How Identity Has Influenced a CEO and Co Founder at Boring Stuff's Career
Varun notes that while early career experiences in film and TV development during the Trump era saw a push for diversity, implementation felt limited. However, the content creator space provides unprecedented opportunities for South Asians and other underrepresented groups to "platform yourself, to platform your culture, to see yourself represented," highlighting the success of South Asian creators like Michelle Curray and the appointment of Neil Mohan as CEO of YouTube as evidence of progress.
South Asian Identity, Content Creation, Diversity and Inclusion, Representation in Media, Entrepreneurship
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Varun Bhuchar
CEO/Co-Founder
Boring Stuff
Dartmouth
UCLA Anderson: MBA
Film, Media Arts, Visual Arts, Political Science, American Studies
Consulting & Related Professional Services
Consulting
Honors Student, Took Out Loans
Video Highlights
1. Early career in film/TV development during the Trump administration saw limited implementation of diversity initiatives despite a push for more diverse voices.
2. The content creator space offers unprecedented opportunities for South Asians and other ethnicities to platform themselves, their culture, and see themselves represented.
3. Success of South Asians in the content creator industry, citing examples like the CEO of YouTube (Neil Mohan) and the speaker's own success as a co-founder, demonstrates the potential for individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Transcript
As someone who identifies as South Asian, how has that impacted you and how have you navigated it in your career?
I'll split that into two halves. When I was working in pure entertainment, like film and TV development, this was during the first Trump administration, and I think there was a bigger backlash at the time. DEI hadn't really reared its head yet, but there was a push for more diversity in rooms and more creative voices.
That being said, I think it was too low-level at the time. I personally just didn't see too much of it get implemented.
On the second half, within the content creator space, what's really interesting and unique is that it's entertainment catered to anybody and everybody on demand, almost instantly. There's literally infinite content. We finally cracked it, and basically, anybody can be a content creator.
I'm going to talk specifically about the South Asian bucket. You see lots of South Asian women doing makeup tips for American-born South Asian women, or talking about their culture. South Asian men are doing comedy. Michelle Curray is probably the biggest South Asian YouTuber I can think of next to Lily Singh.
There is a way for you to platform yourself, to platform your culture, and to see yourself represented on a scale that, I guess, never really happened before. That also applies to all ethnicities. It's interesting to see my culture represented in those ways and to see the success other people like myself have had in this industry.
As we're taping this video, Neil Mohan, the CEO of YouTube, is an Indian man. My partner Zach is Iranian. So, we're two brown men doing very well in this space. I can imagine that even if you're not South Asian, or if you identify as a woman, trans, gay, et cetera, there is something in this space for you. There is an example of excellence.
I think that is a really interesting and inspiring thing. I think it's going to just get better and more fragmented, especially as time goes on.