Welcome to The Ponni Perspective Blog! Sharing The Best Podcasts, Founder And Family Advice, and More
Hi, I’m Ponni Carlin – Founder, Builder, Parent, and Perpetual Learner.
Welcome to my brand new blog: The Ponni Perspective!
Here, I’ll be sharing all my favorite things, like…
The best podcast episodes I’ve listened to this week
Parenting and family tips from this mom-entreprenuer
Founder and business advice to help you grow professionally
Oh! And we can’t forget that I’ll be sharing what it’s like to build your semiconducter startup in another country and move with your family all the way from California to India… Yeah, don’t worry! We’ll get more into that one soon.
This has been a long time coming, and I’m elated to start this journey together.
But first, allow me to properly introduce myself.
About Me: Personally and Professionally
For the last ten plus years, my work has been centered around leading strategic initiatives, building go to market motions, and closing large deals that advance the business forward. Interestingly enough, my path here wasn’t a straight line. I started with a master’s degree in Microbiology, spent seven years in biotech before I made the huge career jump into semiconductors. It was a leap that surprised a lot of people on the outside, but if you were an insider, you knew I should have done it earlier. Long story, for another time. It was 100% one of the best decisions of my life. I truly love this work, especially helping customers and building solutions that make sense in the real world.
But if you ask me what I really do in short, the answer is simple.
At my core, I’m a builder.
Whether that means building a career, building a team, building a company, or building a home with my family. I’ve found there to be so much value in creating something meaningful while strengthening the people involved along the way.
A large part of my success in leadership development I attribute to my genuine desire for team members to feel and know that they are part of my success and the company’s overall success. I truly believe that authentic and mutual relationships across the board are vital, both professionally and personally.
Beyond all that, I’m a full-time wife and mother of two incredible children. I’m a woman entrepreneur, founder, and life-time learner who desires to see other women thrive in their endeavors and reach success in whatever avenue they’re approaching.
Why I Created This Space
This blog is my corner of calm amid the noise. A place to pause, think, capture, and curate the things that are shaping me.
Over the years, I realized I wanted a place to share the things that were inspiring me, challenging me, and shaping me. A place where I could combine my professional expertise with my lived experience as a mom, a founder, a listener, and a woman building a life across cultures.
It’s part reflection, part curation, part journal of what it really feels like to build something professionally while keeping a beautiful personal life not just intact, but thriving.
Moving From California to India: The Startup I’m Building (And Why It Matters)
As I mentioned earlier…
Currently, I’m in the process of building my semiconductor startup and will be moving my family all the way from California to India for this exciting adventure!
I’ve lived most of my life in California, albeit a few childhood years in Malaysia and the east coast. It’s the place where I grew up, where I met my husband and built our careers, where our kids get to go to the same schools I went to, and have so much family and friends. So, when we made the decision to move across the world to India so I could focus on my startup, it wasn’t a small choice. In fact, it was a big leap! But if I’ve learned anything throughout all of my life experiences so far, I’ve learned that the greatest rewards often come from the greatest risks.
I’ll be going into more depth about this journey on my Instagram and a few blogs here and there, so be sure to tune in there for all the recent updates, lifestyle tips, and family and parenting insights.
Why I’m Sharing This Journey Publicly
One thing you’ll learn about me quickly is that I’m a listener by nature. I learn through the stories of others. Whether that be their successes, their stumbles, or the quiet moments in between.
Podcasts, especially, have been my invisible mentors, my thought partners during commutes, dog walks, and house chores. I know how hard it is to sift through podcasts and find the episodes that are actually helpful. There were so many times I wished someone would just curate exactly what I needed to hear for whatever season of life or work I was in. When your time is limited, digging through hundreds of shows and years of archives can feel overwhelming and, honestly, frustrating.
So I started to think…
What if I shared the podcasts that actually impacted my success?
What if I shared my own story along the way? What if it helped others?
So, my hope is that by sharing this small weekly list—the episodes I found after going down my own rabbit holes—I can save you some of that time and effort. If something here makes your week a little easier, lighter, or clearer, then it’s worth it.
What’s Ahead
Over the next few months, each week I will be sharing more about these topics:
Our move and the transition into life in India
The podcasts that are currently shaping my thinking
The lessons I’m learning as a founder and startup owner
The real-life moments of building a new life in a new country with my family
Professional business insights and advice for those launching their own startups
If you’re here, thank you. Truly. It means more than you know.
Here’s to building, achieving, and learning as we go. 🎉