Learn With Avthar Avthar Sewrathan

Learn with Avthar #10: Veda Sunassee on Creating Africa’s Next Leaders, Reflection Techniques, Finding Fulfillment
Veda is a leadership and education expert. He hails from Mauritius, and has spent most of his career building the next generation of young African leaders through his work at African Leadership Academy and African Leadership University. He was selected among the inaugural Obama Leaders in 2018 and was chosen amongst the 100 most influential Young Africans by African Youth Awards in 2019.

TOPICS DISCUSSED:
Veda’s journey from Mauritius to Princeton and how he found his strengths along the wayThe power of listening to your inner voice, the value of empty space and Veda’s favorite reflection practices and techniques that you can use today.Veda’s philosophy of leadership and entrepreneurship and frameworks he uses to become a better leader, like the Leadership Map and the PICS framework (passions, interests, causes and skills)Veda’s biggest lessons building some of Africa’s finest educational institutions (ALA and ALU), how to balance achievement and fulfillment and how to take an iterative approach to your life

SHOW NOTES
African Leadership Academy - https://www.africanleadershipacademy.org
African Leadership University - https://www.alueducation.com/
Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans - https://www.amazon.com/Designing-Your-Life-Well-Lived-Joyful/dp/1101875321
Level 5 Leadership - https://www.jimcollins.com/concepts/level-five-leadership.html
In The Room Podcast - https://intheroom.buzzsprout.com/
Veda’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vsunassee/?hl=en
Veda’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/vedasunassee
Veda’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/veda-sunassee-37019715/


ABOUT LEARN WITH AVTHAR
Learn with Avthar is the podcast that helps you become a Learning Machine. Join entrepreneur and technologist Avthar Sewrathan as he talks with world class guests about self-mastery, startups, health and happiness. Avthar unpacks truths, lessons and mindsets that you can use to level up your life. 



Learn more and stay up to date at https://www.avthar.com
Avthar's Weekly Wisdom Newsletter: https://avthar.substack.com​​
Twitter: https://twitter.com/avthars​​
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@avthars
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avthars/

Learn with Avthar #9: Danny Miranda on Pursuing your Highest Version

ABOUT DANNY MIRANDA
Danny Miranda is all about pursuing the highest version of himself and helping others do the same. He's the host of The Danny Miranda Podcast, where he's interviewed folks like entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuck, writer Polina Marinova, YouTuber Ali Abdaal and entrepreneur and author Kamal Ravikant. He's also the author of Tuesday Treasure, a newsletter that's nutrition for your brain.

TOPICS DISCUSSED:
Balancing striving with contentmentThe origins of Danny's mission to pursue the highest version of himselfHow Tony Robbins and Kamal Ravikant helped Danny to overcome depression and transform his lifeCore habits that Danny practices like meditation and journalling and why "reading your own book" is something we all should be doingWhat 75 hard is and how it helped Danny become stronger and more resilientThe power of having an accountability partner
KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DANNY MIRANDA
Website - https://dannymiranda.com
Newsletter - https://dannymiranda.com/tuesday-treasure/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/heydannymiranda
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTRIPyUEXywZg-21vP6mhDg


CONNECT WITH AVTHAR SEWRATHAN
Learn more and stay up to date at: https://avthar.com​
Avthar's Weekly Wisdom: https://avthar.substack.com​
Learn with Avthar Podcast: https://avthar.buzzsprout.com​
Follow Avthar on Twitter: https://twitter.com/avthars​

Learn with Avthar #8: Jordan Thomas on Grit, Discipline, Serving Humanity and degrees from Princeton, Oxford, Yale and Harvard (including the Rhodes Scholarship).

ABOUT JORDAN THOMAS
Jordan Thomas hails from Newark, New Jersey, USA. He graduated Princeton University with a degree in public and international affairs. He's a Rhodes Scholar, and earned his Masters degree from Oxford University in social intervention and policy evaluation.
He's the Chief of Staff to philanthropist Ray Chambers and will enroll at both Yale Law School and Harvard Business School for a unique JD/MBA dual degree. Jordan is motivated to do work that most directly promotes equal opportunity, social mobility, and justice for all.

TOPICS DISCUSSED:
Jordan's journey from engineering to policy and how he found his strengths and developed self-awarenessWhy Jordan believes waking up early is a core habit which fueled his successHow Jordan developed grit and resilience and wants to take David Goggins soulWhy focusing on helping others is Jordan's secret to his successThe application writing techniques that got Jordan into Princeton, Harvard, Yale and OxfordBooks and speeches that most impacted Jordan’s life
KEEP IN TOUCH WITH JORDAN THOMAS
Jordan’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/RealAfroScholar
Jordan’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/realafroscholar/?hl=en


CONNECT WITH AVTHAR SEWRATHAN
Learn more and stay up to date at: https://avthar.com​
Avthar's Weekly Wisdom: https://avthar.substack.com​
Learn with Avthar Podcast: https://avthar.buzzsprout.com​
Follow Avthar on Twitter: https://twitter.com/avthars​

Learn with Avthar #7: Yaw Owusu-Boahen on No-Code, Career Hacks, Founder Lessons and Diversity & Inclusion in Tech

ABOUT YAW
Yaw is a Ghanian-born, American entrepreneur. He currently directs the Immerse Pre-Accelerator for BIPOC founders, as a leader of the founder inclusion team at Bubble, a company which makes a No-Code application building platform.
Previously, Yaw co-founded LMNS, an equal-opportunity hiring platform for digital marketers, and was a consultant at the prestigious Bain and Company. Yaw is a graduate of Princeton University, with a degree in Public Policy and International Relations.

