We had the good fortune of connecting with Sandalina Sattar and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sandalina, what role has risk played in your life or career?

Mustering up the courage to take calculated risks in life has been the most crucial component of my journey thus far. My life in the present is a culmination of moments where I’ve taken a bet on myself to tread down “the path less traveled.” Strategically positioning yourself to turn ideas from your imagination into a reality requires a leap of faith – which can oftentimes be scary.

At the root of it, the fear of failure is what holds us back from taking risks. But I welcome the possibility of failure with open arms, since the alternative would be living a life of complacency and regret (in my case at least since my brain is always buzzing with ideas). I think “failure” is actually a great thing for two reasons: 1) failure is a byproduct of genuine effort, which minimizes the possibility of lingering regret in the long run 2) failure is never truly time wasted, the worst case scenario is a meaningful lesson learned to propel you into the next venture. Instead of living in fear of failure, I live in fear of regret given the inevitably finite nature of the human experience.

This comes with the caveat that it’s important to take calculated risks in life, as I would not condone reckless risk taking. I always have both a financial and emotional fallback plan in mind, and never take any big decisions without consulting trusted individuals in my life first. The ability to manage impulse and excitement in advance of taking risks is an art in itself that I’d implore others to self-teach.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

I’m Sandalina Sattar, a South Asian and Muslim talk show host, Wholesome Hangouts event host, Tik Tok content creator, and full-time finance professional based in NYC.

The ability to juggle multiple passions with a full-time job has been a skill acquired through the last 1.5 years in NYC. The common theme in my passions outside of work is connecting with people. I’m an extrovert at my core, and feel invigorated by human connection.

It all started with my professional journey. I graduated from UC Berkeley Haas School of Business in 2022, and moved to NYC to start my career as an Investment Banking Analyst. I’d spent my whole life building myself up for this career trajectory, but did not anticipate how miserable I’d actually be on the job. In the midst of the treacherous working hours, above constantly feeling sleep deprived and physically unhealthy, I felt isolated. Within the first few months, I felt my zest for life dying out without the ability to connect with humans outside of work.

As a coping mechanism, in the fall of 2022, I started making “word vomit” Tik Toks. I gained a bit of traction sporadically and found that the content was resonating. The response was overwhelmingly positive and gave me my fix for human connection while struggling on the job. That was where the Tik Tok content creation journey commenced.

In the spring of 2023, I made a Tik Tok about loneliness felt during Ramadan (holy month of fasting for Muslims) in NYC as someone who is constantly working. The video went viral, and I quickly realized I wasn’t alone in feeling this way. To help alleviate some of the loneliness felt by many, I held an open Iftar (breaking of fast in the evening) for anyone who wanted to join via social media. Thankfully, the event was a success and the individuals who attended expressed a desire to see more events like this for those who don’t partake in partying / alcohol consumption. I coined the name “Wholesome Hangouts” and that was where the event hosting journey commenced.

Along this journey, I’d been asking myself what I wanted to create in this world. Tik Tok content creation was not meant to be the end goal, but more so an outlet for experimentation purposes. Event hosting was not meant to be the destination, but more so a part of the journey in connecting with individuals across the city. In the back of my mind, I’d been toying with the idea of leveraging my friendships in the South Asian and Muslim creator spaces to share people’s inspiring stories. I didn’t understand the importance of representation in media / entertainment until I saw it and felt it for the first time in my life in NYC. In such a short time, it completely reoriented my brain’s lifelong hardwiring. I couldn’t help but wonder how powerful these stories could be for South Asians and Muslims all across the country to hear.

In the fall of 2023, right after my 23rd birthday, I decided it was time to stop dreaming and start doing. I spent weeks planning and coordinating the creation of my in-apartment talk show set, and started running the concept by trusted individuals. I started filming with my fantastic videographer, Misha Patel, towards the end of the year, and am now launching in just a few days!

I’m most excited about launching my talk show, since it’s the wildest idea I’ve brought to life thus far. The reaction has been so incredibly positive from the South Asian creator community, and I cannot wait to see the feedback from viewers. It was a huge risk financially, as it ate up a decent chunk of my savings. But I also haven’t been this happy or optimistic about anything in my life thus far… so I’m excited to see what happens!

Getting to this point was not easy, as it entailed me questioning the very thread of my existence and life as I’d been taught in the Bay Area. But I genuinely believe everything happened the way it was meant to. I overcame challenges by following both my heart and my brain in conjunction with consulting trusted individuals. I’ve also been brutally honest with myself along the entire journey, and have learned to walk away from situations that do not serve my ambitions either personally or professionally. I’ve always acted on my inner voice / gut, and haven’t been led astray thus far thankfully. We all have an inner voice… It’s just a matter of believing in ourselves to follow through.

Along the way, I’ve learned the importance of taking calculated risks in life. I’ve also learned the importance of validating dreams and thoughts that we often write off as delusion. But none of that comes without actually taking action. What distinguishes dreamers from doers is execution. Instead of being the person who constantly talks about what they wish they were doing, be the person who goes off the grid to execute on those desires.

The one thing I want the world to know about my story is that it all started with ideas in my head… for the longest time it truly was just me and my imagination. And frankly some days, that’s still all it is. But you just have to keep pushing. I have no idea what’s going to happen next… but I know I’ll be damned if I don’t pour my heart and soul into finding out.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I find every inch of New York City so exhilarating… I’d start with taking them to my building’s rooftop immediately upon arrival. It’s my safe haven and happy place, as well as a great way to get a quick bird’s eye view of a portion of the city. I also love all the parks in the city… Over the course of the week, I’d take them through Central Park, Madison Square Park, Washington Square Park, Little Island, etc. I also love Central Park South and I love Gossip Girl.. so I’d take them through a stroll by the area and point out some of the televised spots. For food, I’d cycle through the staples via picnics at the park (halal cart, deli sandwiches, reubens, etc.) and some of my favorite cuisines more formally at night (Thai, Italian, American). The cherry on top to a NYC day is the post-dinner rooftop lounge – it’s always a great opportunity to meet people with the stunning backdrop of the nighttime skyline. And of course, hailing a taxi back to my apartment at the very end of the night.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my family – specifically my parents, grandparents, siblings and cousins – for always believing in me. They’ve continuously encouraged me to listen to my inner voice and take calculated risks in life, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without their love and support. It truly does take a village to raise a child.

I’d also like to shout out the South Asian creator ecosystem in NYC. I’m grateful to have been welcomed with open arms in the space for the launch of my talk show. To the close friends who’d happily listen to me ramble on about the seemingly outlandish ideas in my head and who’d encourage me to turn this into a reality… this one’s for you. To the individuals who helped out along the way or came onto my talk show without even seeing a minimum viable product… this one’s for you. Thank you all for believing in me.

Talk Show: https://linktr.ee/spotlightwithsandalina

Website: https://linktr.ee/sandynyc

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandalinasattar/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandyisc00l

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandalinasattar/

Image Credits
Photographers: Misha Patel (@mishmediaplus) and Avani Patel (@photosbyavani)

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.