Podcasts about Siddhartha

What if AI can learn the “why” behind decision making of humans?Ashu Garg and Jaya Gupta recently wrote one of the most discussed articles on AI this year. Their idea drew public responses from Dharmesh Shah, Aaron Levie, and Arvind Jain.Enterprise software has always captured what happened. It records the order, the ticket, and the approval. But it has never captured why it happened. It does not store the reasoning, the exception, or the past decisions that shaped the outcome. Ashu argues that this missing layer is the biggest opportunity in enterprise AI right now, and that the startups that capture it will be the biggest winners in AI.In this episode, we go deeper into what context graphs really are, how they get built, why startups have an edge over incumbents, and how close we are to seeing this work in practice.00:00 – Trailer00:42 – What are context graphs?03:57 – Why agents haven't lived up to the hype?07:03 – The “why” of Decision Making10:47 – How agents will store data for context graphs13:17 – What will be possible for Digital twins?17:32 – Can context graphs reveal a company's moat?19:48 – Guardrails on Access for agents24:47 – Managing agents vs being managed by agents28:46 – Will winners be vertical or horizontal players?32:20 – The future is agent swarms35:54 – Finding PMF is what makes a great CEO39:34 – What will set apart successful enterprises of 203042:10 – Where Foundation Capital is investing44:05 – Why AI won't be winner-takes-all47:03 – Where will the context graph reside?50:56 – Will systems of record be replaced?53:22 – Human in the loop → hands-off execution55:57 – A reality check on where we are today58:24 – Where startups will win in orchestration-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send a text

Samay Kohli spent 12 years at GreyOrange, scaling it to over $100 million in revenue and a $3 billion valuation at its peak, making it one of the world's largest warehouse robotics companies. Two years ago, he started again with Budy, this time in the US senior care industry.In this industry, decisions are emotional, sales cycles can run for years, and multiple stakeholders are involved. While the market sits at the intersection of real estate, healthcare, and hospitality, most sales still depend on manual follow-ups and scattered tools.Budy builds digital workers for sales teams: AI teammates that handle follow-ups, scheduling, and lead management across CRMs, calendars, and inboxes. Instead of adding another layer of software, Budy went zero UI-UX and focused on enabling sales teams in an industry with 99% inbound leads to manage their cold leads better.Today, Samay joins Siddhartha (Partner at Neon Fund, and a proud investor in Budy) and shares his journey from building robots to building digital teammates for a very non-traditional industry.00:00 – Trailer01:00 – What Budy is building for senior care05:15 – Real Estate × Healthcare × Hospitality06:25 – Zero UI UX technology10:09 – AI teammates not assistants12:03 – How sales teams operated before Budy12:51 – A ninety nine percent inbound industry13:45 – The real cost of senior care homes15:35 – Can a CRM alone solve this17:55 – Direct benefits of a digital worker20:49 – Two founder archetypes22:06 – Can lights out operations become real24:49 – What Samay underestimated about the market25:58 – The largest players in the industry29:07 – Treat your customer's company like your own30:52 – Entrepreneurship as a profession35:36 – Unlearnings as a second time founder37:30 – What digital workers actually are39:47 – The original promise of SaaS42:04 – The next decade of digital workers45:25 – Digital workers that read best selling books47:26 – Will Claude build CRMs49:38 – Business etiquette across the world55:18 – How a second time founder chooses investors01:01:00 – Why every team member should track the P and L01:02:14 – How Samay's view on growth evolved-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send a text

Citações e trechos do livro “Living is Dying”, de Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse.Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche ou Thubten Chökyi Gyamtso, é um grande mestre da linhagem Nyingma do budismo tibetano, cineasta e escritor.Nascido em 1961, em Khenpajong (leste do Butão), é o filho mais velho de Thinley Norbu.Aos sete anos, foi reconhecido por Sua Santidade Sakya Trizin como a principal encarnação de Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö, o herdeiro espiritual de uma das mais influentes e admiradas encarnações de Manjushri (o Buda da Sabedoria).Até a idade de doze anos, Dzongsar estudou no Mosteiro do Palácio do Rei de Sikkim no nordeste da Índia, onde estudou com vários mestres contemporâneos influentes como Dudjom Rinpoche, Dalai Lama e Dilgo Khyentse que considera ser seu principal mestre. Ainda adolescente, Dzongsar construiu um pequeno centro de retiro em Ghezing em Sikkim e logo começou a viajar e ensinar pelo mundo.Em 1989, Dzongsar fundou a Siddhartha's Intent, uma associação budista internacional de centros sem fins lucrativos, a maioria das quais são sociedades e instituições de caridade, com a intenção principal de preservar os ensinamentos budistas, bem como aumentar a conscientização e a compreensão dos muitos aspectos do ensinamento budista além dos limites das culturas e tradições.Como cineasta, Dzongsar estudou com o italiano Bernardo Bertolucci; e seus dois filmes principais são “A Copa” (1999) e “Traveller e Magicians” (2003).Dzongsar Rinpoche é famoso pela liberdade descontraída com que se move entre culturas e povos e por sua dedicação incansável em trazer a filosofia e o caminho da iluminação para qualquer pessoa com um coração aberto.

Pour ce septième épisode de la saison 4 de Morning Data Chat, Siddhartha Chatterjee, Chief Data & AI Officer du Club Med, partage la manière dont le groupe opère un virage stratégique vers un modèle AI First, en plaçant l'intelligence artificielle au cœur de la transformation des processus métiers.Il explique pourquoi l'IA ne doit pas être considérée comme un simple outil, mais comme un levier pour repenser en profondeur la façon dont l'entreprise fonctionne, prend des décisions et délivre de la valeur, tout en préservant l'ADN humain du Club Med.Siddhartha revient sur un cas d'usage emblématique dans les opérations RH : l'automatisation et l'optimisation de l'affectation des G.O à travers le monde. Ce processus historiquement manuel, critique pour l'expérience collaborateur et la satisfaction client, a été repensé de bout en bout grâce au machine learning, avec l'humain conservé dans la boucle.L'épisode met également en lumière un facteur clé de succès : le redesign des processus end-to-end, porté par un nouveau rôle, celui de Process Designer, combinant expertise métier, compréhension des enjeux IA et conduite du changement. Un retour d'expérience très concret sur la manière de structurer une transformation IA durable, à l'échelle d'un groupe international de services.Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

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Do startup valuations today make sense?Umesh Padval, an early investor in Cohere, now valued at about $7 billion shares why Cohere stood out at the time of his investment. He shares what he saw early that made him believe this was not just another AI model company.Umesh is the Founding Managing Partner, Seligman Ventures and previously at Thomvest and Bessemer Venture Partners. He brings experience from investing across multiple tech cycles, from chips to cloud to AI. Umesh talks about how deals are really done in venture capital and what he looks for when everything feels noisy and crowded in AI.He also shares why many strong companies are choosing to stay private and what has changed in the IPO market. Public markets now demand cash flow and durability, not just fast growth.Umesh talks about why open source has become a powerful sales funnel for modern AI companies. Developers become the first users, and community adoption turns into long-term enterprise revenue.After four decades in Silicon Valley and 20 years as a VC, Umesh shares what keeps him in building and investing.0:00 – How big is the scope for investing in AI startups?04:04 – Do unit economics justify large AI valuations?06:00 – Thomvest's LLM investment thesis (Cohere case study)09:18 – Are CTO roles changing in AI11:21 – Traits of the best AI founding teams13:40 – Timeline to find the best founders16:52 – Partnership with Jyoti Bansal19:07 – Where is the IPO market headed?23:40 – Salesforce–Clari acquisition25:18 – Is profitability a prerequisite to go public?26:00 – Can the India–US corridor beat US–Israel?28:53 – Umesh's investment philosophy31:08 – Open source as a sales funnel33:38 – IIT → Stanford → Startups41:45 – The only CEO with 60 direct reports43:43 – Why Jensen never does 1-on-1s?48:23 – What ultimately drives Umesh Padval?-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send a text

Gabe Ravacci, CTO and co-founder at Internet Backyard, breaks down what the “computer economy” really looks like when you zoom in on data centers, billing, invoicing, and the financial plumbing nobody wants to touch. He shares how a rejected YC application, a finance stint, and a handful of hard lessons pushed him from hardware curiosity to building fintech infrastructure for compute.If you care about where compute is headed, or you are early in your career and trying to find your path without overplanning it, this one will land.Key Takeaways• Startups often happen “by accident” when your competence meets the right problem at the right time• Compute accessibility is not only a chip problem, it is also a finance and operations problem• Rejection can be data, not a verdict, treat it as feedback to sharpen the craft• A real online presence is less about networking and more about being genuinely useful in public• Time blocking and single task focus beats grinding when you are juggling school, work, and a startupTimestamped Highlights00:28 What Internet Backyard is building, fintech infrastructure for data center financial operations01:37 The first startup attempt, cheaper compute via FPGA based prototyping, and why investors passed04:48 The pivot, from hardware tools to a finance informed view of compute and transparency gaps06:55 How Gabe reframed YC rejection, process over outcome, “a tree of failures” that builds skill08:29 Building a digital brand on X, what he posted, how he learned in public, and why it worked13:36 The real balancing act, dropping classes, finishing the degree well, and strict time blocking20:00 Books that shaped his thinking, Siddhartha, The Art of Learning, Finite and Infinite GamesA line worth keeping“The process is really more important than any outcome.”Pro Tips for builders• Treat learning like a skill, ask better questions before you chase better answers• Make focus a system, set blocks, mute distractions, and do one thing at a time• Share what you are learning in public, not to perform, but to be useful and find signalCall to ActionIf this episode sparked an idea, follow or subscribe so you do not miss the next one. Also check out Amir's newsletter for more conversations at the intersection of people, impact, and technology.

