The Silicon Dreams

Join us for a live panel moderated by Preethy Padmanabhan featuring Schwark Satyavolu, Co-founder & CEO, Startup, and Bhargavi V., Founding Partner at Java Capital, as they discuss the future of fintech, venture capital, and emerging innovation shaping 2025 and beyond. The panel also explores what investors are looking for in early-stage startups, how entrepreneurs can build resilient and scal...

In this episode, Preethy Padmanabhan sits down with Divya Raghavan, Early Stage VC at Hitachi Ventures Global, for a thought-provoking conversation on the power of grit, resilience, and perseverance in building long-term success. Drawing from her experience working closely with startup founders, Divya shares insights into the passion and determination she sees in entrepreneurs, the importance of c...

In this episode, Preethy Padmanabhan sits down with Molly McCabe, CEO of HaydenTanner, to unpack the major global trends shaping humanity, business, and innovation, leading up to From Africa’s rising economic potential and the rapid expansion of the global middle class to the critical role of immigration in driving innovation, Molly unpacks how these macro trends will impact businesses, government...

In this episode, Preethy Padmanabhan sits down with Andrew Romans, General Partner at 7BC Venture Capital and author of Masters of Corporate Venture Capital . Drawing from his extensive experience in Silicon Valley, Andrew unpacks the real motivations behind corporate venture capital and why it operates differently from traditional VC models. From navigating corporate structures to understanding s...

In this episode, Preethy Padmanabhan sits down with Lucie Newcomb , Founder & CEO of The NewComm Global Group, an international advisory and training firm specializing in global business development and leadership. Inspired by the book Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter by Liz Wiseman, the conversation explores what truly defines impactful leadership. From empowering teams...

In this episode, Preethy Padmanabhan sits down with Catharine Montgomery , Founder & CEO of Better Together, a communications agency focused on purpose-driven brands and social impact storytelling. Inspired by the book Built to Sell by John Warrillow, the conversation explores what it truly takes to build a business that is not only profitable—but scalable and sellable. From creating repeatabl...

In this episode of Silicon Dreams, host Preethy Padmanabhan speaks with Sushma Malhotra , President & CEO of S5 Advisory , about how How to Win Friends and Influence People shaped her leadership journey. Sushma also shares actionable leadership strategies — giving sincere praise, avoiding direct criticism, encouraging growth after mistakes, and using empathy to influence clients and teams effe...

In this episode, Preethy Padmanabhan sits down with Ash Seddeek , CEO at The Executive Greatness Institute , with an impressive background spanning Deloitte Consulting, Oracle, and Cisco. Inspired by his book Road to Success, Ash breaks down a powerful framework for career growth through three strategic steps — Own it, Win it, and Crush it. This conversation goes beyond traditional career advice,...

In this episode, Preethy Padmanabhan sits down with Prof Mrs Rajita Kulkarni , President of Sri Sri University, for a thought-provoking conversation inspired by her book Unknown Edge. Unknown Edge explores a powerful idea — that true transformation lies beyond what we can logically measure or predict. It uncovers the subtle forces that separate the mystical from the mundane, guiding individuals an...

In this episode, our host Preethy Padmanabhan sits down with Shaloo Garg , Managing Director of AI Startup Ecosystem, Microsoft , for an energizing conversation inspired by 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗡𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗺 𝗡𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘀 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗯. Antifragile introduces a powerful idea — that some systems, people, and organizations don’t just survive shocks but actually 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿...

In this episode, our host Preethy Padmanabhan sits down with Prith Banerjee, Senior Vice President of Innovation, and member of the ELT, Synopsys, for a thought-provoking conversation inspired by Innovation Factory: Creating and Sustaining High-Performance Innovation . Innovation Factory explores what it truly takes to build and sustain a high-performance innovation ecosystem within an organizatio...

In this episode, our host Preethy Padmanabhan sits down with Mita Gupta, Executive VP and Group Head, WNS Procurement, for a thoughtful conversation inspired by Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein . Range challenges the widely accepted belief that early specialization is the only path to success. Instead, David Epstein makes a compelling case for generalists—thos...

In this episode, our host Preethy Padmanabhan sits down with Syamla Bandla , Senior Director of Production Engineering at Meta , for a thoughtful conversation inspired by Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown . Atlas of the Heart is a powerful exploration of human emotions—why we feel what we feel, how those emotions shape our behaviors, and how emotional awareness can deepen our relationships. Syamla...

