Archive for category: Interview

Jilliene, could you tell us a little about where you are and how is your family?

I grew up in Malibu, California. I am the youngest of seven children – not kidding – from a long line of entrepreneurs. My oldest brother is in his 50s already – I am in my late 20s. My father started out in a retail training program. He went on to launch his own import/export business out of China . He was known as the fad man jumping on items such as scooters, Puka shells and Star Wars lights. My father eventually sold the business. My mother started out as a jewelry buyer for Macys moving into the luxury real estate world. That real estate world was helpful as my father was in need of commercial properties which he rented and bought for his business for storage. My parents met in retail – my mother was the buyer and my father was the distributor. I also learned a lot about real estate from my mother.
Ethnically my family Jewish – background is Russian, Romanian so European – moved to Canada and then to the USA.

How was it growing up as one of the seven children, that is not very usual? Given your parents’ background what and why did you end up studying ?

I think being the youngest of seven can be annoying to some extent because everyone who has gone before you has already done it. I went east to Georgetown to go to college. I majored in International Business and Management. I ended spending my junior year in Asia – in China. In June, after my sophomore year ended, I started a backpacking journey into the deep west of China. The trip ended in Being as My program was located program in Bejing. I really felt the need to immerse myself in the culture and language before starting the program. I still speak Chinese a little, at least enough to travel and eat. I love good food so that was important to me.

So after your time in Beijing what did you do?

: I returned home for 48 hours in January the following year. Then I went back overseas to Barcelona, Spain for another semester abroad. I learned some Spanish, conversational – but since I have not spoken it for a while I believe I have mostly forgotten my Spanish.

When you returned to the USA, did you graduate from Georgetown or what happened??

I did an internship at Rolling Stone magazine before graduating that year. I realized that the east coast thing was just not for me. I am a California girl so I returned to LA.

How about your first job – was it the best choice for you, any regrets or vice versa, did you learn anything suitable for your current position?

I joined a training program at Union Bank (now the Bank of Tokyo). In the program I spent six months in finance, six months in marketing and six months in strategy. Upon completion I ended up in the wealth management division. I had told my Mom at 17 that I wanted to be in the money business and so now I was.
I actually loved banking and stayed there for four and a half years. Needless to say I learned a ton. The bank’s senior management saw my desire to learn and gave me new challenges each time I felt I had mastered something. To me that was a real blessing. I got to spend a lot of time with brokers, real estate lenders and trust officers. It gave me a 360 degree view of wealth management for a wealth investor. Understanding those risk and rewards has been crucial for my career – truly the key in Realty Mogul.

Just to educate readers who know nothing about Realty Mogul – how would you describe its business model to someone who knows nothing about crowdfunding?

Realty Mogul is crowdfunding for real estate. It is a marketplace for accredited investors to pool money online and buy shares of pre-screened real estate investments.
Realty Mogul allows accredited investors (income of at least $200,000 per year or a net worth of $1 million) to invest in real estate opportunities online through a private, secure website. Investors can browse investments, review legal documents and due diligence materials and sign legal documents securely online. Investors also have access to an investor dashboard, giving 24/7 access to watch how your money is working for you.
We are cash flow investors. That means we look for transactions to provide cash flow to investors as quickly as possible. Some properties may have some level of vacancy or have the ability for our operating partner to add value and increase cash flow over the life of the investment. At this point We do not fund ground up development as we believe one of the benefits of real estate investing is passive income and development projects typically take 18-36 months to generate income.

With Realty Mogul, investors can invest in individual properties giving added transparency and control over investment selection and location.

(Kaisa’s comment: Basically members browse the site looking at potential investment. Should they decide to invest in a property, their money is only committed if the project is fully funded. They’ll get regular updates on the property and receive whatever cash distributions (such as rent payments) they’re entitled to. Jilliene pointed out that Realty Mogul always works with real estate investment companies — it’s the investment company that handles the operational end of things, like renovating a property.

How did you end up starting Realty Mogul? (the big WHY) Was it a sudden thought or more like pieces falling into the right places at the same time?

When the SEC began to dive deep into crowd funding I realized there is an opportunity. SEC set a time table of six months for legislation to pass around unaccredited investors. I knew it would take a lot longer. I decided the time to launch a crowd funding platform with accredited investors was there. Real estate stemmed from my own personal finances. My parents are retired. I saw that the equity markets aren’t great so where do you think they invested? Real estate. My brother is also in the real estate business so I started making my own investments. A friend of mine who is in the investment world was impressed with the real estate investments I made. He said he would put $50K behind anything I was going to invest in. I realized I was just giving him access to my deal flow. That was the aha moment and Realty Mogul was built. In addition, I saw how many wealthy investors had made their wealth through wealth investments. This was a natural fit.