How do I interpret my rollercoaster ride on the yogic path?

The Story of Sri Buddha – From Prince to the Enlightened OneThis episode tells the timeless story of Sri Buddha, the great teacher who transformed human thought with compassion and wisdom.Born as Prince Siddhartha to King Śuddhodana and Queen Māyā, his birth itself was surrounded by divine signs and prophecies. Sheltered within palace walls from sorrow and suffering, the young prince lived a life of luxury—until a series of encounters changed his destiny forever.Moved by the realities of old age, illness, and death, Siddhartha renounced his royal life in search of truth. His long journey through asceticism, doubt, and inner struggle finally led him to sit beneath the Bodhi Tree, where, after a night of deep meditation, he attained Enlightenment and became the Buddha — the Awakened One.This episode explores his birth, renunciation, awakening, and the moment when compassion replaced desire, and wisdom replaced fear—marking the beginning of a path that would guide millions toward peace and liberation.

Matt MacInnis spent 6 years as COO at Rippling and now leads as CPO. He joined Rippling in 2019, when there were only 70 people, and has led the company across multiple stages.Before that, Matt was a founder for 9 years, building Inkling after 7 years at Apple. These three chapters of his career shape this conversation. We focus on how to build and operate teams as a company scales. Matt explains how he thinks about speed versus real progress, and which parts of building a company should move fast and which should move slowly. He shares how he decided when to introduce processes at Rippling, when to keep things informal, and how to recognize when a process that once helped the company had started to slow it down.We discuss how his role changed as Rippling grew from around 70 people to 100, then to 500, and now to thousands. He explains what he paid attention to at each stage and which metrics he deliberately did not obsess over.These are practical lessons for founders, from the earliest days of a startup to the challenges of scaling a large organization.0:00 - Trailer01:11 – One thing people get wrong about building a business?04:01 – Great founders find markets that already exist06:36 – What does a “death march” mean at Apple?10:11 – How to build a good team in early-stage startup?12:33 – Learnings from Apple to Inkling18:11 – Processes to set up in startups25:20 – Humans always optimize for comfort (and why that's bad instinct)33:09 – Why success teaches you more than failure36:01 – How should processes change as company scales?42:11 – How is AI changing the software industry?54:03 – If Matt were starting up today, how would he do it?57:07 – How would Next-gen PM roles look like?01:01:51 – Matt shares about Rippling CEO Parker01:04:32 – Founder instinct vs Data01:06:06 – Over-optimizing for employee comfort01:07:27 – If building a startup feels comfortable, it's probably dead01:08:36 – One thing only CEO's should do forever01:11:15 – One piece of startup advice Matt doesn't trust-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Episode #480: Michael Santi Keezing, a former Thai Forest monk, describes himself as both a Buddhist and a “post-Buddhist,” shaped by a lifelong effort to understand the mind, culture, and the limits of spiritual practice for someone raised in an intensely individualistic Western society. He recalls that before he ever meditated, he felt a persistent longing to understand consciousness, a “free-floating yearning” that led him into Eastern spirituality through books like Be Here Now, Siddhartha, and the works of Carlos Castaneda. Discovering a nearby monastery in the Ajahn Chah lineage, he eventually ordained, believing he was pursuing clear insight through what he calls Buddhist phenomenology. Only later did he recognize that trauma and a desire for safety also influenced his decision, as the monastery offered structure, belonging, and a refuge from uncertainty. Inside monastic life he set aside the intellectual world that once defined him, devoting himself to meditation and the Vinaya. Meditation gave him emotional clarity, while the discipline cultivated humility and restraint. Yet he also saw rigidity within Western monastic communities—an absolutism around hierarchy and rules that sometimes obscured compassion. A turning point came when he lived among Indonesian and Thai monks in Queens, where identical rituals felt more human and flexible, revealing that Western monastics inadvertently reshaped the tradition through their WEIRD conditioning. That conditioning, he says, produces inward-focused individuals burdened by psychic wounds, often misreading Buddhism through a modern psychological lens. Returning to the act of reading late in his monastic years, he encountered books on neuroscience, which reframed experiences he once interpreted through Buddhist metaphysics. Realizing that no single framework held all answers, he eventually moved beyond monasticism. Michael now emphasizes a practical understanding of not-self, rejects political quietism, and argues that wisdom must express itself as action and responsibility. Reflecting on Burma's struggle, he affirms that “justice can be achieved for the Burmese people,” holding hope while remainingcommitted to engagement.

Todos buscan luz. Pero no todas las luces conducen al mismo lugar.

This is a special episode from the Neon Fund.In 2025, the US saw $1.8 trillion worth of M&A deals, around 25× more than India. But India's startup ecosystem is much younger, which makes every acquisition a playbook for founders on process, pricing leverage, and stakeholder management.Neon backed Zenduty in 2020, when the founders had been bootstrapping profitably for two years and were already growing at a pace many VC-backed startups aspire to.Today, founders Ankur Rawal and Vishwa Krishnakumar join Siddhartha, Partner at Neon, to discuss one of the most untalked acquisitions of 2025.Over a 10-year journey, Zenduty pivoted to SRE in 2020. Vishwa and Ankur also share insights on the future of the DevTools space, which they believe will always be a strong choice to build great products, because engineers are among the hardest end users to please.This episode is a founders' view on how acquisitions work in Indian SaaS.00:00 – Trailer01:00 – Initial years of a decade-long journey07:12 – How Zenduty chose its investors11:04 – How much should founders dilute?12:24 – Building with profitability before & after fundraise14:45 – Six years of survival before the pivot17:01 – Why the pivot to the SRE space?18:39 – How Zenduty differentiated from PagerDuty19:12 – End users are the toughest to please in engineering20:39 – Is market attractive if biggest player is valued only $1.5B?25:22 – Why acquisition and not a Series A?27:18 – The process before acquisition29:23 – How pricing negotiations work31:51 – Should devtool companies build from India or US?34:58 – Three types of connects at physical events37:06 – What physical presence at events signals39:06 – Founders' feedback on Neon Fund41:41 – “Don't build in silence”43:50 – How to build a core AI-native company today47:54 – Do first-time founders have an edge in the AI era?52:08 – Cost to PMF has drastically gone down54:48 – What hard problems are startups solving today?55:37 – Why are acquisitions rare in India?1:00:20 – How US investors are facilitating M&As1:01:14 – How to make your brand visible to potential acquirers-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Kanwal Rekhi first came to the US in the 1960s. He took his company public on Nasdaq in 1987. As a young Indian in the US, he was laid off from his first three jobs. That experience pushed him towards entrepreneurship. At the time, Indians were known and hired for technical and mathematical skills, not as founders building companies on US soil.But Kanwal and his co-founders decided to bet on themselves. They faced rejection from nearly 50 investors before one VC agreed to invest $2 million for 50% of the company. In just five years, the company went public.From being appointed CEO overnight to being removed by the board two months before the IPO for a more “wall street-acceptable” CEO, this is a story of many firsts.After Excelan, Kanwal co-founded TiE in 1992 and has mentored tens of thousands of entrepreneurs. Beyond a personal story, Kanwal Rekhi is a turning point in how Indian founders came to be seen in Silicon Valley.0:00 – Trailer01:11 – How TiE was formed07:11 – DoT Hatao, Desh Bachao11:31 – Career opportunities in the 70s13:41 – When Indians weren't trusted to build companies15:44 – Pioneers in computer networking16:51 – Finding an Investor after 50 rejections20:31 – Becoming CEO overnight23:29 – Spare the story, show the numbers24:17 – The “Wall Street acceptable” CEO for IPO27:30 – Founders have to be financial thinkers28:14 – How Excelan could go public in just 5 years29:27 – Cost is unrelated to pricing in software31:12 – Do Indian companies need Americans to lead?34:05 – Benefits of registering in the US36:53 – $1 trillion to solve India's problems40:49 – Policies for India's startup ecosystem42:01 – Enabling entrepreneurs in villages44:41 – India in the 80s v/s today50:36 – US vs India vs China01:04:52 – How did IITs start allowing donations?01:07:25 – AI investments of Silicon Valley Quad01:18:29 – What Kanwal Rekhi looks for in founders?-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Where did the journey of iD Fresh start?It began when a 19-year-old Abdul Nazer decided to run away from home to Bangalore with ₹100 in his pocket. He did any job that came his way: cook, cleaner, conductor and sold anything he could, from clothes and vegetables to spices and peanuts. Along the way, he brought his three brothers to Bangalore.Even with huge losses in business, they never stopped looking for new opportunities. Their first real glimpse of success came from a tea stall run out of a rented room that cost ₹80 a month. Despite strong demand, the tea business was still running at a loss. The turning point came when they started opening the stall at 2 in the morning: a disruptive business model, says PC. Those ₹2 cups of tea taught them lessons they would carry forward.Abdul Nazer and PC Mustafa together share these stories for the first time. Their journey reminds us that no success is overnight, especially not for these brothers. It was at their kirana store in Indiranagar that the idea of iD Fresh was born. Five brothers with no background in food technology spent six months experimenting with recipes before finding their hero product. This is the story of five founders who pushed past their circumstances. Today, iD Fresh is at a scale the founders never dreamed of growing up in Wayanad. 00:00 – Trailer00:55 – Dropping out of studies02:32 – 19 Year Old that Runaway to Bangalore04:35 – First job as a cook11:25 – When Nazer decided to become an entrepreneur14:01 – Huge loss in Vegetable business16:15 – Starting the kirana store that led to iD18:00 – On the verge of shutting down20:10 – How Lambu Tea Stall became profitable24:16 – When PC decided to do business with Nazer25:14 – All the (failed) businesses that led to iD27:04 – Why PC decided to come back to India28:23 – The origin story of the idli batter idea31:40 – The first $50k investment32:57 – Cracking the batter without any food tech expertise34:38 – The first recipe that became iD's hero product35:35 – Why iD failed to sell 100 packets in 6 Months41:15 – The first customer approval43:06 – Building awareness was the biggest challenge44:35 – Lack of cold storage in supermarkets45:22 – The inventory model of iD46:25 – How the initial team was built48:35 – Story of team spirit50:15 – When iD Fresh Chennai & Mumbai Failed52:27 – How the chemistry worked between the five brothers56:52 – The buyout offer of ₹20+ crores57:35 – How founders build the mindset to hire experts1:00:50 – Did the runaway child achieve his dream?1:03:09 – How Nazer's choices directly led to iD1:04:45 – Building within value systems1:07:26 – Summary: what really worked for iD Fresh-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The Send us a text

