The Jikaria Sisters∶ From TikTok Dancing to Brand Influencers

The Sydcast

Episode Summary:

How did the dancing Jikaria Sisters – a JD, MBA and Engineer – become TikTok sensations in their spare time? And what should they do next? The three sisters talk about their upbringing, their new brand, and how they’re juggling their “real” careers with another one in the heart of social media. Lots of fascinating questions, from how to scale the brand to what to say to clients about something they see as much more than a side hustle. This is post-millennial Gen Z in action.

Sydney Finkelstein

Syd Finkelstein is the Steven Roth Professor of Management at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. He holds a Master’s degree from the London School of Economics and a Ph.D. from Columbia University. Professor Finkelstein has published 25 books and 90 articles, including the bestsellers Why Smart Executives Fail and Superbosses: How Exceptional Leaders Master the Flow of Talent, which LinkedIn Chairman Reid Hoffman calls the “leadership guide for the Networked Age.” He is also a Fellow of the Academy of Management, a consultant and speaker to leading companies around the world, and a top 25 on the Global Thinkers 50 list of top management gurus. Professor Finkelstein’s research and consulting work often relies on in-depth and personal interviews with hundreds of people, an experience that led him to create and host his own podcast, The Sydcast, to uncover and share the stories of all sorts of fascinating people in business, sports, entertainment, politics, academia, and everyday life.

The Jikaria Sisters

The Jikaria Sisters (Omi, Rish, & Aash) are a sister trio originally from New York City. They are trained dancers, content creators, and social media influencers. The Jikaria Sisters combine their diverse Indian and American identities in their art and content. Whether it's through creating Bollywood-Hip Hop fusion pieces, going back to their roots through Garba and Bhangra, or defining what it means to be a part of the South Asian diaspora, the Jikaria Sisters are passionate about pushing boundaries and inspiring other creators to do the same. They are proud to have a community of 610,000 followers on TikTok, 60,000 followers on Instagram, and 3,500 subscribers on YouTube.

In addition to being a content creator and professional dancer, Omika Jikaria is a business professional and management consultant with diverse interests in innovation, design, entertainment, and entrepreneurship. She holds an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and a Bachelor’s degree from the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. Rishika Jikaria is a J.D. Candidate at the Fordham University School of Law and is passionate about corporate law, social justice, and public policy. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Affairs from Emory University. Aashika Jikaria is an industrial engineer and Operations Management Trainee at L’Oréal USA. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, where she was also a Student-Athlete on the university’s official dance team.

Insights from the Episode:

• Understanding what identity means to young people especially for them growing up in neighborhoods where they are different
• How to market yourself by adding flavor to your content to propel you forward
• Understanding your audience and the kind of content they want to see and engage with
• How to work with brands and leveraging your growth on social platforms

Quotes from the show:

• “People can do more than just regular jobs that they are doing and still perform at an extremely high level at that core job” -Syd Finkelstein [4:51]
• “We value both of our real careers as well as this because this is as real as it can be as well. It is definitely a place where we are also profiting” -Jikaria Sisters [24:58]
• “I think that it really showed a different side of me because it showed that I can also manage a business and I have entrepreneurial aspects and features as well, so I think it really helped in terms of comparing myself to other candidates when recruiting for jobs” -Jikaria Sisters [25:56]
• “I have learned to stay true to myself and understand that I want to work at a company that does value my skills and talents and my whole self” -Jikaria Sisters [27:53]
• “The thing that gives people power in their jobs is extreme competence because people start to depend on you: your bosses, your partners start to depend on you, and all of a sudden you gain power because people wanna hear what you have to say” -Syd Finkelstein [30:31]
• “It’s really empowering to have multiple interests and passions, but also multiple income streams. As the internet has blossomed over the past few years, it has become easier and there is a lot less friction to do that” -Jikaria Sisters [32:31]

Resources Mentioned

• ABC Good Morning America: https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Family/video/jikaria-sisters-bringing-south-asian-representation-tiktok-77702259
• CBS: https://m-partners.facebook.com/watch/?v=961391011324907&_rdr
• Brown Girl Magazine: https://browngirlmagazine.com/2020/08/evolution-jikaria-sisters/

Stay Connected:

Sydney Finkelstein

Website: http://thesydcast.com

LinkedIn: Sydney Finkelstein

Twitter: @sydfinkelstein

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Jikaria Sisters

Instagram: jikariasisters

Tiktok: @jikariasisters

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This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry.