Meet Jaykishan Patel

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jaykishan Patel a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jaykishan, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.

I think I approach it by coming back to my “why.” Lately, I have been feeling like my “why” needs to be more resolute. Every time I reach a point where I feel overwhelmed, especially in my career, I return to what drives me, even when doubt creeps in. I find hope in the people I admire; they are like small lights guiding me forward. I believe that filling my life with these little lights helps me feel closer to my “why” and more optimistic about my future.

In this way, my optimism comes from my “why.”

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I started college obsessed with animation. I loved how simple stories could become magical worlds. The saying “Show, don’t tell” really captures why I love animation—anything is possible. The creativity is endless, and animation involves many skills, from anatomy to physics and fashion design to architecture.

After graduating, I founded Lavamoon Studios, a creative community where anyone passionate about animation or art can learn, collaborate, and grow. Built as a safe space for mentorship and creativity, our global volunteer community connects through Discord to support and inspire each other.

Alongside running Lavamoon, my personal goal is to create art that invites people to see life from an Eastern perspective. Born and raised in the United States, I learned about business, capitalism, and democracy, which I value. But I also deeply connect with the Indian culture I was raised in, with values like nonviolence, the belief that “in the joy of others lies our own,” prioritizing people over projects, and a spiritual connection to animals and nature.

I want to explore this duality further and create art that is more accessible, reflecting my complex identity and universal values. I find joy in studying ancient cultures and the ways our ancestors understood life.

Outside of Lavamoon Studios and my personal artistic practice, I am also building my career in UX and UI design. In an increasingly digital world, platforms have become our new studios, our new paper, and our new way to communicate. Nearly every aspect of our lives now has a digital form, and I find that fascinating.

Before my current role, I worked at UPS Corporate as a senior UX and UI designer. I later chose to leave that position to help build the largest Hindu temple in the Western Hemisphere, Akshardham, in Robbinsville, New Jersey. Volunteering on site was incredibly fulfilling, and I was also able to use my creative skills to contribute to merchandise, branding, web design, communication, and publications for the temple project.

Currently, I work at Techunifi, a startup IT company that provides innovative tech solutions. As I continue learning about IT and client-centered marketing, I also enjoy using my creativity to help our clients better engage with complex systems. Bridging the gap between people and technology is something I genuinely enjoy.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Kindness — I think this is paramount. Approaching everything with kindness can be hard some days, and people do test it. But I’ve learned that showing kindness can ease pressure on a team or an individual and actually make someone’s day a little better. I’m not perfect at this, but making a small effort every day has helped a lot.

Curiosity — People often say, “I’m a forever student.” Although it sounds cliché, I completely agree. There are so many skills to learn and courses to take. Just keep learning and growing your resource bank. Also, keep learning about people. Curiosity can build your network, knowledge, and opportunities.

Agility — In the creative world, the ability to pivot between skills or even careers is incredibly valuable. Learning to build a business and earn income outside the traditional corporate world is essential. Emotional agility is just as important. Life and circumstances change, and things get tough, but being agile has helped me keep moving forward.

Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?

If I only had a decade left to live, I would spend it traveling and creating. I want to add something meaningful to the legacy of creatives and leave a small impact on other artists. I think impermanence gives my art more value—no matter how much I create, at some point it might outlive me. I believe the last decade of my life should be in service to others, and I can only do that by learning about them. So for me, it’s travel and create.

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