Career Small Talk: Work | Play | Build

RainKraft
  • 5.0 (7)
  • CAREERS
  • EVERY TWO WEEKS

Welcome to Career Small Talk: Work, Play, Build! Expect conversations about building a career, pursuing passion projects, and learning from inspiring guests who work, play, and build their dreams, As a business podcast in its fifth year of production now, we look forward to having many conversations with you on what it means to live a life that feels true.

  1. 30 JAN

    S7E25 Who Are You Without Your Job Title?

    From the moment we enter the education system, we’re sorted into lanes- science kid, commerce kid, arts kid. Soon after, those lanes turn into job titles. Banker. Engineer. Marketer. Manager.But what happens when the role disappears? When layoffs hit, when AI reshapes work, when burnout creeps in, or when the identity you carried for years no longer fits?In this episode of Small Talk: Work, Play, Build- Subha and Hasita unpack the uneasy truth many of us are sitting with: how deeply our sense of self is tied to work, and why learning to decentre our job title might be the most important career skill of the next decade.This is a conversation about career fluidity, loyalty, burnout, sabbaticals, parallel identities, and the courage it takes to ask a hard question: who am I beyond what I do?00:00 Highlights01:33 Why career identity feels so fixed04:50 Education, labels, and early narrowing07:40 Losing old identities and adopting new ones10:30 Layoffs, AI, and roles disappearing14:00 Long hours, 9-9-6 culture, and lack of real choice18:05 Loyalty, pressure, and parallel identities23:50 Burnout, boundaries, and learning to disconnect33:20 Decentring work without throwing it away41:28 Read | Watch | Listen--------------------Small Talk: Work, Play, Build is the latest season of Small Talk. As a business podcast in its fifth year of production now, we look forward to having many conversations with you on what it means to live a life that feels true to each of us, both at work and outside of it. 📅 New episodes every fortnight📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smalltalk_wpb🌐 Website: https://www.smalltalkpod.com📩 Media enquiries: smalltalkpod.wpb@gmail.comCopyright © Rainkraft Creative Solutions (OPC) Pvt. Ltd. No segment of this episode or its accessories may be reproduced for commercial use without explicit written permission from the creators.Small Talk: Work, Play, Build Subha Chandrasekaran (https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhachandrasekaran/) Hasita Krishna (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hasita/) ---------------------If you made it this far, thank you for being such an ardent supporter! Please send us a DM on Instagram to claim your Small Talk goodie. :)

    44 min

  2. 16 JAN

    Apparently, Women Ruined The Workplace! | Small Talk S7E24

    Did women ruin the workplace or did the workplace finally have to evolve?In this episode, Hasita and Subha with their long, hard-earned careers unpack why that question keeps resurfacing and why it feels wildly out of step with the realities of work in 2026.Sparked by a recent piece from The New York Times, we look past the headline and into what’s really being debated: power, change, and discomfort when old systems stop being centered by default.We talk about:- Why progress often gets framed as “decline”- What actually changes when women gain influence at work- Why flexibility, boundaries, and empathy get labeled as weakness- How blaming women distracts from deeper structural failures- And why this conversation feels more like 1986 than 2026This isn’t a rant. It’s a calm, clear-eyed conversation from people who’ve been in the room, built careers, managed teams, and watched workplaces evolve in real time.If you’ve ever felt gaslit by “back in my day” arguments, or wondered why equality still triggers backlash, this episode is for you.00:00 – 01:00 Highlights: Did Women Ruin the Workplace?01:00 – 02:10 Apparently, We Ruined the Workplace02:10 – 04:05 The NYT Podcast and Why This Debate Feels Ancient04:05 – 06:40 MeToo, Safety, and the Cost of Calling Out Harassment06:40 – 09:35 Old Boys’ Clubs, Networking, and Invisible Barriers09:35 – 12:00 Who the Workplace Is Really Built For12:00 – 18:00 Women at Work: Leadership, Community, and Real Progress18:00 – 23:55 Why We’re Still Here, Still Talking, Still Not Done23:55 – 26:40 Read, Watch, Listen--------------------Small Talk: Work, Play, Build is the latest season of Small Talk. As a career podcast in its fifth year of production now, we look forward to having many conversations with you on what it means to live a life that feels true to each of us, both at work and outside of it. Subscribe to stay tuned when a new episode releases, every fortnight. Instagram @smalltalk_wpbWebsite http://www.smalltalkpod.comMedia enquiries smalltalkpod.wpb@gmail.comCopyright © Rainkraft Creative Solutions (OPC) Pvt. Ltd. No segment of this episode or its accessories may be reproduced for commercial use without explicit written permission from the creators.Small Talk: Work, Play, Build Subha Chandrasekaran Hasita Krishna---------------------

