South Asian Trailblazers
South Asian Trailblazers is a podcast that explores the journeys of influential South Asians across various fields, including entertainment, business, and politics. Host Simi Shah interviews notable figures such as Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Zarna Garg, and Vas Narasimhan, delving into their personal and professional experiences. The podcast aims to inspire and highlight the achievements of the South Asian community.
Episodes
Founder Garima Shah: How She Scaled a $10M FinTech in 5 Years
Simi speaks with Garima Shah, Co-founder & President of Biller Genie, on scaling a fintech to $10M+ in revenue. Biller Genie tackles a simple key problem: helping small businesses (SMBs) get paid faster. The company has doubled every year since 2022, and takes the average small business from 47 days to get paid down to 8.In an era where the glorification of venture capital has convinced a gene
Actor Ankur Rathee: From Princeton to Bollywood and Hollywood, the Road to Best of the Best
Growing up, Ankur Rathee only saw South Asians on screen playing age-old tropes. This week, he plays Ronak in Netflix's Best of the Best, a South Asian leading man written as a true hero, something Hollywood has rarely put on screen.Simi sits down with Ankur to trace his unconventional journey to acting. It runs from a family of farmers in Haryana, to a California childhood spent reenacting B
Hasan Minhaj, Lena Khan & Prashanth Venkataramanujam: Inside the Making of Netflix’s Best of the Best — Bringing Bollywood to Hollywood
Six years ago, Hasan Minhaj and Prashanth Venkataramanujam asked a question: How has a movie about the South Asian college dance team experience not been made?Together, they made Best of the Best — a coming-of-age comedy about two best friends — played by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Priyanka Kedia — who join their college’s competitive Bollywood-fusion dance team — out Friday, September 18 on Netfli
Karan Bhagat: How India Creates & Passes On Wealth | CEO of 360 ONE, India's Leading Wealth Manager
Simi speaks with Karan Bhagat, Founder and CEO of 360 ONE — one of India's largest wealth and asset management firms, advising nearly 9,000 of the country's top families with almost $80 billion in assets under management, including industrialists, tech founders, Bollywood stars, cricketers, and some of India's most prominent public figures. Recorded at the India Conference at Harvar
Sakshi Sindwani: The Curve Model & Creator Redefining Beauty Standards in Indian Couture
Sakshi Sindwani is one of India's most prominent curve models, content creators, and body-positivity advocates who has built a community of 700,000 women. In 2021, she became the first curve model to appear in a Manish Malhotra bridal couture campaign, and in 2026, the first Indian creator to walk the Grammys red carpet. Recorded at the India Conference at Harvard, Simi's conversation tr
Sid Sriram: A.R. Rahman's Protégé & Coachella's 1st South Indian Artist on How We Get Our "Bad Bunny" Moment
Simi Shah sits down with Sid Sriram — one of the most distinct voices in global music — for a live-recorded conversation at Harvard. Born in Chennai, raised in Fremont, trained at Berklee, mentored by A.R. Rahman, Sid Sriram has spent 15+ years alchemizing Carnatic and R&B music and putting Eastern and Western music "in conversation with each other."He was the first South Indian arti
Masoom Minawala: India's Original Influencer on Authenticity in the Age of AI, Motherhood & Why India Is Undervalued | South Asian Trailblazers
Simi speaks with Masoom Minawala — one of India's pioneering influencers. Masoom bet her career on the internet at 17, starting her fashion blog Miss Style Fiesta in 2010, a decade before the world knew what an influencer was. She became the first Indian content creator to walk at Milan Fashion Week, a fixture on the Cannes red carpet, and has collaborated with over 500 brands, including Loui
South Asians in Sephora — Diipa Büller-Khosla, Lisa Mattam, Nisha Phatak, Rooshy Roy (Live Panel)
In a first-ever live multi-founder panel from South Asian Trailblazers, Simi Shah sits with 4 South Asian beauty founders at the vanguard of South Asian-inspired beauty: Diipa Büller Khosla (indē wild), Rooshy Roy (Aavrani), Nisha Phatak (Lion Pose), and Lisa Mattam (Sahajan).The conversation was born from a single line. When Rooshy returned to Trailblazers to announce Aavrani's acquisition,
Raj Shamani: On Building the #1 Podcast in India and Soon, the World
Simi speaks with Raj Shamani — India's #1 podcaster, ranked #25 in the world — in a special live-recorded episode in New York City. Across 540+ episodes, 15 million subscribers, 400 million annual views, the Host of Figuring Out, Raj Shamani, has interviewed Bill Gates, President of France Emmanuel Macron, Aamir Khan, MS Dhoni, MrBeast, Vijay Mallya, and several other notable figures. Raj spe
