The Focus Bee Show (341) Neri Karra Sillaman: Pioneers, the secret of business longevity.
(336) Neri Karra Sillaman: Pioneers, the secret of business longevity.
In this episode, Neri Karra Sillaman shares powerful insights from her journey as a refugee-turned-entrepreneur, academic, and author. We explore what true business longevity means, why impact outweighs profit, and how “luck” is something we can actually create.
✨ What’s Inside This Episode:
⏳ 00:00 – Introducing Neri Karra Sillaman: Refugee, Entrepreneur & Author of Pioneers
🤯 01:21 – Rethinking Longevity: Success Beyond Profit & Why Impact Matters
🍀 03:18 – Redefining Luck: How Serendipity is Created, Not Found
💡 05:43 – Following Vision & Values: Authenticity as the Path to Opportunity
📚 09:12 – Two Years of Rejection to a Book Deal: Finding Alignment & Flow
🛡️ 12:31 – Rethinking Resilience: Why True Strength Requires Community
🤝 14:50 – Homophilic Ties: Building Strategic Bonds & Shared Values
🥘 17:30 – “Frying in Your Own Oil”: Resourcefulness as a Competitive Edge
💪 22:34 – Optimizing What You Have vs. Chasing What’s Missing
🌍 27:45 – Immigrant Entrepreneur Stories: From Duolingo to Spanx to MGA Entertainment
❤️ 32:19 – The Central Role of Kindness in Business Longevity
🌟 34:28 – Legacy & Impact: How Do You Want to Be Remembered?
💫 About Neri Karra Sillaman:
Neri Karra Sillaman is a refugee-turned-entrepreneur, academic, and author. Her latest book, Pioneers: 8 Principles of Business Longevity from Immigrant Entrepreneurs (Wiley, 2025), named one of Thinkers50’s top 10 best management books of the year, distils lessons from world-leading immigrant entrepreneurs while reflecting her own experience as co-founder of a global luxury leather goods brand. Holding a PhD in Management Studies from the University of Cambridge and serving as an Entrepreneurship Expert at the University of Oxford, Neri blends academic rigor with two decades of entrepreneurial practice.
📲 Where to Follow & Connect with Nerri Kara Sillaman:
- Website: https://www.nerikarrasillaman.com/
- Books: https://www.pioneersbook.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neri-karra-sillaman
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prof.neri
💫 About Katie Stoddart:
Katie is the founder of The Focus Bee, an international high-performance coach, speaker, author, and host of The Focus Bee Show. She supports founders, CEOs, and high achievers to reach and sustain peak performance through focus, leadership, stress management and alignment. Her mission is to create purpose-driven leaders worldwide.
🌐 Website: https://katiestoddart.com
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