Why hello there!
It’s a wonder wehaven’t met yet
I’m glad that’s about to change
Aparna Balasubramanian
Sometime in the late 90s
Little bean Aparna was
born in the sunny state
of California
I didn’t grow up dressing
like the other kids
My immigrant parents did not believe a growing child needed to wear expensive American brands. And they were right.
Go ahead!
Grab a crayon.
I’d wake up excited to draw outfits I dreamt about
I learnt early on that drawing the things you want has a way of making you feel like you own them
Fast forward to 2020
I got a degree in
fashion design!
An almost-life long dream finally realised.
This is the stuff you see in movies.
I no longer wanted to make clothes.This industry wasn’t what I thought it would be.
So.. what now?
Career pivot #1
I’m an entrepreneur!
I ran my clothing store curating vintage fashion. This was all kinds of rewarding. But suddenly...
I realised I loved the part of my work that involved understanding customers
Now where could I apply that?
Career pivot #2
Enter Product design
Some user empathy + skills from design school
= a potentially new career?
And 3 years in, I’ve covered some decent ground
Agencies and start ups taught me a
great deal about building 0 → 1 at speed
Health
Compliance
Restaurant
Legal
The kind of designer you’d get
I approach work with curiosity, compassion and a strong intent to build the right solution. I enjoy environments where I get to geek out on the details, while also having the agency to help create systems built to last.
I love my time in the outdoors and what I create often takes influence from what I find around me; from color palettes to layouts to the way things behave.
One of the things I love most about my job is how it exposes me to information about how restaurant menus are built, how a cheque-bounce case is carried out, or even how tDCS aids in brain neuroplasticity. This mixed bag of learnings has broadened but my approach to problem solving.
Growing up in both the US and in India has also given me varied perspectives about the world. I carry this context everywhere.
I’m on the hunt for new team mates!
My goal is to be part of a work culture that genuinely understands good design to be more than embellishment, and much closer to business outcomes.
My work at startups has taught me to make friends with ambiguity. All I hope for in return in the openness to answer my questions. There will be plenty. I derive the most satisfaction in knowing the final outcome has been fully thought through by all involved.
I appreciate open and honest communication and am genuinely open to criticism that takes us in the right direction. As long as we can be professional and treat each other with respect, we’re bound to do great things together!
And that’s a wrap!
Where to next?
Swipe to continue my story
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