Summary of "Laughing Through the Breakdown with Zarna Garg"

My So-Called Midlife with Reshma Saujani
Episode: Laughing Through the Breakdown with Zarna Garg
Release Date: May 7, 2025

1. Introduction to the Episode

In this episode of My So-Called Midlife, host Reshma Saujani welcomes Zarna Garg, a professional comedian, author, and former lawyer. Reshma shares her admiration for Zarna's comedic talent and highlights Zarna’s inspiring journey from multiple failed business ventures to finding her true passion in comedy later in life.

2. Zarna Garg’s Early Life and Career Struggles

Background and Initial Career Choices

Zarna Garg begins by recounting her early aspirations and career path. Despite her success in law school and passing the bar exam, Zarna admits she struggled in her legal career.

Zarna Garg [07:51]: "I'm very bad at it. I like, you don't know how bad you are at something sometimes until you start doing it."

Cultural Pressures and Personal Aspirations

Growing up in a traditional Indian household, Zarna faced significant pressure to conform to societal expectations, including an arranged marriage. Her father attempted to arrange her marriage at the age of 15, pushing her away from education and personal ambitions.

Zarna Garg [08:05]: "He was like, 'Don't even read. Please don't read. Women who read get themselves in trouble, get everybody else in trouble.'"

Immigration and Pursuit of Independence

At 14, following her mother's sudden death and harsh treatment from her father, Zarna left India to pursue independence in the United States. The journey was fraught with challenges, including two years of couch surfing before being able to establish herself.

Zarna Garg [08:34]: "It took me about two years of, like, couch surfing and figuring out how to make it happen."

3. Transition from Law to Entrepreneurship

Failed Business Ventures

After leaving her legal career, Zarna ventured into various entrepreneurial endeavors, including a matchmaking service, vegan chili business, and a travel toothbrush invention. Each of these attempts ended in failure, leading her to reconsider her career path.

Zarna Garg [22:10]: "I tried and failed at almost 17 businesses."

Realization and Shift to Comedy

Zarna recognized that traditional entrepreneurial paths were not fulfilling her. Encouraged by her daughter's feedback, she decided to explore stand-up comedy, a realm she had never ventured into before.

Zarna Garg [27:21]: "My daughter was like, mom, I really think you need to start. You need to try stand-up comedy."

4. Discovering Comedy Later in Life

First Open Mic Experience

At 43, after 16 years as a stay-at-home mom, Zarna attended her first open mic event, expecting failure. Contrary to her fears, she delivered a comedic act trashing her mother-in-law, which was met with overwhelming laughter and positive feedback.

Zarna Garg [30:12]: "I started trashing my mother in law... And people were dying. Like, I couldn't understand what was happening."

Winning the Austin Film Festival

Leveraging her newfound passion, Zarna wrote a screenplay for a big Indian rom-com, which won the top comedy prize at the Austin Film Festival, beating out 11,000 scripts. This victory marked a pivotal moment in her career.

Zarna Garg [24:35]: "That screenplay... ended up winning the top comedy prize in America at Austin Film Festival."

5. Balancing Motherhood and Career

Integrating Family into Her Work

Zarna emphasizes the importance of involving her children in her business endeavors, turning her career into a family affair. This approach ensures that her commitments to her family and work coexist harmoniously.

Zarna Garg [38:16]: "You have to make the journey fun for them to the extent as possible as they are involved in your life."

Challenges and Sacrifices

Balancing motherhood with a demanding career in comedy required significant sacrifices, including long working hours and the absence of vacations. Zarna candidly discusses the toll it took on her personal life and relationships.

Zarna Garg [35:00]: "I haven't taken a vacation in five years. Every. For five years, every holiday, every long weekend. My kids work with me wherever I am."

6. Overcoming Fear and Embracing Reinvention

Facing Midlife Fears

Zarna addresses the fear many women experience when considering a career pivot in midlife. She encourages embracing fear as a natural part of growth and emphasizes that the solutions lie within oneself.

Zarna Garg [53:27]: "Whatever we are afraid of is the least likely to happen... You are the solution."

Empowering Others

Through her journey, Zarna aims to empower other women to recognize their potential and pursue their passions, regardless of age or past failures. She highlights the value of leveraging one's unique experiences and skills.

Zarna Garg [47:06]: "If I can do it, anybody can. I like to say that the most extraordinary thing about me is that I'm completely ordinary."

7. Lessons Learned and Advice for Listeners

Valuing Past Experiences

Zarna underscores the importance of recognizing the value in past experiences, particularly those gained through motherhood, as they contribute significantly to personal and professional growth.

Zarna Garg [48:26]: "Everything that we're doing is valuable and is leading up to something."

Practical Tips for Reinvention

She offers practical advice for women seeking to pivot their careers or explore new life experiences in midlife:

• Reflect on Existing Passions: Identify what you already enjoy doing, as it can often be transformed into a viable business or career.

  Zarna Garg [47:17]: "You went through a long journey of trying to find new things when the answer was already in your backyard."

• Involve Family: Integrate family members into your ventures to maintain balance and foster a supportive environment.

  Zarna Garg [38:16]: "If you're running this beautiful podcast... my son will help and we make it fun."

• Embrace Failure as a Learning Tool: Accept that failures are part of the journey and use them as stepping stones toward success.

  Zarna Garg [33:02]: "I couldn't believe it, I was like, why did I come to this so late?"

8. Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The episode concludes with Reshma expressing her excitement to watch Zarna's live shows and encouraging listeners to engage with Zarna’s work, including her new book, This American Woman: A One in a Billion Memoir. Zarna's journey serves as a testament to the power of resilience, reinvention, and embracing one's true passion, inspiring midlifers to take bold steps toward living fulfilling lives.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Zarna on Struggling in Law:
  [07:51] "I'm very bad at it. I like, you don't know how bad you are at something sometimes until you start doing it."

• Zarna on Cultural Pressures:
  [08:05] "He was like, 'Don't even read. Please don't read. Women who read get themselves in trouble, get everybody else in trouble.'"

• Zarna on Entrepreneurship Failures:
  [22:10] "I tried and failed at almost 17 businesses."

• Zarna on Discovering Comedy:
  [30:12] "I started trashing my mother in law... And people were dying. Like, I couldn't understand what was happening."

• Zarna on Empowering Others:
  [47:06] "If I can do it, anybody can. I like to say that the most extraordinary thing about me is that I'm completely ordinary."

• Zarna on Overcoming Fear:
  [53:27] "Whatever we are afraid of is the least likely to happen... You are the solution."

Closing Remarks

Zarna Garg's story is a powerful reminder that it's never too late to find one's true calling. Her candid discussions about failure, resilience, and the courage to pivot careers in midlife provide invaluable insights and inspiration for anyone contemplating significant life changes.

For more inspiring stories and insights on navigating midlife, subscribe to My So-Called Midlife with Reshma Saujani wherever you get your podcasts.