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YAW
Yaw's Website - https://yawob.me/
Yaw's Twitter: https://twitter.com/yawob_
Yaw's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yawowusuboahen/
Yaw's IG: https://www.instagram.com/freshprinceakeem/?hl=en

TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - Intro
2:42 - Yaw's journey from employee to founder
8:24 - Where does self-belief and conviction in our abilities come from?
15:11 - Exit strategies when leaving a company
25:33 - Finding value in your current position
29:00 - Creating an app for the New York Club scene
33:06 - Lessons from a two-time founder
37:33 - Problem-Founder-Fit
44:15 - The LMNS story
47:22 - The Hiring space is saturated
52:38 - Choosing a partner is the most important business decision you will ever make
55:10 - Entrepreneurship is not sexy
58:56 - Conviction investors vs Sheep investors
1:07:00 - Distribution and finding traction
1:20:12 - Diversity and Inclusion in the tech industry
1:24:16 - Accelerators, Pre-Accelerators and how they're bridging the diversity gap
1:30:12 - What is No-Code?
1:32:16 - How Bubble enables entrepreneurs to test their ideas faster
1:53:55 - Quickfire questions
1:58:03 - Tools, Resources and Frameworks from a two-time Founder
2:00:28 - Finding your Authentic Self

CONNECT WITH AVTHAR
Learn more and stay up to date at: https://avthar.com
Avthar's Weekly Wisdom: https://avthar.substack.com
Learn with Avthar Podcast: https://avthar.buzzsprout.com
Follow Avthar on Twitter: https://twitter.com/avthars

Learn with Avthar #6: Shamay Agaron - The Neuroscience of Wellness, Wearables, and the Brain-Body Connection
ABOUT SHAMAY
Shamay Agaron is a Princeton-trained neuroscience researcher and science communicator. He's also the author of Friday Brainstorm, a popular newsletter that makes neuroscience accessible and actionable to everyday people.
Friday brainstorm newsletter https://brainstorm.substack.com
Shamay's website: https://shamay.com

TIMESTAMPS
08:05 -Shamay's journey in neuroscience
14:01 - The (un)surprising link between food and mood
21:07 - Our environment's impact on our brains
33:52 - Forget lo-fi, listen to soundscapes
41:13 - Alternative wellness 49:20 - Gut-brain connection
54:48 - Consumerism and health
59:04 - Level up your health by BREATHING
1:03:41 - The double-edged sword of quantified personal data
1:36:50 - A Neuroscience Researcher's Top Book Recommendations


CONNECT WITH AVTHAR
Learn more and stay up to date at: https://avthar.com
Avthar's Weekly Wisdom: https://avthar.substack.com
Follow Avthar on Twitter: https://twitter.com/avthars

Learn with Avthar #5: Nic Voge
This episode is with the person I call the most for learning advice: Nic Voge.
I worked under Nic as a learning coach at Princeton University and he’s one of the most knowledgeable people I’ve ever met when it comes to learning and education in high performance, high intensity environments.
About Nic
Nic Voge holds a masters in Education focusing on learning and literacy. He’s worked with some of the worlds brightest students in the most demanding university environments, spending 10 years co-ordinating the study strategies program at University of California, Berkeley and 12 years at Princeton University, where he’s currently the Senior Associate Director of the McGraw Center for teaching at learning, where he oversees 180 tutors, graduate fellows, learning consultants and professional learning strategists.
Nic is also a published author, with his book "Life Beyond Grades: Designing Intrinsically Engaging College Courses” published by Cambridge University Press in 2017.
Episode Contents
(2:37) How this learning and teaching expert found his strengths(8:29) What’s it like helping students at America’s best university?(17:44) Textbooks aren’t designed for students(23:31) Why “transfer” is the most value skill to learn(28:58) Learning coach vs tutor, Collaborative strategizing(40:48) Self worth theory and life beyond grades(47:58) How college changes your self image(51:51): Procrastination and Identity(1:00:00) Motivation Stacking(1:07:38) Can Extrinsic and Intrinsic rewards Coexist? (1:11:18) Quickfire questions(1:20:05) Success is an internal experience(1:22:20) Why is college so hard(1:47:03) Closing gratitude and get in touch with Nic VogeConnect with Nic
LinkedInPrinceton University McGraw Center for Teaching and LearningLife Beyond GradesLearn more and stay up to date at www.avthar.com