So how does it work?? Could you explain in a few simple steps ? And is it risky?

The minimum investment is different for each investment, but can be as low as $5,000. However, I’d say average investment is about $60,000. We also pre-vet all investments and do not accept any projects that do not pass the two levels of investment committees.

For equity investments, we and our broker-dealer partner, WealthForge, review every transaction in-house. We go to great lengths to fully understand the variables of each transaction including the structure, the market statistics, the property, the quality of the property and the track record, reputation and quality of the real estate investment company we are working with. This process includes background, criminal and credit checks to mitigate the risk of fraud. While Realty Mogul cannot provide an assurance to investors that investment objectives of any given investment will be reached, only a small percentage (we estimate less than 5%) of investments we review will be included in the Realty Mogul marketplace.

Some other platforms accept smaller investments and projects we would never allow as they are so risky – or even fraudulent. There are a lot of fraudulent people and companies – when there is money there are always plenty of predators circling around.

Currently we work in 14 US states, the most investments being in California, Texas and Tennessee.

We make 1-2 % admin fees and we have an arrangement with the broker dealer.

Risky? There is always a risk with any investment. However, we try our best to adhere to a higher standard than we have seen any other platforms do.

Do you accept foreign investors?

Absolutely, we are a global platform and we have quite a few foreign investors.

Is Microsoft a partner – I noticed their logo on the website?

Microsoft invested in us – a small amount – when we were just starting.

How many transactions have you done?

RealtyMogul launched a year ago (spring 2013), and in its first year approx 6,000 members invested $14.6 million in real estate projects worth more than $100 million. I am guessing that the new number maybe around $110 by the end of April 2014.

Connect with Jilliene Helman:
www.RealtyMogul.com
Jilliene at LinkedIn

TechCrunch articles about RealtyMogul Funding

 

Tell us about yourself – who are you and what would be the short story of your life?

I’m a Finnish/American photographer, videographer, graphic designer and art director. I’m born and raised in Helsinki, Finland and moved to Los Angeles 19th of November, 2012. So I arrived just in time for my first Thanksgiving. Was suffering from jet lag though and fell asleep right after eating the turkey.
I got the idea of filming a mini documentary series with a friend of mine, Axl Smith who is a TV-personality in Finland for The Voice. So I left my Art Directors position at Night People Group and decided to move to the US.
For a long time I already had the dream of living in California before I’m 25 years old. And felt it was time to take on new challenges for my personal development and professional career.

What is THE thing/s about Los Angeles vs. your hometown captivates you the most? If someone asked you what they should NOT miss while in Los Angeles what would you reply?
And what I really SHOULD miss….the only thing I recall about Los Angeles is that it is huge..I have been there only 3 times in my life. I recall Santa Monica the best.

First of all the scenery in Los Angeles is just incredible. Since the sun shines so often, wherever you are in the LA area you can catch amazing landscapes and cityscapes. What I miss about Helsinki is walking the streets, trams, fast commuting and dog parks.
I’ve been very fortunate and had a bunch of friends visit Los Angeles and have had the chance to go around and explore. Here’s my top places that they kind of have to go with me if it’s possible.
Take a hike at Runyon Canyon, usually steep up the hills is the way to go. If Samuli Vauramo comes along, it’s a tough workout with the weighted vests. Always a Blast!
I live right next to Larchmont Village and there’s a couple of nice restaurants and ice cream spots there.
Take a drive to Malibu and visit the Family Wines estate on the hills for a tasting.
And for nightlife there’s a couple of spots in Hollywood and Downtown Piano Bar, Greystone Manor, Village Idiot, The Sayers Club, The Standard, W Hotel Sundays and the absolute madness at XIV Summer Sessions.
I don’t think there’s anything to you SHOULD miss in LA, but I personally hate going anywhere near Hollywood Blvd unless I’m going to get some Swedish snus and a Red Bull.

Anything truly memorable that has happened to you since you have lived in Los Angeles?

There’s a couple of talks I’ve had with my friends that are in the same line of work that really had a big impact on me and really helped me through. Been lucky and blessed in getting to know a bunch of really good people that keep me going and doing my best, always.
And a couple of really memorable events have been Alicia Keys concert at the Staples Center. Amazing person and the show was incredible. Have to thank Alicia for a good show and Swizz for the motivational words.

