Team Spotlight: Sabeen Pradhan

RAPID FIRE:

• Grew Up In: Small village  in Nepal called Ilam, also known as “Queen of Hill Station”
• Currently Lives In: Pinole, CA
• Star Sign: Capricorn
• Go-to karaoke song: Till There Was You – by the Beatles
• Favorite film: Most inspirational: The Pursuit of Happiness feels relatable for how I grew up and came here to America to pursue my dreams. Also, Manchester By The Sea. I love movies where the core part of the movie is in acting – if the actor and actress is doing great, I’m in it. Casey Afflec is fantastic in it. 
• Android or iOS: Android – because Android was the first thing I coded in my life. It’s Android that’s built my life for me, as much as I love the iPhone. 
• What is your superpower: I can really feel with people. If my wife has a headache I feel it too – same for the happiness, if other people are happy I feel it too. I can really grab the energy – so when something is challenging our customers I try to be in their shoes and feel how they feel. 

What were your aspirations when you were a child?

• I always dreamed of being the number 1 in the world, like Steve Jobs or Elon Musk. Growing up in a village, studying in a mediocre school,  I still dreamt of being the best. I used to write it on the walls of my childhood home. I didn’t know what I wanted to be – so I explored a lot of options, actor, musician, model, etc, but I always tried to be the best at whatever I did. Being at that level requires sacrifices of your family and other parts of your life, and I will always choose the people I love over my dream – but maybe in another life I will achieve this. 

What led to you becoming an engineer?

• I tried to enter the United States with a visa to study arts and literature after high school, but didn’t get it. In Nepal you can’t have a future as an artist – it’s not a well paid job. I had to choose something else, so I chose computer science because it was fun and I could be creative with it. I started to do a job as an Android engineer when I was a sophomore in university and that’s how I eventually entered the United States
• With my first job – nobody there was an Android engineer – there was a misunderstanding about the role I applied for, but they still hired me and made a role for me. I had to teach myself everything, there was no one working on Android or using these languages.That’s how I started. 

What’s a favorite memory from your time at PickTrace?

• One of my favorite memories is [PickTrace founder] Harrison driving all the way up to the Bay Area from LA for our first regional meetup. It was the first time I ever met PickTrace people in person. He had such a special effect on me – when I think of PickTrace, I just think of Harrison and his voice.

What are your hobbies and passions outside of work? 

• I just like to enjoy my existence  – I like to fill my heart easily – that to me is looking at nature, breathing – feeling with myself
• Sometimes I dance alone, play on my guitar
• I like to inspire myself – talk to myself through hard times, motivate myself. Someday I hope to become a motivational speaker. 

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received – or do you have a mantra you live by?

• There have  been a lot that I’ve lived by,  but right now it’s advice given to me by Damon, “Trust the process and enjoy the process.”

If you were a fruit or vegetable what would you be and why?

• I don’t love fruits,  I’m not a ‘sweet’ guy, but my wife is a big fan of fruits, especially passionfruit – so I would love to be a passionfruit so that even if my wife isn’t my wife, she will still love me.