the sparkher 3/11

getting back up, united airlines, tiktok ban, girlhood

Hey Besties, welcome back. This one’s a little personal (and long), but worth the read.

WHAT’S INSIDE

  • Embracing the fall

  • ICYMI, brainfeed, and things to send to the group chat

  • Upcoming events & deadlines

  • Her hustle & coffee: Nikita Billman and JeeIn Youn @ The Girls Club

LEVEL UP

When you hit your mid-20s, you get pretty good at certain things. It could be a sport, a tech skill, or just something we picked up along the way that now feels as natural as breathing. There's this comfort in being "the expert" in our little corners of the world. But then, as soon as we want to learn a new hobby or skill we're back to square one.

That's exactly what happened to me in the breathtaking slopes of Deer Valley. Here I was, thinking I'd gracefully glide down the hills, only to quickly discover my skiing skills were... well, let's just say, non-existent. Picture this: someone who generally feels confident in their abilities (from the singular time I’ve been skiing) suddenly snowplowing, with the elegance of a newborn giraffe on ice skates. There was no graceful swooshing; there was a lot of tumbling, a generous amount of snow tasting, and a stark realization: I am not good at this. And yet, there was something incredibly refreshing about being a complete novice again.

Massive shoutout to my friends, the patient saints who believed in me and guided me. Their encouragement was a reminder that it's okay to laugh at yourself, to fall, to even cry a little, and to get back up again—literally. This experience wasn't just about learning to ski; it was a deep-dive into embracing the discomfort of not being good at something and finding joy in the process.

So, how do we get comfortable with being uncomfortable? It's all about perspective. Acknowledging that every expert was once a beginner is a good start. Remember, it's called a learning "curve" for a reason, and it's supposed to be challenging. Embracing those initial stumbles and falls (and there will be many) is part of the journey. Setting small, achievable goals can help too. Maybe it's not falling down for the next 10 meters or making it through a lesson without accidentally inventing a new skiing style.

And that mindset shift? That's the game changer. It's one thing to maintain a growth mindset in areas where success feels like a given, but it's a whole other ball game to apply it to something that doesn't come naturally. Yet, this is where the magic happens. This is where we grow, not just in skill but in character. Surrounding yourself with a supportive crew, who cheers every small win and offers a hand to pull you up after each fall, makes the journey from novice to proficient not just bearable but fun.

Embracing my not-so-inner novice on those snowy slopes reminded me that there's beauty in the struggle, joy in the learning, and a whole lot of laughs in the process. So, to anyone stepping into the unknown, remember: being not good is just the starting line. The real victory is in showing up, falling down, and getting back up—over and over again. Here's to the beginners in all of us, to the falls, the rises, and everything in between.

BRAINFEED & SHAREABLES

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

  • 💻: SheHacks Success (March 27th): A webinar to learn how to start and expand your business. They’ll be talking about a lot of great topics, including personal development, raising funds, and acquiring clients. Learn more here.

  • 🗽:  Pitch and Run NYC (Every Friday): I just discovered this running group where you can meet other entrepreneurs and get a workout in! Learn more on their IG or register here.

  • (High school) : Inspirit AI: Tune your research skills + have some competitive edge on your college applications with this program.

HER HUSTLE & COFFEE

I love finding new coffee shops and meeting other female founders, so I started a series to share stories of female entrepreneurs at coffee shops around New York City.

Nikita Billman, a UNC-CH alum, and JeeIn Youn, a Wheaton College alum, are two of my close friends who started The Girls Club – an amazing social club for like-minded girls to have meet-cutes.

Check out the full video interview here, or highlights from our conversation below.

Tell me about the story of why you started this.
“We realized that a lot of our guy friends have a lot of social structures in place already where they can talk about business and make friends. We wanted to create a space for women to do the same thing.”

Tell me about how you balance your time and energy [with your full-time jobs].
Saying NO. Knowing really quickly what is going to be the objective of it. What’s the value output of it. And taking care of your time.”

📍Cafe by the Girls: 6.8/10 – Really friendly staff, good dirty chai, bonus points for having food. But I’m a big aesthetics girl and this place was more homey than aesthetic.

Food for thought: “If a flower doesn’t bloom, do you blame the flower or the environment?” 🌹

xoxo,
Prasiddhi
thinkers, founder