Allow me to share a bit about my journey to understand what I do now, and why fostering and building communities is so important to me:

It began early in life. As an immigrant, I faced challenges finding a sense of belonging. Growing up in a new country meant adapting to a different culture and language. This forced me to develop my ability to connect with new people, while also learn to see things from new and different perspectives, a skill that proved invaluable. Eventually, I found my kind of people. But the question remained: Why was this process so difficult? And how can I make it easier for others?

This is a question that has fueled my passion throughout my life and professional development. Motivated by the belief that there is a certain magic in connecting like-minded people, I became a community architect. My goal is to empower others to achieve this type of connections, especially in world of today where connection is more important than ever.

In 2019, during my final year of high school, I took the initiative to create my first online platform aimed at connecting individuals worldwide who shared similar interests. Recognizing the need for a shared interest, I leveraged my own experience – studying! The platform, aptly named "Study Together" with its slogan "Individual, but connected," quickly gained traction, becoming the largest student community globally with over 1.5 million users. The positive feedback from both parents and students was overwhelming. It truly made a significant impact on the lives of a multitude of young people. Subsequently, the platform was acquired in 2023, allowing it to grow even larger and foster an even stronger community.

Today, I continue to leverage human psychology and deep user research to build strong, engaged communities for global brands. As marketing expert Seth Godin once said, "People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories, and magic." I believe it is through these connections and narratives that strong communities level-up brands and create meaningful relationships with their users.