What really annoys you about Los Angeles – or maybe nothing does? And what do you miss most from Finland or any other country…in addition to the family and friends?

The fact that tap water isn’t always drinkable annoys me a little bit. The internet speeds and their pricing…!
From Finland I miss – Lonkero. Lonkero. Lonkero. But most of all my mothers cooking.

Do you have a favorite LA restaurant? Why….what is the good and bad about restaurant / café culture in your opinion in LA compared to for example Finland.

Gyu-Kaku in Beverly Hills is my favourite. It’s perfect for dinner since you have time to have good discussions and great for bigger groups. And they have happy hour Sapporo for $1,5! Boom!

I like the fact that here the restaurant workers often put an effort into making your experience amazing. The culture of tipping probably makes that happen.

Where and how would you live in LA or elsewhere if money is not an obstacle – compared to how you live now or would you stay where you are? Why?

Really like living in Hancock Park where I got my apartment a couple months after arriving here. In the future, I’d want to buy a house so I can have the family and a couple of dogs there. And of course my own studio. This area has lots of beautiful houses and lofts, so would like to stay in this area.

What is important to you in your life. For some people it is expensive cars, clothes, apartment, lots of free time, parties – for some others it may be having a spouse and kids. Someone once said to me that every day when she wakes up and there is no war – she is happy.

For me it’s always been that as long as I see development in everything I’m doing, I’m happy. That means I’m on a good personal path for growth. Friends and family is absolutely the biggest thing, they support me from both Finland and Northern California. Also blessed to be able to provide work and work with so many of my friends and keep the group on the path to success.

And ice-hockey is very important for me, I play on a weekly basis at the Pickwick Gardens in Burbank. Our team wears Jokerit (boo!) jerseys but the trick is to not let the jersey touch your skin and you’ll be fine. En gång alltid. HIFK.

How do you think your life would be different if you stayed in Finland? What would be a typical day or week in your opinion in Finland vs. LA…

Hmm. I probably would have gone to get more education just because it’s free and also since I didn’t feel like there were too many opportunities to grow personally and professionally. It started to feel crowded. Worked in nightlife ever since I was 18.. I’ve loved the chance to always get the experience I need from working hard as a entrepreneur and at various companies.
Well in LA I do way more photography since there’s just so much more to see here. And you always find something new and the weather is mostly amazing.
I would have probably continued to work with the great people I was already working with, and hopefully went on to their new ventures that I’m helping with as a freelancer now. I’m still in contact with clients and colleagues from Finland on a daily basis.

What are the biggest misconceptions (or perceptions that turned out to be correct) you had about the USA/LA when you moved there– and vice versa you think many of us have about Finland?

Thought people might be rude and you have to wear dress shoes to the nightclubs. Turns out both of those were wrong. People are really nice and welcoming. Turns out, not that many know anything about Finland or where it even geographically is. But their first guess is that Finns can drink a lot and are really good at Ice-Hockey.

If there are some things you think everyone should know about the Finnish people, city, food, culture, drinks, music – what are those things to you personally? I don’t even know how many Finnish people are there in LA, do you?? How do you find the Finnish people there if you want to do that?

Really important are Fazer, Marimekko, Supercell, Rovio, Finnish directors and creatives. There’s lots of good music from the homeland, but mostly they can’t understand it since it’s in Finnish. Be sure to check out Jutty Ranx, BRVNDO & Gracias.

What would be a perfect vacation and /or weekend for you?

A perfect weekend would be to drive up to Lake Tahoe to our family home to play some pond hockey and run around with the dog. And of course my perfect vacation is always back home to Helsinki to meet moms and everyone else. Weekend trips to Anaheim or Malibu are good local things to do. Go DUCKS!

What do you consider as your biggest accomplishments career-wise and what are your further goals? You are extremely diverse which sometimes means that career kills your personal life to some extent, how do you handle that?

I guess getting new clients right after moving to the US was one of the biggest accomplishments and having my photography on Billboard. I got introduced to the NERVO girls and got to travel with them to places I a year before going just dreamed of. Ultra Music Festival in Miami, Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas and Coachella Festival. My photo of them has been used world wide in various different event promotions for NERVO as well as their Hold On cover. They and their team loved the photo and I’ve gotten emails from their fans praising my work. So that was a really special moment for me and for that I’m truly greatfull. Thank Jaakko Manninen for the intro and tips.

Also another project that was amazing was spending a day at the ATP Tennis Tournament with Jarkko Nieminen, this guy is amazing.