Revathi Advaithi: From the Factory Floor to Fortune 500 CEO of Flex
Simi speaks with Revathi Advaithi, CEO of Flex — a $24 billion global manufacturing company that builds the critical infrastructure behind AI, cloud, healthcare, and automotive. Flex operates in 30 countries with over 140,000 employees, and under Revathi's leadership, the stock has soared from ~$7 to over $60.Revathi started her career on a factory floor in small town Shawnee, Oklahoma. She i
Ananya Birla: Carving Her Own Path inside the Multi-Billion Dollar Birla Dynasty
Simi sits down with Ananya Birla, business leader, artist, mental health advocate, and 7th-generation scion of one of India's oldest and most storied family businesses — the Aditya Birla Group.Ananya is building across more industries than most people will touch in a lifetime. At 17, she founded what is now India's second-largest microfinance institution. After dropping out of Oxford to
Priyanka Chopra and Anjula Acharia: The Partnership Powering Priyanka's Global Stardom from Bollywood to Hollywood
Simi sits down with power duo Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Anjula Acharia — like you've NEVER seen them before. In this first-of-its-kind conversation, Priyanka and Anjula — best friends and business partners of 15 years — sit down together to tell the full story of how they built one of the most extraordinary careers in global entertainment.15 years ago, Priyanka was searching for her next chap
AAVRANI has been Acquired: Founder Rooshy Roy on Exiting her Beauty Brand
AAVRANI has been acquired — and founder Rooshy Roy shares the full story for the first time on South Asian Trailblazers.Six years ago, in Season 1 (2020), Rooshy first sat down with Simi as a freshly-funded, newly-married Forbes 30 Under 30 founder building one of the first beauty brands rooted in Indian heritage. Today, she becomes the first trailblazer to ever return to the podcast — here to sha
U.S. Congressmen Raja Krishnamoorthi, Shri Thanedar, & Suhas Subramanyam
U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Representative Shri Thanedar (MI-13), and Representative Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) join South Asian Trailblazers Host Simi Shah for a timely and wide-ranging conversation live from the Impact Summit 2025 in Washington, D.C. WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE.On this special panel concluding Season 8, we dive into:💬 How increased political violence is shaping their
Ani and Ayan Sanyal, Founders of Kolkata Chai Co.
Brothers Ani and Ayan Sanyal, Co-founders of Kolkata Chai Co., join Host Simi Shah ahead of National Chai Day for a conversation around building one of the most iconic South Asian brands in America. WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE.What started as a side hustle in 2018 is now an 8-figure empire spanning viral NYC cafés, a booming e-commerce arm, and a cult following. The Bengali-American brothers have build a
Karishma Mehta, Founder of Humans of Bombay
All the way from Mumbai 🇮🇳✈️ our latest LIVE ✨podcast features Karishma Mehta: Founder & CEO of Humans of Bombay, India’s largest storytelling platform. This memorable live conversation from June 2024 is finally here. WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE.Born and raised in Mumbai, Karishma launched Humans of Bombay at just 21. Over the past decade, she has grown it into India’s largest storytelling platform —
Ali Sethi, Musician
Globally-acclaimed Singer, Songwriter, and Author Ali Sethi sits down with South Asian Trailblazers Host Simi Shah for a deeply personal podcast conversation on the heels of his debut solo album #LoveLanguage. WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE.Born in Lahore, educated at Harvard University and currently based in New York, he studied under acclaimed mentors across musical genres before rising to international a
Vir Das, Comedian & Actor
On the night his new Netflix special Full Volume hits screens, global comedy icon Vir Das sits down with South Asian Trailblazers Host Simi Shah for an unforgettable podcast live-recorded at the Asia Society of New York. WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE.🎧 This is Vir Das off-script — raw, real, and as per always, hilarious.Born in Dehradun, raised in Lagos, and educated everywhere from Delhi to Knox College
Sandeep Acharya, Founder and CEO of Octave Health
On today’s episode, I’m joined by Sandeep Acharya — Founder and CEO of Octave, a company that’s quietly but powerfully transforming how we experience mental health care in America. WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE.Under his leadership, Octave has partnered with major insurers to make high-quality, affordable therapy accessible across 23 states. It’s been named a LinkedIn Top Startup and one of the best places
Dilawar Syed, U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) Deputy Administrator
