Humans of Berkeley – Ankita Sapre

My love for storytelling came from my love for reading the little ‘Tinkle’ comics my dad would get every time he was away on a work trip. I then further explored the essence of storytelling when I decided I wanted to be a journalist in college. Coming from India, it was hard not to; every corner you turned, every new person you met – there were so many stories to listen to and to tell!

My journey into journalism lasted as long as college did. At the end of my studies one of my professors asked if I would like to do a ‘public relations internship’, to which I replied “What is Public Relations?”. Little did I know that this one internship was going to shape my career and my future!

From Mumbai to Melbourne

The internship saw me to move from Mumbai to Melbourne, which was never the plan, but boy, am I glad I made that decision when I did. Coming from a big city, I was aware of how daunting Melbourne could be…but it was so much more! Learning the ins and outs of working for a PR agency in a foreign country was never on the vision board, but I was grateful for every single experience and lesson it taught me. Of course, then COVID came and prompted me to move back and resume my PR journey in India (interim – as I now know).

Moving back was hard, but giving up was never an option! I started afresh in a new market with new media and a new agency which, doubled with the pandemic, was mayhem. But my journey continued on home soil with a lot of global clients on the roster and I learned that being a journalist wasn’t the only way I could tell stories. Working with diverse brands from different verticals helped me enhance and evolve the way I told stories. Sure, it wasn’t so much of the floral, colourful ways that I was used to, but a more structured, corporate (black, blue, and grey – as I call it) style. And I loved every bit of it. It is where I felt at home and really started to enjoy my job as a PR professional.

Return to Oz

Fast forward to my second time in Australia (post-COVID), five years into the field, a lot of lessons learned, and a lot of growing up done. It was time to resume my Australia journey, and this time it was on the vision board. After a lot of manifestation, I got back to this beautiful country and landed the best job I’ve had (so far). Working with Berkeley has really taught me a lot about the importance of having a positive and supportive work culture. Coupled with the best bosses, there is nothing else I could ask for. Not to forget the amazing people at Berkeley I’ve e-met and the acceptance I feel, which makes me really proud to be working as part of the Berkeley team.

It has been a great journey so far, and I cannot wait to see what else is there to unfold!

Who is your favourite storyteller? Rabindranath Tagore – an Indian author, very well known for stories inspired by his vision of childhood.

What would you sing at a karaoke night? “Waves” by Mr. Probz or any melodic techno tune I could hum to.

What is the most used app on your phone? Instagram