Chetana Deorah - From Silicon Valley to Soulful Design

Chetana Deorah explores what it means to step off the career treadmill , rediscover creativity beyond metrics , and build a life rooted in connection, community, and courage —sharing why the most meaningful design often begins within .

 

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Episode Chapters:

 

00:00 – Growing Up in a Sheltered Business Family
00:30 – Welcome and Introduction
02:11 – Meet Chetana Deorah
03:24 – Opening with a Poem by Sri Aurobindo
04:30 – Leaving Silicon Valley and Returning to India
07:30 – Life and Purpose in Auroville
12:00 – Yoga as Union, Not Just Asana
13:34 – Leaving India to Resist Cultural Norms
17:38 – The Marriage Path She Refused
20:16 – Her Father’s Rebellious Influence and Strength
25:00 – Seeing India Change While Living Abroad
29:00 – Asking: “Is There Another Ladder to Climb?”
33:01 – From Busyness to Learning How to Do Nothing
42:54 – Creativity and Community Projects in Auroville
50:00 – Rethinking Money, Growth, and Human Unity
57:30 – Lessons From Silicon Valley on Bravery and Growth

 

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Who is Chetana Deorah?

 

Chetana Deorah is a seasoned design leader, educator, and community builder whose career bridges tech, creativity, and social impact .

 

She has:

Led product design at Netflix, Scribd, Yahoo, Pivotal Labs, and Pentagram  

Shaped global digital experiences for hundreds of millions of users  

Founded community projects in India focused on art, sustainability, and human connection  

Chosen a new path outside Silicon Valley to explore soulful, human-centered design

 

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Find Chetana Deorah here:

 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chetanadeorah/

 

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Hosted by Brendan Jarvis:

Brendan Jarvis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanjarvis/  
The Space InBetween Website: https://thespaceinbetween.co.nz/