On the nostalgic grounds of their shared alma mater, Wharton, Simi speaks with Dilawar Syed, the Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). A role he was nominated into by President Biden, Administrator Syed was the highest-ranking Muslim official in the U.S. Government at the time of this recording. WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE.Syed came to the SBA from the State Department wher
South Asian Trailblazers at The Oscars: Mindy Kaling, Charithra Chandran, Manish Dayal, Deli Boys
South Asian Trailblazers at the Oscars 🏆 WATCH this episode HERE.Founder & Host, Simi Shah, takes us inside a celebration of South Asian excellence at the 2025 Academy Awards. She speaks with trailblazers across generations and genres about their journeys to the hallowed halls of Hollywood. Join us for interviews with and speeches from this Oscars Pre-Party!InterviewsCharithra Chandran, Actor
SPECIAL LIVE: Gurbir S. Grewal, Director of the SEC's Division of Enforcement
In this special edition of South Asian Trailblazers, Simi Shah hosts a LIVE podcast with Gurbir S. Grewal — the Director of the SEC's Division of Enforcement and former Attorney General of New Jersey — at the law offices of Morrison Foerster in New York City. WATCH this episode on YouTube.This event was proudly hosted in partnership with global law firm, Morrison Foerster and The South Asian
SPECIAL LIVE: Jay Sean, Multi-platinum Artist, Entrepreneur, & Record Label Executive
In this special, LIVE-recorded edition of South Asian Trailblazers, Host Simi Shah kicks off Season 8 with Jay Sean — multi-platinum artist, entrepreneur, and record label executive. WATCH this and EVERY FUTURE episode on YouTube. South Asian Trailblazers is an award-winning media platform, community, and agency dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. Join our community at SouthAsianTrailblaz
Exciting Updates: Upcoming Events, Season 8, and our Agency
Happy AAPI Heritage Month from South Asian Trailblazers! 👋🏼 In this short soundbite, I’m sharing exciting updates about events we’re hosting around the world(!), Season 8, and our Agency. The highlights:Season 8 goes live this Fall! But we couldn’t wait to share a sneak peek with you…which is why you can enjoy our latest LIVE recording with the esteemed Gurbir S. Grewal, the Director of the SEC&ap
Amol Shah, Go-To-Market at OpenAI
For our Season 7 Finale, we catch up with Amol Shah from OpenAI, one of the world's leading artificial intelligence companies and the creator of ChatGPT. Amol's career spans roles at tech giants like Facebook and TikTok, and more recently, he served as the Chief Revenue Officer for blockchain startup QuickNode. Before his foray into the tech c-suite, Amol served as the Head of the US Dis
Nishant Roy, Chief Communications & Impact Officer at Chobani
In this episode, we meet Nishant Roy, Chief Communications and Impact Officer at Chobani. Chobani is one of the fastest-growing food companies in the world and has been a pioneer in the natural food movement for the last decade. Nishant has an incredibly variegated career to date. He began his career with distinguished service in the United States Air Force as an airman where he served with the Se
Akash Mehta & Niki Mehta, Founders of Fable & Mane
In this episode, Simi welcomes our first-ever sibling founder duo: Akash and Nikita Mehta, Co-Founders of Fable & Mane. Fable & Mane is an Ayurveda-inspired hair wellness brand. Akash is a British entrepreneur and influencer. He graduated from Imperial College London with a degree in electrical engineering. His professional journey spans roles at Burberry, Estee Lauder, and Dior, where he
Raja Kumari, Rapper, Singer, Songwriter
Simi speaks with the revered RAJA KUMARI. Born Svetha Rao, Raja Kumari is a Grammy-nominated, international singer, songwriter, and rapper. With over 43 million monthly Spotify streams, she has launched multiple hit singles and albums and collaborated with John Legend, AR Rahman, Iggy Azalea, and Fall Out Boy. Drawing from her Indian roots, she is trained in multiple styles of Indian dance and is
Nikhil Saboo, Broadway Star and Actor
Joining us on South Asian Trailblazers is Actor and Broadway Star, Nikhil Saboo. Most recently, Nikhil played the iconic Connor Murphy in the National Tour of Dear Evan Hansen, becoming the first South Asian to ever take on the Tony-nominated role. He also performed in the 1st National Tour of Hamilton: An American Musical and in the original Broadway cast of Mean Girls: The Musical. Nikhil&apo
Priya Singh, Chief Strategy Officer & Senior Associate Dean at Stanford Medicine
For our mid-season finale, Simi is joined by Priya Singh — Chief Strategy Officer, Senior Associate Dean, & Vice President of Stanford Medicine. Stanford Medicine encompasses a $13 billion preeminent academic health center comprised of the Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford Health Care, and Stanford Medicine Children’s Health. Priya first began her career at Stanford in 2002, when she join