The third of the Four Immeasurables of Buddhism, as defined online, is sympathetic joy, or empathy, I have long taken to indicate the kind of genuine delight that one can feel at the good fortune of others.Unfortunately, in the context of our prevailing dog-eat-dog, winner-take-all, loser-victim mentality—the emerging tribal take on social and economic standing in America—this fulsome embrace of the success of others has become a diminishingly rare commodity, if we are to believe the daily reporting. Your winning at the game of life means that I must be losing. As if there is a finite store of happiness, from which any one'sindividual achievement, or gain, necessarily takes away from the total available to others.However, if empathy has a more substantial base than its conventionally positive, but dualistic or relativistic meaning—reduced to like-mindedness, or even pity—it must also be operative in negative mode. In certain cases, when and where we are not at all sympathetic, but stubbornly indifferent; we may even find ourselves opposed to others. In which case, empathy for oneself tends to trump — no pun —any possibility of empathy for others.Shakyamuni Buddha was reputed to have been able to read minds. One of the ten honorifics accorded him during his lifetime translates as something like “controller of men,” which is roughly the meaning of Matsuoka Roshi's first dharma name, “Soyu.” Empathy plays a central, determinative part in this ability to win friends and influence people. But our inborn, naturally altruistic empathy may need an occasional boost from the nurturing, tender loving care of meditation.My supposition is that Siddhartha Gautama was already a highly sensitive youngster, becomingestranged from existence itself, owing to the pain and suffering he had witnessed in his life. Like MasterDogen, he witnessed the death of his own mother at an early age. But his realization in meditation during hismid-thirties must have engendered the emergence of an even deeper and broader sensibility for the suffering of others. He clearly was a natural empath, born of magnanimous and nurturing mind, innately endowed with compassionate traits. Which were only amplified in, and by, his intense meditation under that fig tree.In the Surangama Sutra, attributed to Buddha, he suggests that it is possible, and even probable, that his followers will themselves develop such paranormal powers (Skt. siddhis) through their own meditation. One of which would be this ability to “know others' minds.” In the Fifty Warnings attached to this sutra, cautionary tales against falling into certain states of delusion (Skt. mara), he offered specific spoiler alerts,flagging the likelihood of getting stuck at various stages of the process, ten in each of the Five Skandhas.By misinterpreting fifty gobsmackingly vivid meditative experiences that Buddha describes in meticulous detail—occurring at remote passes on the parallel track of transcending ordinary perception of reality—your average monk or nun might come to believe, falsely, that they are now fully enlightened. When, truth be told, they still have a long way to go, before finally getting off the train at anuttara samyak sambodhi, the end of the line.He also admonished them not to demonstrate any such abilities to others, as their audience might also get the wrong idea, that gaining such seemingly mystical or magical powers is what the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path is all about. Too soon. Wait—there's more. Just keep on keepin' on, no matter whateverfantastic or fabulous transformation seems to have taken place. You are not home free, yet.It is worth mentioning that at this time there were apparently any number of clever charlatans andwould-be magicians plying their trades of trickery in the public marketplace, masquerading as genuine sages (Skt. sadhu) or seers. Buddha apparently did not want his followers to settle for a “me too” position in the contemporaneous war of ideas, competing for the attention of the hoi polloi.This throughline of the teaching further suggests that in Buddha's case, he had persevered, making itall the way down and through the rabbit hole, and all the way back. In other words, he did not fall for thevarious offramps that Mara (the spirit of delusion), offered up to sidetrack him, that long dark night under the Bodhi tree. Even the daughters of Mara, with their seductive wiles, were unable to distract the young prince from his single-minded focus on penetrating the primordial koan of suffering existence. According to the story, he had already been there, done that, with many a merry maid, under the direction of his doting father. Whose game plan was to keep him in thrall to the sensory pleasures of the world, so that he would succeed to his inheritance, the leadership of theShakya clan. But young Siddhartha was not buying it. He had other fish to fry, starting with himself.Because Buddha was able to resist the temptations of fantasy and overcome the nightmares of fear, ifwe are to believe the story—doggedly persisting in the face of all resistance—he eventually emerged from the other side of the wormhole. In other words, he went full circle through the looking glass, returning to whence he had launched his excellent adventure, exploring the new frontier of mind-only. He came home again, the prodigal son, but home had been miraculously transformed into the entire universe. Yet nothing special, indicated by his touching the Earth.But his enhanced empathy, for himself and his intimately personal causes and conditions, extended to include all beings. It had to be an even more painful embrace of universal suffering, than had been his initial, self-centered view of suffering that drove him to the cushion. Fortunately, his profound, newfoundinsight swayed him to try to help all others, the very beginning of the bodhisattva vow.So compassion turns out to be just one of those things—as one of the Supremes famously said of pornography—difficult to define definitively. But you know it when you feel it. When you feel true compassion, however, it will not be compassion for others. It will be compassion for your sorry self. And it will not be coming from yourself. In other words, it will not yet manifest as true empathy.Along with all the other findings, conclusions, and recommendations that formed the deliverables of Buddha's contract with humanity, empathy fits all three. He found that it constitutes a description of reality, concluded that it is a fundamental law of sentient existence, and recommended a big dose as a prescription for negotiating the Path. At once a cause, as well as an effect, empathy is a natural attribute of the Way. It is only natural that we realize it, the sooner the better.

Best of 3500 Minutes in 45 Minutes2025 was a great year for The Neon Show. 60 episodes, 72 guests, and thousands of minutes of insightful conversations on everything around building a business.You'll hear perspectives from Founders scaling companies across the world, sharing the real challenges behind building high-growth startups; Investors on how they spot opportunities and make bold bets; and Ecosystem leaders who have navigated multiple cycles and understand what truly lasts.This episode is a carefully curated highlight reel. The sharpest ideas, boldest bets, and timeless lessons that defined this year. Watch it for clear takeaways to carry into 2026 on building companies that last for decades.0:00 – Trailer01:26 – Paras Chopra03:37 – Avanish Bajaj06:53 – Vijay Rayapati08:33 – Ashu Garg11:39 – Kiran Darisi16:40 – Asha Jadeja20:33 – Sanjeev Bikhchandani23:22 – Alok Goyal26:41 – Shiv Shivumar29:34 – Saurya Prakash31:59 – Raviteja37:21 – Ashish Toshniwal43:54 – Bhaskar Gosh47:32 – Somesh Dash-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Harish Bhat spent 38 years with the Tata Group, working across businesses that reach millions of Indians every day, including Titan, Tanishq, and Tata Tea.He joins Neon Show for a 3rd time and reflects on what it meant to build inside a 150+ year-old institution. The conversation begins in 1991, the year Ratan Tata took over as Chairman, a role he would hold for 21 years. Harish explains how Ratan Tata prepared Tata Sons at a time when the Indian economy was opening up and competition was changing rapidly.We discuss landmark moments in the group's history, including the Tetley acquisition in 2000, the first time an Indian company acquired a major global consumer brand. Harish shares how this decision transformed not only the Tata Group's mindset but also the way ambitious Indian businesses think about their potential.Harish speaks about Ratan Tata not as a distant icon, but as a leader he worked closely with. He shares stories of how decisions were made, how conflicts were handled, and why dignity, compassion, and keeping one's word were always non-negotiable for Ratan Tata.The conversation also draws from his book Doing the Right Thing, where he transfers these experiences into practical lessons on leadership shaped over decades.https://www.amazon.in/Doing-Right-Thing-Bestselling-Tatastories/dp/014347985700:00 — Trailer01:07 — Paying tribute to Mr. Ratan Tata05:53 — The Tata family legacy06:53 — Early childhood and education of Ratan Tata07:48 — The decision to return to India08:44 — How Ratan Tata prepared the Group for a liberalised economy14:35 — How Tata Sons became a global business16:45 — The $450 million Tetley acquisition20:08 — Tata Group's acquisition of Global Brands23:33 — A visionary leader who chose to remain deeply private25:04 — How Ratan Tata dealt with Conflict28:58 — Dignity above all31:29 — The only concern on renovation of Bombay House34:41 — How the Tata Group gives back to Mumbai39:44 — Four lessons from Ratan Tata's Life42:50 — The deeper purpose that drives the Tata Group44:45 — Emotional gestures that speak to people's hearts48:45 — Ratan Tata as a philanthropist51:26 — A life guided by the principle: “Do the right thing”53:06 — The story behind the book-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Founders are often seen as superhumans. In this new series, we look at the humans behind the superhuman journey. The thrill of building, the guilt of missing out, the learnings, the failures, and why they still do it and would do it all over again.Arpita is a second-time founder, now building Mysa. Her first startup, Mech Mocha, was acquired by Flipkart. Ananda is the Co-Founder and CTO of Astra Security. They are building in two different spaces, finance and cybersecurity, but the journeys are similar, that of a founder.This is an unfiltered conversation between two founders about what building a company really looks like: the choices they didn't make, the people who bet on them early, and how their identities, relationships, and sense of self changed along the way.This episode is for anyone who is building, thinking of building, or simply curious about what being a founder really feels like.0:00 – Becoming a Founder in 20s05:10 – The odd realities of being a founder young07:51 – Placements we got, but never took10:56 – Learning to ask for help as founders16:39 – The people who bet on you early23:05 – Co-founder dynamics as life partners25:40 – Handling co-founder conflict27:21 – Making it to Forbes 30 Under 3031:54 – How the PM award helped during house-hunting34:10 – Being a Topper is Not Important anymore35:45 – How close should founders be to their teams?37:40 – Why advice hasn't worked much for me39:27 – Getting addicted to the thrill of being a founder41:27 – When a founder's identity becomes tied to their company43:18 – Setting boundaries as founders43:40 – Why I don't share my Instagram with my team44:07 – Realising that your team may not be forever49:10 – Startups are marathons, not sprints50:24 – Why founders need to be humanized53:43 – Living life in the limelight as a founder57:55 – Why work friends often don't exist for founders59:09 – Would you do it all over again?01:01:36 – How family react when one decides to be a founder?01:02:32 – Is it easier the second time as a founder?01:03:27 – Why not knowing was actually a gift-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

