Suneera Madhani: Why Most Founders Fail—7 Things You Must Do to Succeed

What habits do you think lead to success?

How do you handle setbacks or failures?

Today, Jay Shetty sits down with Suneera Madhani, a visionary entrepreneur who defied the odds to build a billion-dollar business. As the founder of Stax Payments and CEO of Worth AI, Suneera opens up about her remarkable journey—from being the daughter of Pakistani immigrants and the first in her family to attend college, to becoming a trailblazer in the fintech industry. Her story is a powerful testament to resilience, innovation, and breaking barriers in a world where women are often underrepresented in leadership roles.

In this insightful conversation, Jay and Suneera dive into the mindset shifts necessary to scale a business, from overcoming self-doubt to making tough leadership calls. Suneera shares her game-changing “Do, Delegate, Delete” framework—a powerful time management strategy that has helped her balance the demands of entrepreneurship and motherhood. Jay emphasizes the value of living with intention, drawing parallels between Suneera’s disciplined approach and his own experiences with self-awareness, productivity, and personal growth.

Together, they discuss the unique challenges women face in business, especially in male-dominated industries like fintech. Suneera opens up about the gender disparities in venture capital funding and leadership, sharing eye-opening statistics that highlight the struggles many female entrepreneurs face. More importantly, she offers practical strategies for women to break through these barriers—building strong networks, seeking mentorship, and how to step into executive roles with confidence.

In this interview, you'll learn:

How to Turn Rejection Into Opportunity

How to Effectively Manage Time as an Entrepreneur

How to Scale a Business to the Next Level

How to Balance Entrepreneurship and Family Life

How to Build a Strong and Supportive Network

How to Succeed as a Woman in a Male-Dominated Industry

How to Shift Your Mindset for Long-Term Success

No matter where you are in your journey—whether you're launching a business, chasing a passion, or facing life’s challenges—remember that success isn't just about hitting a milestone. It's about staying aligned with your purpose and pushing forward with intention.

With Love and Gratitude,

Jay Shetty

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What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro

02:46 Highly-Caffeinated Time Hacker

03:46 The Best Time Management Strategy

07:35 How to Delegate Time & Tasks Effectively

11:05 How It All Started

16:42 Collaboration to Solve Hard Problems 

19:46 The Risk of Playing It Safe 

25:50 How to Set Empowering Goals

30:15 Build Your Network

37:19 Don’t Lose Yourself in the Process

41:37 Building a Business with Family

50:21 Find Your Niche to Build a Product That Lasts

55:19 Mindset Shift to Build a Successful Business

01:01:24 The Darkest Day for an Entrepreneur

01:08:41 The Importance of Self Reflection  

01:12:16 A Supportive Partner is Key

01:20:21 Suneera on Final Five  

Episode Resources:

Suneera Madhani | Website

Suneera Madhani | LinkedIn

Suneera Madhani | Instagram 

The CEO School

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