Nora Ali, CEO and Co-Founder of Mason Media
Simi is joined by Nora Ali, the CEO and Co-Founder of Mason Media, a full-service production company and brand studio, which she co-founded alongside MLB all-star Alex Rodriguez (A-Rod) and tech billionaire Marc Lore. With a degree in Statistics and Quantitative Finance from Harvard, Nora began her career by building a foundation in capital markets as an Asian Equities Associate on the trading flo
Diipa Büller-Khosla, Global Influencer, Founder of indē wild, Model
In a first for South Asian Trailblazers, we welcome Global Influencer and Entrepreneur Diipa Büller-Khosla. Diipa is not only one of the first Indian influencers to have gained international renown, but is also breaking barriers as a founder, model, public speaker, and activist.At age 18, Diipa moved from India to Amsterdam and eventually London to study international human rights law. She interne
Ruchi Bhowmik, Vice President of Public Policy at Netflix
Simi sits down with Ruchi Bhowmik, Vice President of Public Policy at Netflix.In this role, Ruchi strategizes around the streaming giant's relationships with key stakeholders: regulators, non-governmental organizations, and elected leaders in the United States and Canada. Prior to joining Netflix, Ruchi was Global Vice Chair of Public Policy at EY, one of the big four accounting firms. There
LIVE: Vas Narasimhan (CEO of Novartis) & Dr. Srishti Gupta Narasimhan (Physician Leader in Health and Education)
To kick off South Asian Trailblazers Season 7, power duo Dr. Vas Narasimhan (CEO of Novartis) and Dr. Srishti Gupta Narasimhan (Physician Leader in Health & Education) join Simi all the way from Basel, Switzerland for a LIVE recording at Novartis Headquarters in Cambridge, MA. WATCH this episode on YouTube.South Asian Trailblazers is dedicated to elevating leading South Asians. To learn about
Shruti Ganguly, Filmmaker, Director, and Producer
For our Season 6 Finale, Simi invites Shruti Rya Ganguly: award-winning Filmmaker, Producer, and Writer to the podcast.In 2017, Shruti started honto88, a production company that works in a variety of formats — from narrative and doc features to series and branded content. She launched it with a narrative feature produced by Keanu Reeves. She has directed videos for Google, Unilever, Nike, and Chan
Gaurav Shah, CEO of Rocket Pharmaceuticals & Grammy Award Winner
The founding CEO of a breakout biotech company AND a Grammy Award winner? Gaurav Shah is no stranger to dualities. In this episode, Simi speaks with the Co-Founder and CEO of Rocket Pharmaceuticals, a company developing first-in-class gene-modified cell therapies to treat rare diseases. Prior to his role as founding CEO, Gaurav was a Global Program Head in the Cell & Gene Therapies Unit at No
SPECIAL LIVE EPISODE: Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal at Impact Summit 2023
In this special edition of South Asian Trailblazers, Simi hosts a LIVE podcast with Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal — the first South Asian woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives — to kick off Indian American Impact's 2023 Summit in Washington D.C. WATCH this episode on YouTube.In addition to elevating the stories of South Asian leaders, South Asian Trailblazers is also dedicated t
Zarna Garg, Comedian
You’ve likely seen Zarna Garg — the Indian immigrant mom and comedy sensation cracking mom jokes on Instagram, opening for Tina Fey, or most recently, making headlines for her comedy special, Zarna Garg: One in a Billion, which premiered on Amazon Prime in May.But do you know what came before? Born and raised in India, Zarna Garg immigrated to the U.S. as a teenager to escape her father's pl
Pooja Goyal, Chief Investment Officer of Carlyle Global Infrastructure
In this episode, we meet Pooja Goyal: Partner and the Chief Investment Officer of Carlyle Global Infrastructure, Co-Head of the Carlyle Global Infrastructure Opportunity Fund (CGI), and Carlyle’s Head of Renewable and Sustainable Energy. With over $381 billion assets under management (AUM), Carlyle is one of the world’s largest investment firms — a megafund that specializes in private equity and p
Medha Gargeya, Associate Counsel to VP Kamala Harris, U.S. Air Force Reservist, Adjunct Professor
In this episode, Simi speaks with Medha Gargeya: Associate Counsel to Vice President Kamala Harris, reservist with the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps, and Adjunct Professor of Law.As Associate Counsel at the White House, Medha helps manage ethics and oversight for the Vice President's office and works on policy areas ranging from criminal justice to voting and reproductive
SPECIAL LIVE EPISODE: Anjula Acharia, Manager to Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Investor, and Entrepreneur
