How I Got Here

This is Part 2 of our conversation with Shwetha Mangal . Here is Part 1 if you missed it: Shwetha is a women’s health and fitness coach who runs Strength with Shwetha and coaches through The Boss Body Revolution. She has a community of over 50K followers sharing fitness insights for South Asian women. In this second half, we dig deeper into some practical questions: Can you eat whatever you want i...

I tried something new for this episode…I co-hosted it with my friend Naga. She’s been following today’s guest, Shwetha Mangal , for years. When she suggested I interview Shwetha, I thought it would be more meaningful if she joined me. Shwetha is a women’s health and fitness coach who runs Strength with Shwetha and coaches through The Boss Body Revolution. She has a community of over 50K followers...

I interviewed Rajesh Setty , serial entrepreneur, startup mentor, keynote speaker, and 20-time author. Rajesh published his first novel at age 13 and five more before he turned 17. He’s written over 20 books, 2K blog posts, mentored over 2K founders at Founders Institute, and been part of the founding team of over 10 startups collectively valued at more than $150 million. In 2014, Rajesh was diagn...

If you missed part 1 of my conversation with Mahesh Guruswamy , Chief Technology Officer at Kickstarter and author of How to Deliver Bad News and Get Away With It , you can watch it here: In this part, we get more into the tactics on how to give bad news: * What most people get wrong when delivering bad news * The core framework of delivering bad news * How to handle underperforming employees * Wh...

I interviewed Mahesh Guruswamy , Chief Technology Officer at Kickstarter and author of How to Deliver Bad News and Get Away With It . Mahesh always saw himself as an average kid growing up in Chennai—and assumed he’d stay that way. Today, he’s an executive at a major U.S. tech company, and I was curious how he changed his trajectory. We talk about his journey as an immigrant, dealing with racism,...

I had the pleasure of interviewing the Honorable Atupele Muluzi , President of the United Democratic Front (UDF) party in Malawi—the country’s first governing party in its democratic era. We talk about the challenges and responsibilities he faced as a young student when his father, Bakili Muluzi , became Malawi's first democratically elected president. Now a presidential candidate for the 2025 ele...

I interviewed Dr. Michael Pfeffer , Chief Information Officer and Associate Dean at Stanford Health Care and Stanford University School of Medicine. Michael brings a unique perspective as a physician, professor, and tech leader at one of the world’s most prestigious healthcare institutions. We explore his journey from practicing hospitalist to healthcare tech exec, the lessons he learned from bein...

I interviewed James Daly, CEO and Founder of the San Ramon Academy of Music, co-founder of the San Ramon Chamber Ensemble and San Ramon Youth String Orchestra, and founder of The Powerful Piano. Beyond his work in music and tech, James is also a competitive powerlifter. We chat about music, fitness, productivity, and time management, including his sophisticated planning system on Apple Notes which...

I interviewed Rimple Patel , Chief Customer Officer at Eightfold AI and former VP of Customer Experience Strategy and Innovation at Workday. We discussed her career journey after moving to the US and how she ultimately became a C-Level executive. As Chief Customer Officer, Rimple has pioneered intentional listening strategies to transform companies into more customer-centric organizations. She sha...

I interviewed Scot Chisholm , a four-time founder who built a portfolio of companies worth over a billion dollars. Scot unveils insights from his entrepreneurial journey, which began with selling pizzas. Inspired by his mother's battle with cancer, Scot founded the non-profit fundraising platform Classy , which he sold to GoFundMe in 2022 for over a hundred million dollars. Now, he is focused on b...

If we are open to learning lessons from anyone and everyone in all situations, we will be the better for it. That's what shapes you. That's what molds you. And I would attribute all of that to how I was shaped and who I am today. — Sethuraman Panchanathan I had the pleasure of interviewing the Honorable Sethuraman Panchanathan , a computer scientist and engineer, and the 15th director of the U.S....

You can tell a great deal about a man by the shoe he wears. – Joshua Rozario I interviewed Joshia Rozario , founder of J.Rozario , a men’s footwear brand, focused on bold designs and quality craftsmanship. Josh is also a creative brand marketing professional who has worked with over 250 brands globally. The first 30 minutes is all about shoes and styling tips. Men: don’t miss it! In the second hal...

It always fascinates me when I walk into an organization and find people who've worked together for years, sometimes even on the same floor, and yet they barely know each other. I make a point of speaking to everyone. – David Blackwealth I interviewed David Blackwealth , who started out as an entrepreneur—a graphic designer and music producer—but found his calling in the corporate world, rising to...

Swami, one thing I know about you is you love photography. When we talk about photography, you get a smile on your face and you light up. There are going to be leaders that lead you at the workplace that will never talk about photography with you ever. They don't care about it. It's just about Swami cranking it out. That's leading with your head. Leading with your heart means I care about Swami. A...

Hello friends! I'm so excited to announce my new podcast, How I Got Here. This show is all about the incredible journeys of remarkable people–how they overcame challenges and made the choices that led them to where they are. We'll uncover their decision-making processes, how they think differently, and the ways they tackle problems. Plus, we'll get the inside scoop on the tools, strategies, and ha...