Roots to Routes with Anand Dattani

Why do so many of of us never reach our creative potential?

In this episode, I sit down with Ketna Patel, a British-Kenyan-Indian mixed media pop artist, to talk about the cultural, societal, and generational barriers to self-expression—and how to break free from them.

We explore:

• The downside of coming from a culture with a strong community when it comes to self-expression

• Why the younger generation might be less prepared to h...

Your breakthrough might be someone else's breakdown. In this clip, Amardeep, founder of The BAE HQ, and I discuss why the people closest to you often provide the least support for your ambitions. The truth? Your commitment exposes their compromise. We explore the psychological minefield of outgrowing your circle, why family resistance is actually confirmation you're evolving, and how to navigate the painful reality that your succes...

Are fear, regret, and other's expectations keeping you stuck? How much of your life is shaped by what others want you to do, rather than what you'd love to do? In this episode, I get Amardeep Parmar, co-founder of one of the fastest growing community of entrepreneurs, to dive into the struggle of breaking free from external expectations, especially in communities where success is narrowly defined.

In this episode, we break down:

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Finding your passion can feel like a lonely journey, especially when you’re trying to figure out if it’s worth turning into your purpose. In this highlight, we explore why pursuing your passion often isolates you from others, how to navigate that “lonely chapter,” and the key questions to ask yourself to determine if it’s truly worth the hustle.

We discuss the role of your pain threshold—understanding what struggles you’re willing...

What does it really mean when people say 'find what your passionate about'? How do you find it if you don't even know what that looks like? In this episode, we sit down with Francis, an inspiring creative whose journey from Angola to the UK is filled with powerful lessons on resilience, risk, and redefining success.

Together, we explore:

• How to reframe challenges and disadvantages as opportunities for growth.
• The sacrifices ou...

We sit down with the remarkable Anika Pavel, an English-Czechoslovakian actress, model, and author known for her role in The Spy Who Loved Me alongside Roger Moore. Anika takes us through her extraordinary life journey - from her childhood behind the Iron Curtain in Czechoslovakia to becoming an international model and actress in London’s mod scene.

Who should listen?

This episode is for anyone navigating major transitions, lookin...

We often see ourselves more negatively than others do. This phenomenon, known as the "Liking Gap," shows how we consistently underestimate how much others like us. We’re harder on ourselves, and that can impact everything from our confidence to our relationships.

In this episode, I sit down with Summy Yeung, cultural intelligence expert, to explore why we tend to undervalue ourselves and how culture influences our self-perception....

I sat with Life & Career Transition Coach, Summie Yeung, to explore the evolving challenges faced by immigrants and the critical role of cultural intelligence in today's world.

🔍 Why Listen?

Whether you’re an immigrant, a leader in a multicultural workplace, or simply curious about how culture shapes confidence and success, this episode offers actionable insights. Summie Yeung’s unique perspective will help you understand the...

In this thought-provoking episode, the founders of Thrivall dive deep into some of today’s most critical conversations around workplace engagement, mental health, burnout, and wellbeing. We also explore the influence of society’s perception of ADHD is evolving and why it’s crucial to shift the narrative.

🔍 Why Listen?

If you’re looking to understand how companies and individuals should really be measuring success, and navigate th...

Nuakai Aru is a dual-heritage Jamaican-British award-winning film director and author focused on human history and wellbeing, with three decades in martial arts and a lifelong quest for self-knowledge. Through his classes, films, art, and writings, he imparts his accumulated knowledge and wisdom.

"Amidst a global landscape of turbulence and perpetual evolution, Nuakai strives to be a beacon of inspiration and upliftment, driving ot...

Kathy Borys Siddiqui, is an undeniable expert in understanding of culture and cultural differences. As the founder of Active Action, she’s focused on helping people and companies to understand the international landscape they now find themselves in so that they can build better relationships, attract better talent and provide the tools to bridge the gap between people from different backgrounds

Not only does she hold a Masters in C...

I had the fortune of sitting with cross-cultural intelligence coach, Liu Liu, to discuss his personal life experiences, family history, and career journey that took him from working in the post room to now working with people in over 30 countries and becoming an executive board member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

We discuss his tips for success with his cross-cultural marriage, navigating intercultural relationsh...

I had the fortune of sitting with cross-cultural intelligence coach, Liu Liu, to discuss his personal life experiences, family history, and career journey that took him from working in the post room to now working with people in over 30 countries and becoming an executive board member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

We discuss his tips for success with his cross-cultural marriage, navigating intercultural relationsh...

"We’re not just making a manual washing machine, we’re trying to reduce the burden of hand washing clothes for women a girls around the world."

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2Z7Qlx-mmCk

WHO IS NAVJOT SAWHNEY:

- The humanitarian engineer who co-founded The Washing Machine Project, a social enterprise dedicated to designing and distributing a manual hand-cranked washing machine to displaced and low-income peo...

"I think it's never too late to cut that generational trauma, to whatever extent we have it, we need to learn to heal and cut that for the next generation" - Sonia Kaurah

Who is Sonia?

• Australia born with Malaysian-Indian roots.
• Founder of Tala Thrive - a mental health platform that matches you to therapists and coaches who understand your culture, language and/or religion
• Ex-VC (Antler) and startup mentor and have helped over...

“I had to embrace my identity, and try to define it. And it’s been a journey of acceptance, in a way. And it’s a never ending piece - to say that I finally got to a realisation that my identity is myself.”

About Richard Davis:

- Co-Founder & CEO of 51toCarbonZero, a platform designed to help media, marketing and advertising companies create accountable transition plans to accelerate their journey to achieve net zero.

- 20+ yea...

"Actually being Asian is very cool, and we forget how cool it is"

In this podcast clip, we discuss what 'community' means to Zamiha, how the sense of community and culture has evolved since the time she was growing up, and whether the importance of community played a role in her creating RecommendAsian.

Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/f7TxK6xudak?si=FzijSYZIwyH_odOL

📱FOLLOW ON SOCIALS (& GET IN TOUCH)

INSTAG...

"everybody changes, positively or negatively throughout their lives... but how much do you change as a person versus how much does their perception of you change?"

About Zamiha:

> Founder of RecommendAsian, initially a South Asian Women's group on Facebook that now serves over 150,000 individuals

> Founded Business Live UK Ltd - specialised in organizing networking events and providing resources for entrepreneurs

> Hosted...

"life is temporary, it's short, time's running out - even though there might be scepticism about what you're doing, just do it"

In Part 1 we focused what Anand Mistry took from his family backstory and upbringing that inspired him along the journey to creating ProjectChakra and what he learnt from his first visit to India. We also got to understand what he gained from his time there that made it obvious what path he knew he had to...