In this special edition of South Asian Trailblazers, Simi speaks with trailblazer Anjula Acharia in front of a LIVE audience in New York City. WATCH this episode on YouTube.In addition to elevating the stories of South Asian leaders, South Asian Trailblazers is also dedicated to convening them. If you're interested in attending future community events, including our live podcasts, subscribe
Pooja Bavishi, Founder & CEO of Malai Icecream
Meet Pooja Bavishi, Founder and CEO of Malai, a trailblazer who is sure to pique your interest and... your sweet tooth. Malai is an artisanal ice cream company, with flavors inspired by the nostalgic, aromatic spices and ingredients of South Asian culture. Pooja had always wanted to be in the business of delivering happiness, AKA desserts, and in 2015, she founded Malai following her graduation fr
SPECIAL LIVE EPISODE: Akshay Kumar, Nora Fatehi, Mouni Roy, and The Entertainers
In this special episode, we mark our first-ever foray into Bollywood and the land of Indian cinema. Trailblazers Host, Simi Shah, joins some of Bollywood’s biggest stars on the Red Carpet as they kick off a U.S. show tour entitled, The Entertainers. The Entertainers is led by Bollywood icon Akshay Kumar, and also welcomes Nora Fatehi, Mouni Roy, Disha Patani, Aparshakti Khurana, Zahrah Khan, Sona
Anita Chatterjee, Founder & CEO of A-Game Public Relations
To kick of Season 6, Simi speaks with Anita Chatterjee, Founder and CEO of A-Game Public Relations. A-Game Public Relations is a bicoastal firm representing celebrities, business leaders, venture capital firms, and innovative technology and consumer packaged goods companies. Anita has built the profiles of several high profile individuals, including Rohan Oza, Guest Shark on ABC's Shark Tank
SPECIAL 50th EPISODE: Reflections on 50 Trailblazers
In this very special edition of South Asian Trailblazers, we celebrate our 50th episode. To mark this exciting milestone, we wanted to do something a little bit different.In the 50 episodes, 50 stories we’ve shared thus far, we’ve met some phenomenal individuals — visionary entrepreneurs, seasoned executives, next gen creatives... all the way from fashion to medicine. These leaders affirmed a lot
Prama Bhatt, Chief Digital Officer of ULTA Beauty
Joining us for this episode is Ulta Beauty's first-ever Chief Digital Officer, Prama Bhatt. Prama brings 20 years of digital expertise to this role, having brought to life innovative experiences and initiatives like Virtual Beauty Advisor, Skin Analysis, GLAMLab, real-time recommendations and more to meaningfully disrupt and drive the industry forward. Before serving as CDO, Prama was senior
Ziad Ahmed, Co-Founder/CEO of JUV Consulting
At 23-years-old, Ziad Ahmed is our youngest trailblazer to date. In this episode, Simi catches up with the CEO/Co-Founder of JUV Consulting, a purpose-driven Generation Z consultancy that works with clients (small businesses, non-profits, and major corporations) to help them authentically reach young people. To date, the company has worked with 20+ Fortune 500 companies (Unilever, VF Group), has b
Megha Desai, President of The Desai Foundation
Simi speaks with Megha Desai, President of the Desai Foundation. The Desai Foundation empowers women and children through community programming that elevates health, livelihood and menstrual health, primarily in India. Initially established by her parents 25+ years ago, the public foundation has impacted 5 million+ lives across 2500 communities to date. Before pivoting to the nonprofit world, Megh
Raju Narisetti, Global Publishing Leader @ McKinsey
In this episode, Simi is joined by a legend in the media business: Raju Narisetti, Global Publishing Leader at McKinsey.Raju grew up in India where he studied business and journalism. He immigrated to the U.S. in the 1990s, earning his Masters in Journalism from Indiana University. Here he kickstarted his career in local news in Dayton, Ohio. In 1994, he was recruited to the Wall Street Journal, w
Yamini Rangan, CEO of HubSpot
We're mid-season and to celebrate, Simi welcomes Yamini Rangan, CEO of HubSpot to Trailblazers. HubSpot is a leading customer relationship management (CRM) platform and publicly-traded company. Prior to becoming CEO, Yamini served as the company's first-ever Chief Customer Officer. In September 2021, she succeeded CEO Brian Halligan, the co-founder of HubSpot who had served as CEO for th
Arjun Pulijal, President @ Capitol Music Group
Beck, Paul McCartney, Troye Sivan, Maggie Rogers, Katy Perry, Sam Smith, Halsey, Masego, Doechii, Norah Jones — just a few of the greats on Arjun Pulijal’s star-powered artist roster. In our latest episode, Simi speaks with the esteemed President of Capitol Music Group.Capitol Music Group is a premier American front line umbrella label owned by Universal Music Group. As President, Arjun oversees t
Sean Desai, Associate Head Coach-Defense of Seattle Seahawks
