Making It In America

About Making It In America

Hi Everyone, this is Siam Hossain, welcome to my podcast - Making It In America. Here I talk to successful new immigrants who braved all kinds of obstacles to achieve their own version of the American dream. Join me in this journey where I hear fascinating stories of resilience against adversity and the eventual triumph of these amazing individuals.

Publisher

Siam Hossain

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

29 Apr 2020

Latest episode

12 Sept 2021

Latest episodes

6 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   12 Sept 2021

   #006 - Anika Sharin: Business Integration Manager at Intuitive Surgical Inc | Finding your passion, from Engineering to Business.

   “My experience in the United States helped me to picturize myself in a different way. It helped me to practice my grit and it helped me to realize that no one has to be born super talented as long as you try. As long as you have the grit to try, your journey is what you deserve. It’s not always the goal that matters, it’s how you navigate to reach your goal.” Born and raised in Dhaka, Bangladesh; Anika Sharin is an immigrant who is currently working as a Business Integration Manager in Intuitive Surgical Inc. She came to the US after completing her undergrad in Electrical Engineering from a Top-tier University in Bangladesh. Anika learned early on that she enjoyed working in groups, something that her field of study didn't allow much of. As a result, she began seeking jobs outside of her field. When she finally arrived in the United States to pursue her Master's degree in engineering, she recognized that her true interest had always been for the business aspects of the products, not the engineering. Despite the fact that she began her career in a Semiconductor company, she soon began looking for opportunities to transition from Engineering to Business. As a first step, she started working for startups to gain experience in the business field. Anika has dealt with everything during her stay in the United States, from learning money management skills to dealing with unconventional work conditions. What stands out about her personality is her upbeat attitude and her belief that negative events lead to constructive growth. Her willingness to try new things paved the path for new opportunities and experiences, which she discusses in the podcast. Rather than focusing solely on her ultimate goal, she believes in making her journey worthwhile. Tune into Anika's journey as she adjusts to life as an immigrant in a new country, puts her unfavorable experiences aside, and makes her way into the health-tech field. GUEST LINK: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikasharin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikasharin/) OUTLINE: Here are the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players, you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time. 1:00 - An Introduction to what being a Business Integration Manager is like. 2:00 - Childhood and Background. 6:30 - Starting her life in the United States. 8:42 - Overall experience in the first few months as an Immigrant. 14:20 - Life in California 17:25 - Share with us some wisdom that you have learned over the last years. 21:41 - Journey towards self-growth. 23:45 - Career goals in the coming years. 29:30 - Personal life. 33:22 - Advice for the listeners. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://anchor.fm/makingitinamerica (https://anchor.fm/makingitinamerica) Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/72ldAkFqOdROQyQ3OBzAyA (https://open.spotify.com/show/72ldAkFqOdROQyQ3OBzAyA) RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/1eda8f40/podcast/rss (https://anchor.fm/s/1eda8f40/podcast/rss) Google Podcasts: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8xZWRhOGY0MC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8xZWRhOGY0MC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw==)

2. 

   22 Jun 2021

   #005 – Leang Chung: Founder and CEO of Pelora Stack | An Introverts Guide to Cross-Cultural Networking

   “I couldn’t succeed without having the ability to talk to strangers, to be able to strike up a conversation with anyone, to be able to build relationships with the campus and school administration, with anyone that was involved in the campus recruiting activities and the executive level at the company, so I very much was forced to develop those skills and to change in a very short time and because I was so used to change that I adapted to it.” Despite being an introvert Leang built her strength towards networking. Leang Chung is the founder and CEO of Pelora Stack where she helps early-stage founders, people teams, and mid-career women prepare for their next stage of growth. Leang had a very adventurous journey right from the very beginning of her life. She has come from a refugee camp with a very unstable financial situation and finally, now she is paving the way for new CEOs as a CEO herself. Leang is an incredible inspiration. She is the first person in her family to have a professional career versus a job and came with many career skills that she had to discover and develop on her own. She shares how she believes in uplifting each other and how it is a powerful tool in building a strong community. She speaks about how feeling different helped develop skills that helped her progress in her career. With several obstacles in her path, she found answers every step of the way. Find out how she flourished amidst all her struggles. GUEST LINKS: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leang-chung-pelorastack/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/leang-chung-pelorastack/) OUTLINE: Here are the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players, you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time. 01:00 - Background 03:45 - Cultural Alignment 04:20 - Childhood 08:00 - Why is the community element so important in shaping up future 11:00 - Experience with other people 15:00 - How did you change overall with time 17:30 - How did you choose your track of study 20:40 - Career Switch 22:45 - About Pelora Stack 28:00 - What is the next move 30:00 - Were you always entrepreneurial PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://anchor.fm/makingitinamerica (https://anchor.fm/makingitinamerica) Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/72ldAkFqOdROQyQ3OBzAyA (https://open.spotify.com/show/72ldAkFqOdROQyQ3OBzAyA) RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/1eda8f40/podcast/rss (https://anchor.fm/s/1eda8f40/podcast/rss) Google Podcasts: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8xZWRhOGY0MC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8xZWRhOGY0MC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw==)

3. 

