Jenushika Jeyakumaran is a recent grad and the co-founder of tech start-up Aleri, which makes trial preparation easier for lawyers. They initially bootstrapped the company and then got additional funding with a $30K grant from the Accelerator Centre (part of the Jumpstart program), with having a goal of raising more money to accelerate their traction.
She joins Ara to discuss various topics including how she started her own company without getting experience in a start-up, why she refuses to sacrifice her sleep and well-being, her admiration for Gary Vee, and why you need to learn how to tune other people out if their opinions don’t align with your vision.
Follow Jenushika - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-j/
Timestamps
00:53 - Ara introduces this week’s guest, Jenushika Jeyakumaran
01:36 - Jenushika speaks on her journey in founding Aleri and pursuing it as a full-time endeavour
05:33 - How side hustles and GaryVee opened Jenushika’s eyes
07:27 - Money being a unit of time, tuning out people’s opinions if they don’t understand your vision
09:59 - Aleri’s value proposition, how Jenushika went about securing clients; cold calling, confidence, and more
18:31 - Jenushika’s strategy for retaining customers
20:37 - Aleri’s competitors?
21:46 - How the Aleri team was formed
23:10 - Will Aleri continue bootstrapping or begin fundraising moving forward
25:56 - Jenushika’s expectations for Aleri for the next 3-5 years
26:26 - What motivates Jenushika?
28:53 - Why Jenushika felt like she was failing during the pandemic and how she pulled herself out of that slump
31:24 - How Jenushika avoids burnout; her dog, going for a walk, socializing, and self-care
33:18 - Ara and Jenushika dive deep on the topic of sleep
35:28 - Jenushika’s hobbies; food-stops in Toronto, outdoor activities, continuous learning, and family time
36:55 - Ara and Jenushika discuss the importance of spending time with family, especially post-quarantine
39:33 - Jenushika opens up about her insecurities
40:33 - What kind of people do Jenushika and Ara surround themselves with?
43:11 - Is Jenushika an introvert or extrovert?
47:40 - The impact that the Tamil community has had on Jenushika
49:40 - Being inspired by Mindy Kaling, GaryVee, and Darren Hardy
51:58 - Piece of advice Jenushika has for her fellow Tamil creators
55:07 - Creator Confessions
1:06:35 - The Wrap Up
Intro Music
Produced And Mixed By:
- The Tamil Creator
- Yanchan
Written By:
- Aravinthan Ehamparam
- Yanchan Rajmohan