In this episode, Simi catches up with a legend in the League, Sean Desai, Associate Head Coach-Defense for the Seattle Seahawks. Sean has over a decade of experience as a coach at the NFL and collegiate levels. When he became defensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears in 2021, he became the first Indian-American NFL coordinator in U.S. history.Sean joined the Bears in 2013, where he served on st
Seema Mody, CNBC Anchor and Reporter
In this episode, Simi sits down with a familiar face, Seema Mody, CNBC Global Markets Reporter.A leading business journalist, Seema is CNBC’s FIRST South Asian on-air personality. She joined the network in 2011 and currently focuses on the intersection of foreign policy and Wall Street, as well as the travel industry. She also hosts European Close, a daily segment that keeps U.S. investors informe
Kal Penn, Actor
To kick off Season 5, Simi sits down with Kal Penn, esteemed Actor, Author, and former White House Staffer.Kal jumpstarted his acting career in the early 2000s, with performances in The Namesake and Harold & Kumar franchise. He has also starred in a host of other fan favorites: Designated Survivor, House, and How I Met Your Mother to name a few.In 2009, Kalpen made a left turn out of acting an
Megha Rao, Fashion Designer and Founder @ holiCHIC by Megha
For our Season 4 finale, Simi sits down with Megha Rao, Fashion Designer and Founder of holiCHIC. A renowned global fashion brand, holiChic offers South Asian-inspired fashion ensembles with a Western twist. Megha’s brand made its runway premiere at New York Fashion Week in 2021, and was also featured in the iconic Jalebi Baby remix video with Tesher and Jason Derulo. Before starting holiChic in 2
Dr. Sree Chaguturu, Chief Medical Officer of CVS
Simi sits down with Dr. Sreekanth Chaguturu, Chief Medical Officer at CVS Health. Shortly after this episode was recorded, Sree ascended to this role, becoming CMO for all of CVS Health. He previously served as Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for CVS Caremark — the patient benefits arm of CVS Health that ensures that patients have access to safe and affordable prescriptions. Before
Aditi Shah, Peloton Instructor and PUMA Ambassador
Simi welcomes our first trailblazer in fitness, Aditi Shah, Instructor at Peloton and Global Ambassador for PUMA.Aditi joined Peloton in 2018, having been recruited to help launch their Yoga and Meditation practice. She first discovered her love of yoga while living in Mumbai after graduating from Rutgers University, where she studied math. While in India, she pursued modeling, appearing in campai
Maneesh Goyal, Founder of SONA NYC and Entrepreneur
In our latest episode, Simi is joined by Maneesh Goyal, Founder & Partner of NY-based restaurant SONA. Maneesh is a serial entrepreneur. In 2003, he launched his own event marketing company called MKG, where he worked with the likes of Google, Target, Delta, and other high-profile clients before selling the company in 2019. He’s since founded 3 other companies: Live in the Grey, a company cult
LIVE EPISODE: Aparna Shewakramani, Indian Matchmaking Star and Author
In this special edition of South Asian Trailblazers, Simi sits down with Aparna Shewakramani in front of a live audience, hosting our first-ever live podcast at the World Trade Center in New York City.Aparna is the breakout star of Netflix’s hit series Indian Matchmaking — where she went from controversial character to overnight ambassador for women demanding to be heard. This conversation marked
Shilpa Shah, Founder and Chief Experience Officer of Cuyana
Simi catches up with Shilpa Shah, Co-Founder and Chief Experience Officer of Cuyana.Founded in 2011, Cuyana is a direct-to-consumer luxury fashion brand founded on the philosophy of “fewer, better” to encourage customers to invest in fewer, but higher-quality essentials. Over the past decade, the brand has become a favorite among celebrities like Jessica Alba, Ayesha Curry, Poorna Jagannathan. In
Usman Ahmed, Head of Global Public Policy and Research of PayPal
Simi speaks with Usman Ahmed, Head of Global Public Policy and Research at PayPal.Usman began his career in public service at non-profits focused on voting rights and good governance. Eventually, he decided to pursue his law degree at the University of Michigan. While there, he pursued a legal fellowship at eBay, quickly ascending to the role of Policy Counsel just a few years after graduating. In
Sushma Dwivedi, Head of Communications and Brand Marketing of Daily Harvest
In this episode, Simi catches up with Sushma Dwivedi, Head of Communications and Brand Marketing at Daily Harvest and Founder of the Purple Pundit Project. Sushma spent the early innings of her career with major global communications firms including Edelman and Fleishman Hillard. Focused on food and beverage space early on, she worked closely with companies like Chobani, Dannon, and Perdue Farms.