In this episode, our host Preethy Padmanabhan sits down with Jeremy Ryan Slate —Founder & Host of the Top 100 podcast Create Your Own Life , and bestselling author. Jeremy has interviewed some of the world’s highest performers—from Indy 500 winners and NYT bestselling authors to platinum recording artists, billionaires, and even a former CIA Director. In his book Unremarkable to Extraordinary...

n this episode, our host Preethy Padmanabhan sits down with Kison Patel —CEO- M&A Science | Exec Chairman- DealRoom—to unpack his practical and timely book, Agile M&A . Drawing from years of hands-on experience leading complex mergers and acquisitions, Kison breaks down how the M&A landscape is rapidly evolving—and why many companies still get it wrong. He shares how agility, alignment...

In this episode, our host Preethy Padmanabhan sits down with Ron Carucci —owner and managing partner at Navalent, best-selling author and contributor to Harvard Business Review and # Forbes —to unpack his powerful new book, To Be Honest . Based on 15 years of research and 3,200+ interviews with leaders worldwide, Ron reveals how clear identity, accountability, governance, and cross-functional rela...

In this episode, we bring you a powerful conversation with Shawn Flynn — Investment Banker and Managing director, SVH capital . Hosted by Preety Padmanabhan , this conversation challenges the hustle-first narrative and reframes what it really means to create results. Shawn shares insights on how shifting how you pursue outcomes can help you achieve more — faster, with less stress, and greater clar...

In this episode, we bring you an inspiring conversation with Jean-Loïck Michaux — Founder & CEO of Serendipia Hotels — as we explore the transformative impact of the book Unlimited Power by Tony Robbins. ⚡📘 Jean-Loïck shares how reading the book at 19 helped him dismantle limiting beliefs, overcome fear, and build the mindset needed to pursue extraordinary goals. Over the past decade, he has...

In this episode, we bring you a powerful conversation with Connie Kwan — CEO of Spark AI and a Master Storyteller at 4Storyteller — as we dive into The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs by Carmine Gallo. 📊✨ Connie breaks down the storytelling principles that made Steve Jobs unforgettable — clarity, simplicity, emotion, and theatrical presence. She shares how she applies these lessons in her own...

In this episode, our host Preethy Padmanabhan sits down with Shikha Mittal — Senior Director, Product Management at ServiceNow — to unpack the timeless lessons of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. ✨ Shikha shares why this book has been a guiding force in her life — from pursuing her “personal legend” to trusting the journey even when the path isn’t clear. She highlights themes of resilience, intuiti...

In this episode, our host Preethy Padmanabhan sits down with Linda Tong — CEO at Webflow — to explore the profound leadership lessons from Sacred Hoops by Phil Jackson. 💫  Linda reflects on Jackson’s transformative journey with the Bulls — from introducing the zen approach to building ego-less, high-performing teams through mindfulness, presence, and “invisible coaching.” She breaks down the prin...

In this episode, our host Preethy Padmanabhan sits down with Madhu Shalini Iyer — entrepreneur, Managing Partner at Rocketship.vc, and former data scientist — to unpack her contrarian perspective on Good to Great by Jim Collins. 💫 Madhu dives deep into why some companies make the leap while others stall, reflecting on themes like Level 5 leadership, confronting brutal facts, and balancing the thr...

In this episode, our host Preethy Padmanabhan sits down with Swati Bhatia, CEO Openbank US & Head of Retail Bank, Santander US, to explore the leadership wisdom inspired by Trillion Dollar Coach by Eric Schmidt, Alan Eagle, and Jonathan Rosenberg. 💫 Swati reflects on the timeless principles shaped by legendary Silicon Valley coach Bill Campbell — from building deep trust to fostering team-fir...

In this episode, our host Preethy Padmanabhan sits down with Gayathri Devi Kalyanaraman, Co-Founder & Rallyist at Sangatna Angels, to unpack the powerful principles from Deep Work by Cal Newport. 💫 Gayathri shares how this book has shaped her approach to focus, productivity, and prioritization — especially while balancing multiple roles and responsibilities. Through her lens, we explore what...

Robin Merritt | Leading with Courage Lessons from Dare to Lead In this episode, our host Preethy Padmanabhan sits down with Robin Merritt, Chief People Officer at Gainsight, to explore the transformative insights from Dare to Lead by Dr. Brené Brown. 💫 Robin shares why this book has been a guiding force in her leadership journey — helping her embrace vulnerability, define her non-negotiables, and...