Today we’d like to introduce you to Sanya Kinariwala
Hi Sanya, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was born in Pune, India and have recently moved to Salt Lake City in June! Before I moved here, I lived in Bengaluru (India for 8 years). Education wise I’ve got an MBA in Finance and have completed my CIMA as well as CFA level one but I’d call myself an explorer by passion! On my first trip to the mountains right after my graduation I realized my love for traveling and exploring the world (back in 2016) and have since spent my time traveling as far and wide in Asia as I could with my full time job! I love backpacking and have been a big promoter of the fact that you don’t need to be rich to explore the world and travel! I have been to so many amazing places in and around India through all these years adding more pages to the adventure book of my life! Some of my favorite memories are from the fall in Kashmir, to swimming with baby sharks in Maldives, from dipping my feet in a 17,800 ft high lake amidst snow-clad mountains in Sikkim to jumping from waterfalls in the Philippines! From living in a tree house in himachal to doing a bonfire in -20•c with absolutely strangers in sissu! I’ve had the most incredible travel experiences and met them most amazing people along with my full time job in India! Next on my list was to challenge myself by living in a whole different country! This change has manifested into my life in the wildest way possible! In feb I had the opportunity to move to SLC for my work, doing a completely different role, in a completely different country, in a whole new Continent that I had never been to! Well, I did what any crazy person would do, I jumped right onto that crazy amazing opportunity and here’s me 2 months into living in the US and absolutely loving the adventure that it has been and really excited to explore so much more! The backdrop of the mountains in SLC feels like I’m living in a dream and I’m so grateful!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
grateful countries has been difficult, specially when it comes alongside a whole new role in a completely different team! There is limited familiarity and the change is massive even though it’s what I always wanted, It is definitely tough to start all over in literally every aspect of my life! From figuring out groceries to running around for something as basic as a bank account and credit card. Things like house hunting or figuring out how to navigate the transport system of a city or setting up a whole new house out of 3 suitcases takes time, and an important learning has been that it’s okay to be overwhelmed but you’ve got to be super patient about it. It’s been a huge learning curve and I’m learning every day! Luckily I did this with my mom and we’ve met the kindest people in SLC who have been there to help me every step of the way and that has been the absolute game changer!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I work in the Capital Controllers in Goldman Sachs! I’ve recently moved into the role so it’s been very new with so much to learn! My role involves looking at the controls around capital that the firm has and is very different from the revenue focused role I’ve had previously. The most interesting thing about my career at GS has been the opportunity to be able to learn so much more about structured and complicated financial products and I think thats what keeps me on my toes! I’m also very curious to know a lot more than what my own role demands so the numbers of questions I have will definitely set me apart but I wouldn’t trade that for anything!
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
To me a lot of the work we do is about the relationships you build and that is always something I stick by! I still remember something my dad says – more locks open with “please” than they do with keys! I think that’s a skill that I’ve always focused on building and is the reason I’ve gotten this far as well as the reason I’ve had the kind of opportunities that I did! The relationships I’ve got personally as well as professionally are definitely my most priced assets!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @the_quirkyexplorer