Saeed Ahmed, Director of Digital News of NPR
Simi speaks with Saeed Ahmed, Director of Digital News at NPR.Prior to joining NPR in 2021, Saeed served as Assistant Managing Editor of CNN Digital. He began his 13-year career at CNN as a news desk editor for The CNN Wire, and went on to spearhead content diversity efforts and create the top two newsletters in CNN's portfolio: 5 Things and The Good Stuff. Prior to CNN, Saeed spent seven yea
Payal Kadakia, Founder of ClassPass, Artist, and Author
To kick off Season 4, Simi welcomes Payal Kadakia, Founder of ClassPass, Artist, and Author.ClassPass is a subscription-based platform that enables people to book a variety of fitness classes without paying for individual memberships. After founding the company in 2013, Payal served as CEO of the company until 2017, at which point she became Executive Chairman. By 2020, ClassPass became the first
Sunayna Tuteja, Chief Innovation Officer at the Federal Reserve
For our Season 3 finale, Simi catches up with Sunayna Tuteja, the first-ever Chief Innovation Officer of the Federal Reserve.Prior to joining the Fed in February of 2021, Sunayna served as the Global Head of Emerging Tech & Strategic Partnerships at TD Ameritrade. She spent a number of years building out their cryptocurrency and blockchain practices as Head of Digital Assets. Prior to TD Ameri
Paraag Marathe, President of 49ers Enterprises
In this episode, Simi speaks with Paraag Marathe, President of 49ers Enterprises & Executive Vice President of Football Operations.Paraag is no stranger to football — he is in his 21st year with the 49ers. And previously, he served as team president and Chief Operating Officer.On the football side, Paraag serves as the team’s chief contract negotiator and salary cap architect, while overseeing
Chitra Nayak, Mythili Sankaran, Sruthi Ramawami, Founders of Neythri
Simi welcomes a founder trio to the podcast. Mythili Sankaran, Chitra Nayak, and Sruthi Ramaswami are the co-founders of Neythri, an organization dedicated to creating a network of South Asian professional women. Most recently, they launched the Neythri Futures Fund, a startup investment fund with an investor base of primarily South Asian women.Now a little more about the women behind Neythri.Chit
Dhanusha Sivajee, Chief Marketing Officer of Angi
Simi catches up with Dhanusha Sivajee, Chief Marketing Officer at Angi.In her role, Dhanusha is responsible for brand and marketing strategy. Angi, previously known as Angie’s List, is an online resource for finding vetted, local providers for various home services. Prior to Angi, Dhanusha served as Chief Marketing Officer of The Knot, a platform providing content and services to couples planning
Brinda Adhikari, Showrunner and Executive Producer of The Problem with Jon Stewart
Simi welcomes Brinda Adhikari, Executive Producer and Showrunner of The Problem with Jon Stewart. This new AppleTV show marks the famed Jon Stewart’s return to television as he tackles a new societal issue in every episode. And Brinda — she's at the helm.Brinda joined The Problem from CBS News, where she was a senior broadcast producer for segments anchored by major TV personalities like Nor
Reshma Saujani, Founder of Girls Who Code and Marshall Plan for Moms
Simi sits down with Reshma Saujani — Founder of Girls Who Code. Reshma is also an international bestselling author, attorney, and activist. The daughter of Indian refugees, Reshma studied political science and eventually went on to pursue her Masters in Public Policy and J.D.After graduating from Yale Law, Reshma worked as a corporate attorney on Wall Street. But soon, she pivoted to politics. She
Sruthi Lanka, CFO of Public.com
Simi welcomes Sruthi Lanka, Chief Financial Officer at Public.com. Public is a platform that makes investing easy, accessible, and social. The Robinhood rival launched in September 2019, and has since acquired 1 million users, achieving a valuation of $1.2 billion.Before joining Public, Sruthi served as Head of Strategic Finance at MoneyLion, another emerging fintech startup. But Sruthi isn’t new
Nik Sharma, CEO of Sharma Brands