    27 min
  3. S7E23 Creating Spaces That Change Lives: Building community & scaling impact w/ Saraswathi & Meghana

    2 JAN

    S7E23 Creating Spaces That Change Lives: Building community & scaling impact w/ Saraswathi & Meghana

    What does it really take to build spaces that don’t just function, but transform lives?In this episode of Small Talk: Work, Play, Build, we sit down with Saraswathi Padmanabhan, founder of Diyaghar, and Meghana Dutta, architect and co-founder of Studio Decode, for a deeply moving conversation on purpose-led work, community building, and scaling impact without losing soul.From creating safe learning spaces for children of migrant workers to designing architecture that holds emotion, dignity, and belonging, this episode explores what it means to lead with care—and why real change is built slowly, collectively, and with conviction.This conversation is for anyone questioning impact, purpose, second acts, or how to build something meaningful beyond traditional career paths.00:00 Highlights01:33 Why This Conversation Matters04:05 Choosing Purpose Over Comfort07:45 Listening to the Inner Nudge11:40 Rethinking Work and Success14:05 Architecture as Social Impact18:30 Designing for Safety and Belonging22:40 What Community Building Really Takes26:10 Funding, CSR, and Scaling Impact32:10 Training Teams for the Long Term37:30 Education, Dignity, and Generational Change42:10 Midlife Questions and Second Acts48:50 Faith, Energy, and Avoiding Burnout54:30 Joy, Surrender, and Sustaining Impact1:14:49 Read | Watch | Listen--------------------Small Talk: Work, Play, Build is the latest season of Small Talk. As a career podcast in its fifth year of production now, we look forward to having many conversations with you on what it means to live a life that feels true to each of us, both at work and outside of it. Subscribe to stay tuned when a new episode releases, every fortnight. Instagram @smalltalk_wpbWebsite http://www.smalltalkpod.comMedia enquiries smalltalkpod.wpb@gmail.comCopyright © Rainkraft Creative Solutions (OPC) Pvt. Ltd. No segment of this episode or its accessories may be reproduced for commercial use without explicit written permission from the creators.Small Talk: Work, Play, Build Subha Chandrasekaran Hasita Krishna---------------------

    1h 22m
  4. Dear 2026: Here’s What We Want From Work, AI, and Life... S7E22

    12/12/2025

    Dear 2026: Here’s What We Want From Work, AI, and Life... S7E22

    If 2025 was chaotic, inspiring, and confusing in equal measure… welcome to our love letter to 2026.This episode is part vision board, part workplace therapy, part manifesto. Subha and Hasita talk about everything they want the next year to hold, from AI that finally does the small things right, to workplaces that stop treating women like a disruption, to career paths that make room for joy, skills, hobbies, travel, and side quests.They reflect on the rise of multi-interest professionals, the courage it takes to experiment, why community keeps us sane, and how a simple shift in language (“midlife crisis” to “midlife clarity”) can change everything. And yes, they share what’s next for SmallTalk too.If you’re ending the year with big feelings and bigger questions, this conversation will make you feel understood, and ready for your next chapter.00:00 Highlights01:05 Our 2026 Wishlist Begins 04:43 AI Needs to Get Personal 12:54 Women at Work: Can We Please Move Forward 18:48 Careers Beyond the 9–5 Path 24:02 Permission, Play & Reinventing Yourself 27:55 Finding Community in Your City 31:38 Collaborations & What’s Next for SmallTalk --------------------Small Talk: Work, Play, Build is the latest season of Small Talk. As a career podcast in its fifth year of production now, we look forward to having many conversations with you on what it means to live a life that feels true to each of us, both at work and outside of it. Subscribe to stay tuned when a new episode releases, every fortnight. Instagram @smalltalk_wpbWebsite http://www.smalltalkpod.comMedia enquiries smalltalkpod.wpb@gmail.comCopyright © Rainkraft Creative Solutions (OPC) Pvt. Ltd. No segment of this episode or its accessories may be reproduced for commercial use without explicit written permission from the creators.Small Talk: Work, Play, Build Subha Chandrasekaran Hasita Krishna---------------------

    35 min

  5. 28/11/2025

    S7E21: Gen Z, Raised on Algorithms, Joins the Workforce!