I want to develop all my skills as much as possible and stay active in all of them. Maybe someday I’ll just focus on one thing, but highly doubt it.

What would you like to accomplish in the next 10 years in your career?

Well I’ve been wanting to have time to shoot a short film this year. I like to show stories so that would be a natural thing to move onto. But this year will probably go into working with music videos and some more behind the scenes materials. Love showing an angle that everyone can’t see, they might see the final product, but from the bts viewpoint they see the natural side of people.

And I’m starting to sell my personal photography on my new website www.santifoxphoto.com to offer my photography in luxury quality prints internationally.

How would you like people remembering you? I am asking this as a friend of mine died this week of cancer and I had this discussion with you as he had thought about it quite a bit.

I haven’t actually thought about that at all. But I guess it would be that I’ve been an honest person and always looked out for others. Most of the things I do is based on something I want to do for my friends or to bring them along later in the process.

Peace to your friend and hopefully he is remembered as he wished.

Connect with Santi:
SantiFox.com
facebook.com/santifoxcoo
linkedin.com/in/thesanti
instagram.com/thesanti

Videos:
santifox.com/MG-feat-Chung-Cvrtier-Midist-Official-Video
santifox.com/filter/video/NERVO-ELECTRIC-DAISY-CARNIVAL
santifox.com/filter/video/GREYSTONE-MANOR-x-EC-TWINS
santifox.com/filter/video/NERVO-ULTRA-MUSIC-FESTIVAL
santifox.com/filter/video/HAYES-On-The-Block
santifox.com/filter/video/MIKAEL-GABRIEL-KIPUA-Making-Of

Photos:
santifox.com/filter/photography/NERVO-PROMO
santifox.com/filter/photography/Samuel-Vauramo
santifox.com/filter/photography/A-day-in-Pasadena
santifox.com/filter/photography/Jarkko-Nieminen-Behind-The-Scenes

 

I love featuring European singers and authors – and I have really missed meeting more Italians. When I lived in NYC I knew some many Italians as there is such a huge Italian community there. Not to mention that I have visited Italy multiple times.

Please tell us who you are?

Ciao! My name is Giulia Millanta, I’m from Florence, Italy but I now live in Austin, Texas. I’m a guitar player, singer and songwriter. I’m about to release my fourth album, “The Funambulist”this March. I launched a Kickstarter campaign a couple of weeks ago to raise money to independently release it.

I’m also an MD …yes, you got that right…I’m a doctor in medicine but never practiced a single day as one…I’ve been now a professional musician for 5 years.

When and why did you start playing/singing – and which instruments do you play?

My Dad, a professor at the University of Florence, used to play guitar (he owned 11!) and he taught me a few basics when I was about 9…from that moment on I kept playing, off and on, my whole life. We used to sing together traditional English, Spanish, and American songs. I play guitar and ukulele and, of course, I play my vocal chords 🙂

What was the first tune(s) you learned?

Scarborough Fair. I was 5 years old. I even have a recording of it, on cassette!

Is your family musical? Describe your family member’s musical interests and abilities.

As I said, my dad used to play guitar and sing..he also could whistle very loud! My mom used to play piano and my sister flute. Even though they were all very talented, none of them has ever been a professional musician. I’m the only one in the family.

Which famous musicians do you admire? Why?

Well..the list is long: Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, because they were geniuses and they contributed hugely to what music is, these day! I’ve love Neil Young since I was a teenager..I thought for a while he was my soul mate! I could always relate to his lyrics, the depth and soulfulness of them, the desolation and loneliness that his imperfect and yet beautiful voice evokes in me.
Recently (a couple of years ago) I fell madly in love with Tom Waits. My ears can never get enough of his music. It’s always new. There’s always something to discover, a little detail that reveals itself even after the millionth time I listen to his songs.

What are your fondest musical memories? In your house? In your neighborhood or town?

Of course playing and singing with my father and my sister. I remember watching my dad playing in the living room, with a cigarette in his mouth at the end of the day. Later, by becoming a musician myself, I had the privilege to travel and share my music with people from different parts of the world. That’s the best thing about music: sharing it.

Were you influenced by old records & tapes? Which ones?

We had lots of vinyl at home: Pink Floyd, Simon and Garfunkel, Joan Baez, Al Stewart…I wore them out!

Have you been in competitions – they are not for all musicians? Any prizes?

