Payal Kadakia (ClassPass) - Bringing Your Whole Self to Your Venture
Feb 16, 2022
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Payal Kadakia, founder of ClassPass and The Sa Dance Company, discusses reconciling her identities as a business leader and dancer. She emphasizes the importance of bringing our whole selves to work and finding our purpose. They delve into connecting a business's 'why' to its mission and metrics, the role of emotion in business, resilience and self-care, finding balance and following passion, and principle-driven decision making. Learn about the LifePass Method for setting goals and finding fulfillment.
Embrace authenticity and integrate all aspects of oneself to bring the full range of skills and passions to work.
Resilience is crucial in the entrepreneurial journey as failures can be opportunities for growth.
Building a supportive community and surrounding oneself with like-minded individuals are essential for personal and professional growth.
Deep dives
The importance of following one's passion and purpose
Pyle Cadocia, the co-founder of ClassPass and author of the book 'LifePass: Drop Your Limits, Rise to Your Potential', shares her personal journey and emphasizes the significance of pursuing one's passion and purpose. Pyle believes that everyone has a unique gift and a purpose in life, and it is important to listen to oneself and discover that calling. She encourages individuals to prioritize love, passion, and purpose in their decision-making and to surround themselves with like-minded people who support their dreams and aspirations.
Building resilience and embracing failure
Pyle shares her experience of facing challenges and setbacks during the entrepreneurial journey. She emphasizes the importance of resilience and the ability to bounce back from failures. Pyle believes in learning from failures and using them as opportunities for growth. She shares her own experiences of failure, such as the initial struggles of ClassPass and the need to pivot and adapt the business model. Pyle's determination and belief in her mission kept her going even in the face of adversity.
Balancing multiple identities and embracing authenticity
Throughout her life, Pyle has embraced multiple identities, such as being a dancer, a businessperson, and a first-generation Indian American. She encourages individuals to embrace their authentic selves and not be confined by societal expectations or external labels. Pyle believes in integrating all aspects of oneself and bringing the full range of skills and passions to the table. She shares her own experiences of straddling different identities and the challenges and rewards that come with it.
The power of community and surrounding oneself with like-minded individuals
Pyle highlights the importance of community and surrounding oneself with people who believe in and support one's dreams. She shares how communities can help provide the motivation, inspiration, and resources needed to pursue one's calling. Pyle encourages individuals to find their tribe and build a strong network of people who share similar values and aspirations. She believes that communities are essential for personal and professional growth and can help individuals thrive in their chosen endeavors.
Creating a principled-driven approach and setting goals aligned with one's values
Pyle introduces the concept of the 'LifePass Method', a systematic approach to setting goals and focusing on one's intentions and values. She emphasizes the need to have a balanced approach to life and to set goals not only in professional aspects but also in personal aspects. Pyle encourages individuals to prioritize their goals and aspirations each quarter and iterate on themselves, just as they would in building a business. By aligning goals with values, individuals can lead a more fulfilled and purposeful life.
Payal Kadakia is the founder of ClassPass, the health and wellness app that connects users to fitness classes and other health-positive experiences in 30 countries worldwide. Kadakia is also the founder and artistic director of The Sa Dance Company. Kadakia’s first book, LifePass: Drop Your Limits, Rise to Your Potential, is forthcoming in February 2022. In this conversation with Stanford adjunct lecturer Ravi Belani, she discusses reconciling her dual identities as a business leader and a dancer and her belief that we are our most successful when we bring our whole selves to work.
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