Arta Spotlight: Live Long & Prosper

Former tech leader Gokul Rajaram discusses the importance of being helpful in career growth. He emphasizes focusing on the company's mission, working with high-caliber professionals, and seeking new challenges. Rajaram shares insights on career decisions, transitioning from ads to fintech, and engaging with invested companies as an investor.

Brandon Bouier, founder of the Data Investing Community and early Arta member, sits down with Caesar to share insights from the pivotal moments that defined his remarkable career journey. From leaving a stable government job during the 2009 recession to transitioning into the tech world, Brandon’s path is a testament to the power of embracing the unknown and living without regrets.Brandon recounts his bold decision to move from Las Vegas to Seattle for a new opportunity, despite his family’s concerns. Unwilling to live with the nagging question of “what if,” he took a leap of faith that would expose him to the world of technology and ignite his desire to pivot from government work to the private sector.The conversation delves into Brandon’s initial struggles with imposter syndrome and how encouragement from colleagues at the White House’s U.S. Digital Service finally gave him the confidence to make the leap into tech. He also shares invaluable lessons he’d impart to his younger self about taking responsibility for one’s life path, staying patient and focused on goals, and maintaining financial discipline.Brandon credits his ability to take calculated risks, combined with the support of his wife’s direct approach to discussing finances as a team, as key factors in his success. His story serves as an inspiration for being thoughtful about risks while remaining unafraid to defy conventions in pursuit of one’s dreams.

In this week’s episode, Caesar hosts Diya Jolly, Chief Product Officer at Xero. Early in the conversation, Diya shares her wisdom on the importance of following one's internal compass, emphasizing that true direction comes from within rather than succumbing to external pressures. She points out several times in her career when her family and loved ones encouraged her to do something different than what she wanted to do. Despite it all, Diya stayed her course based on her instincts and created a path that fueled her interests and further developed her skills.Combining logic and creativity, Diya followed her gut and entered the engineering world because she wanted to build things. Sticking to her passion, Diya secured roles at leading tech giants, notably Google. Diya candidly recounts her initial hesitation to join Google, a decision she nearly passed on. However, she embraced the opportunity, resulting in a remarkable tenure exceeding seven years, during which she ascended to multiple leadership roles.Diya also opens up about the impactful role that money plays in our lives and careers, sharing relatable stories from her own experiences.This episode highlights the importance of embracing the journey towards greater ambitions rather than solely fixating on the destination ahead. 

Karim Temsamani, the CEO of Cardlytics and previous President of Google in Asia, joins Caesar for an eye-opening conversation about personal growth, career changes, and the mindset he had that pushed him to make these pivotal changes throughout his life.Karim shares what factors went into his decision-making for every career shift, from taking his first position after college in a country he wasn’t from to eventually working and running various businesses in nine countries. Karim stresses that he believes no one should make a career change strictly based on the financial aspect. While money and your financial situation can play a role in career decisions, he wants people to understand that the best way to make career changes is based on interest, the ability to work with great people and family, and the opportunity to learn something new. Karim shares that his decision to leave Google in Hong Kong was made based on wanting to try something new and be closer to family. This episode tells the story of different factors that should influence career changes and how money isn’t everything.

CEO and Co-Founder of Coda, Shishir Mehrotra, sits down with Caesar for an eye-opening conversation about career choices, investments, and how these choices can impact the bigger picture. Shishir shares the most pivotal moments in his career that led him to where he is now as a mentor, CEO, and investor. From starting his first company, Centrata, to turning down an offer at Google for Microsoft, to eventually finding his way back to Google and YouTube, every step he took was a lesson learned. The conversation shifts from Shishir’s career path to how he got involved in angel investing and what he teaches others about investing in companies and investing in career choices. He stresses the importance of considering the big picture and pursuing investments and careers that you’re passionate about because they tend to yield the best results. Shishir’s ability to envision the future and challenge conventions has helped lead him to where he is today. This episode tells the story of breaking the mold and how great things can come from one great conversation.

In this episode, Caesar is joined by Ryan Tabone, who was a key innovator in the development of products including Chromebooks, G Suite, and Google Finance. Today, Ryan serves as Chief Product & Technology Officer at Lightspeed Commerce.Ryan reflects on his time at Google, discussing the amazing projects he had the opportunity to work on, the importance of continuous learning, and the decision to pursue a career he was passionate about - even if it meant making financial sacrifices.He also shares valuable advice for his younger self, highlighting the significance of starting to invest early, finding balance in life, and embracing risks and failures for personal growth.Beyond finance, Ryan speaks about his personal ambitions for the future, including a passion for AI and creating his own distillery. He emphasizes the importance of appreciating the good in life and working with colleagues who bring value.To follow Ryan, visit his LinkedIn profile.

In this episode, Caesar welcomes Sam Malik, whose early life in India set a foundation for a journey marked by resilience and ambition. Sam shares her unconventional dreams growing up, influenced by her mother’s profession and her own aspirations to play in the WNBA.Sam takes us through her bold decision to leave college and pursue a new path that presented both daunting challenges and life-changing opportunities. She opens up about the hurdles of adjusting to a new culture, the longing for home, and how these experiences redirected her focus.To follow Sam and keep up with her journey, follow her on LinkedIn.

Caesar sits down with Sabrina Ellis, whose strategic insights have shaped her roles at industry behemoths like Google and now as Chief Product Officer at Pinterest.Sabrina opens up about her approach to decision-making, emphasizing the joy in following one's passion and the wisdom gleaned from her father on welcoming new opportunities.Highlighting her transition from Google to Pinterest, Sabrina offers an intimate look at the significant career decisions she's faced and how she balances the demands of a high-powered tech career with family life and personal happiness.Additionally, the conversation explores the role of diversity in building innovative teams and products and underscores Sabrina’s commitment to philanthropy through donor-advised funds and responsible giving.To learn more about Sabrina:Check out the Pinterest executive team page and the recent body type technology announcement on the Pinterest newsroom.

Tamar Yehoshua, who has served as VP across multiple divisions at Google, Chief Product Officer at Slack, and now as a venture partner at IVP, joins Caesar for an illuminating discussion on career, personal growth, and finance.Tamar reflects on the pivotal moments in her career, discussing the fine line between taking risks and playing it safe, and how intuition often guided her choices. She shares her strategy of joining teams led by people from whom she could learn, starting with her leap from Intel to a startup in 1999.The conversation takes a turn to her transition into venture capital, highlighting how her extensive background in product and engineering provides a unique perspective in her new role. Tamar talks about her need for a change after her experiences at Slack and Google and how relationships within the venture capital industry have shaped her journey.This episode is a story of embracing new learning opportunities and the excitement that comes with change.To follow Tamar's venture into the world of venture capital, follow her on LinkedIn.

Hosted by Caesar Sengupta, the CEO and Co-Founder of Arta Finance, Arta Spotlight: Live Long & Prosper offers an illuminating look into the thoughts and insights of some of the most successful founders, entrepreneurs, and investors.The topics covered in these podcasts are conversational and for informational purposes only. These podcasts are not intended to serve as investment advice and are not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular security or investment. All opinions expressed by Arta employees and third parties are not necessarily those of Arta Finance. See additional disclosures here.