I don’t really like competitions. Music is not about winning something. And also, is there a meter to judge music? It’s so subjective…
Having said that, yes, I’ve been in a competition in Italy at The International Acoustic Guitar Festival and I won prize as best emerging songwriter.

Where do you perform in public? Concerts, radio, TV?

I perform mostly in Austin, at the moment and Europe. I am about to release my new record and go on tour in Europe next March.
In Austin I’ll have my CD release concert on April 12th at Strange Brew, 7pm.

How do you balance your music with other obligations – mate, children, possibly another job?

I don’t have a job, music is my job, is how I make a living and is also my full commitment. I don’t have children. I have a partner who is a musician as well and that makes it easier.

Do you spend time every year in Italy?

Yes I do. Italy is my home and I love it and miss it when I’m away for too long.
So, I try to go back at least once a year, to spend time with my folks and tour. This March I’ll be in Europe for a month, touring in Holland, Sweden and Italy. Can’t wait!

Could you share with us how you first found out about EuroCircle

I got involved with the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce and through them I discovered you guys! Also, when you are far from home you feel the need to connect with your folks!

Connect with Giulia:
Kickstarter campaign: www.kickstarter.com/projects/giuliamillanta/giulia-millantas-concept-album-the-funambulist
Website www.giuliamillanta.com/o
Website www.reverbnation.com/giuliamillanta
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Giulia-Millanta/

 

When I learned about Madhav, I really wanted to interview him. For one, he is a young immigrant entrepreneur in Manhattan – and he studied @ Columbia University where my boyfriend did his MBA as well. For me personally anyone who has technology related start-ups is interesting. He has some interesting ideas such as Open Ideas Initiative (adapted from the Open Source Initiative). In sum, when you post an idea on that site, the idea no longer belongs to you — it becomes the community’s.

Madhav Krishna, you are originally from India? You moved to New York City a few years back. Why did you move to the USA instead of moving for example to the UK?

I am originally from Delhi, India. I moved to New York in 2007 to study at Columbia University where I pursued a Masters in Computer Science. I chose this country over others mainly for three reasons. First, America is renowned for its higher-education system; there is heavy emphasis on the applications of what is learned in the classroom (over plain theoretical knowledge). Second, she is known for being the world-leader in terms of technological innovation and entrepreneurship – I attribute that largely to the fact that American society is a lot more tolerant of failure than others. Third, I have some family settled here that provides me with a great support system.

What do you enjoy most about New York City, now when you have more experience, how’s the quality of life compared to India and your home town? I know it is hard to compare but it is interesting to see what stands out for you even study/work/living/food etc. I would think studying is very different here than in India, I know it is different compared to Finland.

Whenever people ask me that I question I tell them that I have a love-hate relationship with New York. When I’m in the city I’m running around a lot, constantly trying to get things done, and waiting for the next opportunity to take a break. However, when I leave the city for a vacation, I cannot wait to get back. There is something about the fast pace of life here that grows on you; New York forces you to become an overachiever – helping you learn how to juggle a variety of tasks/projects more efficiently.

As for the quality of life as compared to India, it is better in certain ways and worse in others. For instance, it is much easier to get around New York via public transport, the infrastructure is very well developed, there are amazing restaurants and bars to visit, and great shows to watch. However, living here is very expensive. You pay way too much money for a small living space, and you pay a premium for fresh food. In India, on the other hand, it is very difficult to get around and you waste a lot of time on things that we take for granted here. For instance, even paying a telephone bill can turn into a time-consuming ordeal. Further, any task that involves dealing with a governmental organization is almost impossible to complete without jumping through a thousand hoops – manifestations of red tape and systemic corruption. However, there is a lot more value for money in India and you can afford a very nice house and eat delicious, freshly cooked food for every meal.

Usually there are some negatives, what are the ones for New York City that really stand out for you personally? What do you miss most about home?

The biggest negative about living in New York is that it is very expensive.

I miss my family and the food from back home the most.

Do you feel New York City is a good place for expats as an entrepreneur right now? Are there any areas expats like you might like better in the USA in your opinion (entrepreneurs)? WHY?

New York is an excellent place for entrepreneurs, in general, right now. Not so much for expat entrepreneurs though because, given the current state of immigration laws, being self-employed in America as an immigrant is incredibly difficult – especially if you come from countries like India and China. However, the New York tech startup space has seen a tremendous amount of growth over the last 5 years and is now the second largest tech hub in the US after Silicon Valley. That said, the startup ecosystem in Silicon Valley still is miles ahead of that in New York; everyone eats, breathes and sleeps startups there.

