E20: The Truth will set you Free

E21: Living the 100-Year-Life

In this episode, hosts Atul Nath and Suman Ghose engage in a deep conversation with Lloyd Mathias, a seasoned business strategist and investor. They explore Lloyd's journey from his early years in Mumbai to his extensive career in marketing and business. The discussion delves into the importance of resilience and empathy in today's fast-changing world, the impact of liberalization on career trajectories, and the significance of personal branding. The episode concludes with valuable advice for listeners at various stages of their careers, highlighting the importance of continuous learning and self-reflection. Lloyd is a Business Strategist and Investor. And one of the leading voices in the world of business in India. He invests, partners and collaborates with founders of early-stage companies in the areas of AI, Social Commerce, data analytics and digital technology.   He is on the Boards of many listed companies as an Independent Director. These include Quantum Asset Management Company; Protean eGov Technologies; HT’s Digi Content Ltd., Fever Radio, & NextMedia Works Ltd. Before all of this – Lloyd was the marketing head of the Asia business of HP Incorporated - As also the President & CMO of Tata Teleservices, Country Sales Director for Motorola, Executive VP Marketing & Category Director for PepsiCo India and South Asia. Chapters  00:00:00 Introduction to the Second Innings Podcast 00:02:30 Lloyd Mathias: A Journey Through Early Life 00:08:04 The Shift to Marketing and Business 00:13:18 Reflections on Entrepreneurship and Career Growth 00:15:46 Transitioning from Corporate Life to New Ventures 00:23:26 The Importance of Lifelong Learning and Reinvention 00:31:52 Adapting to New Business Models 00:32:15 The Motivation Behind Continuous Growth 00:33:40 The Importance of Engagement in Life 00:35:23 Navigating the Startup Ecosystem 00:37:27 The Value of Experience in Modern Business 00:40:05 Recognizing the Need for Change 00:42:41 The Impact of Digital Transformation 00:44:20 The Power of Pivoting and Reinvention 00:44:20 Mindset Shifts in Career Transitions 00:46:36 Building a Personal Brand Post-Corporate Life 00:47:55 The Role of Networking in Career Success 00:52:07 Navigating Social Media and Professional Image 00:52:08 The Evolution of Leadership Mindsets 00:53:15 Purpose vs. Passion in Career Choices 00:53:15 Reflecting on Career Transitions 00:57:54 Lessons from the Startup Ecosystem 01:00:01 Building Resilience and Empathy in Leadership

E20: The Truth will set you Free

In this episode of the Second Innings podcast, hosts Atul & Suman talk to Anil Nair to explore his journey from a successful career in advertising to founding Goodwind Moto Tours, a premium motorcycle touring company. Anil shares his early influences, the challenges he faced in his career, and the importance of self-awareness and purpose in making significant life transitions. He emphasizes the need to embrace the unknown and the value of personal growth through experiences, ultimately leading to his passion for motorcycling and helping others.Anil Sadasivan Nair is the co-founder of Goodwind Moto Tours, a premium motorcycle touring company from India. GMT is the pioneer in premium motorcycle tours taking Indian riders to exotic routes in Europe, Africa and Asia. He also serves as the co-founder and executive director of Hyper-ready Technologies, an AI technology firm. Apart from these two he holds board positions in various companies, including Kalyan Jewelers and Candere.With 27 years of experience in advertising, Anil's last role in advertising was CEO and managing partner at L&K Saatchi & Saatchi, a leading global advertising agency from where he retired in 2020. He was also a member of the global leadership board for Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide.In addition to his professional achievements, Anil authored "License to Fall," which shares insights from motorcycling about living life on one's own terms. The book is available on Amazon and in select bookstores. Anil is married to Arati Nair, an avid trekker who teaches social skills and English to children from less privileged backgrounds for the NGO Angel Express in Mumbai. He is a father to a young lady pursuing her master's degree in digital marketing and social media at the University of Dublin, Ireland. Chapters  00:00:00 Introduction to Second Innings Podcast 00:02:12 Anil Nair's Early Life and Background 00:03:14 Transition to Mumbai and Early Career 00:04:10 Passion for Cricket and Its Impact 00:05:10 Injury and Career Shift 00:05:30 Discovering Advertising and Marketing 00:06:31 Family Influence and Motorcycling Passion 00:07:44 The Journey to Mumbai and Dreams of Motorcycles 00:15:49 The Challenge of Acquiring a Bike 00:18:06 Balancing Passion and Career in Advertising 00:20:07 The Near-Fatal Crash and Its Impact 00:21:48 The Decision to Buy Another Bike 00:23:22 Transitioning from Bikes to Cars 00:24:19 The Influence of Advertising on Passion 00:26:24 The Birth of an Agency 00:28:18 Navigating Success and Challenges in Advertising 00:30:49 The Desire for Independence 00:33:22 The Journey to Founding a New Agency 00:36:32 The Leap of Faith: Starting A New Agency 00:38:40 Navigating Risks and Rewards in Entrepreneurship 00:41:46 Financial Preparedness: The Reality of Starting Up 00:46:43 Building a Legacy: From Agency to Impact 00:48:27 Passion Meets Purpose: The Birth of Goodwind Riding 00:55:10 Self-Justification and Truth 00:58:47 The Race of Life: Running Your Own Race 00:58:57 The Journey of Writing a Book 01:01:51 Lessons from Motorcycling: Metaphors for Life 01:08:38 Reflections on the Journey: What Would You Change? 01:08:57 Advice for Transitioning: Start with Why

E19: Are You Collisionable?

