This is a rebroadcast episode with Dona Sarkar, Director of Technology for Accessibility at Microsoft. This was the first podcast I ever did and also one of my favorites. This conversation with Dona is as relevant today as it was in 2015. I hope you enjoy it and it encourages you to see that having a portfolio career such as technologist, fashion designer and author is actually possible.
At the time we recorded this episode, Dona was an Engineering Lead for Microsoft’s HoloLens I talked to Dona about her career in technology and how following your interests on the side can enhance your career.
Growing up in Detroit, Dona didn’t have a lot of money or resources, so she made up her own stories and characters. Dona talked about how writing and the benefits of growing up with a need to constantly use her own creativity to entertain herself. Dona says “when you don’t have very much, consider it your superpower”. Dona also explained how a lack of resources can help you understand the billions of undeserved people in the market today. “We keep going after the same 2 billion people over and over again in tech, but why, lets go after 5 billion.”
Topics discussed:
- Tips for getting started in technology
- Coding is just building things for people and how not to be scared when trying to learn technical skills
- If you don’t succeed at something, Dona suggests “do it again!”
- Resources to learn new skills (skillfeed, udemy, youtube, Lynda, codeacademy)
- Dona’s time management secret
- Dona talks about her book on eating disorders in minority women
- How growing up with less can be your superpower
- Dona’s philosophy on staying away from non believers and negativity
