Today we’d like to introduce you to Pragati Siddhanti.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My Swiss Story began in June 2016, around the same time I moved to Switzerland. I had already been writing for some time, initially publishing articles on my sister’s website, Be for Beauty. When I moved to Switzerland, I naturally started writing about my experiences here too. At the time, there was no separate My Swiss Story website. It was simply a space where I shared what I was learning, experiencing and navigating as an expat.
The more I wrote, the more I realised that my experiences were not unique. There were so many people trying to understand life in Switzerland, from the practicalities of settling into a new country to language barriers, cultural differences and simply finding people you could connect with. The section on my sister’s website began receiving a lot of attention, and in 2019 I decided to give My Swiss Story a space of its own and launched the website.
What started as my own way of making sense of a new country slowly became a resource for others. During Covid, that need for connection became even more visible. I started bringing women together over coffee, and those conversations gradually grew into a community.
Over time, My Swiss Story evolved from a content platform into a trusted resource and then into a community built around belonging, meaningful connections and shared experiences. Today, it includes community events, resources, career conversations, entrepreneurship, storytelling and spaces where people can genuinely connect with one another.
I often call My Swiss Story my second child because, in many ways, I have watched it grow alongside me. What makes me proudest is not necessarily how much the platform has grown, but the relationships that have come out of it. Seeing people who initially came as strangers leave with friendships, opportunities, support or simply the feeling that they are not alone makes all the years of work feel worthwhile.
At its heart, My Swiss Story is a space built on trust. It is about creating the kind of belonging that I myself was looking for when I first arrived in Switzerland.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. One of the biggest challenges was that I was building something that did not really have a blueprint. My Swiss Story started very organically, and as it grew, I had to constantly figure out what it needed next, while also learning how to build and sustain a community.
Moving to a new country came with its own challenges. I experienced loneliness, language barriers and the difficulty of understanding a culture that has many nuances and social norms that are not immediately obvious to an outsider. As an expat, I also encountered situations where I felt like I did not quite belong, including experiences of racism and being treated differently. Those experiences were difficult, but they also made me more conscious of how important it is to create spaces where people feel seen, heard and accepted.
Building a community is also emotionally demanding. There have been periods of complete exhaustion, burnout and moments when I questioned whether I could keep doing it. There were times when I was carrying far too much myself and felt completely drained.
But then I would meet the community. I would sit across from someone who had found a job through a connection, made a close friend, gained confidence, or simply found people with whom they could be themselves. Those moments reminded me why I had started in the first place.
I think one of the biggest lessons has been that building a community is not about numbers. It is about trust, consistency and showing up for people. For me, meaningful connections come from depth, not scale. And sometimes the most rewarding part of the journey is knowing that something I created because I once needed it is now helping someone else feel a little less alone.
We’ve been impressed with My Swiss Story, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My Swiss Story (MSS) is a Switzerland-focused community and resource platform for people building their lives, careers and businesses in Switzerland. What began in 2016 as my personal blog about navigating life as an expat has grown into a platform centred around belonging, connection and meaningful opportunities.
Today, MSS offers practical resources and expert insights through our website, Instagram and articles, covering careers and jobs, entrepreneurship, community building, expat life, travel, Swiss culture and the latest Switzerland updates. We have also created resources including 21 Hidden Gems of Switzerland, 21 Hidden Gems of Switzerland, Vol. 2, and The Ultimate Guide to Landing a Job in Switzerland.
Beyond content, we have a dedicated Jobseeker Community, Exclusive Circle membership, Book Club, and initiatives such as Entrepreneur of the Month. Our podcast, The Heart of the Equation, explores the human side of career success, particularly in STEM, through conversations around leadership, career transitions, burnout, growth and entrepreneurship.
Through Coffee With a Purpose, members’ meets, networking and career-focused events, we bring the digital community into real-world spaces and create opportunities for genuine connections.
What sets MSS apart is that it has grown by listening to what the community actually needs. At its heart, it is a space built on trust and belonging, helping people feel more informed, connected and less alone while building their lives in Switzerland.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I’m a big believer in learning from different kinds of stories and perspectives, so my favourite resources are quite varied.
For books, two that I return to are Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts and Atomic Habits by James Clear. I love Shantaram for its storytelling, its characters and the way it explores people, relationships and life through such a rich journey. Atomic Habits, on the other hand, is one of those books that brings you back to the importance of small, consistent changes and everyday discipline.
For podcasts, I particularly enjoy The Heart of the Equation, which explores the human side of success in STEM and conversations around career transitions, leadership, burnout, growth and entrepreneurship.
And when I simply want to switch off, one of my favourite comfort shows is Friends. Sometimes you need something familiar and light that you can return to, especially after a long day.
More than any single app or resource, though, I think conversations with people have been one of my greatest sources of learning. So much of what I have learnt through My Swiss Story has come from listening to people’s experiences, asking questions and staying curious.
Pricing:
- 99 CHF – Annual MSS Membership
- 69 CHF – Half- Yearly MSS Membership
- 20.15 CHF – The Ultimate Guide to Landing a Job in Switzerland
Contact Info:
- Website: https://myswissstory.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myswissstory_official?igsh=OWJqeXRhanVmZm42&utm_source=qr
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-swiss-story/