    Gen Z has entered the chat, and the workplace, and nothing looks the same anymore.From side hustles to Zoom etiquette to why loyalty looks completely different today, this episode breaks down the real tensions, the misunderstandings, and the untapped potential of the youngest workforce entering India’s offices.Subha and Hasita get candid about shifting workplace norms, the collapse of shared culture, managers struggling to adapt, and why Gen Z’s hyper-individualism might actually be their greatest strength.If you work with Gen Z, if you are Gen Z, or if you're a manager trying to decode this new energy, this conversation will help you see the workplace with fresh eyes.00:00 Highlights01:01 Why Gen Z feels different03:37 How the pandemic rewired work and presence07:01 Remote culture, hierarchy, and new etiquette10:15 Side hustles, ambition, and the pace problem14:19 Algorithm culture and misplaced workplace conflict16:22 Purpose, passion, and the need for something “real”21:02 Loyalty, one-year stints, and shifting expectations27:58 How to bridge generational gaps at work32:37 Read Watch Listen --------------------Small Talk: Work, Play, Build is the latest season of Small Talk. As a career podcast in its fifth year of production now, we look forward to having many conversations with you on what it means to live a life that feels true to each of us, both at work and outside of it. Subscribe to stay tuned when a new episode releases, every fortnight. Instagram @smalltalk_wpbWebsite http://www.smalltalkpod.comMedia enquiries smalltalkpod.wpb@gmail.comCopyright © Rainkraft Creative Solutions (OPC) Pvt. Ltd. No segment of this episode or its accessories may be reproduced for commercial use without explicit written permission from the creators.Small Talk: Work, Play, Build Subha Chandrasekaran Hasita Krishna---------------------

    39 min
  6. S7E20: Power Meets Nurturing: A Blueprint for Leaders with Nirupama Subramaniam

    14/11/2025

    S7E20: Power Meets Nurturing: A Blueprint for Leaders with Nirupama Subramaniam

    Here’s the thing: power has always been seen as masculine, and nurturing as feminine. But what if true leadership needs both?In this conversation, Nirupama Subramaniam, author of Powerful and The Nurturing Quotient, joins Subha and Hasita to talk about leadership, guilt, gender, and the courage it takes to claim your voice.She shares stories from her own nonlinear career, what stops women from feeling powerful, and why the next generation of leaders can’t rely on old-school command-and-control anymore.A deeply human episode for anyone figuring out how to grow without losing who they are. Expect stories of reinvention, the guilt women carry at work, why 95% of CEOs are still men, and how the next generation of leaders can balance ambition with self-awareness.Chapters:00:00 – Highlights01:56 – Her Nonlinear Career04:35 – Leaving Banking08:05 – Motherhood and Reinvention13:06 – Why Women Wait for Clarity16:00 – Birth of the Archetypes21:45 – The 4 Power Barriers25:59 – Girls and Leadership Hesitation27:02 – Nurturing as Leadership41:18 – Boardrooms and What’s Next45:21 – Read Watch Listen--------------------Small Talk: Work, Play, Build is the latest season of Small Talk. As a career podcast in its fifth year of production now, we look forward to having many conversations with you on what it means to live a life that feels true to each of us, both at work and outside of it. Subscribe to stay tuned when a new episode releases, every fortnight. Instagram @smalltalk_wpbWebsite http://www.smalltalkpod.comMedia enquiries smalltalkpod.wpb@gmail.comCopyright © Rainkraft Creative Solutions (OPC) Pvt. Ltd. No segment of this episode or its accessories may be reproduced for commercial use without explicit written permission from the creators.Small Talk: Work, Play, Build Subha Chandrasekaran Hasita Krishna---------------------