   1 Apr 2021

   #004 – Mosaraf Hossain: Information Security Senior Analyst/AVP at CitiBank US | From Pitch Black to Eternal Sunshine

   “I grew up in a remote village in Bangladesh. My father had a small job, and my mother worked at home. I did not see the beginning of my life in a very comfortable way. There was always a shortage in the house. I spent most of my childhood in the fields - farming, fishing. I had 4 sisters. We lived in a 400 square foot house. I used to study during the day as we didn't have money for a lamp. After the sunset when everyone would start reading, I was getting ready to go to bed. ... It is beyond my imagination that I’d get a full scholarship for higher studies in a US university. When the opportunity came I couldn't believe it. I went through a long-winded path to where I am today. I even had the opportunity to work in the US Army. I’m living with my family in Dallas now with our own little daughter. From a remote area without electricity, today I live in a place where electricity never shuts off.” Mosharraf Hossain is now an Information Security Senior Analyst/AVP at CitiBank US. Hear the full story: GUEST LINKS: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mosaraf-hossain-73027574/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mosaraf-hossain-73027574/) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mosaraf.hossain.7 (https://www.facebook.com/mosaraf.hossain.7) OUTLINE: Here are the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players, you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time. 0:30 - Introduction 1:30 - First meet-up 2:53 - Background & Education 8:20 - Struggle of Life 21:00 - Start of Transition 23:14 - Stock Market Interest 28:08 - Love of Life 28:50 - Turning Point 32:30 - Span of Perseverance 37:18 - No Risk, No Opportunity 40.24 - Business Class 42:35 - The Big Jump 44:33 - First abroad experience 49:00 - Joining US Army 56:15 - Let’s do something good for the US 57:50 - Back to my countryside 1:00:00 - Cyber Security Challenge 1:03:00 - Future Plan 1:07:30 - Family Life 1:08:40 - Hobbies 1:10:00 - Ultimate Life Lesson. PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://anchor.fm/makingitinamerica (https://anchor.fm/makingitinamerica) Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/72ldAkFqOdROQyQ3OBzAyA (https://open.spotify.com/show/72ldAkFqOdROQyQ3OBzAyA) RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/1eda8f40/podcast/rss (https://anchor.fm/s/1eda8f40/podcast/rss) Google Podcasts: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8xZWRhOGY0MC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8xZWRhOGY0MC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw==)

4. 

   17 Mar 2021

   #003 – Toni Xu: CEO, OpenCitizen | Making the Immigration Process Fast and Affordable

   “At this point, I had the choice of going back to China or trying to stay here and I chose to stay here because I have been here for so long and I didn’t feel that I was Finished!” Toni Xu came to the US when she was 17 years old, being the first college-going member of her family. Her father was a marine engineer & mother was working as a shoe designer. She started her academic career as a musician, but circumstances changed during her academic life, which opened a new pathway for her to switch her education to psychology, then economics, philosophy, and finally law. This is the story of an ex-international student from China who became a successful entrepreneur through her resilience and adaptability. Tune into the journey on how Toni's own hardship inspired her to build a platform to make the migration process easier for future immigrants. GUEST LINKS: Twitter: https://twitter.com/tonixulaw Website: https://www.xulawgroup.com Company Website: https://opencitizen.io YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMXcBNLy8nt-FuLHbRiJheA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toni-xu-60250566/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teamopencitizen OUTLINE: Here’s the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time. 1:08 - Thought of coming to USA 2:19 - Role Model 4:06 - Home in China 4:34 - Major Struggles at First 5:49 - About School 6:54 - The Transition 7:46 - Having Some Music 9:42 - Rediscovering the Culture 11:07 - Moving to Law 13.54 - Enjoying Surroundings 16.20 - Personal Consent about USA & China 22:00 - Genesis of Immingo (Now OpenCitizen)! 32:20 - Ambition 36:22 - Advice for newcomers 40:15 - Ways to communicate PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://anchor.fm/makingitinamerica (https://anchor.fm/makingitinamerica) Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/72ldAkFqOdROQyQ3OBzAyA (https://open.spotify.com/show/72ldAkFqOdROQyQ3OBzAyA) RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/1eda8f40/podcast/rss (https://anchor.fm/s/1eda8f40/podcast/rss) Google Podcasts: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8xZWRhOGY0MC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== (https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8xZWRhOGY0MC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw==)

5. 

   1 May 2020

   #002 – Ade Adesanya: President, Moving Analytics | Forbes 30 under 30 in Healthcare | Lecturer Entrepreneurship @ USC

   Meet Ade Adesanya, a “Top 30 under 30 in Healthcare by Forbes” recognized US immigrant, a part time lecturer of entrepreneurship at USC, a Co-founder & President of Moving Analytics Inc, a tele-health company which is a home based cardiac rehab, the founder of the Multicultural Angel Investor Network (MAIN), a non profit dedicated to promoting a culture of angel investing amongst multicultural professionals and what not! Although he had been interested in tech since his childhood, the more he grew up the more he realized that he was more into promoting and marketing tech. He has overcome numerous barriers on his way of success, including the closing down of his first ever startup, which by the way had been a huge success too, and a wild US immigration experience. Find out more about his exhilarating journey throughout this podcast!

6. 

   29 Apr 2020

   #001 – Tanjima Ferdous: Principal Software Quality Engineer, Dell

   This is the first episode of “Making It In America”, a web series/podcast covering stories of new immigrants and ex-international students. Meet Tanjima Ferdous, a Principal Software Quality Engineer at Dell, a painter, a dancer, and above everything else someone who loves taking challenges. Funnily enough, her motivation to get settled abroad was that she wanted to run away from the peer pressure from her family to get married. While going for higher studies, she had the highest GRE score among all the applicants who applied in her college, and she switched her track from Electrical Engineering to Computer Science. She overcame several difficulties throughout her journey in the US, starting from language barrier, cultural shock, teaching a class that is not related to her undergrad major, and finally, finding a full-time job. Throughout this podcast, you will come to know about the importance of learning and networking for securing jobs and other opportunities in this country. Learn about how she started off as a consultant and landed on Dell, how to overcome struggles, and what she would do differently if she had the chance!

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.