In 1992, Roopa Kudva walked into CRISIL's CEO Pradeep Shah's office without an appointment, starting her 23-year career there. She spent over two decades at CRISIL, rising from analyst to CEO. Roopa has spent over 3 decades in leadership roles in India and has witnessed three key phases in India's growth: the closed economy in the 80s, the post-liberalisation era, and the rise of tech entrepreneurs.She shares bold decisions that defined her journey. Like when she proposed to the then CRISIL CEO to create the Chief Ratings Officer role and pitched herself for it. She got the role, which set her on the path to becoming CEO. We also discuss the leaders who shaped her thinking, K.V. Kamath of ICICI, Piyush Gupta of DBS, and Katharine Graham of the Washington Post.Throughout the conversation, Roopa returns to one idea: there is no single leadership style or fixed playbook. Her journey shows how ambition and initiative to act at the right moment can define a career and the organizations one builds along the way.0:00 —Trailer01:21 — IIM to IDBI03:54 — Work Culture in the 80s05:58 — Rise of New-Age Companies06:55 — The Aha Moment of Leadership View08:52 — Leaving CRISIL After 23 Years10:49 — Choosing Omidyar & Impact Investing16:03 — India's Evolving Risk Appetite20:40 — Deciding the Next Career Move26:08 — How She Got the CRISIL Job31:09 — Asking for the CRO Role35:48 — Promotions Are Bets on the Future37:37 — The Leader Who Changed Her Philosophy43:40 — ICICI as a Women-CEO Factory45:36 — What Holds Women Back from Rising51:38 — DBS: The Piyush Gupta Transformation55:06 — Entrepreneurs for the Next Half Billion1:02:47 — The New Indian Founder Profile-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

The Story of Buddha — The Awakened One

Most conversations in startups begin at zero: what's the idea, who's the customer, how big is the market. But the stage before that, when you know you're ready to be a founder yet the direction is still completely undefined. That strange, uncomfortable, high-potential zone Aditya Agarwal calls “minus one.”In this episode, Aditya and Prateek Mehta breaks down what happens in this “figuring out” stage. The questions people avoid, the habits that matter, and why some of the best companies begin long before their founders have any conviction.We get into how this stage is evolving in the AI era. Exploration cycles are faster, technical founders can test more directions than ever, and the gap between “I'm experimenting” and “I'm running a real company” has narrowed. India's builder ecosystem is shifting too: more second-time founders, more people with real outcomes behind them, and far more comfort sitting with ambiguity.Aditya shares his own minus-one moment after Facebook, his startup acquisition, Dropbox's IPO, and Flipkart, and why that transitional period changed the way he thinks about early-stage startups. Prateek brings on-the-ground view from Bangalore, where ambition, technical depth, and the appetite to explore hard problems from robotics to voice models to AI infra are rising.This episode is for anyone who feels they're between missions. Anyone who wants to understand why the most important part of building a company might actually be the time you spend before you even know what you're building.00:00- Trailer01:06- Aditya's journey to starting SPC after Facebook & Dropbox 03:48- A “learning club” for people in figuring-out stage06:23- 3 Northstars of the SPC community07:02- How SPC evolved from a community to a fund10:32- Not everyone should be a founder11:51- 1% selection rate13:53- Building conviction in 1 of 3 outcomes16:36- SPC is at PMF stage18:38- Mismatch of traditional VC's v/s rapid pace startups19:04- How AI has impacted investing at SPC26:32- How AI has changed VC firms29:02- Axis of curiosity replacing thesis30:17- Star Companies of SPC US33:34- Binny Bansal's role in starting SPC India37:16- Questions & confusions as founders in early stage39:50- Number of great entrepreneurs is NOT small41:49- Talent density in India vs Bay Area44:04- Founders don't need a culture of permission45:08- India tier 2 and 3 does invest heavily in AI46:11- AI is truly democratizing tech49:09- Math gives India advantage in AI51:48- A lot of science fiction is coming true-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

In this conversation, Neil Ashton and Prof. Siddhartha Mishra, and Prof. Johannes Brandstetter discuss their recent paper on AI foundation models in computational fluid dynamics (CFD). They explore the backgrounds of the speakers, the journey to writing the paper, the role of AI in CFD, and the challenges of scaling laws and data generation. The discussion also covers model training costs, open questions, and future directions for research in this field.Fluid Intelligence: A Forward Look on AI Foundation Models in Computational Fluid Dynamics : https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.20455v1

Composer Siddhartha Khosla joins Emily to discuss scoring Only Murders in the Building, what bonded him with Steve Martin, and his epic This is Us crossover with rock band Chicago. Emily reveals an embarrassing Linda Cardellini story, we talk about Siddhartha's hilarious meet-cute with Martin Short, and Emily gets an invite to cross something off her bucket list. So find your trailer, bleach your hair, and compose yourself as you enjoy Chapter 36 of How To Make It.Follow us on Instagram: @HowToMakeItPodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel: @HowToMakeItPodcast

Estrenos musicales con con Cheko Záun Semana poderosa: Siddhartha nos envuelve con “Abrázame” Ed Sheeran estrena “Skeletons” Julieta Venegas nos lleva a la nostalgia con “Tiempos Dorados” Conéctate en Tamara con Luz en MVS, de lunes a viernes, de 10:00 AM a 01:00 PM por MVS 102.5 FMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're a startup selling to enterprises, understanding how a CIO discovers and evaluates you can change everything. Most founders believe that cold emails and polished decks drive attention, but Karthik Chakkarapani, CIO of Zuora shares that nearly 80% of the startups he evaluates are found through outbound - while researching solutions, through peers, or even on LinkedIn. For many startups, this alone can reshape how they think about go-to-market.How does an enterprise decide whether to buy from a startup or not? Karthik walks us through Zuora's three-step buying process. It starts with understanding the problem the startup solves and how quickly the product can show value. If the early signals are strong, the next step is a deeper look at ROI, integration, security and whether the company is mature enough to be a long-term partner. The final stage is legal and procurement, which is where many early-stage startups slow down.If you're building a startup, this episode offers a practical look into how CIOs think, how they make decisions and what it really takes to go from a first conversation to a signed contract.0:00 – Trailer0:53 – Buying process of startups05:19 – How Zuora's SaaS portfolio looked 2 years ago09:00 – Inbound vs outbound10:53 – How initial contact with potential customers works13:34 – Startups should be thought partners16:57 – How long it takes to create value for customers19:59 – Where startups draw the line in growth vs efficiency23:06 – Top 5 largest spends24:01 – Why only 1-year contracts for new AI startups?26:12 – Why legal & procurement struggle to understand startups29:46 – 20% of portfolio is 0–5 year old companies30:46 – Are startups not backed by VCs a red flag?34:29 – 60% in growth + 40% in day-to-day37:42 – Learnings from peer CIOs41:38 – Featurely: Case Study45:14 – Atomicwork: Case Study46:55 – Trupeer: Case Study47:51 – How Zuora uses OpenAI & Anthropic49:39 – How AI is helping personal productivity51:26 – How agents will be managed54:02 – Number of SaaS apps will go down, agents will go up55:45 – Building the right security for AI56:31 – India vs US: where founders are building from-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Dan Millman's book: The Way of the Peaceful Warrior,⁠ Blends fact and fiction as he recounts his day's training as a college gymnast in his bid to become a World Champion, along with all the hardships he faced.The fiction format of the novel magnifies the impact of the lessons contained within, allowing us to envision our transformation whilst tapping into our deep, primal urge for immersive storytelling. Drawing parallels with Siddhartha, which effortlessly combines timeless wisdom with a compelling narrative, this book is a joy to read, taking the reader on a profound spiritual journey.“A warrior does not give up what he loves, he finds the love in what he does”Dan Millman, Way of the Peaceful WarriorSHOW OUTLINEINTROWe all have inner battles, prepare yourself for themSpiritual weight training (1m18)FOUNDATIONAL IDEASummary of Book by GainKnowledgeMeditation and purpose (2m36)HOW TOLearn to enjoy the journey of your life, and don't let your ego drive your emotionsWhat makes you happy (2m23)Finding time to rest and find peaceHow to Overcome the Fear of Wasting TimeFocus on the now, rather than letting yourself become overwhelmed by too many thoughtsOne thing at a time (2m07) CLIP CREDITS ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDL85fzdc1g&ab_channel=TEDxTalks⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA4twJiaWVw⁠TRANSCRIPT⁠https://www.moonshots.io/episode-127danmillman-transcript-1⁠Thanks to our monthly supportersMikeEdwin DeitchJamie DorwardEmily Rose BanksMalcolm MageeNatalieRyan N.Marco-Ken Möller孤鸿 月影FabianJasper VerkaartAndy PilaraolaAustin HammattZachary PhillipsMike Leigh CooperGayla SchiffLaura KERoar Nikolay Ytre-EideStefRoger von Holdtvenkata reddyIngram CaseyOlarahul groverRavi GovenderCraig LindsaySteve WoollardDeborah SpahrSamoelaJo HatchardKalman CsehBerg De BleeckerPaul AcquaahMrBonjourKonnor Ah kuoiMarjan ModaraDietmar BaurBob Nolley⁠★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