Simi sits down with Nik Sharma of Sharma Brands. Nik got his start in one of the most unique ways we’ve yet to see on this podcast: by managing social media for influential celebrities like Priyanka Chopra and Pitbull when he was just 15 years old. With that as his start, Nik decided to forgo college to make his mark in advertising and marketing. He eventually made his way to Hint Water to lead t
Geetha Murali, CEO of Room to Read
In this episode, Simi welcomes Geetha Murali, CEO at Room to Read.Dr. Geetha Murali is the first non-founder CEO of Room to Read, an international education nonprofit that seeks to transform millions of children’s lives through the power of education. In her 12 years with them, Geetha has expanded Room to Read’s presence to 20 countries and reached 20 million children globally. Geetha began her n
Paul Grewal, Chief Legal Officer of Coinbase
In our Season 3 opener, Simi welcomes Paul Grewal, Chief Legal Officer at Coinbase.As Chief Legal Officer, Paul spearheads all legal and regulatory matters for the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, which also IPO’d in April at a valuation of $65 billion. A friendly face in the world of law and tech, Paul previously served as Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Facebook. He began hi
Ann Mukherjee, Chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard North America
Simi speaks with Ann Mukherjee, CEO and Chairman at Pernod Ricard North America. Ann is a marketing maven turned rebel executive at various household consumer companies: Pernod Ricard, Kraft Foods, and Pepsi. As Chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard North America, she heads up hallmark brands in the spirits industry: Absolut, Jameson, Kahlúa, and others. Unafraid to center cultural issues, she led the
Snigdha Sur, Founder and CEO of The Juggernaut
Simi welcomes Snigdha Sur, Founder and CEO of The Juggernaut. The Juggernaut is a subscription media company and community that produces deep-dive reporting on South Asia(ns).A trailblazer with a passion for telling South Asian stories? Dare I say more?Snigdha Sur began her career journey at McKinsey. She subsequently moved to India and channeled her long-time passion for media into independently
Renu Gupta, VP of Sales @ Thrive Global
It's not all that often we see South Asians in sales. This week, Simi welcomes Renu Gupta, Head of Sales at Thrive Global. Renu is a seasoned sales executive who’s traversed some of the most ambitious tech companies in the world. She currently serves as the VP of Sales at Arianna Huffington’s famed company Thrive Global, a behavior change platform tackling the burnout epidemic. Previously, sh
Manik Gupta, Former Chief Product Officer @ Uber and Investor
Can you imagine a world without Google Maps? Well, imagine building it. Simi meets the man behind Maps, Manik Gupta, Investor and Former Chief Product Officer at Uber. Manik Gupta mapped the world from scratch as a Product Leader for Google Maps, where he also spearheaded the Maps launch in India and led the parent company’s acquisition of Waze. His foray into tech began out of college, when he fo
Adi Raval, Head of Communications @ Shield AI
In this episode, Simi welcomed Adi Raval to the pod. Adi currently serves as Head of Communications for Shield AI, a venture-backed AI company that serves the national security industry. Adi's work in comms has spanned some of the best and brightest teams in the world: he served as Head of Communications for TaskRabbit, which was acquired by Ikea. He led global media relations at the Bechtel
Sheel Mohnot, Co-Founder of Better Tomorrow Ventures and Investor
Sheel Mohnot is a serial entrepreneur, fintech investor, and acquired podcaster — so naturally this was quite the conversation for Simi.A graduate of Carnegie Mellon and University of Michigan, Sheel was formerly a General Partner with the the FinTech Fund at 500 Startups. More recently, he co-founded Better Tomorrow Ventures, a fund leading pre-seed and seed rounds in financial technology compani
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