In this episode, hosts Atul S Nath and Suman Ghose engage in a conversation with Navyug Mohnot, a seasoned entrepreneur and life design coach. They explore Navyug's journey from his early life experiences, shaped by his father's career with the United Nations, to his education at IIT and his eventual transition into entrepreneurship. The discussion delves into the concept of 'Designing Your Life', emphasizing the importance of self-awareness, vulnerability, and intrinsic motivation in navigating life's challenges and opportunities. The conversation concludes with reflections on identity, the importance of chipping away at life's complexities, and the value of embracing both success and failure as part of the journey. Navyug is the CEO of QAI, a transnational Process Improvement consulting organisation, and the Founder and CEO of QGLUE, a consulting, coaching, and training company that helps enterprises and individuals adopt and embrace the ‘design-led way’ to foster innovation and success. Navyug’s passion for all things “design” led him serendipitously to the celebrated Stanford book and offering “Designing Your Life”. Navyug is a Stanford- trained “Designing Your Life” (DYL) Coach, Facilitator, and Educator for Universities, and brought the renowned program to India for the first time as Visiting Faculty at Ashoka University and at the Indian School of Business. Navyug did his B.Tech from IIT Delhi and received the “Outstanding Contribution to National Development” award from the IIT Delhi Alumni Association. He pursued a Fellowship for a PhD program in the USA. He dropped out to pursue his dream of returning to contribute to the globalisation of the then-nascent Indian IT Industry.  Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction to Second Innings Podcast 00:03:16 Navyug Mohnot's Early Life and Influences 00:11:55 Navigating Education and Career Choices 00:17:20 The Concept of Accidents in Life 00:24:17 Finding Balance Between Decisiveness and Fluidity 00:29:52 Understanding Personal Values and Decision Making 00:31:42 Aligning Values and Purpose in Organizations 00:34:21 The Importance of Self-Reflection and Core Values 00:36:20 Embracing Failure and Learning from Mistakes 00:40:00 Transitioning from QAI to Life Design 00:45:52 The Power of Aha Moments and Self-Awareness 00:49:57 Navigating the Dichotomy of Life 00:54:57 Navigating Emotional Challenges in New Ventures 00:58:23 The Value of Effort Over Outcome 00:59:30 Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation 01:03:45 Life by Design vs. Default 01:04:12 Building a Portfolio of Identities 01:07:32 Reflections on Past Choices 01:10:11 Advice for Different Life Stages

E18: Getting to the Summit is Optional, Coming back is Mandatory

Hosts Atul S Nath and Suman Ghose engage in a conversation with a person who has scaled Mt Everest - Hemant Soreng, an adventurer, entrepreneur, and author. Hemant shares his inspiring journey from a middle-class upbringing in Delhi to climbing Mount Everest and starting his own travel company, Rustic Travel. The discussion covers his early influences, the emotional challenges of entrepreneurship, and the lessons learned from both successes and failures. Hemant emphasizes the importance of taking risks, staying hungry, and embracing experiences as a way to grow personally and professionally.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Second Innings Podcast01:54 Meet Hemant Soreng: The Adventurer02:10 Early Life and Influences06:43 Transition to Engineering and MBA07:03 The Dot-Com Boom and Early Career11:34 Starting Up: The First Business Venture16:28 Navigating Challenges and Acquisitions18:50 Navigating Early Career Challenges21:35 The Thrill of Entrepreneurship23:45 Lessons from Personal Loss25:38 The Journey to Everest32:11 Starting Rustic Travel37:09 Reflections on Achievements and Future Aspirations44:57 The Challenges of Climbing and Descent45:34 Transitioning Between Startups47:57 The Importance of Financial Planning49:24 The Power of Commitment and Focus51:21 Navigating the Pandemic: A New Journey51:27 Reflections on Experience and Advice for Entrepreneurs

Reflections E8: Being open to Pivoting & Embracing Change

In this Reflections episode, Atul & Suman reflect on their chat with Radhika Vaz and Balaji Ramanujam. Radhika is a stand-up comedian and writer now, having worked in multiple jobs prior to that – while Balaji has worked across the Asia Pacific region building some very exciting brands and is now an ed-tech entrepreneur chasing the problem of preparing children to be entrepreneurs, inventors, original thinkers in an AI-automation driven world. They discuss the significant influence of upbringing on their paths, the importance of finding purpose and passion in their careers, and the emotional challenges faced during their entrepreneurial journeys. The conversation highlights the value of resilience, the joy of pursuing one's interests, and the realities of navigating a less structured work environment.Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Guests and Their Backgrounds02:21 Influence of Upbringing on Personal Development04:42 Finding Purpose and Passion in Life07:11 Navigating Emotional Challenges in Entrepreneurship