130 IPOs from over 400 startups. IVP is now in its 18th fund, with companies like Perplexity, Glean, Slack, Figma, Twitter, Uber, and Abridge in its portfolio. Somesh Dash, general partner at the 45-year-old firm, has been part of IVP for more than 20 years.We start with something we are both passionate about, building in the US-India corridor. Somesh talks about the group of people who put the silicon in Silicon Valley, the immigrants. From Andy Grove to Elon Musk to Chennai-born Aravind Srinivas.He recalls the first time he met Aravind at a WeWork, when Perplexity had just 20 employees and a beta product or how Dylan (Founder of Figma) had the vision nobody else had on the future of design, way before ai. The early signals Somesh saw in these founders, long before any signs of massive success were visible. He also talks about the companies they missed, giants like DoorDash, OpenAI, and Anthropic.Though this seasoned investor truly believes in AI, he says the sector is due for a correction. The bubble will burst. Most Gen 1.0 AI companies are unlikely to reach billion-dollar valuations or go public. But as always in tech, the lessons from this first wave will shape Gen 2.0 companies. And the teams that understand and adapt from this early wave will build the next generation of successful AI companies. Also, when the bubble bursts, that's the time to invest. Why?Somesh Dash shares in this episode.0:00 – Trailer1:12 – Immigrants who built Silicon Valley4:27 – India's incredible contribution to the Valley5:30 – How the India–US friction will actually help6:29 – What's at stake for both countries10:42 – Where India stands in AI11:45 – First meeting with Aravind Srinivas13:47 – Why IVP invested in Perplexity two years ago17:11 – In AI, don't take product–market fit for granted18:43 – Courage to fail & double down on early wins19:36 – Why multiple investors on a cap table isn't bad22:14 – How IVP invested in Figma24:28 – IPO is a milestone, not the end25:56 – Why US public markets are not overvalued27:50 – How a VC defines startup success31:08 – The best thing about failed startups32:12 – Why IVP missed DoorDash34:54 – How IVP decides to invest or pass38:27 – The doctor who builds tech45:05 – Future of Content is honesty and vulnerability47:11 – Meeting OpenAI & Anthropic in the early days48:52 – AI “startups” with capex the size of nations49:53 – The power law in venture capital50:45 – Why we're close to an AI correction54:11 – Gen 2.0 startups are built on Gen 1.0 foundations56:45 – Will the AI bubble burst?1:01:32 – Do high valuations during peaks still make sense?1:05:04 – What keeps IVP strong for five decades1:08:11 – The Co's making IVP more bullish on India–US corridor-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------Send us a text

When Shreesha Ramdas left Medallia after a $6.5B acquisition he decided it was time to reinvent.At his 4th startup Lumber, before writing a single line of code, he hired a sales person and ran 200+ interviews across the industry to understand the real pain points. The interviews gave Shreesha the insight that though payments were a problem, it was neither big enough nor urgent. But it was very difficult to hire workers, and even more difficult to retain skilled craft workers. In the U.S alone 41% of construction workers will retire in the next six years, leaving a massive gap in talent and experience. As a big believer in vitamin vs. painkiller, Shreesha is now building where the pain is deepest. We discuss what truly needs to happen before building a startup, the foundation that will shape everything that follows. From his days at Yodlee during the dot-com boom to leading StrikeDeck and selling it to Medallia, he is now building again with clarity and intent for one of the most traditional industries: construction.  But here's one thing that probably tells you more about Shreesha than the companies he has built and scaled. He said, “My heart beats for other founders. Startup is my world, this community is my tribe.”0:00 – Trailer1:04 – Why build tech for Construction industry?3:54 – 200+ interviews to find the real customer pain5:05 – Big believer in Vitamin vs. Painkiller6:25 – The 2 core problems in this industry7:02 – Repeat founders Know structure better7:42 – First startup during the dot-com boom8:29 – Bay Area is Disney Land for tech founders9:23 – From engineering → sales → marketing10:37 – Founders should trust the team, above everything11:55 – The survey company that banned “survey”12:17 – First startup was all about me; now it's all about team13:57 – Dream big, but execute in small steps15:47 – The cost of speed in startups16:18 – I'm a marketing-first CEO17:27 – Hire a salesperson before the product exists18:17 – Is Founder-led selling good or bad?19:37 – Mean, lean & go all in23:55 – Don't bring humility to storytelling27:25 – How the story should evolve as startups scale35:30 – How Lumber will challenge giants in construction38:53 – Do repeat founders build more in verticals?43:39 – How to hire right people from traditional industries44:29 – What wealth unlocked for Shreesha45:34 – Legacy is moving the industry forward46:38 – What the next 20 years mean for software founders49:18 – AI should remove soul-draining work51:19 – “My heartbeats for other founders”-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

We don't want to seem foolish, make errors, but that is inevitable as we grow. A good sign of our growth is being a beginner again. All paths lead to us returning to this knowing. We are bodies to be embodied in the experiences which make us uncertain. I speak on this after reading Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse (10/10). Thanks for tuning in. Share some love as a comment or review to support!My website: https://www.anisabenitez.com/podcastKundalini Awakening support: https://calendly.com/anisabenitezFollow me on…Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anisabenitezTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@anisabenitezYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@anisabenitezSubstack: https://substack.com/@anisabenitezListen to the podcast…Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3o4HTSBzZHmYUwLzDCE46KApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/create-to-liberate/id1502449035#CreateToLiberate 

You rarely meet someone who has built and sold five companies. Sachin Aggarwal is now building his sixth, Stackgen. The depth of lessons from someone who has been through that journey five times and still chooses to build again is simply unmatched. Even after five successful exits, he still builds like a first-time founder. He studies every new domain from scratch, speaks to 60 or 70 people before committing to an idea, and surrounds himself with people who are smarter than him. What stood out most is his mindset. That is what truly sets him apart. We have always been told that time is money, but he believes timing is money. Founders should time everything, including their exits because the best startups are always bought, not sold. From building his first company during the Asian Financial Crisis in Indonesia, to creating a healthcare startup that grew with Obamacare, to pioneering cloud security before it became mainstream, Sachin has mastered the art of timing. 0:00 – Trailer0:46 – From KPMG to becoming an entrepreneur2:05 – Why the best startups are bought, not sold4:30 – Does luck play a role in repeated success?5:24 – Why is timing money?6:46 – Exit at $8M ARR in just 18 months8:10 – The first exit that gave financial freedom10:14 – 26-year-old who bought an Indonesian Co.12:42 – What drives repeat founders?13:53 – Co's are either Born secure or they're not19:40 – Founders must master timing21:24 – How tech-savvy should a tech founder really be?22:35 – The right way to time your exits27:07 – How to observe new markets to build?28:30 – The process behind starting a company29:32 – How to find the right co-founders?31:53 – What really builds trust?33:05 – What founders learn building across industries35:25 – How Stackgen's founders met43:36 – Industries with the best Timing today44:41 – Where should young founders build?48:06 – Winning InMobi as a customer51:11 – What AI agents are doing at Stackgen55:14 – How Stackgen could be a billion-dollar opportunity?=-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

India is the 2nd largest startup ecosystem now. But, can it be at par with Silicon Valley?With 37 years of experience in the valley, Avanish sahai believes it can. But what made Silicon Valley the ultimate startup ecosystem? It was investors, universities and an environment where people dreamed to come live and work. And, in the last 25 years India has been going through the same transformation. And the changes are nothing short of  admirable.Avanish started his career from a Mckinsey office in 1999 which ideated India's software dream,  with policy changes the country needed to lead in Technology. Since then, he's held senior roles at Oracle, Salesforce, ServiceNow, and Google Cloud, and served on HubSpot's board through its journey from $500M to $2B.Avanish talks with great passion about startups that are disrupting the world today, taking lessons from small companies that took over legends who were believed to be indestructible. Even with all the hype around AI, Avanish reminds us that ultimately it's all about people. 0:00 – Trailer1:13 – 37 years in Silicon Valley2:33 – McKinsey's “Vision 2020” for India (in 1980)7:30 – When only $8 was allowed for migrants to the U.S.?9:48 – “India is the ultimate definition of a startup ecosystem”11:30 – How openness to the world has changed India13:08 – India's tech stack should go global14:09 – Why “India is hot” right now17:41 – Global disruptors building for the world19:48 – Think big and fail often24:09 – HubSpot: Single product → multi-product → platform27:11 – How today's startups can compete with legends30:45 – Salesforce had APIs from day one (in 1999)35:51 – How AI is redefining Legends vs. startups41:51 – Life as a Stanford DCI fellow42:53 – How should the world adapt for 20–25 extra years?45:29 – How to spot the right wave and players in Career45:16 – Get mentors, stay curious, and take risks48:00 – Why it's still all about PEOPLE51:53 – How AI could disrupt vertical SaaS industries-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

