10X Growth Strategies

In this episode our host Preethy Padmanabhan had a thought provoking discussion with Divya Raghavan, an early stage VC at NGP Capital. Divya shared insights on passion and perseverance among startup entrepreneurs she meets, how to cultivate grit in the workplace and learning lessons that helped her to become a successful VC. So, grab your headphones, get comfortable, and join us on this audio adventure! Your thoughts and feedback are always welcome "Grit" by Angela Duckworth explores the concept of grit and its significance in achieving success. Duckworth argues that passion and perseverance, rather than talent alone, are the key factors in reaching long-term goals. Drawing on extensive research, she presents compelling anecdotes and case studies to support her claim that individuals who exhibit grit are more likely to overcome challenges and excel in their pursuits. Duckworth also emphasizes the importance of cultivating grit in children and fostering a growth mindset. Ultimately, "Grit" provides readers with valuable insights into the qualities that contribute to exceptional achievement and offers practical advice on how to develop and apply grit in various aspects of life.

When we iterate without a clear vision or strategy, our products become bloated, fragmented and driven by irrelevant metrics. They catch “product diseases” that often kill innovation. The book “Radical Product Thinking : The new mindset for innovating smarter” offers refreshing solutions that go against conventional wisdom. It offers a framework for building vision driven products that create impact to society at large. In today’s episode, Arthi Vijayaraghavan, VP of Products at OJO had the pleasure of discussing the book with the author Ms.Radhika Dutt. Radhika is an entrepreneur and product leader who has participated in five acquisitions, two of which were companies that she founded. She advises organizations from high-tech startups to government agencies on building radical products that create a fundamental change. Tune in to listen to learn how to build vision driven products using the radical product thinking framework.

In this episode I had a thought provoking and humorous conversation with Roshan Cariappa, VP of Marketing for Vymo. We discussed the book “Skin in the Game” and the Incerto series of books by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. Roshan is a host for “The Startup Operator” podcast. Check out our conversation to hear valuable insights from Roshan on:  How to deal with uncertainty Take risks to amplify rewards Make your message grandmother proof Have soul in the game  Look for the genius within and more.. "Skin in the Game" by Nassim Nicholas Taleb explores the importance of personal accountability and risk-taking in decision-making. Taleb argues that individuals, especially leaders, should have a tangible stake in the outcomes of their choices to ensure responsible and informed decision-making. He critiques systems where decision-makers do not bear the consequences of their actions, emphasizing the need for a connection between decision-makers and the risks involved. Taleb's book delves into the concept of "skin in the game" as a fundamental principle for a robust and resilient society, urging for a more accountable and ethical approach to decision-making in various fields.

The 21 Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell insights learned from Maxwell’s 30-plus years of leadership successes and mistakes with observations from the worlds of business, politics, sports, religion, and military conflict. In the book the author explains the different laws with real world examples, takeaways. One of the advise in the book for leaders to learn about leadership is to practice by leading a voluntary organization.  In today’s episode Arthi Vijayaraghavan, VP of Products at OJO had the pleasure of discussing it with Ms.Saraswathi Padmanaban the founder and head of DiyaGhar. Diyaghar is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide early childhood education to the children of migrant laborers. The organization currently runs in Bangalore, India and supports over 1000 children. Tune in to listen to great leadership takeaways from the humble and passionate leader of DiyaGhar, Ms.Saraswathi Padmanaban.

In the episode our host Preethy Padmanabhan had an insightful discussion on the book Play Bigger with Maryanne Morrow, Chairman, Founder and CEO of 9th Gear. Maryanne shared how she is creating a new category within the Fintech space.  "Play Bigger" is a business book by Al Ramadan, Dave Peterson, Christopher Lochhead, and Kevin Maney that explores the concept of category design as a strategic approach for companies to achieve long-term success. The book argues that companies should aim to create and dominate their own product category rather than competing within existing ones. It emphasizes the importance of defining a unique and compelling category narrative that sets a company apart in the market. The authors provide numerous case studies and real-world examples of companies that successfully implemented category design, such as Uber and Salesforce, to illustrate their principles. Ultimately, "Play Bigger" offers a strategic framework for businesses to become category kings and disrupt their industries.

The book Tribes will make you think (really think) about the opportunities for leading your fellow employees, customers, investors…etc. It is not easy, but it’s easier than you imagine.  In today’s episode, Arthi Vijayaraghavan, VP of Products at OJO had the chance to talk to Nidhi Gupta, CEO and Co-Founder of SheTO.org.  Nidhi is committed to addressing the vast gender gap in engineering and spends all her time furthering this cause and that is the motivation behind starting the “Tribe” of SheTO.org. Tune in to listen to an engaging discussion on forming and growing tribes. Lot of anecdotes from her journey, aha moments and learnings from the book.    

In the book “Built To Sell” author John Warrillow provides specific steps to entrepreneurs to build a valuable company which is sellable. Warrillow shows exactly what it takes to create a solid business that can thrive long into the future. In this episode our host Preethy Padmanabhan discusses the book “Built to sell” with our guest Catherine Montgomery. She is the founder and CEO of Better Together, a communications agency that galvanizes positive change for purpose-driven organizations through creative strategies, messaging, and branding. She focuses on social impact businesses, where being upfront about your values is essential. Tune in to listen to great takeaways and key insights from our guest Catherine and the book.

The book “The Power Law” is an astonishingly frank and intimate story of Silicon Valley’s dominant venture capital firms. How their strategies and fates have shaped the path of innovation and the global economy.  In today’s episode, Arthi Vijayaraghavan, VP of Products at OJO had the chance to talk to Ashmeet Sidana, Chief Engineer at Engineering Capital, a VC firm investing in startups founded on the basis of technical insight. Tune in to listen to an engaging discussion on VC investing, journey of the firms, the evolution of the industry. Lot of insights shared from Ashmeet’s personal journey, firms he has mentored and managed over the years.

In this episode our host Preethy Padmanabhan discusses the classic management book “The Goal” with Andy MacMillan, CEO of UserTesting. Andy shares valuable insights on how to apply concepts from the book to a modern SaaS business. Check out the podcast to gain time tested knowledge on how to effectively identify and reduce bottlenecks in your business and successfully achieve your goal. "The Goal" is a management-oriented novel written by Eliyahu M. Goldratt, published in 1984. The story follows Alex Rogo, a plant manager who faces numerous challenges at his struggling manufacturing company. Faced with the threat of closure, Alex embarks on a journey of discovery guided by a mentor named Jonah, who introduces him to the Theory of Constraints (TOC). Through various real-world scenarios and insights, Alex learns to identify and prioritize bottlenecks in his production process, leading to improved efficiency and profitability. By focusing on the core principles of TOC, Alex successfully transforms his factory and gains valuable lessons applicable to other areas of business and life.

How do you turn around a failing project, team, or even an organization? That is the main focus of the book Turnaround. Arthi Vijayaraghavan, VP of Products at Ojo had pleasure of hosting the author of the book Lisa Gable in our podcast today. Lisa Gable is a former U.S. ambassador, United Nations delegate, and CEO of several organizations. She has orchestrated the successful turnarounds of a number of private and public entities across a number of industry sectors.  Change is the only thing that is constant and in the current climate you might find yourself in a scenario to “Turnaround” your team, company. Tune in to listen to understand the methodology along with great anecdotes from the author.