and from the moment I did the country and its people wrapped around me and refused to let go. The very existence of these children forever altered both the person I am and my view of the world. In some ways I feel more familiar to myself there, like I am now the person I was brought to India to become. I didn’t go to India to change anything about it; instead, it worked a transformational change in me.

Tell us about your book “Weight of Silence”?
By now, everyone has either seen, or at least heard of, the movie Slumdog Millionaire, about the lives of two brothers who come from the slums of Mumbai – made even more desperate after they are orphaned. What many don’t know, however, is that for 25 million children in India, the harsh world depicted in the movie is their everyday reality. Yes, that’s 25 million kids who have been orphaned, abandoned or trafficked. My book, The Weight of Silence: Invisible Children of India, follows my journey over the past four years into the streets, orphanages and slums of India where these children live without families or homes of their own. I became immersed in their world, a witness to their struggles – but also their joys, their incredible hope and resilience that amazed me time and time again. The ability of their spirits to overcome crippling challenges inspired me. My sole purpose in writing this book was to give these millions of children a voice that could be heard by others in the world who, I was convinced, would be as moved by their plights as I was.

What led you to write this book?
When I arrived that first time, I assumed all the kids there were orphans in the true sense of the word – their parents had died. Instead I was shocked by how many of them had been “orphaned” by poverty; their parents had left them at the Miracle Foundation home because they were too poor to feed them, which in some ways seemed an even greater tragedy. I wondered when each of them had stopped wanting to go back home, or if they ever had. Many of them had also been affected by other issues such as disease or child labor and trafficking; some had been found living on the streets.

As I bore witness to the harm that lay in each of them because of their pasts, as I discovered the stories behind the faces and the names, there was simply no way to go on with my life afterwards as if they did not exist. So I embarked on a three-year journey researching the issues, traveling throughout India and talking to many professionals and those working in the trenches to uphold these children’s rights and improve their futures. I could see that they were “invisible” children, without a real voice of their own.

What is the best and the worst part of being a writer?
Best: Doing what I love to do – what doesn’t feel like work to me.

Worst: How hard it is to get work and get published sometimes, and how easy it is to constantly keep working to do so. Writing is all-consuming. Although I would be miserable in a regular 9-to-5 job, I sometimes envy those who can go home and leave their work behind at the end of the day.

What are you doing now? What’s up for you in the future?
Right now I am writing a new guidebook about Seattle, for Globe Pequot Press’s Insiders’ Guide series. In 2008 and some of 2009 I lived mostly in Seattle and split my time between there and Austin, and I really love the Pacific Northwest. I also continued to stay very involved with children’s issues, of course, and promoting The Weight of Silence so that more people can hear their stories.

As far as the future, later this year I would like to begin a new book, which will profile 25 people who are truly changing the world with one big idea. I have met so many people, like Caroline Boudreaux, who didn’t sit back and wait for others to do something – but who decided THEY needed to do something. These people are so inspiring to me, and I want to share the hope that change is possible through their stories.

And lastly, how do you keep inspired and motivated?
Lots of ways. First of all, I have to stay focused on what is truly important in life. Having friends and family who care about you, health, enough money to eat and have the basics in life – we really don’t need more than this. I am so blessed simply because I can turn on a faucet and clean water comes out, and I don’t have to worry about where my next meal is coming from.

Mentally and physically, yoga and meditation are really important to me in achieving a mind/body/spirit balance. Without them I am sure I would become far more stressed!

Also, in a huge way I am inspired by readers who contact me to share how the book and these children’s stories touched them. They often share stories of their own, such as adopting a child or changing their own travel plans to India to include volunteer work. I have featured many of their stories on my blog. It’s always SUCH an inspiration and reward to me to get such an email or letter; to know that what I’ve done resonates with someone else and creates some meaning in the world, and affects change for these children. That keeps me going.

Shelley, thank you so much for your time and for the wonderful book.

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