“I arrived in Australia on July 31, 2022, because my partner wanted to pursue his master’s degree. Honestly, I never planned on moving here. However, life had other plans and Melbourne became home.

Moving here wasn’t a culture shock, but there was definitely a learning curve. From figuring out housing to dealing with my partner falling sick on day 1, I had to dive straight into the deep end.

By luck and a lot of hard work, I landed a job at AustralianSuper, within two weeks of arriving. While it was a customer service role, it gave me insight into a completely new concept—superannuation. Coming from India, I had no idea how important super was in Australia, and it was an eye-opener to see that even locals found it confusing. The role had its challenges though, including dealing with the occasional racist undertones due to my accent.

Even though I was one of the top performers, I knew it wasn’t my passion. I kept applying for roles more aligned with my skills—social media, content, editing, and legal jobs. After countless rejections and interviews that ended due to my visa status, I finally landed my current role as a Production and Subeditor at SmartCompany. It felt like coming full circle, as it’s similar to the work I did back in India.

Working at SmartCompany, a news publication, has been a learning curve, but I love the freedom and the sense of belonging I’ve found here. I’ve had the chance to meet incredible people, especially in the South Asian founders community, and I’m discovering my tribe.

As a journalist, I realised that mainstream media often overlooks South Asian founders. Being part of the media, I know I have the power to change that narrative, and I’m doing so through my writing.

Australia has given me the independence and freedom to explore who I am, and with that, I’ve found my purpose. My goal is to amplify the stories of South Asian founders and reshape the way our community is perceived, creating a more positive and inclusive narrative through my work.” Mrinaal Datt