What makes a great venture capitalist — luck, timing, or the ability to see what others miss?Brij Bhushan (Prime Venture Partners) and Pratik Poddar (Nexus Venture Partners) talk about the long game of venture capital; the waiting, the lessons hidden in mistakes, and the emotional ride of backing founders through years of uncertainty.With Pratik, we dive into some of the biggest names in the Nexus portfolio: his first meeting with Rapido's founder before he even joined Nexus, the Meesho pitch that became a big miss, and his first call with Zepto's founders. Nexus was one of Zepto's earliest investors and has backed the company in every round since. Pratik speaks with great clarity about conviction, timing, and what truly defines great investing.Brij reflects on his decade of building Magicpin, what it means to “build the same company three times,” and how that journey reshaped the way he now works with founders. Having lived through the chaos of scaling, near-failure, and reinvention, he brings the founder's perspective back into venture capital.Together, Brij and Pratik capture the essence of the VC game — how the industry is evolving, why consensus rarely creates outliers, how real decisions are made inside funds, and why the best founders often seem “too early” rather than too late. We talk about everything that shapes a VC's everyday life, and above all why Brij and Pratik believe it's still the best job in the world.0:00 – Trailer01:59 – Biggest learnings from 10 years as a VC05:00 – Rapido as a counterintuitive bet06:49 – Meesho was a big miss10:20 – Why Venture capital is the best job?12:35 – Every meeting could be life-changing14:54 – Knowing you are NOT in an Operating role16:55 – How often are VCs wrong about market size?18:58 – Where to invest in Consumer companies?25:33 – How consumer VCs bet on behavior change27:12 – Is e-commerce truly built for young users?28:10 – How do Investors deal with Bias?30:04 – Are VCs only remembered for success stories?37:45 – Why good deals rarely come from Consensus?39:24 – The first call with Zepto's founders41:10 – How often do you meet truly exceptional founders?43:45 – Should VCs react to market shifts?46:42 – How long VC's take to make an investment decision?50:53 – How founders should approach fundraising54:27 – Can India produce 50 decacorns in the next few years?55:51 – Best way to play VC game is to have right fund size56:42 – Not Knowing is a pre-requisite for a VC1:00:41 – Exceptional founders have this superpower1:02:02 – Where Indian founders have a real edge1:05:14 – Building AI in India: local maxima or global maxima?1:09:00 – When will Indian Co's acquire Indian startups for $Billions?1:11:55 – Why Zomato & Swiggy aren't true Consumer Co's?-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7Send us a text

When RateGain went public, it made history as India's first SaaS listingFounder Bhanu Chopra talks about what went into that call, how investors saw it, and what it revealed about the Indian capital market. He shares how RateGain built its global presence before turning to India, and why he bet big on a $250 million acquisition.Today, travel is changing faster than ever with travellers planning differently, hotels pricing dynamically, and APAC leading the global recovery. Bhanu breaks down how RateGain powers this, from AI that talks directly to hotels and travellers, to India's hospitality industry that aims to grow 100% every year.Valued at nearly $1Billion with over $120 million in annual revenue, RateGain counts some of the biggest names in travel among its customers including Airbnb, makemytrip, Marriott, Hyatt, IHG, Expedia, and Booking.com. From taking RateGain from zero to IPO and growing revenue tenfold in a decade, Bhanu's journey offers a grounded view of what it takes to build companies that last. This episode is about more than travel or tech, it's about how India's next generation of founders can think global.0:00 — Trailer1:00 — How RateGain became India's first SaaS IPO6:31 — Was India ready for a SaaS IPO?7:31 — The $250M acquisition that cost 25% of market cap10:58 — Why Indian SaaS is listing locally14:48 — Travel is booming in APAC15:34 — RateGain's business Explained19:09 — AI that talks to consumers and hotels21:00 — Building a billion-dollar company is totally possible23:03 — Why the hotel industry is too complex for LLMs25:40 — $300M of $7.5B TAM26:45 — Indian hotel chains aims to grow at 100%29:39 — Travel trends across the US, Europe and APAC32:25 — How travel behaviour changed after COVID?33:34 — The 0→1, 1→10 and 10→100 journey37:57 — What growth means to Bhanu as a founder-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Friends,When I was on my book tour for Hawk Mountain, I did an event with Andrea Lawlor where we spoke, at length, about horror. In the Q&A, someone raised a hand and asked:WHAT IS HORROR?Andrea and I both laughed. We found ourselves at a loss.Horror :Once you consider it, it's not clear.There's the assumption that horror is scary. Sometimes that's true. But obviously what's scary for you might not be scary for me, and vice versa, so that can't define the genre. We say horror has certain elements, but there are different kinds of horror to define its contours, whether it's body horror, slasher horror, cosmic horror...We might turn to the familiar face of horror - the monster - to see what they reveal to us. But while vampires, werewolves, zombies express, through their differing powers and weakness, different theories about horror, they can't give us a picture of what it is really. They're contained by it.Horror: Always on, always available, always around us. So… what is it?I asked my friends PHIL FORD and J.F. MARTEL - the cohosts of the WEIRD STUDIES PODCAST - onto the show to walk into the dark - or is it the blinding, malevolent light? - with me, and with you, to see what we would find there.Weird Studies is, in my experience of it, anyway, a horror podcast. In fact, my last conversation with Phil and J.F. was on Weird Studies and about horror: on Weird Studies 144, we looked into Clive Barker's Hellraiser and the book it's based on, The Hellbound Heart.But it's not a horror podcast because it's always focused on horror; many episodes are about topics and artworks that seem less than horrific (their series on each card in the major arcana of the tarot, for instance, or their episode on Herman Hesse's novel about enlightenment, Siddhartha). But there is a quality on each episode - a quality which we discuss in this conversation - of the threat of art, philosophy, image and sound. The way they invade our lives. Rearrange our organs Destroy the world we knew. In other words, we might think of horror as a position in time, something approaching or orbiting. Or as something creates shadows by blocking the light, or by creating a void where an object once was. You can hear me going in many directions again. Conversation with Phil and J.F. inspires that in me - being pulled in many directions at once. That's another way of thinking of horror: horror as blob; as spreading epidemic, as destroying giant, vaster than the safety of our shelters.This is what I love about talking with Phil and JF and about Weird Studies, and also why I often think of their podcast as the only true sibling to mine. In conversation with them, everything a springboard for everything. A web of connections. Or maybe better said, a transforming activity, everything metamorphosing into everything else through membranous, visceral, and expansive moves.Please support this show on patreon.PATREON.COM/CONNERHABIBYou can also find an almost complete list of the books, movies, etc we mention on this episode there.

María Berrío and New York Times journalist Siddhartha Mitter reflect on Soliloquy of the Wounded Earth, tracing how myth, memory, and resilience converge in Berrío's first New York exhibition in nearly a decade. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From a last-minute YC application to a $5 billion Company built on deep technical insight.In this episode, Viral Bajaria, Co-Founder and CTO of 6sense, takes us back to the very beginning. He recounts his early days at Hulu, where managing massive data systems during the Super Bowl taught him how data could drive real business decisions.Joining one of Y Combinator's early batches, Viral recalls being interviewed by Sam Altman and Garry Tan, and how the team quit their jobs after getting in, moved into a small townhouse, and began writing code. While most startups begin with small customers, 6sense started with some of the biggest enterprise logos. Viral explains why repeatability and implementation are harder when selling only to large accounts, and how those lessons shaped their approach to building sustainable growth. He also reflects on the difficult years when growth stalled, when the company had to rebuild its product, and when they learned that great technology means little without strong go-to-market execution. It is a story about timing, conviction, and the patience to build for what will not change.0:00- Trailer 02:26- First job at Hulu & exposure to big data06:36- YC interview by Sam altman & Garry tan08:22- Quitting job for YC11:07- First version: Big data analytics platform12:12- Getting in YC batch that downsized from 130 to 4713:27- The need & opportunity for a Merger15:49- Why Founders should learn to let go & avoid slow death16:07- Why everybody at YC advised against the merger?18:16- A VC next door that chased 6sense20:18- Rebuilding the product for B2B20:57- How this startup started with the biggest logos?21:59- Repeatability is hard when selling only to enterprise22:47- There were lot of startups, with lot more money23:32- How to build for things that won't change in 10 years?29:24- Ad platforms only targeted People, Not companies32:02- Why did 6sense get a new CEO?33:50- Funding rounds that led to $5Billion37:20- What 2013 Co's were doing can be done with 1% today38:39- When competition raises a $100M round39:40- If you build a company on LLM, there is no data moat42:02- What is the extent of guard rails for Agents?43:59- Viral's Investments in India & US Companies54:44- Co's should raise money to appear bigger than you are56:55- Vibe spending: People are spending money to try AI59:52- Is there a right time for vibe mode for every industry?01:02:00- Service as a software is selling agency to customer01:03:58- Why co's in the US-india corridor will succeed?01:17:27- Why Viral invested in Neon?-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

