Meera Sharma is a co-host of Up Your Game, founder of the School of Sass, author of the Little Book of Sass, and has many more accomplishments. She constantly challenges stereotypes and encourages others to do so, as well. As luck would have it, I was able to interview this amazing woman.

Can you please tell us about yourself?

I’m a British born, Indian media personality and writer who first came to the limelight on series 11 of ITV’s hit dating show, Take Me Out. I’m also the author of the motivational book, The Little Book of Sass, which I wrote to keep people motivated when they need it the most. Currently, you will find me co-hosting a dating and relationship talk show, Up Your Game, airing on Dash Radio x Rukus Avenue Radio. I also write regular blog posts for my lifestyle website – The School of Sass.

What motivated you to come on Take Me Out?

I decided to go on Take Me Out as not only was I a fan of the show but I felt it would be the perfect opportunity to challenge the stereotypes surrounding South Asians in mainstream media. Growing up the narrative I saw on TV, usually involving South Asians coming from strict backgrounds, etc, never sat well with me as I couldn’t relate. In the US the narrative has started to change thanks to the likes of Mindy Kaling, Priyanka Chopra, Jameela Jamil, Kal Penn (just think Quantico, The Good Place, and Sunnyside) but a lot of UK audiences are not familiar with the characters these actors play. I thought going on a show like Take Me Out would allow me to reach a wider UK audience and show Indian women can be just as sassy and fun as their caucasian counterparts, oh yeah and we do date! Fortunately, I was able to challenge the stereotypes by writing pieces for publications including the Independent, Metro, and gal-dem, as well as going on various BBC radio shows and podcasts. I was also nominated for a ‘reality woke award’ for my work, by the BBC podcast The Reality Tea!

Can you tell us more about your show Up Your Game?

Up Your Game is a dating and relationship talk show hosted by myself and singer Jaya. Jaya had seen me on Take Me Out and a mutual friend introduced us. We decided to come together as we hadn’t seen many shows hosted by two British Indian females. I also really wanted to host a dating and relationship show as there are hardly any British Asians doing this and I felt it was a great way to continue to challenge the stereotypes and break the stigmas within our own community! Every episode features a well-known guest to talk about a chosen topic. We talk about all things related to dating and relationships including interracial relationships, same-sex marriages, transgender rights, being a kick-ass South Asian woman, balancing career and family life, and embracing your single status. Guests have included Nicole Mehta, Seerat Saini, ZHK Designs, Aparna, Happy Singh, Joty Kay, Kay Ray, and Aditya Madiraju to name a few. We also have an Ask The Auntie Gs segment on the show where we answer listeners’ dating and relationship questions. We want audiences to think of us as those cool aunties we all wished we bumped into at weddings – the ones that tell you to live life on your own terms and date who you want!

What is the School of Sass, and why have you found it?

The School of Sass is a lifestyle website, which I created on the back of my book The Little Book of Sass. I believe everyone can achieve the life of their dreams with some sassy guidance so my website features plenty of posts on how to do this. My posts take into consideration the current climate aka the pandemic and navigating it. For example, I recently wrote a post on how to set goals for 2021 – the uncertainty of what the year holds means we need to adapt our goal-setting process!

You came into the limelight on an UK hit dating show and were featured in numerous publications. Now, you co-host your own show which challenges stigmas around South Asian dating, and are the founder of the School of Sass. What is your advice to others who also hope to have a platform like yours?

I would say find your passion and then just go out and do it. With the internet, there is so much opportunity to work on projects and build up your experience. You can start a blog, podcast, and create video content from home that all allows you to build your platform up. Then you have to get your hustle on – pitch yourself to publications you want to write for, radio stations you want to have a show on, etc. If you have good content, people will want to hear from you!

Do you have any advice for teenagers?

The world is your oyster – don’t let anyone tell you you can’t do something because you can! Work hard, hustle hard, and be confident.

Anything else you would like to say?

Follow your dreams, find your purpose, stay sassy and live your life! 

As you can tell, Meera Sharma is a hard-working woman who uses her work to challenge stereotypes and motivate others. Use the links below the header to find her. That’s it for now! Stay safe, and thank you for reading!

Where to Find Meera Sharma

Instagram – @meerasharm

Twitter – @meerasharm

The School of Sass Website – http://theschoolofsass.com/

The School of Sass Instagram – @theschoolofsass

The Little Book of Sass and the Little Sassy Journal – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Meera-Sharma/e/B07ZBGFCJY?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2&qid=1608480027&sr=8-2