I am curious have you noticed whether the expat entrepreneurs seek to work together in NYC – and share offices – and favor certain buildings/areas? If so, why?

I haven’t noticed this phenomenon in the tech entrepreneurship scene in NYC. In fact, there is a tremendous amount of mixing – most tech startups in the city are very multicultural – talent is valued over ethnicity.

Do you go out a lot – hobbies? Or is everything about work right now?

“Strategic disengagement” definitely is a key part of being a successful entrepreneur. You have to be able to recharge your batteries from time-to-time if you want to be able to perform consistently well. I generally go out with friends for dinner or drinks once or twice a week and in addition, I try to meditate and exercise regularly. Plus, I play the guitar. In the end, leading a happy and fulfilling life really is about balance.

What’s the economic climate like in New York City for start-ups, how would you compare it to India? Why?

New York is definitely a better place to start a company than India – for social and economic reasons. Given a reasonable idea/product, raising money in New York is relatively easier – the appetite for risk is a lot higher. Also, the startup community in New York is small enough so that one is able to make connections with important people fairly easily – most people (VCs or otherwise) are 2 to 3 degrees of separation away for someone who has a decent network.

India, as a society, is very conformist. It is difficult to start a company there because of fear of being chastised on failure; appetite for risk is very low. Plus, the economic climate in India is not very healthy at the moment. The economy only grew by around 5% last year and inflation was as high as 11%. Interest rates are also very high (9-10%).

How does the work culture differ from India? (clothing, customs, women, manners, food, alcohol, hygiene etc.)

Indian work culture is very different – of course people tend to act and dress differently but at a higher level, there isn’t a lot of professionalism and most people view their jobs as just jobs – not core parts of their lives. The concept of “owning” what you work on is largely alien to Indian work culture. It is also a very patriarchal society and hence, women, in general, are discouraged to join the professional workforce and are forced into lower paying jobs; most end up being stay-at-home moms.

Did you have any misconceptions about New York City/Americans that have turned out to be super wrong… or vice versa, you thought something will be great and it is exactly the other way around? Do you think New Yorkers have misconceptions about Indians the same way??

Great question. When I came to New York, I expected it to be picture perfect – clean, where everyone was rich. I was surprised to see dirt and pollution here – and even the egregious poverty.

Until a few years ago I think most Americans thought of India as the land of snake charmers. More recently, as the popularity of Indian film, dance and food has increased in the States, and as Indian expats have stepped into leadership roles at some of the largest American corporations (Pepsi, MasterCard, Goldman Sachs etc.), people’s perceptions have begun to break out of stereotypes, and an appreciation for Indian culture has developed (at least in big cities).

Do you think your career (business) would be the same in India – or does this work better for you? Either way, please explain more.

I don’t think I would have had the opportunity to break out of the “conformist mode” had I decided to stay in India. I would not have been able to discover my passion, and follow it.

What are your favorite restaurants/bars in New York (WHY) – and socially/workwise – what kind of networks do you attend to connect with people for business/personal life?

Amongst restaurants, I like Uva (Italian), Numero 28 (Italian), Bukhara Grill (Indian), Doaba Deli (Indian), and amongst bars I like Mulberry Project and Rye House. These are my favorite primarily because they serve delicious food/drinks – everything else is secondary.

I used to be very active in the meetup scene in New York a couple of years ago. I attended the New York Tech Meetup and the New York Entrepreneurs Business Network regularly. These days, I run my own meetup – it’s called the New York Tech Networking Roundtable. We have kept it small on purpose – only 20 people are allowed to attend per event – in order to keep the event more intimate. This helps people identify potentially valuable connections easily and thus, the processing of networking is made more efficient.

What would you like to everyone to know and understand about India, its people and culture??

I think the one thing that I would like people to be more aware of is that India is incredibly diverse. The country has witnessed many waves of immigration over the last 5000 years; over the centuries, the Indian way-of-life has assimilated a multitude of incoming cultural influences. We are now a nation of 1.4 billion people with over 2000 different ethnic groups, 10 major religions, and 33 major languages.

We know you have a specific interest in immigration issues. After all, the USA is considered “the American Dream” where everyone has a chance. Please tell us your thoughts and how people can get more information – or get more involved in helping you reach your goals.

It sounds clichéd but the “American Dream” is a real phenomenon. American society is a strong meritocracy – almost everyone is rewarded for their hard work in this country. Further, if not for themselves, many immigrants have come here and created more prosperous lives for their progeny. Unfortunately, with the current state of immigration reform laws, it is very difficult immigrants, even as legal taxpayers, to gain legal resident status in the country.

From my perspective, as an immigrant who tried to start a company in the past, I quickly found out that it was next to impossible to do so; immigrants are not allowed to be self-employed in the country. There are ways to work around this stipulation but doing so, especially for Indians, costs a lot of time and money. I now work with another startup and pursue my own work after-hours. This is the status quo, despite the fact that many successful American companies were started by immigrants (Google, AT&T, eBay, Yahoo etc.) and created thousands of jobs in the country. In fact, around 40% of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children.

One of the best ways to get more information on immigration, and to get involved, is to join FWD.us. It is an organization started by leaders in the tech community to help move the knowledge economy forward – immigration reform would be a huge step in that direction. FWD develops great content to help educate people about immigration, and also makes it easy for people to take action. If you go to this page and enter your email address and phone number, the FWD.us system will connect you to a Congressperson in your area – you can then express your support for immigration reform. Even though 80% of Americans support reform, the 20% who don’t are a lot louder than the majority and hence, are able to influence our leaders more. It is important for everyone who supports reform to let their leaders know – connecting with them through FWD is one of the best ways to do that.

Connect with Madhav:

Open Ideas Initiative Website: www.iinspireus.com
Website: FWD.us
Facebook: www.facebook.com/madhav.krishna

 

Tell us about yourself – who are you and what would be the short story of your life?

Hi! My name is Anna and I live in Sacramento, California with my husband and 3-year old twin girls. We’ve been here just two months, so we are still getting familiar with the place. My husband is American but has lived in Finland the past 13 years. We wanted to see how we like living in the US and as soon as he got a job from here, we moved. We sold everything we had in Finland and are starting all over here.

I’m currently staying home with the girls but plan returning to work in a year or two. In Finland I went back to work when the girls were 1-year old and always felt kind of bad about it even though my career is also important to me. I guess I’m not the first person to struggle with those thoughts. My work history is in retail and wholesale. For the past 5-years I worked in purchasing for a large supermarket and department store chain in Finland. The last year I was in a SAP implementation project representing the purchasing department.

I have a Bachelor’s degree in International Business from Tampere, Finland. I’ve also spent some time abroad first when I was a high school exchange student in Omaha, Nebraska and then again for my University exchange in Penang, Malaysia. I’m planning on studying for a MBA in one of the universities in the Sacramento area. I’m hoping to start my studies in a year. I just made the first step towards accomplishing this goal and ordered the study material for the GMAT exam.

We know that your family is very important for you – could you tell us more about your family and what makes you happy. What about work?

My husband and girls are everything to me. We are far away from both of our extended family so we are surviving on our own here in the big world. My relatives are in Finland and my husband’s parents currently live in Guatemala, where his dad works to help the government banking system. The rest of his family is spread all over the US. Let’s just say that planning for a family reunion would not be an easy task.

Workwise I’m kind of unsure of what’s to come. I’m hoping to find an interesting job in a couple of years after or while I’m getting my MBA.

What is THE thing/s about Sacramento captivates you the most? If someone asked you what they should NOT miss while in Sacramento, what would reply? And what I really SHOULD miss….In comparison to Helsinki?

We’ve only been here for two months, so I’m sure that there’s still a lot discover. One of the best things about Sacramento is the location. San Francisco and the ocean are close enough for daytrips and you can see the Sierra Mountains to the east, so winter fun is less than 2 hours’ drive from here. The climate is great. Sacramento has been noted as being the sunniest location on the planet for four months of the year, from June through September. I think that fact alone is enough reason to like Sacramento.

Anything truly memorable that has happened to you since you have lived in Sacramento?

Like I mentioned above we’ve been so little time but if I had to mention something I would have to say that I really enjoyed the warm Christmas weather of 64 F.

What really annoys you about Sacramento – or maybe nothing does? Helsinki..same question?

Coming from Finland I have a hard time adjusting to all the homeless people on the streets here. Nothing really annoys me about Helsinki, but I think Finnish people should be more aware of how good they have it.

What do you miss most from Finland or Helsinki…in addition to the family and friends? Food, culture, life style…

I miss going to downtown Helsinki. Downtowns in the US just don’t have that same atmosphere. I think I’m also going to miss going to Finnish lakeside and going swimming in a lake.

Do you have a favorite Sacramento restaurant? Why….what is the good and bad about restaurant / café culture in your opinion in Sacramento/Helsinki.