How do you know whether an iOS app you have built has potential to be big? Getting an email from Steve Jobs is probably a strong indicator.Ashish Toshniwal, founder of 10Kr and YML (Y Media Labs), started by trying a bit of everything: classifieds, Groupons, and Facebook apps. That email made him quit his job, but as Ashish says, it took him and YML 14 years to become an overnight success. YML helped businesses go mobile-first long before it became a buzzword, with over 45 Fortune 500 clients including Apple, PayPal, Meta, and Disney. Along the way, Ashish shares the real decisions every founder faces, such as when to take VC money, when to sell, and how to think about repeat business. He also reflects on turning down opportunities like Credit Karma equity (now worth $7billion), showing the tough choices early-stage founders make just to survive and keep their business running.This is a story about timing, focus, and conviction, and what happens when you build something real: from Calcutta to Silicon Valley, one decision at a time.0:00 – Trailer03:24 – How the Co-founders met05:28 – The first 3 ideas: Classifieds, Groupons & Facebook apps06:30 – An email from Steve Jobs made Ashish quit his Job07:59 – Building apps when App Store launched (Apple as a client too)09:20 – YML was famous but not profitable10:07 – Becoming the “app guys” of Silicon Valley11:56 – The pivot: Stick with products or move to services?13:43 – 6 acquisition offers on the table: Sell or not?16:57 – The first exit: 60% acquired at $60M18:38 – “We'd never seen that kind of money”19:26 – IOS engineering was like AI engineering20:13 – “If we don't have repeat business, we don't have business”22:09 – Silicon valley is not a zipcode, it's a mindset23:54 – Clients came for design, stayed for engineering26:11 – Does motivation change when equity shrinks?29:01 – Firing and re-hiring yourself as founder CEO30:50 – Why the final decision to sell YML was made32:55 – The golden window of mobile34:26 – Could YML have been a billion-dollar company?37:34 – Turning down Credit Karma equity: now worth $7B38:39 – Why CEOs are like travel agents41:50 – Why Ashish invested in Neon44:22 – What wealth truly enables47:36 – Investing early in Tesla, Nvidia, and Meta49:07 – Why founder-led companies outperform in public markets50:54 – It's easy to build products, harder to build real businesses52:44 – If your product isn't 10x better than ChatGPT, you have no chance53:04 – The future of jobs: 5 roles merging into 2 with agents on top57:25 – ChatGPT will not go after human-in-the-loop59:35 – The first real challenge to Google's dominance1:01:59 – Building AI agents that do real work is incredibly hard-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informSend us a text

Jay Vijayan, founder of Tekion, and Tesla's former CIO, has one of the most remarkable careers in technology and automotive.Jay joined as CIO when Tesla had almost no revenue and stayed through its growth to $5 billion ARR and $35 billion market cap. Elon Musk brought him in to build Tesla's own ERP system at a time when most companies would have chosen ready-made solutions like SAP or Oracle.Today, Jay leads Tekion, a company valued at over $4 billion that has raised more than $640 million and has companies like GM, BMW, Hyundai, and Exor as both customers and investors.Jay talks about how Tekion is rethinking the experience of buying & servicing cars connecting dealers, manufacturers, and partners on one platform. He explains why the company spent four years building its first product, why they acquired real dealerships to understand the business end-to-end, and what it takes to build tech for such a complex industry.This conversation is about building deep, meaningful products, making hard choices early, and maintaining focus when the world is moving too fast.00:00 – Trailer02:42 – What value Tekion brings to the automotive industry?03:56 – Enabling dealers with car buying and servicing05:41 – Helping manufacturers connect all customer touchpoints07:02 – Supporting partners across loans and financing07:34 – What was the industry like before Tekion?09:37 – Why Tekion spend 4 years in stealth mode11:50 – Acquiring dealerships to study the product end-to-end16:38 – Should vertical SaaS companies invest in sector businesses?20:30 – Stay Informed, but don't get swayed by trends22:57 – Why Subscription model didn't work for cars25:30 – How can founders navigate overhyped trends safely?26:22 – Differentiation in AI: solving valuable, sticky problems28:24 – Every business function should have an AI agent30:31 – How can AI agents improve car servicing?32:56 – When customers turn investors36:58 – Why experts opposed acquiring dealerships?40:08 – Why build an ERP backend as an early stage company?44:21 – Do not outsource core customer functions46:37 – Taking on a failed family business51:38 – Paying off huge debt over 10+ years55:21 – When seed investors get a 400x growth58:06 – What is the right attitude early in your career?-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Switzerland has quietly built one of the world's most stable and trusted startup ecosystems.Thomas Dübendorfer, founder and president of SICTIC, Switzerland's largest angel investing network with over 500 members and more than 400 startups joins Neon show.Thomas talks about how Switzerland's startup scene has changed over the past decade from a cautious investor community to one that now has 58 unicorns across sectors like fintech, AI, crypto, and deeptech. He explains what Switzerland is doing in AI and commercial research, why a $900 billion economy still invests only $4 billion in startups, why most exits happen through acquisitions rather than IPOs, how Zurich and Bengaluru can build stronger startup ties and what India can learn from a country that builds quietly. Thomas also shares his own journey: leaving Google, building nine startups (three acquired), and backing over 40 founders as an angel investor. This episode is a rare inside look at how Switzerland, at the intersection of centuries-old wealth and technology, is building a strong innovation ecosystem.00:00 – Trailer01:07 – How has the Swiss startup ecosystem evolved over 12 years? 03:36 – Why a $900B economy draws only $4B in startup funding 04:35 – What is Switzerland known for around the world? 05:12 – The lesser-known Unicorns 07:12 – How can Zurich and Bengaluru build stronger startup ties? 10:39 – Swiss institutions that are built to last 11:24 – Building a strong nation among powerful neighbors 12:32 – Alfred Escher: The founder of ETH Zurich 12:57 – How Gotthard Tunnel shaped Swiss finance and engineering 13:49 – Top companies that define Switzerland today 16:15 – What is Switzerland doing in AI? 18:49 – What are the exit routes for Swiss startups: IPOs or acquisitions? 20:19 – Why Zurich has a high concentrations of family offices 22:44 – Where Switzerland stands in Europe's startup landscape 24:16 – Why build companies when you can just fund them? 27:26 – How Thomas chose his 40 angel investments 28:57 – What do the Swiss think about the Indian startup ecosystem?-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

The week we continue our Retrospective on Osamu Tezuka's Buddha! Tune in to learn about Siddhartha's messy teenage years and questionable coronation practices! We also discuss truly edgy media, Dandadan, Trigun Stargaze, and more!!! Send us emails! mangamachinations@gmail.com  Follow us on Social Media! @mangamacpodcast Check out our website! https://mangamachinations.com Support us on Ko-fi! https://ko-fi.com/mangamac  Check out our YouTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/mangamactv Check out our new gaming channel! https://www.youtube.com/@NakayoshiGaming/  Timestamps: Intro - 00:00:00 Listener Question - 00:01:44 E.T. - 00:24:15 New Yen Press Releases - 00:34:06 Trigun Stargaze - 00:37:37 Dandadan - 00:43:02 Yasemasho: 40-sai Mangaka ga Hantoshi de 15kg Honki (Maji) Diet Shita Kiroku - 00:58:37 Next Episode Preview - 01:10:32 Buddha - 01:10:50 Outro - 02:11:54 Song Credits: “Celebration” by Suraj Nepal “Jiggin the Jig” by Bless & the Professionals “Divine” by Suraj Nepal “Tasty Bites” by ZISO

Este episodio nos invita a explorar cómo Siddhartha, el Buda, fue capaz de mirar cara a cara sus más profundas sombras, darles un nombre y, con valentía, decir: “Te veo”. A través de este acto de conciencia y aceptación, nos muestra el camino para no identificarnos con las emociones que vivimos, sino para abrazarlas con compasión y entender que, al final, son solo pasajeras. No somos lo que sentimos, solo lo experimentamos. Nos vemos dentro, queridos...

Ever received a push notification on your phone? There's a good chance it came through MoEngage.Raviteja Dodda, founder of MoEngage, shares the story of building a SaaS company from India that now sends 80 billion messages to 2 billion users across 1,200 brands. A decade-long  journey of MoEngage from its early years to becoming a category leader in customer engagement. He shares how the company grew by focusing on Indian customers as the strongest validation of product-market fit, before expanding globally by building regional teams with autonomy and hiring people with a founder's mindset to navigate new markets.Ravi also shares the why behind differences in pricing between US and Indian customers (think Swiggy vs DoorDash) and how revenue margins vary when selling in India versus abroad.Whether you're curious about the software powering some of the most familiar brands and apps we use every day, or want a behind-the-scenes look at how MoEngage built an $800M global SaaS business from India,then this episode is for you.0:00 – Trailer1:12 – Founder of software powering messages to 2B Users3:50 – Building one of India's first mobile apps8:49 – Acquiring India's top consumer Internet companies10:12 – Mobile → online → offline: Covering all touchpoints13:19 – How MoEngage became a category leader16:52 – Customer support is extremely rewarding in India24:12 – Reasons for Pricing gap: Swiggy vs. DoorDash27:55 – Revenue margins: India vs. abroad28:30 – Moving OLA from internal solution to Moengage29:54 – Key milestones in MoEngage's journey32:32 – Revenue split across customers33:37 – GTM to take a product built in India global41:19 – Why MoEngage should've entered Europe earlier43:51 – Middle East as the fastest-growing market44:21 – People who create v/s people who execute playbooks50:05 – How to sign large global customers from India?52:54 – Spotting early adopters in new markets55:59 – Can new companies win in mature categories?59:13 – MoEngage's position in AI1:01:54 – Building a $10M ARR SaaS: US vs. India1:03:57 – Scale in India first or go US on Day 0?1:08:45 – MoEngage's IPO timeline1:10:05 – Most exciting SaaS companies from India1:14:11 – Regional teams as mini-startups1:16:51 – What worked for MoEngage in fundraising?-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

In this episode, Madhavi Ravanan, Engineering Leader at Nokia, interviews Ashish Agrawal, Managing Director at Nagarro. Ashish reflects on Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha — exploring themes of wisdom, balance, and letting go. He shares how the book has influenced his personal and professional life, discussing the power of experience over knowledge, the meaning of parenthood, and the idea that true peace comes when we stop searching and start living. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 01:00 Driving Non-Linear Growth at Nagarro 01:45 The Habit of Reading 03:30 Why Siddhartha? 05:45 The Message of Letting Go 08:15 Learning Through Experience, Not Knowledge 11:00 Parenting and the Circle of Life 13:45 Balance Over Extremes 16:30 Soft Is Stronger Than Hard 20:00 Truth Has Two Sides 23:00 The Inward Journey 25:30 Let Life Happen to You 28:30 Closing Thoughts and Reflections