    47 min

  7. 31/10/2025

    S7E19: Money, Careers & Self-Worth: The Conversation No One Taught Us to Have

    A candid Subha × Hasita conversation on our emotional relationship with money, what we were taught (and not taught), and how that silently shapes career moves, risk-taking, freelancing choices, and freedom.Subha & Hasita explore how our “money scripts” - family beliefs and cultural stories about earning, saving, and risk - quietly influence every career move we make. They discuss:- Why money conversations are emotional, not mathematical.- Women’s hesitation with numbers and its impact on leadership.- How to research, negotiate, and benchmark pay.- Freelance work, pricing your time, and knowing your worth.- Credit, compounding, and living within your means.- Re-writing inherited beliefs to build both security and freedom.Timestamps00:00 Why money is emotional, social, and often missing from career planning.3:00 Money Stories: Childhood conditioning, family beliefs6:00 Middle-Class Money Scripts - salaried-class thinking and financial risk-taking.9:00 Unequal Pay & Career Choices 12:00 Women & Money: Confidence gaps, avoiding numbers, and why understanding financials boosts leadership.15:00 Pay & Negotiation — Learning to benchmark, ask, and value your own time.18:00 Freelancing & the Gig Reality 24:00 Living Within Your Means: Leverage, EMIs, and distinguishing good vs. bad debt.29:00 Financial Mindset Shift34:00 Read | Watch | Listen reccos #careergrowth #smalltalkwpb #moneymindset #psychologyofmoney #moneyscript #middleclassfamily #careerchoices #womenandfinance #womenandmoney --------------------Small Talk: Work, Play, Build is the latest season of Small Talk. As a career podcast in its fifth year of production now, we look forward to having many conversations with you on what it means to live a life that feels true to each of us, both at work and outside of it. Subscribe to stay tuned when a new episode releases, every fortnight. Instagram @smalltalk_wpbWebsite http://www.smalltalkpod.comMedia enquiries smalltalkpod.wpb@gmail.comCopyright © Rainkraft Creative Solutions (OPC) Pvt. Ltd. No segment of this episode or its accessories may be reproduced for commercial use without explicit written permission from the creators.Small Talk: Work, Play, Build Subha Chandrasekaran Hasita Krishna---------------------If you made it this far, thank you for being such an ardent supporter! Please send us a DM on Instagram to claim your Small Talk goodie. :)

    38 min

  8. 17/10/2025

    S7E18: What's Next In Your Career? How to Find Hidden Skills That Pay

    Feeling stuck in your career? Wondering what to do next or how to make sense of all the skills you’ve picked up over the years?In this episode of Small Talk: Work Play Build, Subha and Hasita break down how to uncover your hidden skills, identify what really energizes you, and find direction that actually pays, in every sense of the word.Perfect for anyone on a career break, midlife pivot, or just feeling the itch for something more.Chapters00:00 Highlights00:50 How to spot what you’re naturally good at02:07 Why most of us downplay our strengths06:10 The difference between doing and being07:53 Play as the window into your real skills13:35 Why “easy” doesn’t mean “less valuable”17:44 Experience itself is a skill18:55 Create your own language of strengths24:44 Tracing the thread across career chapters25:44 How sabbaticals reveal what matters34:14 The end of linear careers, and what replaces them37:02 Read Watch Listen#careergrowth #hiddenstrengths #skills #futureofwork #smalltalkwpb--------------------Small Talk: Work, Play, Build is the latest season of Small Talk. As a career podcast in its fifth year of production now, we look forward to having many conversations with you on what it means to live a life that feels true to each of us, both at work and outside of it. Subscribe to stay tuned when a new episode releases, every fortnight. Instagram @smalltalk_wpbWebsite http://www.smalltalkpod.comMedia enquiries smalltalkpod.wpb@gmail.comCopyright © Rainkraft Creative Solutions (OPC) Pvt. Ltd. No segment of this episode or its accessories may be reproduced for commercial use without explicit written permission from the creators.Small Talk: Work, Play, Build Subha Chandrasekaran Hasita Krishna---------------------If you made it this far, thank you for being such an ardent supporter! Please send us a DM on Instagram to claim your Small Talk goodie. :)

    40 min
See All (96)

Trailers

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Welcome to Career Small Talk: Work, Play, Build! Expect conversations about building a career, pursuing passion projects, and learning from inspiring guests who work, play, and build their dreams, As a business podcast in its fifth year of production now, we look forward to having many conversations with you on what it means to live a life that feels true.

Information