I grew up in Tampere, Finland and miss some of the cafes I used to go to when I was studying there. Moving to Helsinki my life got too busy to have time for cafes. In general Finland has better cafes because the American cities have been taken over by Starbucks. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with Starbucks coffee but the chain cafes and restaurants always lack something in the atmosphere.

I am enjoying the restaurants in Sacramento. There’s a good variety of all kinds of food places and the prices are so much more affordable compared to Finland. I don’t have a favorite yet, but we have been going out to eat a lot. Even our 3-year olds are really good restaurant goers and you can take them to any place and know that they’ll behave themselves.

Where and how would you live in Sacramento or elsewhere if money is not an obstacle – compared to how you live now or would you stay where you are? Why?

Right now we are renting a house. This area was recommended to us by another Finnish lady. We hadn’t been to Sacramento prior to moving here and we wanted to narrow down the search to a specific area and that’s how we ended up here.
We will be buying a house in a year or two and have been driving around to see the different areas to see which we like. There is an area close to downtown that we both really liked. It’s called “Fabulous forties” and had gorgeous Victorian style houses. The streets look like something from a movie. Right now the area is a little out of budget but we have our minds set that we’ll be living there eventually. We still have a house in Finland that we haven’t sold. The market there is really bad right, but hopefully year 2014 will be better and we’ll sell the house soon.

What do you think about the cost of living in Finland vs Sacramento and the standard of life and life style? Very different..??

Sacramento is more affordable compared to living in the Helsinki area. You can get a house twice as big for the same price. Going out to eat is way cheaper here. But then in the contrast you pay a lot for healthcare that is practically free in Finland. I’m looking into getting my MBA, which in Finland I could get for free but is going to cost me a lot here.

If you could change something about Sacramento vs. Helsinki – what would it be?

I would like better selection in interior stores  Let’s just say that I’m not a big fan of the American style of furniture and interior.

How do you think your life would be different if you stayed in the Finland or at least Europe? What would be a typical day or week in your opinion in California vs. Helsinki…I can imagine Christmas time is different.

For me life in Helsinki would be very different because I would be working and the girls would be in the daycare. The fall and winter months in Finland are boring because it’s so dark and not much going on anywhere. Then when it gets lighter outside people come back to life again. I’m really enjoying the warm, sunny weather and going to parks with the girls every day.

I’m looking forward to experiencing how the work culture here compares to Finland. I’ve heard that people here work longer days but that the work is not always done as effectively as in Finland.

What are the biggest misconceptions (or perceptions that turned out to be correct) you had about Sacramento when you moved here– and vice versa you think many of us have about the Finnish food etc?

I didn’t really have any perceptions moving to Sacramento. I had been to California before, but not to Sacramento. So far I like living here.

If there are some things you think everyone should know about the Finnish people, country, food, culture, drinks, music – what are those things to you personally? I don’t even know how many Finns are here in California, do you?? How can anyone find the Finnish people in Sacramento or online…

Everybody should know that Finnish people are honest, trustworthy people. To Americans we can come across being quiet and even a little shy sometimes. Just the other day it I felt very amused reading about this band Bat&Ryyd that became a phenomena in the late 1980’s. It made me realize that most Finns share the same weird sense of humor. There has been several humoristic tv shows and music that all Finnish people get into. We also have several has been celebrities who’s lives we like to follow every week from tabloids.
Overall I’m very proud to be from Finland. I’m proud of how everyone is being taken care of in Finland; I wish that everyone in Finland would also realize this. I’m also proud that in Finland education is free and everyone has the chance to educate themselves.

The first thing I did when I found out we’d be moving to Sacramento, was that I went online. I found out about the Finlandia club of Sacramento Valley and got in touch with two ladies through that. The club organizes parties every now and then and many of the ladies keep in touch on a daily basis. Most of us are Finnish ladies married to American men. It’s been fun spending time with the ladies and their families. . We even celebrated Christmas together.
I have no idea how many Finnish people there are in California, but I think there’s about 60,000 west of the Mississippi river.

Connect with Anna Rhoades:
Anna at Facebook: www.facebook.com/rhoades.anna
Anna at LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/anna-rhoades/10/90/8bb

Suomalaiset Kaliforniassa – missa on tietoa:
Connect with other Finns for example via Facebook groups:
Piilaakson suomalaiset naiset (that means Silicon Valley’s Finnish women)
Finnish, but not in Finland! Suomalaiset ulkomailla!
USAn suomalaiset!

More official – FACC (Finnish American Chamber of Commerce) – fan page
Finns in California