This episode with Prof. Arun Kumar is a look at the Indian economy beyond headlines and GDP numbers. We discuss the paradox behind India's growth story: when GDP rises, does it really reach the people? We explore how poverty in India has officially fallen from 27% to 5.3% in just over a decade, yet real wages have been shrinking, especially for rural workers. If fewer people are poor on paper, but incomes aren't rising, what's actually driving this improvement?We talk about how the structure of India's economy is changing, how wealth is concentrated, and the weakening of the public sector to how the black economy distorts policy outcomes.We discuss why state finances are now becoming a silent crisis, and how India's macroeconomic stability, while strong, hides inequalities that threaten long-term growth. The episode also explores the solutions, which India needs to fix over the next 20 years to make growth truly inclusive and meaningful for everyone.0:00 – Trailer1:01 – Does GDP growth translate to ground reality?6:46 – Is India truly the 4th largest economy?10:30 – Poverty fell 22% in 12 years, yet wages dropped.14:06 – Does the poverty line reflect reality?18:07 – What % of India is really poor?21:00 – Are middle-class families going into debt for basics?23:26 – How are rich, middle, and poor defined?24:44 – Wealth is shifting26:56 – How stable is India's macroeconomy?30:48 – Why India cannot open up some sectors34:27 – Why R&D spending remains low in India35:36 – Is the consensus on need for public sector falling?38:18 – Black economy kills public sector41:37 – How healthy are the Indian state economies?44:51 – Is the tax split b/w centre and states working?47:05 – How can India create jobs in Unorganised sectors?53:12 – What are the solutions to fix Indian economy in next 20 years-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

“When I saw Google change the destiny of the planet, I could not imagine doing anything else but working with brilliant entrepreneurs.”-Asha Jadeja Motwani and her husband, Rajeev Motwani, the Silicon Valley legend of technical startups, are together the founding stakeholders of Google.In the late 1990s, they came to the United States as most Indians, as students. From being part of Google's early days to their journey as investors and now, extending that into an active participation in American politics. She speaks about Rajeev's pivotal role in mentoring Larry Page and Sergey Brin, co-authoring the PageRank paper, and helping shape Google's DNA. Today, through the Motwani Jadeja Foundation, Asha continues to build on that legacy; funding entrepreneurs, supporting Indian voices in global think tanks, and opening doors at Davos and Washington. Asha also reflects on how the Indian diaspora can play a far greater role in shaping the future of India-US partnership and why entrepreneurs are critical to the future of this relationship.If you're an entrepreneur building in the India–US corridor, or curious about the opportunities the two nations are creating for startups, then this episode is for you.00:00  – Trailer01:25 – How Rajeev became founding stakeholder of Google03:48 – The early days of Google: first office to first funding07:52 – Investments of Dot Edu Ventures10:03 – Asha's role in American politics10:45 – How Indians in Silicon Valley can strengthen US–India corridor12:18 – The lack of Indian scholars in think tanks13:14 – Do Indians have enough influence in American politics?13:52 – Is Silicon Valley & the Indian diaspora shifting right?15:00 – The impact of Trump on India–US relations17:36 – Asha's role in opening doors for India globally21:09 – How the Motwani Foundation selects projects and people24:08 – Entrepreneurs as a critical part of US–India value creation24:54 – What's missing in US–India value creation?26:33 – Report on “jailed for doing business” in India27:56 – The legacy of Rajeev Motwani-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Cybercrime is predicted to drain the world of $10.5 trillion annually by 2025, making it one of the greatest threats to modern business.Shikhil Sharma, co-founder & CEO of Astra Security, is building one of today's most trusted pentesting platforms. Just last year, Astra uncovered over 2 million vulnerabilities across customer systems, preventing more than $69 million in potential lossesShikhil shares why Astra was built as a product- and marketing-first company, how storytelling helped the brand connect with people by clearly showing its purpose and expertise and how founder–investor relationships are built on conviction and trust. He breaks down why pricing transparency is no longer optional for B2B companies and how trust is emerging as the true currency of go-to-market. We discuss what it takes to build a SaaS company in today's AI-first world, from raising leaner rounds and running with smaller teams to creating products that customers love from day zero. Beyond the playbooks, this is a conversation about building durable companies and the mindset that drives Shikhil as a founder: success isn't bought, it's rented, and the rent is due every day.0:00 — Trailer0:56 — Early college days that led to a startup5:00 — AI could cut startup costs and team size by 80%8:43 — Why seed rounds should be under $500K11:45 — Marketing can beat sales in early-stage SaaS16:07 — Is Google search under threat from consumer AI?20:23 — Why B2B startups must display pricing transparently25:41 — What VCs lend founders beyond capital?28:36 — How 42 CIOs backed Atomicwork30:58 — Replace GTM with COT- currency of trust33:34 — Why 20-year SaaS playbooks no longer works35:37 — How AI is changing cybersecurity41:38 — How the founders first met in college46:33 — Are “hard startups” actually easier to build?51:50 — Neon X Astra Security-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

“Push something a millimetre in the private sector, you make an inch of progress. In the public sector, it's a mile of progress.”Subroto Bagchi started his career as a clerk in the Odisha government in 1976, leaving postgraduate studies. Today, eight years after serving at the rank of cabinet minister in the same government, he has certainly changed countless lives, not nameless faces. In this conversation, he passionately shares stories of young men and women from Odisha who overcame generational challenges by getting skilled, gaining not just jobs but identity.While this conversation could have focused on his remarkable journey building Mindtree in 1999 with 9 Co-founders and taking it to IPO, it goes beyond entrepreneurship. It's about stories from hinterland India, seen through the eyes of a founder who spent 16 years in the private sector before serving his home state. Subroto also reflects on India's big picture: instead of just chasing the trillion-dollar goal, we should also focus on improving quality of life for the 94% in the unorganized sector. This episode shares stories beyond metros, it highlights how building scalable solutions in business can translate into meaningful social impact. 0:00  – Trailer1:47 – 10-6-4-2 Method to evaluate ITIs6:15 – Muni Tigga: Locomotive Pilot story9:12 – Basanti Pradhan: Story of 50% of garment workers in Tiruppur from Orissa15:49 – Sumati Nayak: How skills give us identity19:16 – Joy of building Mindtree vs. joy of working in govt20:35 – The difficult stories of people moving away for Jobs23:32 – How Mr.Subroto accepted the Job?31:13 – The story behind “The Day the Chariot Moved”33:26 – How 8 years in hinterland India changed Mr. Subroto37:14 – India vs. Bharat42:04 – India's priorities beyond the $5 trillion economy43:43 – Quality of life for a gig worker in India vs. a developed country45:29 – Reality of 94% India that is unorganised47:50 – What India gives its vocationally trained students?49:09 – Stereotypes about govt, that maybe not true anymore52:03 – The highly efficient & incorrupt politicians54:00 – Where the government has succeeded in delivery?-------------India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Find Mr.Subroto Bagchi's latest book here: The day the Chariot MovedSend us a text

This week on Moped Outlaws, we sit down with voice artist, writer, and creative soul Lea Sakran. Lea's journey weaves through music, theater, and literature—breathing life into timeless works like Siddhartha and The Little Prince. Together, we explore the resonance of language, the courage of creativity, and how stories become bridges of love and empowerment […]

This week is the first in our Off the Cushion and Into the World series. This series came from multiple requests for a course on Buddhist philosophy and psychology, and I wanted to offer this series on the foundational teachings here on the podcast. As the Dalai Lama said, you don't have to be Buddhist to benefit from the teachings of Buddhism! You can use the tools to have less suffering in your life - no matter what your path is. In this first episode of the series, we explore the story of Siddhartha and the trials and tribulations that led to his Awakening; how he was a human who suffered just like us, and therefore how Awakening is something available to all of us. We explore the foundational values of inquiry and debate within Buddhism, and how we need to discover our own path and test things out for ourselves, not relying on blind faith. We also dive into the Three Refuges (aka the 3 Jewels) and why they're essential on our journey, and how to explore our own versions of these refuges.Most of all, you learn how to begin applying these things to this wild and whacky human life.You will learn:// Why we might want to study these teachings in the first place - even if we aren't Buddhist or religious// The story of Siddhartha (later know as Buddha) and why he'd leave a phat pad, buckets of money and a legacy of power // Why Buddhism is so unique in its practice of inquiry, questioning, debate, and no requirements or blind faith. (And why it often works well for atheists and agnostics as well) // The three jewels / refuges and why we need them on our journey// One practice you can try this week to show up with curiosity around your own sources of refuge and resourcing Resources:// Episode 122: Come See for Yourself – Ehipassiko// Episode 136: Freedom to Change Your Mind// Episode 198: WTF Is Enlightenment?// If you're new to the squad, grab the Rebel Buddhist Toolkit I created at RebelBuddhist.com. It has all you need to start creating a life of more freedom, adventure, and purpose. You'll also get access to the Rebel Buddhist private group, and tune in every Wednesday as I go live with new inspiration and topics.// Want something more self-paced with access to weekly group support and getting coached by yours truly? Check out Freedom School – the community for ALL things related to freedom, inside and out. We dive into taking wisdom and applying it to our daily lives, with different topics every month. Learn more at JoinFreedomSchool.com. I can't wait to see you there!// Have you benefited from even one episode of the Rebel Buddhist Podcast? I'd love it if you could leave a 5-star review on iTunes by clicking here  or on Spotify by clicking here.